CityView Magazine

6 Februar y 2023 Mary Zahran, writer of corny poetry and notorious abuser of bite guards, can be reached at maryzahran@ gmail.com. SOMEDAY YOU'LL THANK ME A valentine for my former dentist BY MARY ZAHRAN W hen Feb. 14 rolls around, we usually send valentines to our friends and family members and to that "special someone," if we are lucky enough to have one in our lives. Who thinks of sending a Valentine's Day greeting to his or her dentist? I never thought about doing this until recently when my dentist of almost 40 years decided to retire. I remember opening the email he sent to his patients in December announcing his decision to retire. It was a moment I always knew would come, but it was also a moment I dreaded. While I was happy that he would finally be able to enjoy a new chapter of his life aer decades of practicing dentistry, I was sad at the prospect of having to say farewell to someone who was as much a friend to me as he was a wonderful dentist. Dr. Richard Runkle was the kind of dentist you would hope to have if you had the good fortune to find him. My family and I met him shortly aer moving to Fayetteville in 1983, and we have been with him ever since. He was always gentle and patient with us, no matter how busy he was or how challenging our dental problems were. He has a wonderful sense of humor, which he oen used to help us relax as he began his work. Whenever I read an article about dental phobias that some people develop or hear someone complain about an unpleasant or even traumatic experience with a dentist, I have difficulty understanding how they feel. It isn't that I think they are exaggerating or not telling the truth; it's just that my own visits with my dentist have always been so pleasant that I cannot imagine any other kind of experience with a dentist. Aer all, a visit to the dentist does not require patients to take off their clothes or to step on a scale to be weighed. ese two reasons alone should make people more eager to see a dentist than to see many other kinds of doctors, like a gynecologist or a proctologist. Another reason I enjoyed my visits with Dr. Runkle was the atmosphere he created for his patients. I have been to other medical practices that were so noisy, crowded and impersonal that I felt like I was in a huge airport waiting to board a plane. I never felt that way in Dr. Runkle's office. It was always quiet and peaceful. On those rare occasions when I had to wait, I had the pleasure of discovering that the magazines were not three years old or torn to pieces by patients ripping out a page with a recipe they wanted to try at home. Dr. Runkle's staff also helped contribute to this welcoming atmosphere. ey had great respect for him, both professionally and personally, and it showed in their work and in their conversations with patients. Every time I visited his office, any worries I had were abated before Dr. Runkle even walked into the room because his assistants expressed such confidence in him. As I look back on almost 40 years with Dr. Runkle, two visits stand out. When my younger daughter was having one of her baby teeth pulled to allow room for her new tooth, Dr. Runkle indulged a young mother who wanted to be with her child during the extraction. It was apparent almost immediately that my presence in the room was not good for any of us, especially my daughter, so Dr. Runkle, in his usual gentle way, suggested I leave. To this day, I am glad I followed his advice. e second time Dr. Runkle saved the day was when he assured me that I would not choke or suffocate in my sleep if I wore a bite guard at night. Years later, I am still here, and so is my bite guard. While I will miss Dr. Runkle's gentle manner and his dry sense of humor, I wish him well as he embarks on new adventures. If I were going to send him a Valentine's Day card, it would include the following poem: Roses are red, Chocolate's a treasure, Being your patient Has been a great pleasure. The second time Dr. Runkle saved the day was when he assured me that I would not choke or suffocate in my sleep if I wore a bite guard at night. Years later, I am still here, and so is my bite guard.

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