The Person Behind the Mask
There’s a version of the dentist that lives in the cultural imagination: calm, precise, unflappable, more instrument than person. The reality, as most dentists will tell you when they’re being honest, is considerably more human than that.
Dr. Heath Colledge has been practicing dentistry for nearly two decades at Comfort Dental in Golden, Colorado. He’s confident, experienced, and by his own description, not easily rattled. “If I’m pulling a tooth and there’s blood or whatever, I’m thinking about what’s for lunch,” he said in a recent podcast episode. “It just doesn’t bother me.” And then he shared something that might surprise you.
Yes, Even Your Dentist Has a Threshold
“There have been two times in the dental office where I’ve gagged under my mask.”
For a dentist who describes himself as genuinely unfazed by the more routine unpleasantries of the job, this is a notable admission. Both incidents, as it happens, involved dentures that had not been cleaned with anything approaching regularity.
The first: a patient who had worn the same denture for 20 years without ever removing it. Dr. Colledge had to physically extract it. What he found underneath was so extreme that he had to excuse himself from the room. “I had to stand up and walk out,” he said. “Give me a minute.”
The second incident didn’t even happen to him directly. A patient removed a denture that still had food on it from a recent meal. When the patient noticed this, he apologized and then, in front of Dr. Colledge, licked the food off the denture before handing it to Dr. Colledge’s partner. “I can’t do that,” Dr. Colledge said.
What This Actually Tells You About Your Dentist
These stories are funny, in a particular way. But they also reveal something worth understanding about the people who care for your teeth.
Dentists encounter things most people never have to think about: advanced decay, severe gum disease, infections that have been quietly developing for years. They do it professionally, and by choice, because they genuinely want to help. Dr. Colledge is candid about the fact that patient care can be emotionally and physically demanding. He’s equally candid that he keeps showing up.
“We’re doing the very best job we can with what you present with,” he said. “I didn’t cause these things to happen to you. I’m gonna do the very best job I can.”
What You Can Do to Make Both of Your Lives Easier
None of this is a lecture. But if you’ve ever felt a little embarrassed heading into a dental appointment because it’s been a while, or because you know your brushing habits haven’t been what they should be, consider this your absolution. Your dentist has seen things. You are probably fine.
What they do ask, and what genuinely makes a difference, is reasonable maintenance between visits:
- Brush twice daily: two minutes each time, with a fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss once a day: even imperfect flossing is better than none at all.
- Clean your dental appliances: if you wear a retainer, night guard, or denture, clean it consistently and remove it regularly.
- Keep your appointments: catching small problems early almost always means less treatment, less discomfort, and less cost.
Come See Us in Golden
Dr. Colledge and the team at Comfort Dental’s Golden location are here for exactly the kind of dentistry that makes a real difference in people’s lives, no judgment, no impossible standards, just consistent, honest care. Schedule an appointment at Comfort Dental Golden today!