A Dentist Visit

While sitting in the dentist's reception area this morning for an appointment, I noticed that some pictures that used to hang there were missing.  But I could still see the picture hooks on the wall.  So they must have been removed recently.  Now I've been in this reception area quite a few times over the last few years, and I remembered that there used to be articles/photos/certificates of the dentist there.  And then it dawned on me, this dentist that I had been seeing and who helped overcome my dental anxiety was probably no longer working there.  And probably hadn't been for a while.  This didn't really cross my mind the last time I was here, because I assumed it was just some associate dentist or hygienist who looked at me then - though I was disappointed the main guy didn't stop by to say hello, maybe he was just away that day.  And when I got home, I did some googling.  Although the website and most of what I could find seemed to suggest he still worked there, I found some more recent online reviews that said he had left in October last year.  Well, that is disappointing,  He was a nice guy who I got on well with, gave honest and straightforward dental advice, and always followed up after each visit to check I was OK.  And none of the staff or anyone there said anything about his leaving in the couple of times I've been there since - which is kind of weird.  Cannot say I'm a big fan of the new dentist, who is presumably the guy who worked on me today - I don't have the same level of rapport with, and now I've kind of lost trust in as well.  It might be time to find a new dentist.  In much the same way I need to find a new doctor.  Kind of annoying - I'm at an age where I want to be seeing the same health providers regularly who know my history, who know me, who I get on with, who I trust and who will not prescribe unnecessary treatments or work.  It's sad that I don't have that consistency right now - hopefully I can find some good new doctors this year.