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Root Canal (06/05/2007)

released: Jun 05, 2007

description: Around the water cooler at Dr. Peterson's dental office, his dental hygienists discuss his declining abilities. Dr. Peterson enters and the hygienists try to cover up their conversation, but his associate Dr. Jackson can take no more. He says that he is leaving the practice, and two dental hygienists quickly follow. Dr. Peterson is left with Ann and Jeanette, who he bumps up to his new associate. Ann is upset that her father has ignored all her hard work and decides to follow Dr. Jackson after all.

Five years later, Dr. Peterson's office is suffering. The doctor's long time friend Jimmy has informed him that he needs twenty thousand dollars in back rent in two weeks or else the practice will have to be kicked out. Desperate for ideas, Jeanette brings some Boston Market to Dr. Peterson's roach-infested apartment and offers the five thousand dollars she has saved over the years. She tells him it is not enough money, but they can take a modern approach to the problem and invest all of it into advertising.

Meanwhile, at Dr. Jackson's thriving dental office, the dental hygienists roam the halls in latex uniforms and swoon over the doctor. Dr. Jackson refuses to treat poorer patients without insurance, and patronizes Ann, who is miserable at the new practice. Penelope, one of the dental hygienists, has spied at Dr. Peterson's door and reports back the plan of advertising. Dr. Jackson refuses to let his former employer gain any edge, and acts in the most logical way to him: he blows up Dr. Peterson's office.

Dr. Peterson and Jeanette walk through the destruction, knowing that there is no way for them to continue the practice now. Dr. Jackson appears to taunt them, and Jeanette becomes enraged and inspired and insists that they will advertise anyhow, and they will tell the patients to come to Dr. Peterson's extremely unsanitary apartment. They will not turn anyone away. They hand fliers out all over the city of Pittsburgh and then wait.

Slowly but surely, the blue collar workers of the city file into Dr. Peterson's apartment. At the end of the day, they have made two thousand dollars, which will leave them in good shape if they continue on at the same rate. As they prepare to close, Dr. Jackson's hygienist Penelope rushes in and begs them for some emergency reconstructive dental surgery -- Dr. Jackson has made her slap herself too hard too often. The dentists agree to do so in exchange for three thousand dollars and the key to Dr. Jackson's office, as Dr. Peterson has received a note from Ann begging for help.

Having successfully completed the surgery on Penelope, the two sneak into Dr. Jackson's office, looking for Ann. Ann is locked in the laughing gas room, chained to a dentist's chair. As they try to free her, a steel door comes down and Dr. Jackson's voice fills the room. He informs the two that they have fallen into his trap. The two doctors agree that this can only be decided in a dental duel. They further decide they can only effectively operate on themselves.

The duel commences, and Dr. Peterson is clearly superior in every round, but he finally prevails when Dr. Jackson attempts a root canal, which has always been his weak area. Dr. Jackson leaves the city, shamed, but with his hygienists following him. Dr. Peterson triumphantly embraces his daughter and his dental partner.

Soon after, Dr. Peterson, Jeanette, and Ann have a thriving practice, where anyone can receive quality dental care.

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