My early memories of the dentist were neither warm or kind. I also thought Dr. Eddie Brown was a sadist, somewhere below Dracula. I did like the laughing gas.

So it’s almost baffling to go to a dentist that is, I think, the nicest dentist’s office in the world.

There is a great feeling of love and empathy at Cambridge Dental, and they have also done the most amazing work on my teeth, nearly ruined by the candy in my grandparent’s mom and pop store.

I can’t say I love going to the dentist, but I can say I love the people who work there.

It’s just fun to go there. They care, they laugh, they explain, they seem to understand the view from inside the chair. Last year, I wracked up a $4,000 dental bill, I had all kinds of trouble.

As of today, I only owe about $100, they let me pay it off promptly but on a schedule that didn’t wreck me. And they never made me feel uneasy about it. Just pay something each month, they said.

I am so fortunate to have health care people like that, they just never forget their humanity. It’s not just about money there.

The only thing they asked me was to bring Zinnia by when I could – they are dog mad – and so I try to come by at least once a week, and I often made payments often when I come.

Today, they told me to make sure to bring Zinnia when I come, they’ll take care of her.

The love in the place really shines though, when I bring Zinnia, as I did this morning.

They are always nice to me, but they just melt around my dog. The whole staff comes pouring out of their cubicles to sit on the ground, and talk to her and love her. I don’t think they can know how much it lifts my heart to see a dog of mine triggering so much love and joy and smiles.

I can’t imagine it’s a lot of fun to work in a dental office and stare inside people’s mouths all day. Lots of patients are not in a good mood.

They make it fun and pretty painless to go to the dentist. Zinnia loves going there, she is fussed over, gets her belly scratched and loved and loved.

I think I have the nicest dental staff in the world. They’re even sweet when they yell at me about flossing.