Recalls

Jeffrey Caso

14 years ago

In dentistry the term "recall" has become passe, and the new politically correct term is ReCare. This post however is about a different type of recall. The recalls I am referring to are the several that have affected my cars. It amazes me that the enormous automobile industry and all of the MIT-trained engineers get things wrong on a regular basis. It's ok when they make mistakes; it's not ok when we do. Granted, we are working on people and their problems affect machines. But people drive those machines, so it truly does matter.

Here's what gets me. Four recalls on three cars in three months. Two on my Chevy pickup - one kind of minor, the other potentially serious. It involved the potential for fire when the heated windshield washer fluid system was used. I know - why does a pickup have or need heated windshield washer fluid in the first place? The short answer is that it came with the truck and I never used it. That's my story and I am sticking with it. Anyway, when it was originally recalled six months prior, I went through the hassle of taking it to the dealer and they said it was fixed. So really this is a recall on a recall.

This time they said they would disable the system and asked if I would like, as compensation, a gift card to Starbucks or a hundred dollar check. (I took the check in case you were wondering.) By the way, I paid $350 for the option under a year ago.

So after I left the dealership, I got to thinking...

I have a patient who just wasn't meant to have implants. His first one lasted four years and failed miserably. The surgeon and I redid everything for free and now three years later there is once again significant bone loss. So, here's my idea. Rather than redo this case a third time and end up with the same result, I am going to go out and get a gift card. I am thinking Amazon. I will give him a third of the cost of a redo and be done.

Ok, hold on. That was a joke. No way would I do that to this poor guy! I will discuss a total change in the treatment plan and stick with him to the end. That's what we do. We treat, observe, troubleshoot and hopefully both patient and doctor live long enough to see their work fail. Helping the patient through these obstacles is what makes us caring professionals and not mechanics.

Now, I am off to buy an ice scraper and I should have a lot of my hundred dollar check left over to buy something cool for my truck. Heated windshield washer fluid is for wimps!