You know sometimes when you screw up and you wish the world would just swallow you up so you never see living daylight or another human being again, people do the sweetest things to show you you're still worth it.

=)

This time around it was my 80yr old patient, Ruth. She came in yesterday, and I gave her the dentures we've been constructing for the past 2months ( almost, due to exams and all which caused delay abit here and there ).

She was so pleased with the new set of teeth I made her, as she has been toothless for awhile.

And nothing is more rewarding for a dentist than a happy and satisfied patient.

What was more, she brought me gifts to thank me for it! Her son brought me chocolates too =)

( More cadbury roses!! ) =)

Guess what else she brought me?

A very OLD photograph of her with MALAYANS in London.

The lady at the most right, according to her, was Miss Malaya at that time, she was at the other end of the table, and facing them were all Malayans from the Malayan embassy. ( OMG COOLNESS RIGHTT )

So I was ooh-ing and aah-ing at the photo, and I gave it back to her. I mean I have patients who bring in photos of their family cat dog ancestors familyhouse swimming pool grandnephew etcetc to show me, but they just wanted to show it to me, not GIVE it to me.

I looked at it, and helped her put it back in her bag ( she was wheelchairridden ). Carried on with treatment, and because there wasn't much to alter, so we finished real quick and soon it was time to send her off.

And she said to me, " I will miss you. Don't forget me. "

Awwwwwwww. So sweet. =)

Sent her out to the waiting room, and she took out the photo and gave it to me.

"I want you to have it. You made me a new set of teeth, now maybe you can make me a new pair of legs. " ( heheh jokingly of course ) =)

I was so touched I was on the verge of tears.

I write to remind myself of the rewards this profession can offer. I want to remember the joys of good dental care and how grateful some people can be for what you do for them.

Yes, even in the crappiest of days when you wished you never did dentistry.