How old were you when you lost your first tooth?
At five years old, my dentist removed two of my front baby teeth for reasons I don't remember.
What I do recall is that the extraction inspired the insertion of teeth talk with anyone willing to engage - adults, kids, and likely my community of stuffed animals.
In fact, the talk of teeth became my way of introduction to new playmates. Whether I was on the kindergarten playground, or waiting outside a store for my mom at the mall, I was striking up conversations with kids that would go like this:
Me: Hi, What's your name? How old are you? Do you have any loose teeth? How many? What's your dentist's name?
For those kids who had loose teeth, an in-depth conversation would ensue, inspiring us to share phone numbers so we could pick up the conversation again...and again.
Tales For The Trade
Little did I know, many decades later, I'd be writing long-form news stories for a trade publication about teeth. Yet, here I am. Proudly the author of my third cover feature for "Inside Dentistry."
Ironically, I'm using those kindergarten cookie conversations (not appropriate to say cocktail conversations!) during these interview as ice breakers.
Today's conversations take on a more sophisticated nature. They occur via Zoom, not a corded phone. And my line of questions go beyond personal comparisons and focus more deeply on trends and innovations.
This month's story looks at how artificial intelligence is incorporated into diagnosis, orthodontics, and operational practice management.
Who knew that a five-year-old conversation starter would contribute to my livelihood as an adult!
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