Yesterday I went to the dentist. Usually, it goes without saying, going to the dentist sucks. Please get that chisel away from my mouth. Poking a needle in my gum is on par with something you'd see in Saw XIV. I grew up going to Dr. Neeley's office off of Bee Caves Rd. and Mopac -- sitting in the palatial waiting room for forty five minutes (I suppose that's why they invented waiting rooms) and tolerating the easy-listening station (I'll be the first to admit: I'm a sucker for some Celine Dion but -- really -- must we listen to "Sunny Came Home" every thirty-five minutes?).

Several years ago I scheduled an appointment with the new dentist on staff. Dr. Mollie Kentor is sort of like the cool person that happened to become a dentist. You know how you always wonder what kind of person becomes a dentist and assume they must be devoid of spirit? Well, Dr. Kentor for whatever reason decided that rather than go be some hipster at an ad agency, she'd become a dentist.

And thank God she did. About two or three years ago (or maybe four? Jesus, I'm old.) she started her own practice and I was able to proudly jump ship from Dr. Neeley's office. Every time I go to Dr. Kentor's new office, I bask in the glory that not only do I like going to the dentist, but I have a freaking kick-ass dentist. It's like discovering you have a cool mom or that you got the young, new teacher for Algebra II who only grades on completion and lets you take group tests. Her office has warm, happy goldenrod-yellow walls, delivering a slap in the face to the muted, bed-pan mauve tones of every other doctor's office I go to (and believe me, I go to a lot).

Also, can I just say this -- kick ass, current music, playing at a volume that is actually audible by humans, makes me feel like I'm chilling poolside as soon as I put the Ray Bans on and kick back. Patty Griffin, John Mayer and The Fray all shuffle on the sound system, which I imagine is fed by an iPod.

She has a whopping 42 reviews on Austin Dentist Reviews. My personal favorite is the one I always chuckle at when I Google her name to look up the phone number for her office. Patient Review #14 must be my soul-mate.

Patient Review 14:

I'm cheap, and a jerk. I have a hard time finding any one I like let alone someone to mess around in my mouth. I was a patient of Dr. Neely since 98 he always seemed like a terd (sic) to me. One visit a got Mollie and I've never looked back. Patient, talented, funny, and not synthetic every person is different to her not someone with all those automatic sounding responses like the fake "please" or the assigning "thank you"

I wouldn't have anyone else in my mouth. If she moves out of state I'll have to follow.

If you do happen to go to Dr. Kentor's office, tell her MeanRachel says hi and ask her to tell you about the ABCD's of skin cancer.