First Day Back - baby teeth and those who build up plaque more than others

First day back from my "Pregnancy leave" haha
I felt so frazzled because it felt like ages since I'd stepped inside that clinic even thought it's only been 2 weeks!
Good thing I started out easy with a 1A. I actually learned a lot. Everytime I look into a child's mouth it's like decoding a puzzle. But I kept my head about me and tried to remember what I learned about eruption dates. I did good with the central incisors but I botched the 6 year old molars. The dentist came back to check on sealants for me and I told him to look at both of her molars... He looked at me funny and said, just her 6 year old molars right?
... uh yeah.
So I guess that's something I need to review - eruption dates.

I am also frustrated that I can't explain to my patients why they have tons of plaque and calculus even though they brush and floss everyday. The only thing I can come up with is that "some people build up plaque more than others because they have more calcium and phosphorous in their saliva." Yeah, this may be true but HOW do they keep it under control? If I were in that chair I would be super frustrated. Maybe because I am compulsive about being rewarded for my hard work but my class 5 patient didn't like me telling her she had lots of plaque.

AIR

I learned a great thing today - USE YOUR AIR TO FIND CALCULUS
I had a patient that had great home care but had a lot of build up on her lower anteriors.
It was pretty tenacious but not chunky so it almost looked like the tooth.
When I blew it with the air, I could see the chalky whiteness and it was awesome.
It helped me a lot to find it and clean it off.

darn!

Here is what I learned today...
No matter how much you trust a patient, you need to call them to confirm that they are coming the night before. I forgot to call my patient last night and she didn't show up this morning.
I feel bad because she is a really nice lady.

Here is what I've been going over in my head as I study for boards:
Slight periodontitis - 1-2 mm of bone loss
Moderate periodontitis - 2-4 mm of bone loss
Severe Periodontitis - 5 and above mm of bone loss

Regardless of probe depths.

Mockboard of Heaven!

So I found a ligit mockboard pt. today.
Super happy about that.
I learned that when you're taking x-rays you can't always trust the rin kit.
My x-rays turned out great and that was happy. I had to get the distal of a 3rd molar!

We had a lab today and I thought it was super beneficial!
I worked really hard on the lower right quad of my typodont cuz that's the quad I will be doing on my mockboard. I need to remember to use Dr. Hanson's tips on how to get the distals of those back molars. Extraoral fulcrums, lead with the toe and twist!
I'm excited to utilize what I learned today.

Mockboard of Heaven!

So I found a ligit mockboard pt. today.
Super happy about that.
I learned that when you're taking x-rays you can't always trust the rin kit.
My x-rays turned out great and that was happy. I had to get the distal of a 3rd molar!

We had a lab today and I thought it was super beneficial!
I worked really hard on the lower right quad of my typodont cuz that's the quad I will be doing on my mockboard. I need to remember to use Dr. Hanson's tips on how to get the distals of those back molars.
I'm excited to utilize what I learned today.

Hygiene love

So here we go.
I have learned SO much the past couple weeks it's incredible.

Today I worked on my modified pen grasp on the lower anteriors.
I also am learning to use the blue boa... love that thing.

I would like to definitely get faster with my patients. Today my time was pretty good with my 1B but it took FOREVER to do everything else.
I don't know how I could finish two patients in one session that needed x-rays. It's too crazy.

I really need to find a mockboard patient so next week I am going to do a couple of screenings.

Thank goodness!

So I am so thankful right now.
I am actually getting a lot of the classifications that I need and it's going really well.
I feel like I've improved by leaps and bounds in the last 2 weeks.
Dr. Hanson is a gem. She is an amazing clinician and she will show you anything that she thinks will help you excel.
I'm happy that I'm getting things done before I have my baby. I would be a basket case otherwise. I know someone up there is helping me get them done because He knows that I would have a meltdown.

Back at it again!!!

So yipee... here we are! Back for our last year of dental hygiene school!
The first couple weeks are always so crazy. There are a lot of things to remember to do and assignments that will need to be turned in by certain deadlines.
I have my own personal deadline... what with the baby and all so pretty much everything is due extra early for me. It's great.

My first day in clinic I thought I was going to be taking it easy. I was wrong.
My first patient was a class 2 and I declared him as an exam. haha... funny, I know.
But I just figured that if I have em, I might as well use em!
My second patient was a class 3! and I also declared him as an exam.
Saweeet!

I'm happy to be getting these classifications done.
I'm also happy to be back in school. I thought I would be drowning but actually, I feel pretty confident. It's the baby, I just know it. :-)

Awesome Day!

Good day today. I got so much done.
2 PEs, diet analysis, 4 quads, 1 PA...
I feel very accomplished.
It helped that my patient was super clean. Very good home care.

I want to be able to use my explorer to find all those places that my instructors are finding!!!

1A of happiness!!!!

I have had the hardest time finding 1As... I don't know why. Maybe kids are scared of me. Which is a bad thing... Since I'm expecting one. Haha

Found a patient at 9:00. She had ONE baby tooth!!!
HALLELUJIA!
I was ecstatic.
Of course, after crying in front of Mr. Soloman. hehe

I thought I did a pretty good job today. I need to get a little faster at scaling still but I'm proud of myself.

AHHHHH!!!

Today was possibly the most frustrating day I've ever had.
I had a 13 year old patient that had huge amounts of calculus and plaque. His gums were completely red and they hurt him really bad.
I'm guessing he probably has never brushed his teeth.
IT's a very very sad thing.

Soloman helped me basically reem him out for not brushing and flossing. It was entertaining but the kid needed to hear it!

My goal is to use my air on calculus to be able to see it better.

Class 2 that I didn't need... sniff sniff

It was just so sad because there was so much yummy calculus that I really wanted to get off but I don't need anymore class 2s.
I let Ashley have it so she gets to have a wonderful experience.

I want to get my 1Bs done quicker~!!!! please!!!!
The OD should go faster.
That is my goal.

What a day

So my patient canceled on me yesterday, sadly.
I tried to find a patient all last night and this morning but couldn't find anyone.
But the best thing happened!
Midtown said that I could take their PAs and Panos!
So I got 3 PAs and 1 Pano done today!
I now only have 5 PAs left and no more panos!
I am very happy about that.
I have all of my patients scheduled to meet my requirements so as long as they all show up then I will be golden for this entire semester!
YAY!

Done with Class 3

YAY!
My patient was great today. We finished his last quad so I officially rid myself of class 3 patients until next year.
Wasn't feeling too great today but I'm doing a lot better. Maybe scaling got my mind off of it.
I did a lot better on accuracy today. Funny how with a class 2 I miss a bunch and a class 3 I don't.

Next apt I'm having my good friend Chris come in and we are going to get a lot done.
My goal is...
To do the OD in less than 30 minutes, including disclosing.
I would also like to pass off 5 PEs. None of them are instrumentation PEs so I think we'll be good.
I am also going to do my diet analysis assignment with Chris. I get to find out all of the fun stuff that he has been eating!

INDIANA - thank you for saving my life

So I decided to take it upon myself today to branch out and use the instruments that was given to me.
I tried out the indiana which is the gray handle and oh my... it was amazing.
I had my class 3 today and I was expecting to get 1 quad done but actually got 3 quads done! And I only missed like 4 spots! It was incredible.
Indiana - thank you.

Next time he comes in I really would like to pass off as many PE's as I can. Hopefully that will be possible since there are no CAs that day.

I would like to get better at getting off calculus in one good swoop. No more of this touchy feely crap for 30 strokes and then think I got it.

Class 3! (This is a good thing)

So today was pretty productive day!
I finished a 1B patient and then did an OD on another patient and found out that he was a class 3! 4 Quads!
I hope I will be able to finish him in a fairly timely manner.

My goal for my next few clinics is to be thorough and take as much time as I need to take in order to do a good job. But I'd still like to get done quick! haha

First time seeing a child... oh boy

So I was trying to get two children done today which I would have had no problem except when the mom came in and told us she had to leave by 2:30. An hour and a half early!
I didn't get my exam done nor did I get the other child done.
Oh well.
Poop

But I got a pano so that is happy.

I still want to get faster. That is still my goal.

TWO PATIENTS!

What a crazy day!
I finished my exam 1B patient and I did an OD on another patient. I found out that he has two quads of a class 3!!!! WOOT!
I'm pretty excited about that.
I really hope I will be able to find someone who will want a pano!!!

So... Goal for next time:
I NEED to be better at disclosing.
haha
That's my goal.

BRACES

So today was my first time with braces.
I called her back, she smiled at me and my heart sank!
Ugh....
But you know what... it was awesome! I think I did a good job and I didn't miss a spot!!!
So proud... sniff sniff.

I also did a sealant and helped my buddy Ashlee. We tagged teamed and did 3 sealants on her.
Good day!!!

I still need to work on the OD. I'm just not very fast at it. I thought I was making good time today but it took me an hour!
I zoomed on x-rays though. It took me like 5 minutes to take them and the rest of the time I was just waiting for them to come out.
Next time I'd like to get my OD done in 45 minutes. No matter the patient.

Chill day - learning STUFF

Today we learned how to clean dentures, use the diagnodent and take BLOOD glucose levels.
The blood glucose was scary but turned out to be pretty fun.
I thought I wasn't going to be able to do it to someone else but it was all good!

I decided that I am going to really work on probing faster and doing the OD faster. I think it will help a lot.

I hope that I will be able to find people who need panos!

Finally!!!

So I was finally able to finish a patient in one day! YEAH!
I declared my cousin as an exam. Wonderful of wonderfulness.
I still haven't recieved my scores from the exam yet. I'm sure I passed but I think I missed a bunch of points.

So I'm getting a little faster but I still think I want to be able to go faster and be accurate.
I feel like I went really fast and I missed a few spots.


My goal for next appointment is to do a sealant, pano and finish my whole patient!!!
I would also like to become more accurate with the OD.

waiting... part 2

so here I am again.
No patient as of this morning. Luckily one of my patients from later in the month can come.
But... She got a flat tire!!! haha

So hopefully we can get finished today.

...
Seems like I've written this before

So my patient didn't come today. Just took long to change that flat tire.
I took x-rays on a lady though so I got something done.

I really need to kick it in high gear from now on. I have so much to do with NO time to do it.

Waiting...

I had my first experience with a canceled patient today! YAY!
Well last night my patient let me know at 9:00 that she wouldn't be able to come. At least she let me know instead of just not showing up. Tiauna was so amazing and let me call one of her patients so I'm just waiting for her to come.

... ....

She made it! YAY!
She was an hour late but that's okay. I took my time and did a really good OD and I am going to declare her as my class II exam! It will be nice to just get it out of the way.
I also passed off my intra oral camera PE today as well. So all in all, it was a pretty good day.

Next appointment... I want to remember to do EVERYTHING: disclose, check occlusion.
I would also like to get done in one appointment.
That means I need to do the probing within 45 minutes at least.

Success?... not really

So it didn't go as well as I'd hoped. My goal of finishing my 1B patient in one appointment was dashed today.
He had to leave early but I still don't think I would have finished...
I passed off a PE though today so that's good. I feel at least a little accomplished. And I declared him as an exam and although it took me a while I hope I pass.

My goal next appoitnment:

I need to remember to print off the tx plan!!! I always forget this. I have it all ready to get and then bam. goodbye!
Of course, finish a whole apt. start to finish.
Find a class 3 and get them scheduled.

Another day goes on...

Okay so today went pretty well. I did not fulfill my goal in completing a 1B patient in one appointment but she was late and we had to do a whole bunch of HHX stuff. So I don't feel too bad.
I did get two quads done so that's happy.

I still want to work on getting faster. I need to get through the HHx faster.
I would also like to probe faster and better.
Wednesday I have another 1B and I am going to do an exam hopefully.

Still need patients with quite a bit of calculus!
Come to meeeee!

WHIPPEEE

So today went really well. I had a trooper patient and his lower quads were nice and calculused.
And guess what! I finished him today!!! WOOO!
It still took me way too long to do his 1B quad and definitely too long to do his class 2 quads but Kirsten really helped me to realize that hey, I have not done this very much and I'm doing good for how much experience I have.
I did better at ultrasonic - only had to wife off his neck a couple of times.
Scaling went well... I had a few errors but that's all right for a class 2.

The next class 2 I see will have to be an exam! And I'm near the time limit that I should be but I think they will be nice to me.
I think if everyone who said that they wanted to come get their teeth cleaned will come, then I will be just fine with getting all the quads done that I need to.
I just need to get 2 sealants and 2 panos and another fmx and I will feel okay. Oh, not to mention a class 3 and 3 children. yikes! Maybe I have a lot but hopefully I will be able to get it all taken care of.
Come get your teeth cleaned! It will be a great experience!

Next time:
I want to get a 4 on a 1B - get them done in the proper amount of time.
I think that's the biggest thing. If I get faster at scaling then I'll have plenty of time for the rest of it.

What am I doing here?!

Today was a little frustrating. I just feel that I am so slow and that nothing I can do will make me faster.
I know that if I practice, I will get better, however.

I am worried about getting patients scheduled! All of my friends are in Logan and I just don't see them coming clear down here to pay for a cleaning.
We'll see what happens but I think I might be handing out cards in the grocery store... maybe I can convince someone to come with me... TIAUNA! ASHLEE!

My goal for Wednesday is to completely finish my patient. HE's 14 years old so I'm hoping that he will be easy.

I'm struggling most right now with time. I think I do pretty well with scaling... I just take forever doing it.

I am optimistic but it's days like these that I just wonder whether or not I am doing the right thing!

Poor poor Ashley...

Wow... Mixed feelings about today.
My friend Ashley came and we had a blast. Car ride was fun - caught up on things.
The cleaning... eh.... not so great?
Okay no, I am surprised at how well I did but I did some things I wish I wouldn't have such as.... stabbing Ashley.
Yes, TWICE!
I feel so bad. I hope that she won't spread slander against me. haha. I hope that she'll come back when I'm a bit better.

I really need to get better at scaling faster! AH!
I also would like to learn how to not give my patient a bath with the ultrasonic.

Not going to lie, my x-rays were great. Very proud of that.

On to the next patient! muahahahahah

Nose to the grind stone!

So I'm back and ready to roll... NOT!
Oh my good golley G... I am not ready for this semester to start.

First day of clinic back was pretty good. I'm glad that we are scaling again because I completely forgot how and I have a patient THIS Wednesday!
And from now on, I will have a patient every clinic day this semeste.r.. I might just pee my pants.
Hopefully not in front of the patient...

I hope our learning today will make me better for Wednesday.