Pence Paul R, DMD

My family has been with Dr. Pence for several years. Always a true professional. A perfectionist. Extremely responsive in emergencies (and I’ve had a few). Staff is consistently caring. No staff turnover says a lot for how he treats his staff. I don’t feel like simply a number. A great small practice. Not cheap, but who really wants cheap when selecting a dentist. Worth it!

I fully believe that Paul Pence needs to have his license pulled. Not only was he unsafe with my care he was rude and condescending towards me. The staff however, was incredibly nice and apologetic for Paul’s behavior towards me. I recommend NOT going to this dentist. He is very DANGEROUS!

I don’t wanna say I hate going to the dentist, but I will say that my latest colonoscopy (which included the upper endoscopy tube down the throat for added fun) was less stressful for me than going to the dentist for a routine checkup.
I tried to get in at all the top-​Yelp-​rated dentists, but they were booked out for, like, 4 months. Dismayed, I turned to the Book of Face for suggestions from my Missouri peeps. Ladue Family Dentistry popped up as the front runner, and despite throwing up in my mouth a little every time I have to go to Ladue, I sucked it up and made the ulcer-​inducing trek for my annual cleaning.
Dentist’s offices are one of the places where it’s almost more important if you like the staff than if you like the actual dentist, cuz you spend way more time with them. The assistants on both of my two visits so far were amazing. Like seriously, there’s no way they aren’t Girl Scout Troop leaders. Beyond nice.
Dr. Pence is pretty much the portrait of the all-​American man. Pictures of the kids’ hockey team he coaches are plastered throughout the office.
I’m surprised they let me back in this place for the dental work I needed today, because the following things DID happen on my first visit there:
1. Involuntarily squeezed my mouth closed and bit Dr. Pence’s fingers while he was doing whatever it is dentists do in there that I don’t want to think about. I mean I really bit his fingers. Hard.
And if that wasn’t enough…
2. I then sneezed so hard that I farted. Loud.
And after making it through that…
3. Entered the waiting room and inadvertently revealed to about five children that there is no Tooth Fairy.
Despite my total awkwardness as a human being, they welcomed me back with open arms to perform some more serious dental work today. I consider my fear of dentists to be totally rational (ask my therapist if you want the traumatic childhood story), but after working with Dr. Pence, I can no longer have a week-​long panic attack before a dentist visit. I mean, it’s not like going to the dentist is a pony ride, but Dr. Pence drilling my tooth was like a kitten purring in my mouth.
The best part of the whole experience? He didn’t try to sell me shit I don’t need. Seriously. What is with dentists these days being more sleazy than used car salesmen? The last three dentists I’ve been to have tried to scare me into unnecessary surgery which would have a) put me so far in debt my unborn children would have bad credit and b) given me an ulcer the size of Mount Vesuvius. And of course, they play into your natural fear of pain/​your teeth falling out, so it’s like kind of in the bag for them. Luckily, Dr. Pence, Mr. Blond Haired Kids Hockey Coach, is a stand up guy who told the truth. A very ethical man!
So, to review:
1. Going to the dentist actually saves you from having to go to the dentist.
2. Dr. Pence is the dentist you should go to.
3. I am a big fat baby.
4. If I can’t have the Tooth Fairy, nobody can.