Class of 1967 Message Center

Class of 1967 Message Center
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Re: Who was your doctor/dentist in Mtn Home?

We went to Dr. Koelsch, who when we were first there did housecalls, anyone remember housecalls?
Our dentist was Johnny B. (Dr. John Bideganeta). Both Drs were friends of my parents and hunted with my father. My mom tells the story of Dr. B, who's family owned both the Basque Hotel and the Mtn. Home Hotel, one of them housed ladies of the night when Dr. B was a young man and because his family owned the hotel he thought he could just go over there and partake of their pleasures. He got a rude awakening when his father was called to come and get him. LOL
One year when we were up at Paradise for the Boy Scout barbeque, my brother accidently knocked one of my front teeth out. We were walking on a narrow path and he was infront of me, I was drinking a coke (from a bottle of course), it was windy and his hat blew off and as he swung around to get it, I had the bottle up to my mouth and he knocked it through my tooth. I was so upset and cryed so hard that Dr. B promised me he would make me a cap that no would know it wasn't real. He worked on it until he had the color exact. Every dentist I went to from Seattle to Denver was amazed at the job he did,and everyone told me that I wouldn't be able to replace it. It broke about 10 years ago (it lasted for 35 years) and the replacement isn't near as good as the one Dr. B put in.

Re: Re: Who was your doctor/dentist in Mtn Home?

I wasn't blessed with "diamonds set in granite" teeth as were my Dad and Sister. During our ten-year stay in Mountain Home I got to know the inside of Johnny B's clinic pretty well. He first started working on me in 1955 when he had a belt-driven drill (sounds like that still set my teeth on edge, so to speak) and then he got the newer drill with the water spray to lubricate it. After we moved, I went to a succession of dentists none of whom, except for one I found a couple of years ago, could hold a candle to Johnny B. Every one of them took one look at Johnny's work, raved about it, and wanted to know who he was. One of them told me Dr. B. could have made a fortune someplace like Hollywood, but he wisely stayed put out there in God's country. He once showed me a carving he was required to do in dental school - a wooden cage with a wooden ball inside connected to a wooden chain, all carved from a single block of wood. It was perfectly carved, a real work of art.

Re: Re: Re: Who was your doctor/dentist in Mtn Home?

Johnny B., Of course. I was one of those "cavity prone" kids so I spent a lot of time on the wrong end of Johnny B's drill. He took good care of me from my first check-up in 1949 through the late 70's. After we moved to Boise I still drove over to Mtn. Home to see Dr. B and even brought a couple kids along most of the time. Eventually we had to move to a Boise dentist, but I've never had the confidence or the comfort that we had for years with Dr. B.
And Dr. Koelsch, of course. He was the traditional ol' fatherly, wise doctor who made you feel totally confident in his expertise. He was our family doctor for 30 years. After moving to Boise I never did get set up with a "family" doctor again..I just run over to the Doc-in-a-Box if needed. I'm sure there will never be any doctors like Malone again, it's the system, they are forced to run us through as fast as they can.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Who was your doctor/dentist in Mtn Home?

Our whole family went to Dr.B'S. I don't remember having any other dentist besides him until I moved away.
A number of years ago, Carol and I saw him at Wendy's in Boise. We went up to him to say hello. He called us by name as we approached - After all those years had passed. I thought it was amazing.

I only went to Dr. Koelsch once when I was in 3rd grade. We always went to the base and took whoever was there.

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I'm beginning to feel like my family was snookered into having two of the most unknown/unpopular doctors in town. Hmmmmmmmmm.

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I don't think they were necessarily unknown or unpopular, it's just that Koelsch & Dr. B were there first and had a head start on anyone else. Of course they stayed in first place because they were darn good!

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Both Dr. Reed Cutler and Dr. B were excellent. My family went to both. The Cutlers moved into the house behind us in the 60's. Their children were Brad and Vicki. The family grew to include Wayne, Eric, and Jennifer. They all attended Mtn.Home schools. Maybe you remember them. My mom worked for Dr. Cutler as an assistant for a few years in the 70's.

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We moved the spring of 1967 but it's good to know someone knew our dentist. :-) My first pair of glasses were in 4th grade. I recall the ride home and being in awe at all the signs I could suddenly read. Sheesh, I was practically blind!

I think my optomotrist was somebody named, ummmm, something like Dr. Bartholamew? Am I close? It's been awhile.

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The name of the eye doctor was Borgelthaus (spelling is wrong) The Cutlers and Borgelthaus were good friends.

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Bingo! Borgelthaus it was. He prescribed my very first pair of glasses just before my 4th-grade year, 1966-67. Thanks so much.