Pip the Puffer Fish Dental Plight
Pip the pufferfish learns that nobody at the dentist has to rush
by Tammy Smith
At the Brilliant Smiles Dental Center in Smile Reef, Beverly the Barracuda is the kind of dentist who waits. When Harriet Haddock brings in Pip, a young pufferfish who has never sat in a dental chair, Pip puffs into a spiky ball before Hannah Hammerhead can even say hello. Beverly will not hurry him. She lets him hold a dental mirror. She lets him try the reclining chair. Hannah Hammerhead shows him how to brush, then Beverly finds a small cavity, uneven teeth, and a hint of nighttime grinding. Soon the whole team gathers with patience, not panic: pediatric dentist Dr. Penny Porpoise with her Tell, Show, Go Slow approach; orthodontist Dr. Ollie Orca, who talks about braces without rushing; periodontist Dr. Perry Parrotfish, who cares for Pip’s gums; and sedation dentist Dr. Sandy Seal, who explains relaxation even though Pip may not need it. With bubble music, counting, and practice visits, Pip faces his cavity without sedation and chooses ocean-blue and seaweed-green elastic brace bands from Dr. Ollie Orca. His thank-you drawing says the thing Beverly already knew: bravery begins when nobody rushes you. A warm story about dental visits, teamwork, and taking your time.
- Child Books
- Picture Books
- Early Readers
- Educational
- Animal Stories
Beverly the Barracuda’s Brilliant Braces
Page 1
Deep in the winding roads of Ocean Boulevard, where the Tanzanian sun sets over the island of Zanzibar, stood a shoreline business called the Smiling Reef Dental Center. The building was bright yellow, with dull red paint outlining the window pane. There was a green-and-turquoise door at the entranceway of the building. Above the door, a squiggly blue wave held the words in small, white print, " Pediatric Dental Care Office." Beverly was the island's only dentist. She served patients from the sea, the island, and the mainland.
Beverly had rows of sharp, well-aligned teeth and friendly dark eyes.
She loved helping young sea creatures care for their smiles.
Page 2
Every morning, Beverly swam to the Smiling Reef Dental Center on land.
She wore colorful light blue scrubs, protective gloves, and a tiny headlamp.
Her pockets were filled with bravery stickers.
Page 3
Beverly was a dentist.
Dentists examine teeth, gums, and mouths.
They look for problems, explain treatments, and help patients keep their mouths healthy.
Page 4
Beverly worked with Hannah Hammerhead, a dental hygienist.
Hannah cleaned teeth, checked gums, and taught patients about healthy brushing and flossing techniques to help patients prevent dental problems.
“Clean teeth are fin-tastic!” Beverly would say when she saw a child with great teeth.
Page 5
One morning, a local grandma, named Harriet Haddock arrived with a young pufferfish named Pip.
Pip held both fins tightly over his mouth.
“He has never visited a dentist,” Harriet explained.
Page 6
While Pip's grandma searched intently in her purse for Pip's insurance card, like a scuba diver looking for hidden treasure deep in the abyss of the ocean, Pip began to slither away from his grandma to explore the dentist's office. He removed his fins from his mouth, deflated his body, and aligned himself along the wall like Spider-Man, trying not to be noticed, then scurried down the hallway to get a better glimpse of the tools making those bizarre sounds. The first open door he arrived at was a fish lying in a recliner chair with bright lights beaming in his face. The fish had something in his mouth, but Pip could not get a clear view of what it was. There were computers, monitors, and tools everywhere.
Next, Pip went a little further down the hall, and he peeked at an empty dental chair.
Immediately across the hall from the room with the empty chair, Pip saw a second patient with his mouth open as the dentist was placing a tool in his mouth that made a buzzing sound.
BZZZZZZ!
Pip's eyes grew big, his heart skipped a beat, and he puffed out instantly. The dentist hadn't noticed him at first, but when he puffed up like a spiky ball of terrified sushi, he inadvertently spilled over a tray with tools. After hearing the loud scattering sound of metal hitting the ceramic tile floor, Grandma realized Pip was not standing next to her and called his name. Before she could get his one-syllable name out of her mouth, Pip came from around the corner like a bowling ball running at lightning speed toward the door before Grandma grabbed his fin and stopped him in his tracks.
Page 7
“I am not opening my mouth ever again!” Pip cried.
Beverly lowered her headlamp and clicked it off.
She placed the tools that had been flung into the hallway by Pip's marathon run to the door, gently back on the secretary's counter at the front desk. She took a step back from Pip, giving him plenty of space.
Page 8
Beverly almost said, “There is nothing to fear.”
Then she stopped.
Pip’s fear felt real to him. So she had to respect his feelings. She calmly asked Pip to sit on a chair in the lobby.
Then she sat beside him.
Page 9
She looked him in the eye with kindness and sincerity.
“We will take it one step at a time,” Beverly said.
“You may ask questions.”
“You may take a break.”
“And I will explain before I do anything.”
With tears in his eyes, Pip wanted to trust her, but he was afraid. He thought to himself, she seems nice. So Pip took a deep breath and slowly started the deflating process.
Page 10
As Pip's breathing returned to normal, Beverly asked him to follow her to the back dental rooms.
First, Beverly showed Pip the dental mirror.
“This mirror helps me see your teeth better,” she explained.
She let him hold it and look at his own smile.
As Pip handed her back the mirror, after seeing his teeth. He said, “No poking yet?” , as he tightly closed his mouth.
“No surprises,” Beverly promised.
Page 11
Next, Hannah entered the room to demonstrate the reclining chair.
Up it went.
Whirrrr!
Down it went.
Whirrrr!
Pip tried the buttons and began to giggle.
Page 12
Beverly directed Pip to lie down on the reclining chair. Hannah asked Pip if she could see his teeth, nothing else.
Hannah counted Pip’s teeth with the mirror.
Next, she asked if she could clean away sticky plaque.
Pip asked, " What is plaque?"
Plaque is a film of bacteria that can collect on teeth.
Brushing and cleaning between teeth help remove it.
Page 13
Hannah showed Pip a large model mouth.
“Brush the outside.”
“Brush the inside.”
“Brush the chewing surfaces.”
“And use gentle circles.”
Pip practiced with an enormous toothbrush.
Page 14
Now, Pip trusted them, and he allowed Beverly to examine his tooth with a metal tooth pick.
As Beverly moved the pick from tooth to tooth. She realized one tooth had a small cavity.
She told Pip that he only had one small cavity.
She explained that a cavity is an area of tooth damage that can form when bacteria use sugars and produce acids that weaken the tooth.
Page 15
Pip began to puff up again. He could not help himself; anytime his nervous system perceived danger, he puffed up automatically.
“Do I have to fix it today? asked Pip”
“We do not have to rush,” Beverly said.
“First, we will make a plan that helps you feel safe.”
Page 16
Beverly introduced Dr. Penny Porpoise.
Dr. Penny was a pediatric dentist.
Pediatric dentists receive special training to care for babies, children, and teenagers.
Page 17
Dr. Penny used a calm method.
First, she told Pip what would happen.
Then she showed him the tools.
Only after Pip agreed did she begin.
Pip called it:
TELL. SHOW. GO SLOW.
Page 18
Dr. Penny noticed something else.
Pip’s teeth did not meet evenly when he closed his mouth.
Some were crowded.
One tooth turned sideways.
Page 19
“That is a job for an orthodontist,” Beverly explained.
An orthodontist studies how teeth and jaws grow and fit together.
Braces or other appliances may gently guide teeth into healthier positions.
Page 20
Dr. Ollie Orca, the orthodontist, examined Pip’s bite.
He studied pictures and measurements.
Then he showed Pip colorful brace bands and asked him to select one or two colors he liked.
Pip chose ocean-blue and seaweed-green.
Page 21
“Will braces make my teeth perfect tomorrow?” Pip asked.
Dr. Ollie smiled.
“Teeth move slowly.”
“We make a careful plan, check your progress, and adjust when needed.”
Page 22
Before any braces began, Hannah checked Pip’s gums.
One area looked red and puffy.
Healthy gums help hold and protect teeth.
Beverly called Dr. Perry Parrotfish.
Page 23
Dr. Perry was a periodontist.
A periodontist specializes in gums and the supporting structures around teeth.
He examined the red area gently.
Page 24
“Plaque has been hiding near this tooth,” Dr. Perry explained.
He taught Pip how to clean along the gumline.
“Gentle cleaning every day can help protect your gums.”
Page 25
Harriet shared another concern.
At night, Pip sometimes made a scraping sound.
GRRRT! GRRRT!
He was grinding his teeth while sleeping.
This is called bruxism.
Page 26
Beverly checked Pip’s teeth for signs of wear.
“Grinding can happen for different reasons,” she said.
“We should not guess why.”
The dental team would observe, ask questions, and decide whether more care was needed.
Page 27
Pip worried about fixing his cavity.
“What if I cannot stay calm?” he asked.
Dr. Penny explained that many children can receive care with reassurance, breaks, and gentle behavior guidance.
Page 28
“For some procedures or some very anxious patients, trained dental teams may discuss sedation,” Dr. Penny continued.
“Sedation medicine can help a patient relax, but it requires careful planning, permission, monitoring, and safety rules.”
Page 29
Dr. Sandy Seal worked in sedation dentistry.
She reviewed health information, medicines, allergies, and the planned treatment.
She explained that sedation was not something every patient needed.
Page 30
Pip practiced lying back while listening to bubble music.
He squeezed Harriet’s fin.
Beverly counted slowly.
“One, two, three…”
Pip stayed calm without sedation during his practice visit.
Page 31
At the next appointment, Pip returned with his bravery chart.
Dr. Penny explained each step.
Beverly handed over the tools.
Hannah praised Pip for holding still.
The small cavity was treated.
Page 32
Weeks later, Pip was ready for braces.
Dr. Ollie placed the tiny brackets carefully.
Pip chose his colorful bands.
He looked into the mirror and smiled.
“The color bands on my braces are my school colors!”
Page 33
The dental team taught Pip how to clean around his braces.
Food and plaque could hide near brackets and wires.
Pip practiced until he could reach every spot.
Page 34
Beverly looked around the center.
The dentist cared for Pip’s teeth.
The hygienist cleaned and taught.
The pediatric dentist built trust.
The orthodontist guided his bite.
The periodontist cared for his gums.
The sedation dentist supported safe planning.
Page 35
Pip handed Beverly a drawing.
It showed a tiny pufferfish sitting proudly in the dental chair.
Above him were the words:
I WAS SCARED, BUT NO ONE RUSHED ME.
Beverly’s heart felt warm.
Page 36
From that day forward, Beverly remembered that bravery could not be pulled, pushed, or hurried.
It grew through patience, honest explanations, small choices, and trust.
She placed a sticker on Pip’s chart and smiled.
“Let’s take one breath at a time.”
Then she added with a grin,
“You did a jaw-some job!”
The End