I am phobic of the dentist due to bad experiences that involved accidentally biting a dentist's finger. I have a small mouth -- what can I say? For the record, I didn't bite his finger on purpose. He yelled at me and scolded me like a child (he was a JERK and rated a big zero when it came to his bedside manner). As a result, I experience major anxiety when it comes to dental work. Last month, I had a dental exam with a new female dentist and experienced, by far, THE BEST dental care I've experienced in my 39 years.
Before my exam, she and her dental assistant were "briefed" on my anxiety (and throw in my bad gag reflex). During the exam, she was gentle and explained everything she was doing. It had been awhile since I had a dental exam (and cleaning), so they spent extra time with me and would check in periodically and ask how I was feeling. They were terrific and congratulated me on getting through the exam, and told me I did a great job. I was beaming after my exam and breathed a HUGE sigh of relief.
It was the most "anxiety-free" experience I had with a dentist, so I took a few minutes to sit down and write the dentist and her staff a positive review on Yelp. Dental patients have many options out there, and I wanted to share exactly how this dentist put me at ease and wanted to send my thanks to her and the dental assistant who helped me. It's really easy to slam businesses and healthcare professionals, but often times people forget to write a "postive" online review and show their appreciation.
Yesterday I returned to my dentist for a filling, and she thanked me personally for the nice review on Yelp. She sounded surprised I would take the to write a review for their office. The dental assistant told me that my review was the talk of their staff meeting, and the office manager showed the staff my Yelp review. I also personally named the dental assistant who was very patient with me while shoving xray film inside my mouth (as I drooled all over her). That task alone earned her "five stars".
As a solopreneur, I'm responsible for my own healthcare so they earned even extra bonus points with me.They have a special program for patients who don't have dental insurance and I signed up for a very reasonable plan that covers my cleanings and gives me a discounted rate on their other dental services. I couldn't turn down that rate...and now I don't have to worry about my regular cleanings and can stay on top of my dental health.
I was happy that my review made a hard-working dental assistant's day ( a very underappreciated job), and that the dentist knew I appreciated the extra-special care she took with me. In our rushed, hurried world where healthcare professionals push people around like numbers, it was refreshing to experience a POSITIVE dental experience. It only took five minutes out of my day to show my appreciation for a job well done.
Positive online reviews speak volumes, and could really help out a business. Don't be afraid to write a positive review for your favorite doctor or local business - you could really make someone's day (or year, for that matter).
Agree! When I receive great service or better-than-great service, I make a point to write a note, letter, email - something. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen so much. Why is that? I've had problems with computer companies, moving companies (they stole my exercise equipment and wouldn't admit it), government agencies. And it seems I only get attention when I complain louder than others (and send a copy of the complaint to the local newspaper, mayor, and governor). To me - good service is good all the time, on time all of the time, and I love that little "extra."
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