You've Got the Wrong Guy!

For a while now, I've been getting odd calls on my cell phone. They're not obscene or perverse. No, they're people looking for a dentist. Specifically, they keep looking for an emergency dental clinic.

I really didn't pay them any mind beyond the sheepish exchange of me saying, "I'm sorry, you have the wrong number", and then the sound of Call Ended. That is, until Christmas Eve. On that day, one person phoned me three times looking for the dentist. Apparently they couldn't believe that I was "in no way, shape or form, a dental or medical professional". The third call went to voicemail and I didn't respond.

The number of calls increased in January and I finally remembered to ask where the person had gotten the number. They informed me that it was listed as the after hours Emergency Contact information for a local dental clinic. I thanked them, wished them luck and then proceeded to confirm my cell phone number was listed and began steps to inform the clinic about the error.

Hilarity, of course, ensues.

First, I emailed the clinic detailing the error, number of people who had called me as well as the phone numbers I'd saved. The email was met with no response, so onto verbal communciation. They were very friendly and understanding and would get the message changed ASAP.

Two weeks later, I got another call looking for the emergency dental clinic. Apparently the voice mail had not been changed. I phoned and followed up again; they apologized and informed me that they were having difficulty changing the voice mail.

I'll let you digest that for a little while, but still, things seemed to improve. No phone calls and hopefully people were finding the dental help they needed. Fast forward to mid-March, where I was on campus at Carleton for some training; training in the same building as the dental clinic I was apparently practicing.

Of course, I stopped in to say hi. We chatted, and they informed me that the office manager was as yet unable to change the after hours message, despite having 2 full months to do so. As an alternative, I said I would direct people to the first number when they called since mine was the second one listed. They welcomed me as an unofficial member of the team. I laughed and tried not to wince at my own toothache.

Easter weekend arrives, and of course, I get a call. I direct the young lady to phone the first number as promised, and I was promptly informed that the first number is out of service. I apologized and told her I couldn't help further. She promised to leave some feedback with the dental clinic.

It was a ray of hope!

Or not.

I forgot my cell phone at the office last weekend. When I got to work Monday, I found someone had left voicemails looking for a dentist. I passed that information along to the dental office and let it stew.

Today, I've started to escalate as I've phoned the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario, and have left a message with their professional practices department. I want to know if there is anything I can do through them or if I have to continue to politely ask for the voicemail to be changed.

I may not be Richard Kimbel in search of the one armed man, but I'll make sure the tooth comes to light.