I was wondering, I knew it was an old post! But great to get a reply
again. I understand what you said and I remember the others talking
about the dangers of opening to people you don't know. What bugs me is
that here we have the huge school on E.34th Street which is open all
night but they don't actually do treatments (except give pills). Well,
all I can hope for is that I never get a toothache at night. And keep
some percocets, advil and ice around in case :-)

I'll be here.  You might have to come up "North" to see me, but I will be
here.  Maybe I will have a sailboat by then  ??

The issue with after hours emergency care is the fact that most late night calls for pain are not legitimate.  Drug seekers will often call for emergency care after hours (often minutes after the office closes--they time it just right).  Therefore, most dental office become calloused to the late night emergency call from a *non-patient of record*.  Every dentist I know personally will do something for their own patients who come in regularly and follow their suggested treatment plans.  Those patients who only call for emergency treatment every other year, get seen on Monday.  Those who have been in every 6 months and have kept up with needed treatment, get seen right away, unless the problem is not that urgent.  

I have been in my office at every imaginable time of the night and on every Holliday you can think of to take care of *regular* patients in pain.  Emergency calls from patients I do NOT know are told to show up with $150 cash if they want to be seen.  Drug seekers will not pay that much for a prescription, and will not agree to come in.  Patients who really are in pain will find the cash somewhere.  

Every dentist on this NG has experienced the joy of dealing with drug seekers pretending to have a toothache.  We, therefore, have become hardened to this situation.  I have been in "Newbie's" dental office.  He is a very compassionate man who will do anything for his patients and community.  He will not, however, allow himself to be taken advantage of.  Henry (Newbie) is a bit more outspoken on the NG than some of us.  But, he is first in line when he knows there is genuine need.  Your description of your problem (as told on the NG) walks on the edge of sounding like someone who is not getting problems dealt with properly (historically).  I think Henry sensed this and came down hard because of that.  Also, he (like many people) find it sometimes necessary to treat with "tough love".  An attempt to shock a person into dealing with a problem right away rather than continuing to procrastinate.  

An ER is ***not*** set up to perform dentistry.  They generally have an OMFS on call to handle trauma and life threatening situations.  They do not have anyone there to render dental care such is done in a dental office.  

 Thanks for that explanation, Seagate. I didn't know that Bellevue does
 extractions...good to know. I know that my own dentist has echoed my
 feelings about no ER that would treat people other than with meds...he
 often has a full waiting room Monday morning, has told me people
 actually are sitting on the stoop in agony.

 When one of my friends had an abscess, she found a few dentists in
 Queens that are open Sunday, including an oral surgeon. So we have a lot
 of good help here; it's just the nights that are tough if someone gets a
 toothache that even Percocet won't touch.

 I don't take things personally because people don't know me here but
 it's rude and ill mannered to call someone an idiot and whatever other
 adjectives were used, the implication being that I am an idiot of a
 patient. I happen to go every 3 months for a cleaning, get exams and
 x-rays when needed and am extremely diligent in taking care of my teeth.
 Things happen that scare me sometimes and I don't have access to my
 dentist at the moment. I come here to learn things and get opinions from
 people here who are willing to take the time to talk to us WITHOUT
 insults and sarcasm. It's uncalled for, especially when someone is in
 distress, which brings us here in the first place.

 Thank you so much for your response and kindness.

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