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Why I’m a Patient for Life at Always Great Smiles
An Interview with Kathy Sleckman, a Contestant on Survivor, Season 16, Micronesia
Where did you acquire your puzzle-solving skills, outdoor skills and athleticism?
Being the youngest growing up, we entertained each other by playing a lot of board games and playing outside. I grew up a tomboy, always trying to keep up with my brothers or run away from them. Now, I can’t go a day without doing the New York Times crossword puzzle or a Sudoku.
Did your military background ever come in handy on Survivor?
I was in the military in the 1980s, so I was a Seabee (Construction Battalion) in the Navy. I was a utilities man, which is a fancy word for a plumber. Unfortunately, on the island we didn’t have any indoor plumbing, so my skills at unclogging toilets or fixing leaks pretty much went unused.
How many times did you attempt to get on the show?
My first attempt was for Vanuatu, season 9. I made it to the final 50; I got so close, but I wasn’t chosen. They told me that casting was like putting together a puzzle and my piece didn’t fit for this particular cast. I kept making videos – five total – and sending them in so they wouldn’t forget about me. They were strictly comedy, and I made them with my family. We thought, “What the heck, at least we’ll have a nice box set of goofy family videos to entertain us at get-togethers.”
The last two times, after getting to know the people in casting, I just called and said not to forget about me. The weird thing is, for my eighth attempt we were getting ready to tear down our house to rebuild. I told my family I wasn’t going to make a tape or call this time because I was too busy. Three days later the phone rang, and it was someone from the Survivor casting office asking me if I still wanted to be on the show. They asked me to fly out to L.A. to re-interview.
How many years have you watched survivor, and why did you want to be on the show?
My husband and I have watched Survivor since the very first season. We got hooked on it and haven’t missed a show. They have two shows a year, and this fall will be number 19. After watching so many shows, it didn’t look very hard to do. I guess it was a pipe dream I had that I thought would never come true.
How did your friends react when they found out you got on the show?
They were in as much disbelief as I was. I couldn’t tell anyone that I got picked or that I was going to be on the show until the official cast release. There were lots of legal documents that I had to sign that scared me. I didn’t even tell my daughter the truth who was six at the time. She’s kind of a blabbermouth. I told her I had to go help out her grandma in Oklahoma for awhile. One thing I did do before I left was to make her seven packages for each week I would be gone. In them I put a letter and a small gift. My husband would tell her that it came in the mail for her. I promised her I would call, but of course they take your phones away and there is no contact with the outside world. So, in the first letter I told her I lost my cell phone and that Uncle Bob didn’t pay his phone bill, so I couldn’t call her. It broke my heart to have to tell her that.
How long were you on the show for?
I lasted 19 days. Mentally it broke me, so I took myself out.
What are some of your most memorable experiences?
I’ll never forget being sent to Exile Island with some of the Favorites, Cirie, Ami and Ozzy, and getting to spend one-on-one time with the people I have watched on the show.
How has your life changed since the show?
It confirmed to me that what I have here, as small as it is – my family, home and friends – are what truly is important. I realized that without those things, my life is pretty meaningless.
While on the show, were you able to take care of your teeth?
We lived on the ground in a nasty, stinky cave. You get nothing for hygiene. We would take sticks and scrape the surface of our teeth. Floss? That was a sliver of bamboo that you stuck between your teeth and hoped you didn’t get a splinter.
How long have you been a patient at Always Great Smiles?
I’ve been coming to Always Great Smiles since I moved to Glen Ellyn from Wisconsin in 2001.
How would you describe your relationship with the staff at Always Great Smiles?
In a nutshell they feel like family. I know that probably sounds so cliché, but I don’t quite know how else to describe it. They laugh at my jokes, engage in deep conversations and are truly some of the nicest people I have ever encountered, especially for a dental practice.
Did you tell the staff you were trying to get on Survivor?
Marietta, one of the receptionists, is a big fan of Survivor too. After I didn’t make season 9, I shared the experience with her, and she wanted to see the video. After that, everyone at Always Great Smiles wanted to watch it. I think they watched it in the office while they were eating lunch, then I let them see the next four videos.
How did they react to finding out you were going to be on the show?
A week before the release, I gently urged them to go buy an Entertainment Weekly magazine. (They had first dibs on the information.) I believe Marietta immediately figured it out, and the look on her face was priceless. I think she may have had the first clue when my husband had to call, while I was gone, to cancel an appointment I had scheduled. Marietta knew I never miss an appointment.
What has your history been like with your bridgework?
I lost two teeth in a car accident in 1984. They stuck them back in and stabilized them. Unfortunately, eight years later, the first of the two snapped and had to be removed. Back home in Wisconsin, I saw, who was supposed to be, the best dentist in town. I received what would be the first of three different sets of bridgework. Then the second tooth snapped, and I had to get completely new bridgework. When the dentist tried on the final bridgework, I told him it didn’t feel or look right. He had it redone, and when the new bridgework came back, I wasn’t happy with it again. He got irritated, told me it was fine and put it in anyways. I think I cried.
What has your experience been like working with Always Great Smiles throughout the process of receiving your bridgework?
When I moved here, to Glen Ellyn, I started seeing Dr. Langner, and immediately she commented on my bridgework. You could see the dark metal around my gum lines, the color didn’t match and I had an odd number of teeth. She suggested she could redo them, and I jumped at the chance. Instead of putting porcelain over metal, she offered the latest technique (at the time), where a stronger porcelain is used so no metal base is necessary. She also suggested that the bridge be made up of an even number of teeth, so it looked more symmetrical. These were all things that I would have never even thought to ask about.
When the first bridge came to try on, I thought it looked great. It was way better than anything I had before. She noticed a few things that weren’t up to her standards and sent them back to be redone. Right there I knew she would be my dentist for life. It wasn’t good enough for anything to be “okay.” She’s a perfectionist and an advocate for me when it comes to my teeth. It was nice to know she cared more about me and my teeth than the extra time and effort she needed to put in. I like to say that she goes above and beyond the call of duty, all while making me feel like I’m the most important person every time I’m there.
How do you feel about the outcome, and what have others said?
You tell me! I haven’t received one comment that my teeth look somehow fake. The ultimate comment came from my neighbor who, just last week, told me how nice my smile was and how straight my teeth were. I reminded her that it was my bridgework that she knew I had redone seven years ago. She had forgotten. That is how natural they look. With my old bridgework, I always covered my mouth while I smiled, or I only gave half a smile. Now, I’m never self-conscious about my teeth, and I give 100 percent every time I laugh or smile.
What do you enjoy most at Always Great Smiles?
I love the staff. They are friendly, welcoming and just really great people. To me, you can have the latest technology, state-of-the-art equipment, etc. – which they do – but if you don’t make the patient feel at ease or let them know you genuinely care about them, then what’s the point? They make me feel special and that’s why I highly recommend them to everyone I know.
Why would you recommend Always Great Smiles to others?
I have converted my 82-year-old father-in-law, my husband and my sister-in-law (who now takes her entire family there) to lifetime patients at Always Great Smiles. My daughter, who is now eight, LOVES going there. I’m not kidding. She always wants to know when her next appointment is.
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