Dental hygienist Judy Cornelison in costume.Photo: Missie DawkinsMany people dread going to the dentist. But Greensboro, North Carolina, dental hygienist Judy Cornelison always tries to make her patients relax and smile when they walk into the office.“I discovered early in my career that people don’t like to come to the dentist,” she tells PEOPLE. So she wears a funny costume or hat when she greets a patient. It’s an icebreaker, she says.It all started in 1994, when a patient brought her a hat from a New Year’s Eve party. “I wore it that day, and it just changed patients' whole demeanor,” she recalls. “It puts patients at ease.“Her costume collection grew to include a singing turkey hat, “Super Floss” (pictured) and even a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.She usually takes off the full costume and just leaves on a funny hat or glasses while she’s cleaning teeth.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I didn’t realize people were so afraid of the dentist,” says Cornelison, 70, who retired a year-and-a-half ago, but still fills in at dental offices. “But you hear horror stories — and it just makes me happy that I can make them smile at least once before they leave.“When she retired, much of her collection was gifted to one of her patients, an eye doctor, who said, “I want your stuff!”
Dental hygienist Judy Cornelison in costume.Photo: Missie Dawkins
Many people dread going to the dentist. But Greensboro, North Carolina, dental hygienist Judy Cornelison always tries to make her patients relax and smile when they walk into the office.“I discovered early in my career that people don’t like to come to the dentist,” she tells PEOPLE. So she wears a funny costume or hat when she greets a patient. It’s an icebreaker, she says.It all started in 1994, when a patient brought her a hat from a New Year’s Eve party. “I wore it that day, and it just changed patients' whole demeanor,” she recalls. “It puts patients at ease.“Her costume collection grew to include a singing turkey hat, “Super Floss” (pictured) and even a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.She usually takes off the full costume and just leaves on a funny hat or glasses while she’s cleaning teeth.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I didn’t realize people were so afraid of the dentist,” says Cornelison, 70, who retired a year-and-a-half ago, but still fills in at dental offices. “But you hear horror stories — and it just makes me happy that I can make them smile at least once before they leave.“When she retired, much of her collection was gifted to one of her patients, an eye doctor, who said, “I want your stuff!”
Many people dread going to the dentist. But Greensboro, North Carolina, dental hygienist Judy Cornelison always tries to make her patients relax and smile when they walk into the office.
“I discovered early in my career that people don’t like to come to the dentist,” she tells PEOPLE. So she wears a funny costume or hat when she greets a patient. It’s an icebreaker, she says.
It all started in 1994, when a patient brought her a hat from a New Year’s Eve party. “I wore it that day, and it just changed patients' whole demeanor,” she recalls. “It puts patients at ease.”
Her costume collection grew to include a singing turkey hat, “Super Floss” (pictured) and even a one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater.
She usually takes off the full costume and just leaves on a funny hat or glasses while she’s cleaning teeth.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I didn’t realize people were so afraid of the dentist,” says Cornelison, 70, who retired a year-and-a-half ago, but still fills in at dental offices. “But you hear horror stories — and it just makes me happy that I can make them smile at least once before they leave.”
When she retired, much of her collection was gifted to one of her patients, an eye doctor, who said, “I want your stuff!”
source: people.com
