For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for June 30, 2024

While I would like to empathize with Dr. John Patterson for this one, I can’t help but to think that he would not be having this problem if he wasn’t giving his home number out to his patients. Even back in 1995, when this comic strip was originally published, I did not have the home number for any of my doctors. I would like to think that this was not different in Canada, but I defer to the Canadian commenters for their greater knowledge. Do dentists hand out their home numbers to their patients in Canada?

Kinda of reminds of Mad Magazine Dave Berg’s Berg’s Eyeview cartoon. I woman calls her dentist begging him to see her about a bad tooth ache. The Dr. tells her if she comes right in he can see her right away. To which she responds: “Now? But I have a hair appoinment in fifteen minutes.”

How did she get his home phone number? Jean, you got some ’splaning to do!

Apparently it must not hurt to bad if she waited 6 weeks and can’t come in due to not being convenient.

Geez, so this was actually funny, but we need an analysis because of the premise. Typical.

He is not an ob doc hes a dentist.

Jake from State Farm would you see ya if you had a claim for him.

My dentist of forty years was a classic guy. He could have been in a Norman Rockwell painting. He told me how one of his old Washington DC patients called his home on a weekend from London. Seems she took a fall in London and broke her bridgework. He worked all weekend to build her a new one plus one or two extras. As an aside, I saw this lady the first time I went to him. Her car was parked in front of his office.. it was a vintage (Goldfinger model) Rolls Royce. I entered his reception area and there she was seated, very old and wearing a full length black lace dress with lace collar up and around her neck and with an Ivory broach just below (19th century old money).. beside her and standing at attention was her chauffeur with cap under arm, wearing the traditional black uniform with shined boots. BTW: this dentist had an artisan’s workshop in-house where custom built dental work was crafted by hand. The good old days.

That’s the problem with doctor appointment these days. They’re never at your convenience!

Nowadays, it is “Grandma I am in jail, send $20k in Apple gift certificates, I will stay on the line”

Put some lime in the coconut, drink it all up, and you feel better. Call me in the morniing.

And since when have you been able to call your dentist at home?

My growing up years were terrible with regards to a dentist. I absolutely hated him. I have one now that is very kind and professional.

Dealing directly with the public really stinks sometimes. And why do John’s patients have his home phone number?

My dad was a dentist in the US. People would call the house for an emergency.

My question is why are 30 year old strips being rerun in the first place?

So John has a very entitled patient! I think Karma will catch up to her very soon.

Several days later when it is convenient and she does come in – John – “I’m sorry but your ‘convenience’ now requires that I pull the tooth.”

My pcp gave me his cell phone number.

The duck guy seems to have forgotten a basic fact. These are the funny pages.

why a duck? why no a chicken?

John needs to tell Jean to take a hike. Then replace her with an illegal immigrant. The money he will save will come in handy too.

The nerve of some people!

Time should have been 2:30……

My dentist likes me and knows I am a good, responsible patient. He gave me his cell phone number after several years. I have used it once.

My daughter has a dog grooming business, her uncle ( my BIL ) called her in the middle of the night to get his dog in the next day because it was far overdue for a grooming, she’s booked out for six weeks and he knows this. I don’t remember what she said her response was, but it wasn’t pleasant.

And no one’s made an “Inconvenient Tooth” joke yet? :D

I remember the doctor making house calls…and the butcher, greengrocer, and dairyman put their deliveries on the front porch, because we were under quarantine for scarlet fever.

Elly took it well. Normally she whines about bad things only happen to the Pattersons and it was never like this for her growing up with her parents in the 1950s, as that was the most prosperous time in the history of North America.

There are lots of 2nd and 3rd shift people out there, but the only doctors you find at that time are in the ER….and no dentists. I wonder how much money a dentist could make if he ran “off hours”….

My air-conditioning service has an emergency number for 24/7 service. It’s an answering service that will relay your message to the on-call technician. It’s extra if they come out, but sometimes it’s worth it.

In Mexico City, I can use WhatsApp to contact a couple of my doctors for emergencies or just to ask a question.

I like the way Elly and John have positioned the pillow in the first panel to be sort of nose supports.