11 responses so far ↓

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  marilyn // April 22, 2012 at 8:42 pm | Reply

  Never thought I would come across information of this horribly dental experience. I too was one of those children who also took the bus ride to this “place” Never took care of my teeth after that and am now having to pay the price.

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    Merci // April 23, 2012 at 7:31 am | Reply

    We hear you Marilyn…the same goes here…

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  Merci // July 17, 2012 at 4:14 am | Reply

  hi denise, it’s something you just never forget. i’m sure they meant well. everythiing you say is true. still have a fear of dentist and always tell them why i am afraid. Our Lady of The Scapula on E 29 was our school. it;s not there any more.

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  Marsha & Joan Bailey // September 14, 2012 at 12:51 pm | Reply

  My sister and I went to the Guggenheim Dentist from 1950 – 60, sister was also slapped when she protested and said to take all of her teeth out. I always wondered why they did not let the parents go upstairs. One day when my grandmother had taken me, the parents decided to storm the elevators and go upstairs with their children. That was the last time my sister and I went to that dentist. They filled every teeth we had. It was the Dentist of horrors. We went to P.S 18 in the South Bronx. I just immune to the needles. When I go to the dentist, I don’t even get a needle for just a drilling, just when they pull my teeth. Joan L. Williams (Bailey)

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    Merci // September 14, 2012 at 4:48 pm | Reply

    Hi Joan, we understand completely and still talk about the experience from time to time – i always ask for a needle because I am so afraid – 2 times a year cleaning is torture honestly, i don;t like to sit in any chair (beauty or nail saloon) if I don;t have to. Merci is more brave she goes and gets her nails done – i just can’t. Liz

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  Pat // October 7, 2012 at 10:34 pm | Reply

  I was just talking about this place to the dentist I now see. I too, along with my three brothers, was bussed in (all of 3 blocks from St. Catherine of Siena on 69th Street). The nuns would drop us and then leave. Quite literally, children were carried kicking and screaming into the elevator and then worked on (except for some tooth extractions) by dental students with absolutely no anesthesia at all. Screams of children filled the halls and kindness toward these children was completely absent. I too, never get novocaine for a filling – I learned to dissociate from the pain all those many years ago. My mother finally refused to allow me to go anymore after they pulled the wrong tooth, leaving the abscessed one (why they never saw that is another question, I guess), which had to be pulled the following day by a real dentist. It’s sad that such a place was allowed to operate but we were all very poor and ignorant and, I guess, didn’t know any better. I’m certainly glad that places like this no longer (I hope exist.

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    Merci // October 8, 2012 at 4:55 am | Reply

    Hi Pat, yes we are glad these places don;t exist anymore too. It’s one thing to get a hair cut at a beauty school – which our moms did back then. It might have looked good on paper and asounded good at the exec board meeting – but in theory it was a big mistake. Thanks for sharing. Merci & Liz xoxox

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  Ray // November 27, 2012 at 9:19 pm | Reply

  I was bussed to it from E. Harlem in the 40s and remember experiencing much of what I read on this and another forum. Does anyone remember getting a colored disc or badge pinned to their shirt or dress? I believe it had the floor #. 3rd floor was the extractions. Seem to remember blue as “completion” The murals were sort of spooky. One thing in common with others is that i prefer not to have novacane.

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  Yolande Dean // April 30, 2013 at 3:19 pm | Reply

  I was also bussed to it from W Harlem. PS 186. This was a place of horror to a child. In those days, kids that went to a PS, was sent to GUGGENHEIM. This did’nt cost the family anything and this way the practicing students of denistry had guinea pigs to work on. There Was No Novacane given!. This place made me hate all dentists.

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    Merci // April 30, 2013 at 3:47 pm | Reply

    hi Volande. thank you for sharing. we were sent from a catholic school. it’s seems unbelievable at times.

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  Kathleen // May 20, 2013 at 9:06 am | Reply

  That’s funny I also can get fillings without Novacaine, it took me many years but I’ve since learned to appreciate it . Truly a Medieval Torture Chamber. I tell friends and family what we endured, but they just don’t believe it.