Hi Hon:

How's it hanging???

Know what I've been up to??? I go on a dental phobia message board and I do whatever I can to locate phobia dental specialists for people all over the place.

These poor people (I am dental phobia, so I know exactly what these people are going through), can't even type in the word dentist, and some can't go into a building if it has a dental office in it. I wasn't that bad and I found my phobia "good guy", in NYC, and because I've been helped I like to "pay it forward".

You have absolutely no idea how many dental phobic there are in the world. Do you know what happens when they get into a dental chair (and god forbid they live in the United Kingdom with their National Health Care system!!!).

When a person hasn't seen a dentist in over 10 years (sometimes 30), they finally have a toothache that is driving them up the kazoo and they walk in only to be told there is a 4 month waiting list. Sometimes a dentist will let them sit down and then the poor person is berated for their neglect. It doesn't matter a hoot that this person has anxieties and is crying and cowering or that they jump out of the chair and is cowering in the corner, Oh nooooooooo, some dentists have absolutely no time or patience for such a patient, they kick them out and say "go someplace else".

This happens every single day in England, Ireland, Wales, etc. (bet you didn't know this). So these poor people are walking around in pain, with broken teeth, absesses, whatever and as a last resort they come to a message board and post their story and ask for help.

I've been able (thanks to using the internet), to find some of these people dental practices that cater to phobics, that use IV sedation and that take payment plans. I have even contacted such dentists if the person lives in the USA (I have free long distance on my phone). If the phobic lives in the United Kingdom, then I do emails with the dental practice.

Then I contact the phobic person and give them the information and a dialogue begins between the person and the dental practice.

Some people literally go out of their minds in pain and anxiety. A phobia is nothing to fool around with. Alan never understood mine until I went to a dental phobia clinic years ago and started crying and I wasn't even in the chair yet.

He finally UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS GOING ON IN MY MIND!!!!

He can sit in any dentist's chair and they can do whatever they want to him.

Me???? Forget it. I have to go to a specialist who does not use needles or syringes but uses a new thing called THE WAND.

So whenver I can I find someone their "good guy" and that person has an opportunity to smile again.

Like I say, Thank God for message boards. We reach out and help each other.

What would we do without the Internet??????

Anyway, be well and hope you are okay!!!

Melody