Who is Afraid of Dentists?

Dentists are awful. That is a fact. Or not? It is quite possible that Ivan Mitrevski's fun picture book – with a girl named Barbara, numerous animals, and even more numerous teeth – will convince you otherwise. Watch out! You may end up laughing along the way. Think about it – for a beautiful smile you need healthy, pearly white teeth!

The picture book answers the question of whether dentists are awful or maybe we are just exaggerating with our fears. The answer offered by the author is that we do exaggerate, which he humorously proves by a series of examples from the animal world. The fact is, that instead of patients, dentists are the ones who find themselves in dangerous or frightening situations. And due to special teeth or other (physical) characteristics, animals must endure, during a dental examination, much more uncomfortable situations than (small) specimens of the human species. Just think of the walrus: “His tusks are extremely long. That is why his visits to the dentist are extremely long too.”

Ivan Mitrevski begins his story with Barbara visiting a dentist. Then he shows the reader how such appointments look like for a crocodile, a walrus, a lion, a hippo, an elephant, a cow, a rabbit, and … for a frog. In the end picture book finally returns to Barbara, who, unlike in the first scene, where her mouth is pressed tightly together, says big ‘Aaaaa!’.

Humorous illustrations, in which – in addition to all the animals – there are many gloved hands of dentists and dental tools, are accompanied by short, amusing texts that will make the mouths of even the most ardent dentist haters smile. Besides, all the above-mentioned dentist avoiders will get at least one amusing argument, why it is wise, every so often, to bare your teeth at the dentist. Just think of the frog ...