HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — Mark Kolrud didn’t plan on a visit to the dentist Thursday morning.
"Good to see you, but sorry for the circumstances," Dr. Lynelle Zabel said.
The circumstances of losing a crown. Dr. Zabel would make time.
"Dentistry is a pretty stressful job. People don’t want to be here and your anxiety tends to get up," she said.
No one wants to see the dentist. But Mark will grit his remaining teeth and then open wide.
He didn’t expect to be here. He also didn’t expect to discuss his options, lying back on a dentist chair, with a 67-pound dog on top of him.
"It’s transformed my practice. It’s one of the most transformative things I’ve ever done. I know there are people who don’t care for dogs and we’ll keep them in the back, but the overwhelming majority want them and love to see them," Dr. Zabel said.
The transformation comes from the lab. No, not the laboratory — the Labrador. Her name is Annie, and she's the office therapy dog.
Annie belongs to lead assistant Lisa Trabert. She just started to video Annie interacting with the patients, and she's become a star. Annie has her own Instagram and TikTok accounts with thousands of followers, and in some cases, millions of views.
All it takes is a few minutes to understand what happens here. There is a connection between animal and human.
"Dogs know love and that’s what people want, love. They get connection from love. They give unconditional love," Dr. Zabel said. "The anxiety level goes down and then people are able to connect with you because they’re less anxious."
Trabert said the idea to bring in Annie started one random Monday.
"Then patients would make their next appointment on Monday," Trabert said.
So they started bringing Annie in two days a week, then three, and now all five.
It might not be a stretch for patients here to look forward to their visit. It’s also not out of the question that you’ll get a piece of your soul filled here… along with that cavity.
