A personal connection can make going to the dentist a lot of fun.

I like going to my dentist. Part of it is because I get paranoid about my teeth, running to the dentist at the slightest hint of a cavity. Part of it is that my dentist’s office is pleasantly quirky, adorned with well-shot portraits and oil paintings of a pet poodle. (I kid you not.) It’s a little like getting to see his personal side.

The office manager knows me by name, reads my blog(!), and laughs about my own quirks: the virtual assistants who call her to schedule, reschedule and confirm appointments; the varied interests she reads about; the ways I handle my health coverage. (I think I’ll revert to the standard plan next year.) The dentist jokes about technology and asks about my trips. Sometimes the assistants chat with me about graduate school or life in general.

I like getting e-mail updates, hearing about the different things that are going on, checking out the pictures they’ve just posted.

Imagine if more companies and more services made you feel that they knew you as a person… =)

And for businesses: It’s okay to be human. It’s okay to be real. Those personal characteristics make it easier for people to relate to you.

(Note: I’m not getting anything for this post, although I like to imagine that my dentist is extra-careful when drilling because he knows I blog. ;) )