You Know The Drill: The Private Musings of a Dentist.

by Dr Bill

Welcome to my life. The life of a reluctant dentist. This book charts the course of a nervous student dealing with people from all walks of life, from exploding angry abscesses to exploding angry people, both in and out of the chair.
When I was a wet-behind-the-ears school sixth former, it seemed like a really good idea to go to university and study the teeth, gums and mouth. I’m still trying to work out why I thought that was a good idea.

The definition of a dentist mentions competencies in biomedical knowledge, surgical dexterity, and critical thinking. What it fails to include is being an unpaid therapist, getting splattered in pus, coaxing nutters out from under the dental chair, having the police storm your surgery, and dealing with patients who think a crown is something you put on your head, then try and sue you when you say otherwise.

Written as a form of therapy – to offload on paper – this book gives a frank account of life both in and out of the surgery. So, take a seat in the waiting room and I’ll see you shortly in Chapter One…

Genres: Nonfiction

244 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2025

Reviews

[M.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I hate the dentist (not the person - the idea of it). I've had a few nasty experiences with dentists who should perhaps have paid a little more attention to patient care than they did. However, I've found a new dentist and he's lovely and very, very thoughtful. I decided to read this book as a means of understanding what it's like for the actual person who is the dentist as opposed to the patient, gripping the armrests and leaving imprints in the dentist's chair. I'm so glad I did. I can't say it's going to make my next trip any easier, but I will certainly be a little calmer about the whole thing - probably until the bloody drill comes out:)

This is a delightful collection of stories, from training to working as a dentist. Some of them are funny. Some of them are sad. Some of them are bloody outrageous. All of them paint the picture of a professional working under some very trying circumstances (including during Covid), and sometimes not. I also appreciated the explanations about how the system works in the UK and what dentists are actually doing when they look in your mouth. I was very glad I wasn't the one in the dentist's chair for some of the procedures described.

Fans of the dentist and those who aren't (i.e. me) will enjoy this collection of tales and musings. And, I promise, there are no LAs involved in reading it.

[Becki Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a dental Nurse I was intrigued by this book and it is very relatable! It's funny and warm and surprising all at the same time. A brilliant read!

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW

Review for 'You Know The Drill' by Dr Bill.

This is the first book I have read by this very talented author but definitely not my last!! What an absolutely fantastic, eye opening, honest and hilarious must read memoir!!

I have read several memoirs from those in a variety of professions so when I had the opportunity to read this book I leapt at the chance and I must say that I am very pleased I did!! If you enjoy books by the brilliant doctor Adam Kay such as 'This Is Going To Hurt' well you are absolutely going to love this just as epic memoir from a dentist's perspective! In this memoir Dr Bill takes us through his journey in his life so far from studying to be a dentist, working as a dentist in his first years, teaching dentistry and going from NHS to private dentistry!!
Dr Bill takes us through some of the shocking events that he has had to go through as well as many emotional times as well as some hilarious tales!!! I had no idea how much work, education and training goes into being a dentist and how many skills it requires, plus how much patience!!! I knew some of it as my cousin has spent years studying as a dentist and is now a qualified Dr which I am amazingly proud of but this book was even more eye opening and really shows how much work goes into it!! I was also absolutely gobsmacked by the absolutely disgraceful and criminal 'Unit Of Dental Activity' that NHS dentists are paid. When I read this I immediately messaged my cousin to warn her about it. She of course already knew and said that was exactly why she is not!! I had sent her a picture of the page that goes into detail and she was immediately interested in reading the book which I have recommended to herself and all her dentistry friends. I was absolutely appalled when I read about it and would love to say more about it here but I am going to let you grab your copy to find out about it yourself!!! Dr Bill had me laughing until I had tears streaming down my eyes, absolutely mind blown and shocked and saddened by the many journeys he went on with his times as a student, teacher and a dentist. It is an emotionally packed book filled with laughter, sarcasm, tongue in cheek comedy, shocks, some tragedy and sadness and absolutely every emotion that you can think of. I will be honest and admit that I was not quite sure what to expect when I picked up this book but whatever it was I got so much more!! Some of the stories Dr Bill talks about had me gagging, angered for him, laughing so much my chest was hurting and I had tears streaming down my face and absolutely appalled at some of the people he worked on as well as worked for!! He is definitely a dentist I would recommend with his gentle nature with his customers, especially those who struggle with life anyway, as well as brilliant sense of humour!! His fantastic and evocative writing skills really sucked me deep into her life where I could see everything come to life in front of my eyes and he left me with the emotions that he was going through. My heart went out to him on so many occasions especially with some of the disgraceful things that his customers did. Ruth has dedicated most of his life to become a dentist, going through many years of university along with extra after just for some people to have the audacity and look down at his age or qualifications. I knew this anyway, from my cousin, but as a dentist he is a Doctor who has studied more than Doctors, studying what they do and then even more yet other Doctors would have the audacity to say that he wasn't one!! However, a dentist will pick up on many problems before a doctor as you will learn more about when you read this book. Dr Bill goes through his many emotions from jubilancy when a customer is so happy after seeing their new smile for the first time to loss when a customers partner he was seeing passes. Dr Bill is definitely someone I would want to be my dentist, if my cousin wasn't available of course!! Mind you, after she reads this book she may not give me a choice lol! His fantastic and caring personality shone through his writing which drew me in from the start to the end. This is one of those books that once I picked up I just could not put down. Regardless of how many times I told myself just one more chapter I then had to read yet another and before I knew it I had devoured the whole book in a few hours. Dr Bill is absolutely devoted to doing the best he can and bends over backwards doing everything he can and much more to ensure she does everything to the best of her abilities, with very little to sometimes no thanks for it. Along with his absolutely brilliant stories of what has happened in his chair he also gives lots of fascinating, intriguing, eye opening and shocking facts and information about being a dentist, both privately and in the NHS that I found very interesting and mind blowing as I'm sure many other readers will too. I absolutely loved reading this book and I am really hoping that Dr Bill continues to write more books about his life as a dentist as I will definitely be first in line to read them!! This book is an absolutely amazing read packed with laughter, experiences, emotions and Dr Bill's writing skills ensures the reader that he genuinely cares about everything he has written about and you can hear the shock, proudness and so many other emotions he has gone through to tell his stories in his writing. I had never heard of this author before picking this book up but I now feel I know him enough to want to meet him and tell him how amazing and inspirational he is!! An absolutely brilliantly written, hilarious, shocking and addictive memoir!!!

Clear your schedules and get ready to take a journey with Dr Bill through his stories of dodgy teeth, flirty clients, shocking systems and more!!! You wont regret it and you wont be able to put it down!!

Congratulations Dr Bill on an absolutely fantastic, funny, eye opening and fascinating read that made me laugh, shocked and much more! You truly are an inspirational man and I hope to read more books about your life and work hopefully soon! I would like to welcome you to my favourite authors list!!! I cannot wait to read your future books (hint, hint) and here's to your next success 🥂!!!!

Overall an eye opening, shocking and absolutely hilarious memoir of a dentist!

#YouKnowTheDrill #DrBill #UnicornPublishing #RachelsRandomResources #rararesources
@DrBill @UnicornPublishing @RachelsRandomResources @rararesources

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[Rebecca L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books that offer a glimpse into someone else’s world, and You Know the Drill does just that. Dr. Bill takes readers behind the scenes of dentistry with a sharp wit, a healthy dose of self-deprecating humor, and plenty of eye-opening (sometimes jaw-dropping) stories. From unpredictable patients to unexpected emergencies, he paints an honest picture of life on the other side of the chair.

More than once, I found myself chuckling at his stories—his humor is dry, sometimes biting, but always entertaining. At the same time, I was struck by just how candid he is. He doesn’t hold back, which makes for an engaging read, but I’ll admit it also made me wonder what my own dentist (or doctor) might think of me! Some of his descriptions of women, in particular, made me a little self-conscious, though that may be a cultural difference—British humor can be more direct than what I’m used to.

Another surprise was the occasional strong language. It’s not over-the-top, but it caught me off guard. That said, it actually underscores one of the book’s key takeaways: doctors are people too. They deal with stress, frustration, and absurd situations just like the rest of us, and they deserve patience and respect—especially when they’re trying to help.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was learning about the UK’s National Health Service (NHS). As an American reader, it was fascinating to see how different the healthcare system is—especially since my own insurance doesn’t even cover dental. (Speaking of which, this book reminded me I really need to schedule a cleaning!)

Overall, You Know the Drill is an entertaining, eye-opening, and very humorous read. If you enjoy memoirs like Heads in Beds or Kitchen Confidential and love a behind-the-scenes look at unusual professions, you’ll enjoy this one. Just be warned—you may never look at a dentist’s office the same way again!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie Haigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, very enjoyable.

I love reading medical memoirs, I've never read a dentist's memoir before though. I hate going to the dentist, and fear it...... but I do make myself go very regularly, to prevent having to have anything horrible done, and have so far only needed a few fillings in my life, thankfully. I hadn't heard of this book before finding it in the amazon top 100 memoirs chart. I did hesitate about reading it-especially as I had a dental checkup due in 5 days time! In the end, I was intrigued enough to have a dip in-and really enjoyed it! I think the more info you have about what goes on e.g. in hospitals, and with procedures and operations, the better you feel; less nervous. I now think the same is true learning more about the dental world.

I have heard some interesting snippets in this field: My sister was a dental nurse..... I told her she should write a memoir!  Anyway, as this is written under a pseudonym,  I hoped there would be some interesting anecdotes in there; I love 'Confessions of a' type memoirs.  There was certainly a lot of material to interest.  Informative, also about awkward patients; funny stories etc.

I didn't realise this, that student dentists have to study all the body-not just what's in the mouth.  As he says, it's like studying to be a doctor, then specialising as a dentist.  Many medical conditions present first in the mouth, and, if you're good and attend your dental surgery regularly, as you should, problems can be picked up quickly; before you would experience symptoms, and perhaps see a doctor months later when it's more of a problem.  

This was interesting, eye-opening, fun, with some humorous moments, and very enjoyable; certainly nothing scary for me.

An entertaining, easy, fast read.

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the last few years I’ve really enjoyed this type of book, where professionals share with us readers an insight into their professions.. I did wonder what could You Know The Drill could offer to make it stand out from the crowd..

Well, the answer is Dr Bill! It’s the witty humour .. the honesty.. it felt like this could be one of those chats you have with a close friend down the local pub where you end up reminiscing for hours but have so much fun!

I felt the tone of the book was perfect, it’s raw and honest.. doesn’t sugarcoat anything but at the same type it can be light-hearted and extremely funny.

You can tell Dr Bill has worked with many patients over the years and it amazed me how easily those individuals were brought to life.. dealing with complaints for example.. Dr Bill made those moments pop! You felt the emotion. Felt nervous and scared for Dr Bill… and you hated those bloody patients too ha.

Also what stands out is the time given to talk about working during the Covid-19 pandemic. It feels like so long ago now and I think we all just forget how it affected other people as we concentrated on self-preservation.

The book is well balanced and there’s a dry wit/charm throughout which just made it a fun read from the first page to the last. There’s highs and lows, ups and downs but you feel the positivity that pours through from Dr Bill.

I really found it refreshing, the honestly used when discussing finances and the pressures dentists are under..these services are things we just take for granted but maybe you’ll see things a little differently now after reading the book? I know I never thought the journey to be a dentist could be so..so.. colourful..

You Know The Drill is a great addition to the genre.

5/5 stars

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike many people I don't hate the thought of going to the dentist and I'm also not afraid of needles. Obviously, I've been going to the right dental practice here in the states. I'd much rather go to the dentist than the eye doctor.
This is a dentist's thoughts on his experiences from dentistry school, practicing dentistry, his patients, coworkers, surgeries and everything dental related in-between.
Some instances made me laugh out loud and, in many cases, the dental hygienists were in on the joke too. You wonder how they could get through some of these cases without losing their composure. In some cases, the customers were rude or belittling and once again you wonder how they could keep their cool throughout it all.
From stinky breathed customers to those demanding emergency surgery now they really put up with a lot and not always in the most pleasant of environments either.
I really learned a lot from this book, and I've not read one quite like it. Dealing with the public you never quite know what you can expect.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Heidi Lynn’s BookReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, I want to thank Dr. Bill and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with this book so I can bring you with this review.

WOW!! Dr. Bill brings you a very in-depth up close and personal look into the world of Dentistry in You Know The Drill. I am a huge fan of Medical Memoirs and Medical Dramas on TV so I thought I would give this book a try. Let me blunt I was not sure what to expect as I never read a book on Dentistry nor ever fathomed I would-but I gave it a shot. Well let me tell you Dr. Bill had me laughing by booty off with some of his wild patient stories he had. One was crazier than the next!! Needless to say this was a fun, fast paced, and even educational read.

Dr. Bill had me cracking up laughing as he shared the story of how he decided to become a Dentist. Because his Mom said you never see a poor dentist lmao!! His neighbor was one and drove a Porsche!

Dr. Bill led his readers through the ups and downs of Dental School. What I found very interesting is they can diagnose anything in the mouth way before the pcp can.

[Ilana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the super hilarious memoir of Dr. Bill who wrote You Know the Drill (I wanted to play the rhyme on purpose). The Private Musings of a Dentist I got to learn a lot not only about the everyday cast of characters a dentist may encounter, but also about the medical school structure in England or the apprenticeship system.

By far though, the strength of this book is the humour, particularly when it comes to describing his interactions with his patients and colleagues. How one cannot laugh to tears when reading such a descriptive sequence: ´Tamy´s eyes were rolling like a drunk trying to operate a pinball machine´?

Any aspiring dentist must read this book in order to be tailor his or her expectations accordingly. Also, if you are a frequent visitor at the dentist´s office, you may also learn how to control oneself, otherwise you may anonymously end up in a book.

Disclaimer: Book offered as part of a book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own

[Naturalbri (Bri Wignall) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. It is honest, brutally so, and really down to earth, whilst maintaining the ability to be very tongue in cheek funny. I have already planned to gift a copy to my cousin, who is about to graduate dental school.
I have always felt for dentists and anyone who works for the health care system. They are underfunded, understaffed and overworked, leading to so much stress and burnout and I just feel terribly for them. However, every dentist I have everet is always the nicest person, which is exactly why the author also finds struggles, as being nice leads to lots of trouble and an unwarranted therapist job.
This book looks at the highs and lows, the dirty details (pus and all) and everything in between and the author makes sure to hold nothing back. I am glad they didn't because whilst writing it was therapy for them, reading it was cathartic for me, due to my job. I loved it, honestly, it was brilliant.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I hear the term 'dentist,' I can't help but think of Steve Martin singing 'Dentist' in Little Shop of Horrors. Of course, the author of this book and Orin Scrivello have nothing in common (unlike my own wonderful dentist, who's a great guy!).
This author not only tells engaging stories about his own experiences, but also paints an interesting and often emotional picture of the medical profession. He vividly describes the sad, funny, and tragic situations he encounters, showcasing his skill as both a doctor and an expert in dentistry.
What's more, he's a talented writer who knows how to balance wit with heartfelt moments.
I picked up this book out of curiosity, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys real-life stories or wants a fresh perspective on a fascinating profession.
Many thanks to Dr. Bill and Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a memoir of a dentist. It is loaded with humor and snarky anecdotes of first his training and then his professional life. There were several times that I chucked or laughed out loud at first. However, as the book went on I found myself rolling my eyes or actually being a bit disgusted by the way he was portraying his patients.

I think a more serious take, still with potential for humor, would have been much more effective for me.

This is very graphic. Sometimes I was totally grossed out (but I also think being a dentist would be kinda gross). There is also lots of information about how the NHS in Britain works for dentistry - which is not a flattering picture.

I think this had the potential to be a great book but the tone of it ended up pushing me away instead of pulling me into the story.

However, if you like medical memoirs and especially if you like dry, sarcastic humor you may enjoy this one!

2.5 stars rounded down

[Nadine Hay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found the stories really interesting and learned a lot more about dentistry. Enjoyed the sense of humour. Kindle version may benefit from a further proof read as there were a few sentences that didn't make sense (extra words etc) and the pandemic was stated to have been in 2019 but overall a very enjoyable read

[Sarah Rayner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having worked in dentistry most of my working life I absolutely loved this book. There are so many incidents in the book that I could totally relate to it’s so well written and worth reading. I’m going to leave it in the staff room at work for everyone else at the practice to read

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I'm really sorry Dr Bill, but I really hate dentists!! However I do admire anyone who can spend their working days staring into people's mouths! This book takes us through the anecdotes of Dr Bill's career as a dentist, and whilst some of the stories were enough to set my teeth on edge (no pun intended), this was a really interesting, funny and insightful read into the life of a dentist.

Of course, we all know what it's like to go to the dentist - the sound of the drill, the clinical smell and, if you're unlucky, the jab of the needle! - and Dr Bill shares with us some of the funnier patients he has seen, and some of the not so funny ones. We also get to hear about how dentistry works behind the scenes, and more notably being an NHS dentist. I thought this was really interesting as I just assumed that dentists were paid a normal yearly set wage like most people are, but there's a lot more to it and each job is worth different amounts.

Whilst there were parts in the book which made me turn a little green (I'm so glad we can't smell the infection of a decaying tooth through the pages!!), I really enjoyed reading this! I enjoy reading true life medical memoirs, and whilst I've read doctors, nurses and paramedics, I've never read a dentist one, so thank you to the author for writing this! Even if you're scared of the dentist, I would recommend reading this!