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The Ballad of Peter & Gracie: Peter and his dog raced there and through fields so wide, with dreams in their pockets and stars as their guide. Every day's an adventure under the open sky. In their world of stories, time just flies by.

Peter McCully: Peter woke up feeling butterflies dancing in his tummy. Today was a very special day, but also a very scary day.

Today was the day he would visit the dentist for the very first time. Peter's mom had told him all about Dr. Blerina at Oceanside Dental and how she would make sure his teeth were healthy and strong. "I don't wanna go," Peter whispered to his fluffy white dog, Gracie, who was lying on his bed. Gracie was an American Eskimo dog with the softest, whitest fur you ever did see.

Her eyes were like two sparkling black buttons, and her tail curled up over her back like a fluffy question mark. Gracie tilted her head and made a soft whimpering sound as if she understood exactly how Peter felt. She nuzzled his hand with her cold, wet nose and wagged her tail gently. "What if it hurts?" Peter asked Gracie, stroking her silky ears. "What if the doctor has scary tools? What if she finds something wrong with my teeth?"

Gracie jumped down from the bed and ran to Peter's closet. She grabbed his favorite blue shirt with her mouth and brought it back to him, dropping it in his lap. Then she sat down and looked at him with those big, wise, caring eyes.

"You think I should get dressed?" Peter asked. Gracie barked once, which always meant yes in their special language.

Peter's mother knocked on the door. "Time to get ready, sweetie. And guess what? I spoke with the doctor yesterday, and she said Gracie can come with us to the dentist office."

Peter's eyes grew wide with surprise and happiness. "Really? Gracie can come too? Really?"

"Really," Mom said, smiling. "The doctor loves dogs, and she thinks having Gracie there will help you feel brave and happy."

Peter looked down at Gracie, who was wagging her tail so hard her whole body was wiggling. "Did you hear that, girl? We're going together."

After breakfast, Peter brushed his teeth extra carefully, just like Mom had taught him. He used his special strawberry toothpaste and counted to 30. While he brushed, Gracie sat beside him, watching intently. "See, Gracie? I brush my teeth every morning and every night," Peter explained. "That's why we need to visit the dentist. She wants to make sure I'm doing a good job of taking care of my teeth."

Soon, it was time to leave for Oceanside Dental. Peter put on Gracie's special blue leash, and they walked to the car together. Gracie loved car rides, and she pressed her nose against the window as they drove through town.

The dental office was in a pretty building near the ocean. Peter could hear the waves crashing on the shore, and he could smell the salty sea air. The building was painted a cheerful yellow color with bright blue shutters and flowers growing in window boxes. "Look, Gracie," Peter said, pointing to a sign by the door. "It says 'Oceanside Dental, where smiles shine bright.' That sounds nice, doesn't it?"

Inside the waiting room, Peter was amazed by what he saw. The walls were painted to look like an underwater scene with colorful fish swimming among coral reefs. There were comfortable chairs shaped like giant seashells and a play area with books and toys. But the best part was the big aquarium against one wall, filled with real tropical fish in every color of the rainbow.

Peter and Gracie sat down in front of the aquarium to watch the fish swim back and forth.

"Hello there," came a warm, friendly voice. "You must be Peter, and this beautiful white dog must be Gracie."

Peter looked up to see a kind woman with curly brown hair and a bright smile. She was wearing scrubs covered in pictures of smiling teeth and toothbrushes. "You can call me Dr. B," she said, kneeling down to pat Gracie. "I'm so excited to meet both of you. Gracie, you have the most gorgeous fur I've ever seen."

Gracie's tail wagged happily, and she gave Dr. B a gentle lick on the hand.

"Is she friendly?" Dr. B asked Peter.

"Very friendly," Peter said proudly. "She's the best dog in the whole world."

"I can tell," Dr. B said. "Would you and Gracie like to see my special dental room? It's designed to be fun and comfortable."

Peter nodded, although he still felt a little nervous. He held Gracie's leash tightly as they followed Dr. B down a hallway decorated with pictures of happy children showing off their bright smiles.

The dental room was unlike anything Peter had imagined. The ceiling was painted to look like a blue sky with fluffy white clouds, and there were small twinkling lights that looked like stars. The dental chair was bright red and looked almost like a race car. "This is where you'll sit," Dr. B explained, patting the chair. "And Gracie can lie right here on this special mat beside you."

She pointed to a soft cushioned mat on the floor next to the chair. It even had paw prints embroidered on it.

"Before we begin," Dr. B said, "would you like to see my tools? They're not scary at all. In fact, they're quite magical." She opened a drawer and pulled out a small mirror on a stick. "This is my magic mirror. It helps me see around all your teeth, even in the back where it's hard to look."

Peter examined the mirror. It was just a regular mirror, but Dr. B made it sound exciting.

Next, she showed him a small hook-shaped tool. "This is my explorer. It's like a tiny detective that helps me check every tooth to make sure they're healthy."

"Does it hurt?" Peter asked, his voice very small.

"Not at all," Dr. B assured him. "It tickles a little bit, but that's all. Would you like to feel it on your finger?"

Peter held out his finger, and Dr. B gently touched it with the explorer. It felt like a light tap. "See? That's all it feels like on your teeth too," she said.

She showed him a small soft brush and a cup of water. "This is how we polish your teeth to make them extra shiny. It's like giving your teeth a bubble bath."

Peter was starting to feel a little less worried. Dr. B was so nice, and all her tools seemed harmless.

"Now let's have you climb up in that chair," Dr. B said. "Gracie, you lie down right here on your special mat."

Peter climbed into the red chair, and it was actually quite comfortable. Dr. B pushed a button, and the chair moved up and back, but very slowly and gently. "How does that feel?" she asked.

"It's like a ride," Peter said, surprised.

Gracie settled down on her mat, resting her chin on her paws but keeping her eyes fixed on Peter. Her presence made him feel safe and brave.

"First, we're going to count your teeth," Dr. B said. "Do you know how to count?"

"Yes, I can count to 100," Peter said proudly.

"Wonderful. Let's count your teeth together. Open your mouth wide like you're yawning."

Peter opened his mouth, and Dr. B used her magic mirror to look inside. "One, two, three," she counted, pointing to each tooth. "You have 20 beautiful teeth. That's exactly how many a boy your age should have."

Peter felt proud. His teeth were just right.

"Now I'm going to use my explorer to check each tooth," Dr. B said. "Remember, it will just tickle a little bit."

As she worked, Dr. B talked to Peter about all sorts of fun things. She asked him about his school, his favorite games, and what he liked to do with Gracie.

"Gracie and I love to play fetch in the backyard," Peter said. "She's really fast, and she always brings the ball back to me."

"Well, that sounds like great exercise," Dr. B said. "Exercise is good for your teeth too because it keeps your whole body healthy."

Every few minutes, Dr. B would look down at Gracie and say something like, "Gracie, your boy is being so brave," or "Look how well Peter is doing." Gracie would wag her tail and sometimes give a little woof of encouragement.

"Your teeth look fantastic," Dr. B announced after she had checked every single one. "You've been doing an excellent job brushing them. Now, would you like to see them get polished?"

She showed Peter the special toothpaste that she would use. It was bright blue and tasted like bubble gum. "This might feel a little strange at first," she said, "but it doesn't hurt. The brush will tickle your teeth."

Dr. B was right. The polishing felt weird, but not scary. The little brush spun around, cleaning each tooth until it sparkled. Peter could taste the bubblegum flavor, and it made him smile.

"There," Dr. B said when she was finished. "Your teeth are now officially the shiniest teeth I've seen all week. Would you like to see them in a big mirror?"

She handed Peter a large mirror, and his eyes grew wide when he saw his reflection. His teeth were gleaming white and looked absolutely perfect.

"Wow," Peter said. "They're so shiny."

"They certainly are," Dr. B said. "You've taken such good care of them. I can tell you brush them every day, just like you're supposed to."

Peter beamed with pride. Going to the dentist wasn't scary at all. In fact, it had been quite fun.

"Now," Dr. B said, "I have something special for both you and Gracie." She went to a cabinet and pulled out a small bag. Inside was a new toothbrush for Peter. It was blue with pictures of fish on it, just like the ocean outside. And there was also a small toy bone for Gracie.

"The toothbrush is for you to take home," Dr. B explained. "And the bone is for Gracie because she was such a good helper today."

Gracie's tail wagged excitedly when she saw the toy bone. Peter couldn't wait to see her play with it.

"When do I come back?" Peter asked.

"In six months," Dr. B said. "That's when I need to check your teeth again to make sure they're still healthy and strong. And of course, Gracie is always welcome to come with you."

As they prepared to leave, Dr. B walked them back to the waiting room. Peter's mom was there reading a magazine. "How did it go?" Mom asked.

"It was great," Peter said enthusiastically. "Dr. B showed me all her tools, and my teeth are super shiny now, and Gracie was the best dog helper ever."

Mom smiled and thanked Dr. B. "Peter was so worried about coming in today, but you made it wonderful for him."

"That's what we're here for," Dr. B said. "Taking care of teeth should be fun, not frightening. Peter was very brave, and Gracie was the perfect companion."

On the way home, Peter chattered excitedly about his dental visit. "Did you see how shiny my teeth are, Gracie? And did you see your new toy bone? Dr. B is the nicest dentist in the whole world."

Gracie barked happily from the backseat as if she completely agreed.

When they got home, Peter ran to the bathroom mirror to look at his shiny teeth again. Then he carefully put his new fish toothbrush next to his sink. "I can't wait to brush my teeth with my new toothbrush tonight," he told Gracie. "And I can't wait to go back to see Dr. B again."

That evening, as Peter brushed his teeth with his special new toothbrush, he realized something important. Being scared of something new was okay, but sometimes the things we're scared of turn out to be wonderful adventures.

Gracie sat beside him, chewing on her new bone, her tail wagging contentedly. "Thank you for coming with me today," Peter whispered to her. "You made me feel so brave."

Gracie looked up at him with her bright, loving eyes and wagged her tail even harder.

From that day on, Peter was never afraid of going to the dentist again. In fact, he looked forward to his visits with Dr. B. And every time, his faithful companion Gracie came along, lying on her special mat and making sure her boy felt safe and loved.

Peter learned that taking care of his teeth was important and that going to the dentist could actually be fun. Most importantly, he learned that having someone you love beside you can make any new experience feel like an exciting adventure.

And every night when he brushed his teeth, Peter remembered Dr. B's words: "A healthy smile is a happy smile." With Gracie by his side and his teeth sparkling clean, Peter's smile was definitely both healthy and happy.

The Ballad of Peter and Gracie: Peter and Gracie, the finest of friends, with tales of wonder that never end. In the pages of books or stars above, they find their magic in laughter and love.

Ian Lindsay & Associates: Ian Lindsay of Lindsay and Associates has played an active role in the local community since 1979. He has been with RE/MAX Vancouver Island's most advanced real estate business network since 1996, marketing and selling residential, rural, strata, recreational, investment, and project development real estate. Ian has received several awards recognizing his exceptional community commitment locally, as well as awards for outstanding performance and achievement from both RE/MAX International and the Vancouver Island Real Estate Board. You'll find true real estate professionals at ianlindsay.ca.