For the last few weeks, I’ve been trying to find a dentist in the Portland area. Fortunately, most dentists today have websites where they tell you what they do and what they don’t and all about their excellent staff that will take care of your every mangled molar.

Here’s the problem: Some of the sites say very clearly that they offer preventative treatments, while other dentists offer preventive treatments. Note the different spellings. There must be a subtle difference between the two words. One prevents while the other preventates – whatever preventating anything is.

On the bright side, all is not lost. I found a dentist and will ask for a definition during our first meeting.

S. M. Hall
Yarmouth