God’s Dentist

As a priest, I am blessed to meet many living saints and to have the best medical care available. Sometimes, these two coincide in an extraordinary way. Over 20 years ago, when I was a cook at the St. Pius X Residence for retired priests in Uniondale, I used to take Fr. Dennis Sheridan to his dentist. Fr. Dennis was a holy priest, but his teeth needed a LOT of work. Immediately upon entering the office of Dr. Joseph Bacigalupo, DDS, I was transported to a bygone era. Dr. Bacigalupo and his secretary/dental assistant, Janet, were dressed in all white and looked like they were walking out of a 50s TV show. They immediately welcomed us with a firm handshake and a warm smile. I had been to many dentists’ offices before and had never experienced anything like it. I was happy because I loved Fr. Dennis, and I could tell they did too! While waiting for Fr. Dennis, I looked around for some reading material. Instead of Time and Newsweek, the magazine rack and coffee table were filled with books about Mother Teresa, Pope John Paul II, and the Vatican. That’s when it hit me. This wasn’t just a workspace. This was a holy place. As we were leaving, another patient was arriving. She received the same VIP treatment!

Fast-forward years, and I was searching for a dentist, so I naturally decided to try Dr. Bacigalupo. He had completely transformed Fr. Denis’ teeth, so I knew he was good.

What I didn’t realize was how good. Instead of having a dental hygienist clean teeth, the doctor does it himself. For 45 minutes, he painstakingly deep-cleaned every tooth… all along teaching me a detailed lesson on the importance of flossing, the biology of good bacteria, etc… while dictating his assessment of each tooth to Janet, who took copious notes. When I left there, my mouth never felt cleaner. They go through this process every time, treating me more like a friend than a patient.

I recently chipped a tooth. I called the office. Even though I wasn’t in any pain, they wanted me to come in right away. As soon as I arrived, and for the next 90 minutes, they non-stopped worked on my broken tooth. They must have gone through 50 steps in an efficient, thorough fashion. Years ago, I had a crown done, but it was a completely different experience. I have to go back twice more, every two weeks, so that the gum has a chance to heal completely before the next step. Even though Dr. Bacigalupo’s office is in Hempstead, I’m happy to make the trip!

May God bless this amazing dentist and his equally amazing secretary. And may all of us, including priests, treat everyone we meet with the same respect they afford to all their patients! Mother Teresa used to say, “Jesus is the leper. Jesus is the homeless.” For Dr. Bacigalupo and Janet, Jesus is also the patient!

God’s Blessings!
Fr. Ken