𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬?

Indeed, what is it with Dentists? Every one of them seems to have this thing about office decorations.

My long time Dentist had the simplest of offices. A converted small bungalow home in Clifton, New Jersey. Even him. Padded seat metal arm chairs lining the walls. Neutral gray carpet and paint. Non-descript curtains. A big square low table with lots of popular magazines; People was well represented. A shelf with other magazines, an assortment of more specific interest topics: Golf, Motor Trend, Sports ... like that.

And, the biggest board of baby pictures in the World!

He had been practicing for a long time by the time I became his patient. He saw many families. In the inner offices at the reception desk just a few small cutesy statues related to teeth. With his professional calling cards in a carrier with some dental slogan or other. In his work space pictures of prominent figures who where his patients. And, if you're wondering, no my photo didn't make the cut. Like I said, simple. [What am I, chopped Liver?]

It gets better ...

Or the Dental Specialist who was into Baseball. Baseball posters everywhere. Serious fan. 

Or the other specialist who had this kinetic sculpture clock moving on the wall facing you opposite the dental chair. Very aesthetic.

Then ... there's this Dentist in nearby Clifton, New Jersey. Famous — some say, "infamous" — for having a wild, crazy presentation of mannequins in his front yard. The whole panoply of human imagination; skeletons of all kinds, scare crows, semi-nude bathing beauties. Search that and see all the articles and images online. There's nobody in the surrounding area who doesn't know about that spectacle.

The show goes on all year, changing setups and themes with the seasons. He goes all out for Halloween, and lots of people show up to be part of it ...

So, yesterday, I visit my own Dentist. The previous last visit was around the July 4th time. The office then was decorated with an assortment of Red-White-and Blue theme stuff ... pillows and decorative objects placed here and there. "Have a Happy 4th of July!"

But, yesterday — we're in the fall season. What do we have? Pumpkins! I'm talking a crazy, wild assortment of pumpkin-theme what-the-what. Even a small pumpkin foot rug in the water closet. Here a Pumpkin, there a Pumpkin, everwhere you look ... a Pumpkin. I'm gonna suggest they have a contest for their patients ... "How many Pumpkins in Our Patch." A toothbrush for every entry. An electric tooth brush for the best answer, but submitted creatively. [Judges' decision final.]

I semi-jokingly brought this up with the Dentist. "Hey, what's with you Dentists and always with the office decorations?" Dentists know what I'm talking about. We then had a side conversation about the guy in Clifton who  is the apotheosis of such doings; the guy mentioned before who does the outrageous treatment all over his sprawling front yard. On Halloween night there, it's a traffic jam. Mega. 

Whenever this situation comes up in conversation, we always cover the point on how he got into some legal issues with the neighbors. It seems to have been sorted out. He's still going strong. 

We closed the conversation with my Dentist admitting to the "DDD" [Dental Decorating Dementia], but somewhat proudly stating that hers [yes, my Dentist is female.] is "tasteful". 

At the reception desk I captured the essence of the Fall "Pumpkin" treatment. 

"Tasteful" is the word for it. 

Oh, there's more. But different. Yesterday was a most beautiful, clear sunny day. The procedure room faced the backyards of the surrounding neighborhood. My Dentist pointed out to me in skeptical wonderment at how in one back yard there was a raised deck, no railing; and, at its edge, an above-ground swimming pool at the edge. Like you could either fall off the deck, or accidentally fall into the pool. [What are they thinking?] Topping it all off was a large figure of a cartoonish Giraffe. I didn't see it from my chair; and I forgot to check it out when I got up. I guess you could say I didn't want to stick my neck out. [Get it? Neck ... Giraffe.]

I speculated that maybe the folks who live there are Circus people. That would explain it, don't you think?

Dentists! Huh?