Japanese Dentists

I am safely through my first dentist's visit in Japan.

I had heard all sorts of horror stories going in. Everyone I talked to - both Japanese and foreigners - agreed that Japanese dentists were something short of what one might expect in the U.S. One suggested reason I heard along the way (I can't remember who told me this - so take it with a grain of salt) was that dentists in Japan are basically med school drop-outs. People who can't finish a medical degree are presented with dental degrees and sent on their way. I have no idea if that is even remotely true, but the reputation around dentists here definitely makes you wonder.

Both Russell and I were surprised by this. In a country that is so focused on customer experience and making things as gentle and painless as possible, it seems impossible that dentistry would be some back-alley practice.

Even so, we weren't going to just wander into the first dental clinic we saw. First I asked at work. No one was from Kobe so they couldn't recommend any local dentists. Next I asked my conversation partners. No luck there either. One of my conversation partners, though, was kind enough to look for local dentists (she had just moved back to the area and was also interested in finding someone good). She suggested three dentists that seemed to have good ratings and highlighted their use of technology (so how behind the times could they be?). She did warn me, though, that Japanese dentists are usually about 5 years behind the U.S. and privacy in dental clinics was unheard of. More warnings.

Russell and I called the first one and got an appointment. I have had an uncomfortable feeling in my molar for a couple weeks and I was pretty sure I could see a cavity. Russell told them I had a toothache and we got in the next Tuesday.

Post Dentist Report:

Turns out I didn't have a cavity after all. The dentist did use all sorts of technology (including a painful-looking animation of a root canal - didn't need one of those, thank goodness. The hygienist cleaned the plaque away from the molars that were bothering me in case it was causing inflammation and then she applied some topical medication (which made my cheek numb but didn't effect the discomfort in my tooth). The work that was done was super gentle and the staff were friendly and explained things to us. Russell was a little worried about the repeated use of the root canal animation, though.

Hopefully we won't be doing that any time soon.

In the end I am comforted to discover that Japan is not the original staging ground for Little Shop of Horrors. Decent dental care can be found - so far as we have tested it.