A toothless senior dog, Kismet, comforts patients who are afraid of going to the dentist. The 13-year-old Chihuahua is a dental therapy dog that patients of his human dentist can snuggle with.
The trio works in the dental clinic
Dr. Cameron Garrett and his wife, Debra Garrett, bring their dog every day to Corte Madera Family Dentistry. The dental clinic is located in the Bay Area of California, where the trio works. Dr. Garrett is the dentist, Debra is the dental hygienist, and Kismet is the dental therapy dog.
The diminutive dog sits in the laps of patients during procedures. He snuggles up to them during exams, cleanings, and root canals.
Relieves anxiety
For cases when patients are afraid of dogs, Kismet would just stay behind the gate. However, 98 percent of the time, patients would choose to cuddle with Kismet. It helps relieve them of their anxiousness about going through dental work.
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Experience proves the results of studies
Dr. Garrett told TODAY that through experience, they believe that the results of the studies are proven. He noted that people who sit with pet animals have lower blood pressure. He said that Kismet is particularly helpful with children.
One boy was having a challenging time with dental work over the years. However, since Kismet and his predecessor dental dog Karma started giving therapy to patients, the boy was a lot happier when entering the clinic.
Dr. Garrett said that the boy would first ask about Kismet upon walking through the door. He feels that it is fabulous to have the dog make the dental procedure for people an easier experience.
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The calm dog Kismet never barks and just gives and gets love from the patients. Since both staff and clients are more stressed due to the pandemic, her role has been more significant than ever. She has been helping people feel more comfortable about the difficult situation that we are at.
Due to having zero teeth, the Garretts use her story to talk to patients about periodontal disease. The Muttville Senior Dog Rescue has invested thousands of dollars to treat Kismet after rescuing her.
Debra told TODAY that Kismet was a fixer-upper and the veterinarians fixed her nicely. The once stray dog had her rotten teeth surgeries and extractions. She also had undergone hernia fixing and mammary gland removal because it was cancerous. After that, she received treatments for a heart murmur.
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In August, the Garretts adopted Kismet, who was formerly called "Pancake." They had Karma replaced a month after he died. Karma was also a toothless stray dog that they have adopted and was their dental therapist for four years.
The Garretts have had dogs all their lives. They enjoy the quality of life they get with pets.
