The dentist

We really like the dentist we have for the kids.   He has a great personality and the kids like him and he seems to do a good job. I was especially pleased when he made a special exception so I could keep both kids at the same practice.  Something about insurance was going to make me have to use a different dentist for each kid.   But he made it work for us.  

This week we went in for both kids check ups and saw the other dentist.   He's an older man with a big personality.   Friendly and personable.   But when he checks Liam the first thing he says to me is "congratulations!"   And I'm thinking, wow, well thank you I guess.   For my kids having great teeth?  And then he says "I am so happy you stopped breastfeeding!"  So my guard went up a bit.   He's pretty old school and I didn't want to voice all my opinions then and there,   All dentists tend to tell you that nursing leads to tooth decay.   You know, especially if you nurse them to sleep.  But it didn't seem like a time to say anything so I just smiled and pointed at Lupe and said "two years" and "Liam two and a half years and I'm pretty happy with those times".  Whatever.   I'll keep doing what I'm doing cause I think I'm making good choices for my kids. 

He suggests dental probiotics for Liam because of the benefits it could give him what with the pesky extra chromosome making some changes in his body.  Different I guess than the other probiotics I give him daily. Ok.  He cuddles him and says "I love you!"   Ok.   I guess.  Liam's ok with it and he lets people know when he doesn't even want a high five from them.   He then somehow gets to saying Liam will be his patient for life.   I'll be seeing this guy at age 44 if i haven't retired yet! (Which isn't likely, he's old) and this made me feel weird.   Maybe that could be ok. maybe Liam will like him a lot.   But a grown man in a pediatric dentist practice?   I'm pretty sure Liam's going to be fairly high functioning and will be cognizant of the strangeness of going to a kid place.   I think.   Maybe not.   I won't know that for a while.   But I just felt that he had a pre conceived idea of the potential abilities of a person with Down syndrome.  And that he wouldn't be able to handle or act appropriately in a typical adult dental practice. 

 Am I reading into it? Am i being defensive?  I don't know.  But my gut told me that something felt strange about his treatment.  Not bad,  just not quite right.  I can't decide if his "having had many downs patients" is a pro or con.