Dentists arent among those who get reserved parking on match days in India. Speaking as a victim of a faulty root-canal,they certainly shouldnt. So it was almost a jaw-dropping experience to find out that the best designated area for a car at the McLean Park in Napier belonged to the dentist. It was closest to the stadium fence and hardly a few metres away from the dressing rooms. All Mr Dentist had to do was park his car and walk across to see the action. Since the time one landed at the Naiper airport,it was clear that the dentists had it good here. There is actually a big billboard of a dental clinic at the check-in area,with a man flaunting his sparkling set,with a million-dollar smile. Besides,as a rule,all schoolchildren here are entitled to free basic dental treatment. Most schools are regularly visited by dentists and these arent the routine open mouth,close mouth visits that happen in India. The mandatory smiles that one faces each day on the streets me and a fellow scribe have a bet on who spots the first bawling baby or a frustrated mother spanking a child proves that a shoddy set is hard to hide. Theres no doubt dentistry is a highly developed stream of medicine. It is common to see clinics where the doctors attending to patients wouldnt be mere dentists but a dental specialist,therapist,technician and hygienist. I was aware of these facts,but still,it was too tough to digest the special parking slot status of the dentists on match days. Wisdom dawns as I meet a stadium official and point to the sign over the parking area. Just remember,this happens to be a rugby stadium,and the cricketers just use it during the summer, he says. It all becomes clear and the special privilege mystery of the parking area is solved. Like everyone,a dentists appointment for a cricketer is usually planned and happens at his clinic. That is not the case with the ruggers. Recent studies in New Zealand have shown that a mouthpiece can reduce tooth injury by over 90 per cent. But no one has yet been able to convey that to the big boys in the scrum. With just 50 per cent preferring a mouth piece,it isnt a bad idea to book prime place in the parking areas for the dentist. Considering the rough and tumble of the sport played by bulky bodies,dental appointments are unplanned and urgent.
