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About 15 years ago one of my long time patients called me in confidence and informed me that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer at a local hospital but that the doctors could not feel the lesion nor could they delineate it on radiographs. The treatment was a full mastectomy. My patient asked me what I would suggest if she was my wife. "SLOAN KETTERING for a second opinion " was my response. She told me that I was the second person that told her that and she would call them immediately. The breast surgeon at Sloan COULD feel the tumor and her radiologist COULD isolate it on radiographs so the treatment was a lumpectomy. My patient survives and she remains a grateful patient.
On Friday, a relatively new patient, emailed me asking for suggestions about a retina problem that he is having. I suggested either the Eye,Ear and Nose Institute in New York City or the Massachusetts Eye Institute in Boston.. My patient thanked me and informed me that he had an appointment at the EEN Institute in NYC next week. He also said the following:
"I appreciate your taking the time to help me with your thoughts in this area. For some reason I believe that you not only are a great dentist but you probably have to know something about other parts of the body near the teeth to practice your profession. Besides that you have a very caring heart."
As you know, I truly believe that the Doctor/Patient relationship is one of the most sacred of human relationships. It is not husband/wife or parent/child but it is right up there in importance. When another human being asks you to take care of them and trusts that you will do so, it is an awesome responsibility.
Dentistry has never been about the money. It has always been about taking care of my patients....And I am very happy that it shows.
