Open wide!

"Hello, I am Timo. Please follow me," said a friendly-looking man in a white lab coat. We walked down the hall to room number four, where I saw a young hygienist sifting through some papers. A green patient's chair stood in the center of the large, sterile room.

I left my coat and bag near the door, and made my way toward the seat. It was cushy and comfortable, and the dentist started asking me a few questions. Suddenly I heard a low noise, and the chair started to recline. When I was in a lying position, I noticed about a dozen postcards taped to the ceiling. They depicted landscapes, cute animals, and Finnish characters illustrated by Marti Innanen.

The checkup was quick and painless. No cavities, and compliments on my gums! But a reminder to brush and floss everyday, and to avoid too many sweets. I asked whether I should come in for a cleaning, and Timo said that it wasn't necessary, but that I could if I wanted to. Overall, the experience was much more pleasant and light-hearted compared with the serious and business-like atmosphere you might find in an American dentist office. (My latest dentist being an exception. He works in a colorful, quaint little building space that has reading material on rock bands instead of family life and interior decorating. While he was operating on my father's teeth, the songs of Carla Bruni sweetened the air.)

I walked to class under such a foreign ball of energy. The snow and the buildings and the trees and the people looked real and magnificent.