This week I visited two dentists. I never set out to visit two, but the first one prompted me. I just moved and had to look for a new dentist and so made an appointment to do the yearly checkup. In short, the first dentist showed me how not to run a business and the second one was exemplary. What makes the difference?

At the first I wasn’t treated like a person. No warm welcome when I wanted to announce myself. I had to walk up to the dentist to shake his hand and introduce myself while he wasn’t paying attention and glued to his computer screen. Within 5 minutes after opening my mouth he told me I had three cavities and had to make a few other appointments. No eye contact when I left either. The lady at the desk didn’t seem very happy with her job. She didn’t give me a single smile.

Feeling cheated by having to make all these appointments and not being treated as a person, I called a second dentist and was greeted by a warm voice who fit me into their schedule the next day. Coming there, never having seen the desk lady before, she calls “Hi Tim!” when I enter the building. I feel at home. Of course, this dentist was much more personable as well and told me I had no cavities, but some small spots which they noted down.

The difference? The second interacted with me like a person. The first one handled me like an item in a factory. The first was called Dentist Inc. The second one had a real name. I’m not going back to Mr. Inc. Small is beautiful.