'How do I approach my dentist for a date?'

Illustration/Uday Mohite

I have a problem and need your advice. I recently met a girl at a dentist's office. She is a doctor and took care of my problem. I went back there twice and, after the first time, sent her a friend request on Facebook, which was probably ignored, but not refused. She was very nice to me at the first appointment and we chatted for a bit. She also called me an interesting person - a compliment that made me start thinking about her after I left. At the second appointment, a month and a half later, things were a little different and we couldn't chat because of practical reasons. I don't know anything about her except her name and where she works, but I like her very much and believe she is my type. I want to find a way to approach her. I thought of sending flowers to the dentist's office with a note, but I haven't done anything like this before and don't want her boss to notice. Are there better ways to approach her?
- Tasos T

I believe speaking to her directly is the best thing to do, simply because any other approach tends to come across as mildly creepy. Flowers from a stranger aren't always welcome, especially at an office surrounded by colleagues, and a friend request after a single conversation may be looked at with some suspicion too. The thing to do is try and speak to her a little more, not to tell her how you feel, but just to know her better. You say she is your type, but have arrived at that assumption on the basis of just one short conversation. Go back to the dentist's office and ask if she will consider going out for coffee at some point. If she refuses, she probably has a good reason and you may have to find a way to deal with it. That's just how life is. Most importantly, you don't even know if she's single.