Kiki’s Dental Visit Meant a Lot to Her
For the past several months as a member of the City Dental Centers team, I have had the joy of writing about a number of patients whose lives were transformed from the dental procedures performed by this fine company. We asked the question, “What can a dental visit mean to you?”, but I never expected how profound the answers would be. I heard stories from individuals having such common concerns as fear of the dentist, to others who needed to see a dentist from something as serious as a violent attack that damaged their teeth.
The common denominator in all of these stories and their beautiful conclusions was City Dental Centers. While the story I’m writing will be one of words, theirs is one of smiles that will surely shape their local communities in ways I have never before witnessed from an organization dedicated to dentistry.
I’m not going to lie: it’s my job to speak well of the people I work with. However, City Dental Centers has transformed a life close to me that until now has left me without words to describe. My beautiful girlfriend, Kyrstin Runco, Kiki, has a brand new smile thanks to Dr. Sam and Dr. Mike of City Dental Centers and I’m proud to share her story with you all.
The Condition Doesn’t Describe the Heartache
Kiki was born with weak enamel, but that doesn’t explain the pain and hardship it caused in her life. Kiki had done everything to overcome the problem from brushing more than twice a day to changing her diet. She’s vegan and heavily limits intake of sweets, but her teeth were still deteriorating at a rapid pace.
“I love kids,” Kiki began, “but I can’t tell you how many times a kid asked me if I had something stuck in my teeth, referring to the large cavity I had in the front of my teeth. It’s heartbreaking because kids are so honest about things like that, so you know other people see it but just aren’t saying anything. It makes it difficult to smile or feel confident about anything in life.”
This Dental Visit Meant So Much to Both of Us
As her boyfriend, I love my girlfriend indifferent to her problem and hardly noticed it. But I knew that she did notice it. I held her one day in my arms as she cried and I asked her what was wrong. “It’s my teeth,” she said. “They’re in so much pain and there’s nothing I can do about it.”
I knew the pain she spoke of wasn’t just physical. Kiki had been struggling much harder with the emotional pain of feeling like she was flawed in some way that others could see and she could do nothing about.
But I wanted to do something about it and assured her I would. I contacted City Dental Centers’ founders Dr. Sam and Dr. Mike and asked them what they could do for Kiki.
“They’re the best,” I said. “I know you’re scared, but trust them. Okay?”
“Okay,” she said.
The Road to Recovery
Within a month, Kiki was scheduled for her first dental visit in Pico Rivera, California. Reno, Nevada residents, we had to drive several hours away from home to make each visit. Often driving there and back on the same day, the trips were a struggle. It was particularly difficult due to Kiki’s pain during the first trip. But we continued on, knowing that we were being taken care of by first-class professionals.
“I remember how tired Paul, my boyfriend, was getting,” Kiki began. “I asked one of the staff if he was doing alright during one of my visits and apparently they let him take a nap in one of the empty rooms. I couldn’t believe it! It was a completely different kind of dental experience than any I’d had before.” Dr. Sam was the dentist to handle Kiki’s care.
“He kept asking me if I was comfortable and if I felt alright,” Kiki said. “I have never had a dentist care that much and genuinely mean what they said. And to think my boyfriend was taking a nap in one of their rooms, it wasn’t like anything I’d experienced before. We didn’t feel like patients. We felt like close friends.”
4 Visits Later
Kiki’s extensive treatment took 4 visits to complete, but she cried on the first visit when she looked in the mirror and saw her smile. Even not yet finished, she was in tears from how happy she was.
“I remember when my mother first saw my smile,” Kiki began. “She started crying and she thanked my boyfriend, hugging him. I’m very grateful for City Dental Centers and him arranging to get my teeth fixed.”
I couldn’t take credit for the incredible work completed by City Dental Centers. Kiki’s smile is a work of art. I’m forever grateful for knowing Dr. Sam and Dr. Mike and their being able to take care of my girlfriend’s smile.
So what does a dental visit mean to me? I’ve done my best to put it into words, but the answer is I really can’t. I wish I could say what it feels like every time she smiles at me, comfortably and confidently, thanks to the work this incredible team has done.
It’s a thing of beauty, a miracle I could never hope to fully describe.
Thank you, Dr. Sam and Dr. Mike. Thank you for the care you put into your patients and the incredible staff that works for you.
Convenient Dentist Offices in Southern California
Doctor Sam Shahovesi and the team at City Dental Centers are here to provide our patients with the best dental services and dental surgeries for children and adults of all ages. From toddlers to seniors, City Dental Centers offers six convenient dentist offices in Southern California. We even have a dedicated children’s dentist office, City Dental Kids & Braces, to cater to the special physical and emotional needs of children.
Whether you need checkups, x-rays, braces, bonding, teeth whitening, sealants, oral cancer screenings, root canals, crowns, bridges, implants, or tooth extraction, City Dental Centers is here to make the process as easy and comfortable as possible.
Ready to experience the best dentists in Los Angeles? Choose one of the convenient dental offices we have surrounding LA. We have dental practices in Azusa, Corona, Lake Forest, Montclair, Pico Rivera, and West Covina. You can call our main line at (888) 624-8933 or reach out to an office directly with the information below. We’re so happy you’ve chosen City Dental Centers. We can’t wait to help you along your dental journey and brighten your beautiful smile!