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Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff "We‘re mad as hell and we‘re not going to take it agymore_._" This may be stealing a line from the movies, but it‘s the best way to sum up how the local business community feels about the service it is receiving from Canada Post. According to Kitchener Chamber of Commerce general manager Jack Middlemass, area business owners are "damned mad" because the cost of mailing keeps increasing but service only gets progresâ€" sively worse. "We‘re frustrated because there are no guarantees, that when you mail a letter, it will end up where you send it, when it will get there, or even if it will arrive," said Middlemass, notâ€" ing that public reaction has intensified with this latest round of strikes, threatened Drill chill Afraid of the dentist? You‘re not alone Chronicle Specia!l It may be nothing more than a case of sweaty palms and butterflies in your stomach as you announce yourself to the receptionist. P _ Or it }f\inr)' be a terror that keeps you away from the dentist year after year despite your aching, disintegratâ€" ing teeth and receding gums. _ . However bad you‘ve got it, you‘re not alone. Approximately one million Canadians, suffer from fullâ€"blown dental phobia â€" a fear of dental procedures so acute that they never, ever go to the dentist. A far greater number suffer from dental anxiety â€" a fear that keeps them out of the dentist‘s chair until the pain of dental disease forces them into it. "It‘s ironic," says Canadian Dental Association president Dr. Ralph Crawford, "because these days the idea hurts more than the fact. A lot of people have an oldâ€"fashioned idea of dentistry that leads them to expect an unpleasant experience. But modern preventive procedures are relatively quick and painless. And they can prevent serious problems from developing. It‘s the people who avoid their regular checkâ€"ups because they are afraid it will hurt who in the long run are most likely to have to undergo extensive, éxpensive, uncomfortable 12TV Om i | anada Post problems twoâ€"way street, says â€" angry Middlemass Te CorgpLgive GargBLER On behalf of the Kitchener and Waterloo Chambers, earliâ€" er this month Middlemass sent off an angry letter to Canada Post president Michael Warren saying, "the business commuâ€" nity of this country cannot survive with the intolerable service presently being offered by Canada Post. strikes and rate hikes. "It was written out of frustraâ€". tion," said Middlemass of the letter, which was also forwardâ€" ed to local members of parliaâ€" ment and Prime Minister Brian Mulroney . The letter asked postal workers and management to "recognize their responsibiliâ€" ties to Canada and realize the damage they can do." Stressing the complaints were not addressed solely to the unions, Middlemass argued that because Canada Post is a crown corporation with a total monopâ€" oly, its workers should not have dental work or who lose their teeth alto_gether.‘: No one is immune to dental phobia, but studies show that it is most common among children and young women. The procedures people fear most are having a tooth drilled and having anaesthetic injected. Most commonly dental phobia develops at an early age and is due to an unpleasant early experience at the dentist‘s or to expectations of an unpleasant experience created by the family or peer group. For dentists in the field, dental phobia is a serious problem, both in administrative and human terms. Administrative, because of all the cancelled appointâ€" ments and because of the difficulty of setting up a proper preventive program for someone who comes into the office only if it is absolutely necessary. Human, because of the great tact, gentleness and care it takes to treat a patient who is very fearful of what is being done. _ Fortunately, dentists have many new instruments at hand to help them fight the phobia. â€" Chief among them are the many new painless procedures and tools â€" like highâ€"speed drills and superâ€"accurate, singleâ€"tooth anaesthesia â€" which have replaced older, more painful techniques. Dentists can use mild sedatives to calm particularly the right to strike. "We have to get the manageâ€" ment group and workers to gether. There has to be better communication so the country‘s economic wellâ€"being is not threatened," he said. "It‘s a twoâ€"way street, Canada Post has to be properly worked and properly managed." Since the contents of the letter were made public in the local media, Middlemass said he has been "swamped" with calls of support, at home and in the office. He added that people have sought him out at public events and stopped him on the street to congratulate him for his stand. "John Q. Public is speaking out â€" it‘s been superb," he commented. ‘"No one has reactâ€" ed negatively if anything people are saying I‘m being too soft on them." In response, Middlemass is asking people to follow the Chambers‘ lead and send their complaints to Warren and their Members of Parliament. He said he‘d like to see this evolve into a national letterâ€"writing campaign, in the hopes that service can be improved. ‘"‘I‘m suggesting to people they take that time out, invest that 32 cents and get a letter out to Mr. Warren â€" too often people are apathetic, they say their opinions don‘t count. But, they do count." A fivemember steering committee has been established by Waterloo city council to select a consultant for a longâ€"range study of library service Sitting on the committee will be Ald. Jim Erb, library board Chairman Marcia Shortreed, Waterâ€" loo Chief Librarian Isabel Staal, Waterloo Chief Administrative Office Don Roughley and City Treasurer Tom Stockie. As well as choosing the consultant, they will investigate whether the study Library service needs studied There‘s no surer sign of spring than the annual Beta Sigma Phi, Canadian Cancer Society Daffodil Day. Daisy Turner (left) of Kitchener joined many others throughout the Twin Cities who bought daffodils in the twoâ€"day event which raised $12,000. Chronicle photo WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESOAY, APRIL 17, 1985 â€" PAGE 3 SPRING AND DAFFODILS overâ€"anxious patients before treating them. Many dentists are now using techniques developed by clinical psychologists to help overcome patient fears. These can involve special relaxation exercises to help patients remain calm, hypnosis, progressive desensitizaâ€" tion techniques which help patients overcome their fears by letting them gradually get used to dental procedures, and distraction techniques designed to take the patient‘s mind of what the dentist is doing. In one experiment dentists installed video screens on their ceilings and videoâ€"game controls on the arms of their chairs. Patients got so involved in the game that they forgot about what the dentist was doing (except to complain when he or she got in the way!). What should you do if you have dental phobia or anxiety? The best thing is to talk frankly to your dentist about it. Tell him or her what exactly it is that you fear. Dentists today are much more than just mechanical cavity fillers: They are professionals trained in caring. Very often just talking about your anxieties with your dentist will be all you need to do to relieve them. (Presented as a public service during Dental Health Week.) can grant or loan programs. + Afleriad in aiiet ocm sutns. .12 Aldermen set aside $12,500 for the study during this year‘s budget deliberations, following a request from the Waterloo public library for permission to erect a second portable building at the main library site on Albert Street. Purpose of the study is to determine whether expansion is the best solution to the library‘s current overcrowding problem, and what options there are for growth on the present property. subsidized through existing government