Dental Fan

My friend Gabe sometimes pokes fun at me for sticking with my dentist, Amy M. Woo, DDS. I started going to her in 1990, shortly after she started her dental practice in Sacramento (and not that long after she was named Miss San Francisco Chinatown 1986). Her practice was close to where I worked. In the years since, she has assembled a high-end dental practice, featuring only women dentists. I stick with her mostly out of inertia and a fuzzy kind of loyalty. She paid me the compliment of being the kind of patient they all like to see: "compliant." It is pricey, though. If cost was my only guide I would have left long ago. 

In 2018, I attended Sacramento's Turn Verein Oktoberfest, where I fell into conversation with a father, and his daughter, a biology student and sorority sister at UC Davis (and aspiring dentist). When I mentioned I go to Amy M. Woo, DDS, the daughter nodded in recognition. Dr. Woo's practice has become a beacon for young, aspiring female dentists in California. The student had carefully studied Dr. Woo's website, and asked about Dr. Kelly Brewer, whom I had just seen. "She is so smart! Did you see how young she was when she studied organic chemistry?" (Dr. Brewer had knocked off that memory-breaking college-level course while in high school). 

I was amazed that Dr. Brewer had a fan, and wanted to tell her the story, but it wasn't until today, four years later, that I was finally able to do so. Dr. Brewer was pleased. She said, "Dentistry is a wonderful career. I feel sad for the people who get into it only for the money, and realize later how miserable they are." 

I also learned something new. Dr. Brewer is an answer on California Dental Board exams. She was the youngest Registered Dental Assistant in California history, at age 13. (She had missed a written question on the test when she was 12, and had to have a do-over - probably good to get that certification when your hands are still so small.) 

So, I stick with Dr. Woo's dental practice. It's pricey, but it's also feel-good.