The Crocodile Dentist

We have to miss work every once and a while. But what if you go to the dentist and get a surprise? You nearly jump out of your skin because the dentist is not human. You may have to pay a lot for a simple cleaning. Since your dentist is not human you don’t want them to get near your mouth. The substitute was a crocodile. I wish I could trade places with him because my hands were clean and his teeth were dirty and needed some attention — more than mine! I was a junior in high school and going into dental assisting school. I needed all the practice that I could get. I hopped off the exam chair and scooted the crocodile into the chair that I had just vacated. He struggled to get up. I put a mouth prop in his mouth. He opened his mouth wide enough so I could see the whole front row of his teeth. His mouth looked gross, like overgrown weeds in the garden that hadn’t been touched by human hands in years. I felt sick as I walked away to throw up. The career of a dental assistant is not for everyone, including me. I would be glad to have my regular dentist back. Now I see what he has to do every day. He is a brave soul.