August 27, 2012 - Dentist

Our dentist in Houston was booked when I called to make appointments.  It might have had something to do with the fact I called only a week ahead of time.  As long as we were going to be seeing somebody new, it might as well be somebody new in Tokyo.  I made appointments for Greer and Cooper for the day before school started.  Unfortunately, I had to cancel Greer's appointment when we found out the middle school orientation the same day was for returning students as well as new students.  However, we kept Cooper's appointment, so this morning he and I headed off to see our first Japanese dentist.

A friend of mine had been to this office previously, so I knew there was some English spoken there.  When I called to make the appointments a couple of weeks earlier, they put me on hold while they went and got the (is there only one?) English speaker.  When we arrived (by train, of course), the receptionist had us wait while she went and got somebody.  The receptionist did appear to speak some English, but the person she went and got is the same person to whom I spoke when making the appointments, so maybe there IS only the one. 

Just past the receptionist's desk, before entering where the exam rooms were, was a spot to take off your shoes and put on borrowed slippers.  First Cooper went back, and the hygienist took x-rays and cleaned his teeth.  Then they brought me back to speak to the hygienist, with the same person as before acting as interpreter.  I don't think the hygienist spoke any English.  After another wait out front for me, they brought me back to speak to the dentist, with the interpreter.  The dentist did seem to speak some English, like the receptionist earlier.  However, I have noticed that Japanese people do not like to say they speak English unless they speak it very well.  Their English could be miles ahead of my Japanese (not that I'm anywhere near claiming that I speak Japanese - that's got to be YEARS away), but they'll still say they don't speak English.  Glad that they have somebody in the office who speaks English - certainly makes it easier on us!

We've finally found something in Tokyo that's cheaper than in the U.S.  For the x-rays, cleaning, and flouride treatment, it cost us a little over 10,000 yen, which is about $130.  I couldn't remember what it would cost us in the U.S. since I'm used to paying a small copay, but my parents said they thought x-rays and cleaning at their dentist would cost about $180.  Finally, something cheaper! :)