My dad had and still has a close relationship with our family doctor. He no longer lives in the same area as my parents, but they see each other once every few years. Back in the day, they used to invite him to our house for dinner. He invited us to his house a couple of times. My parents went to his wedding. He wasn't a psychiatrist, but was a really intelligent, level-headed guy and when I came out as gay in high school, my dad sent me to him to "talk" because I was lying about my activities out of fear of my parents being upset about me being gay. I also interviewed him for a research paper when I took chemistry my junior year of high school. Even when DW was pregnant with our DS a few years ago, I emailed him with questions about vaccines. It has never been weird for me or my family.

Am I the only ones who assumes that when a doctor is super nice it's bc they're good at the bedside manner part of their job - not bc they want to be friendly with me? Plus as the PP says the "balance" in the friendship would be all off bc they know my personal issues and have seen me in a gown and touched me - while they didn't have to share any details about themselves and remained fully clothed.

If you really want to pursue it -- at most invite them to a BBQ, Christmas party etc where they can stop by or not. To go from only seeing them in the office and never meeting their spouse to a 2 hr dinner could get real awkward real fast - if they even agree - if you find out within 15 min that they're really strange.

Maybe don't do something as intimate as a quiet dinner. Maybe if you have a party you could invite him/her.

Some dentists have earned a doctorate.

If they're a good doctor I wouldn't change the relationship. Know that they're probably happy to see your name on the patient list for the day and leave it at that.

Invite them to a bigger event if you want to thank them for their care, but unless you cross paths socially, they have their own friends, and who knows, maybe you don't want to know all the ins and outs of their personal life.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to be friends with my dentist - we hung out sometimes, and he'd call me if he had an extra ticket to the symphony because he knew I was into that. Nice guy. We lost touch when I got a new job with new insurance and had to switch dentists.

Not sure about your situation, though - I suppose you could always ask.

The thread is on Doctors.....

Don't be such an anti-dentite.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved my female OBGYN. I wanted to be friends with her, we had such a great rapport. Alas, it never happened and she moved. But I still think she would be so fun to kick back with a glass of wine.

I couldn't even consider that - no matter how great she seemed. Couldn't imagine socializing with someone who's seen me in a gown with my legs open and done a breast exam on me. It's hard enough to look them in the eye and make casual conversation after that in the office, let alone chat over pizza.

I guess I made my op sound like I really thought it would happen. I agree it would be bizarre to be friends with the person who does my pelvic exams, I never pursued that friendship and was just sad that she moved because she was a great doctor as well as a fun person to talk to.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to be friends with my dentist - we hung out sometimes, and he'd call me if he had an extra ticket to the symphony because he knew I was into that. Nice guy. We lost touch when I got a new job with new insurance and had to switch dentists.

Not sure about your situation, though - I suppose you could always ask.

The thread is on Doctors.....

Don't be such an anti-dentite.

Anonymous wrote:I loved my female OBGYN. I wanted to be friends with her, we had such a great rapport. Alas, it never happened and she moved. But I still think she would be so fun to kick back with a glass of wine.

I couldn't even consider that - no matter how great she seemed. Couldn't imagine socializing with someone who's seen me in a gown with my legs open and done a breast exam on me. It's hard enough to look them in the eye and make casual conversation after that in the office, let alone chat over pizza.

Yes, but within the limits. No messing up.

DH is a doctor. He has patients that give him gifts when they see him for appointments- it's very sweet! He's in internal medicine, so his patients are usually people he doesn't see quite as often. I could see inviting a doctor over as a thank you for care you received for an extended period (ex- your oncologist after a series of successful cancer treatments) but it would make us very uncomfortable if we were asked to just 'hang out' by a regular person. It's a professional relationship- my DH has seen a pt out who he was very nice to and the person seemed to really like him. Once we walked away he said that the pt drives him crazy at work... it's that bedside manner

I loved my female OBGYN. I wanted to be friends with her, we had such a great rapport. Alas, it never happened and she moved. But I still think she would be so fun to kick back with a glass of wine.