Just Ask Dennis

It was a lovely sunny day, but Samantha was not happy. She was really nervous about going to the dentist.

“Don’t worry, darling,” Mummy said, “it won’t hurt.”

“Mummy, do I have to go?”  Samantha asked, opening her mouth wide. “My teeth are fine now, look.” 

“Remember what the dentist said: the more check-ups you have, the healthier your teeth will be. Now hurry up, please. We’re already late.”

When they arrived, Samantha got out of the car very slowly, holding tightly onto her Mummy's hand.

“Good morning, Samantha,” said the bubbly receptionist sitting behind the desk. “Are you ready for your check up?” 

Samantha grabbed her mother’s long skirt and buried her head in it.

“She’s a bit nervous,” whispered Mummy.

Suddenly, Samantha heard her name being called. Her mother stood up and led her into Mr Drydale's Surgery. 

Samantha could feel the tears running down her cheeks as she climbed up into the enormous leather chair.

“Come now, Samantha,” Mr Drydale said briskly. “This won’t take long. Open wide.” 

As soon as Samantha saw Mr Drydale’s big, hairy hand coming towards her, she screamed and kicked her legs up in the air, knocking all of Mr Drydale's silver equipment onto the floor with an almighty CRASH!

“Samantha,” Mr Drydale said, trying to be calm. “There really is no need to be…”

But Samantha wasn’t listening; she cried and screamed until eventually her mother and Mr Drydale the dentist decided they’d have to make another appointment. 

That evening at dinner Mummy was telling Daddy how disappointed she was in Samantha, and how she didn’t know how she could ever get rid of her fear of the dentist. Her mother said that she couldn’t possibly take another day off work, so Daddy was going to have to do it. Daddy agreed, and Samantha went to her room and sat down on her bed, resting both hands on her cheeks.

Daddy went in just before bedtime, to say goodnight.

“Are you okay, Sammy?” He asked, sitting next to her on the bed. She nestled into his arms. “It’s okay,” he continued, “I used to be afraid of the dentist too, in fact, I'll let you in on a little secret,” her dad looked around the room. “Sometimes, I still am. But it’s something we have to do. On Thursday, we’ll try again, and this time I’m coming with you. Don’t forget to brush your teeth, now.” He smiled and kissed the top of her head, then left, closing her door.

Samantha was still scared. She didn’t know how she was going to face Mr Drydale again, even with Daddy beside her. She picked up her toothbrush and began brushing her teeth slowly. 

Suddenly, a little voice said, “Make sure you brush at the back, you miss those sometimes.”

Samantha spun around and nearly dropped her toothbrush.

“Who said that?” she whispered, looking from left to right. She repeated it, louder this time. “Come on, who said that?”

“I did,” replied the voice. “I’m over here. It’s Dennis, from the cereal box.”

Samantha looked on the dresser, and there he was. The little toy she’d found in her cereal box that morning.

She jumped in the air, clapped her hands and started to laugh. “My friend Lisa said you could talk,” she giggled, “but I didn’t believe her. This is great! Why haven’t you talked to me before now?" 

“You didn’t need me before now,” Dennis said, smiling.

Then, before her very eyes, Dennis began to grow.

He grew and grew until he was as big as she was.

“Now!” he exclaimed, “How are we going to stop you being afraid of the dentist?”

“I don’t know.” Samantha said as she carried on brushing her teeth.

“Well, what are you afraid of?” Dennis asked.

“I don’t know. It hurts when they put all of those things in my mouth, and the sound of the drill makes me feel sick,” she said, gargling, spitting the water out and wiping her mouth with the towel. “I really don’t like it!"

“Samantha,” Dennis said, “sometimes facing what scares us means we get stronger. If we can do it once, it gets easier, and the more we do it, eventually we won’t be scared of it anymore.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, looking confused.

“I used to be scared of swings,” Dennis said. “But the more I was pushed, the higher I went, and the less afraid I became. After a while, it didn’t scare me anymore.”

Samantha looked at him and smiled. “Do you mean like when you go one step higher on the climbing frame?”

“Yes, Samantha. That’s exactly what I mean.” Dennis replied.

They talked about all the things they used to be scared of, like going into the dark shed at the bottom of the garden, riding bikes without the stabilisers, and sleeping with the light off in the bedroom, until Samantha finally fell asleep full of confidence.

As they drove to the dentist that Thursday morning, Daddy turned to Samantha and said:

“I think you’ll be fine today, Sammy. You’ve been brushing every day, and you must be really enjoying it, because I hear you talking to yourself all the time.”    

Samantha pulled Dennis out of her pocket and placed him on the seat next to her. “What do you think?” she whispered.

“I think your dad is right,” replied Dennis, “You’ve done really well, eating your five fruits and vegetables a day, brushing your teeth morning and night. I don’t think you need to worry.”

“But I’m still a bit scared,” replied Samantha.

Daddy looked around as he reversed into the dentist's car park, “I know you are, darling,” he said. “But I promise you it will be okay.’’

“I wasn’t talking to you Daddy; I’m talking to Dennis.”

He looked down at the plastic toy and chuckled. “Okay, Sammy."

They walked into the dental surgery and Samantha smiled at the receptionist who said,

“You can go straight in, he’s expecting you.”

Samantha walked into the room and, with a new found confidence, jumped onto the big leather chair. She smiled at Mr Drydale and lay back, opening her mouth wide.

When they had finished, Mr Drydale and Daddy were very pleased with how brave Samantha had been.

“Well, Samantha,” said Mr Drydale the dentist. “That wasn’t so bad, was it? What made such a difference from last week?”

“I just asked my friend,” she said, grinning.

“Oh?” replied Mr Drydale the dentist, curiously. “What friend?”

“Dennis. I just asked Dennis.”

She looked down at the toy and smiled… and Dennis smiled back.

The End

Follow-up Questions:

1. Why was Samantha so nervous about going to the dentist at the start of the story?

2. How did Samantha’s feelings about the dentist change by the end of the story?

3. What did Dennis say that helped Samantha feel braver?

4. Can you think of something you used to be scared of, but now you’re not? What helped you?

5. Why do you think it’s important to go to the dentist even if your teeth don’t hurt?

6. If you were Dennis, what advice would you have given Samantha before her appointment?