Doing lots of ODs

Today I realized Im spending alot of time on OD's and that I need more scaling appts.  Time for return visits and I need to study ways to be efficient with my time on scaling...utilizing my explorer and keeping instruments sharp.Still, today was a good day except that I slept through my TA duty and failed the PE because of it.  Slime that I am!  I need to watch my calendar better.  I saw Raphael for the first time today.  He is a really nice guy, and he is a Class II patient.  When I realized this my stomach dropped.  Im not sure I am ready to clean a class II already!  Nevertheless, it was nice to know I have found someone who meets that requirement for me.  I hear finding patients can be a chore.  Goal:  Finish at least two of his quads at his next visit.

It was a short day; it was a long day.

Today I had one quadrant left to scale on Rachel.  I figured an hour and a half would give me plenty of time to finish her.  I didnt account for instructors and I felt really bad as she had to wait forever before she could make it to her other appts.  Inst. Demmings said I was missing areas on the anteriors and try as I did, I couldnt find or remove any deposits.  She came back to scale herself, and couldnt get anything off.  She concluded that the pts teeth must just be that way.  So Im confused cause I dont know if I was missing things or if it was the shape of the tooth.   I guess I need to be braver with my curet.  She gets it right down there and Im more timid.  How is it that 1 quad on a 1B can take so long.  Im kinda depressed.  ;)  I was going to have my sister-in-law come in later to get started on her quads but I didnt have time to bring her in.  Goal for next time: reach scalers subgingively more effectively. 

I love Asians!

Today I met Joyce.  She was an orthodontic patient and had a really cute personality.  I saw that she was missing 7 teeth and I immediately got nervous.  How was I going to be able to tell which teeth were missing for sure?  1st premolars or 2nd premolars?  I looked for the diastemas and managed to mark all the right teeth as extracted (except one).  I felt really glad that I was able to swing that!  It seemed to take forever to get through OHI...probing, charting all restorations, caries, tissue characteristics, etc but I managed to catch EVERYTHING except coated tongue.  Its hard to know what qualifies as coated tongue cause Ive marked it before and was told the person hadnt gotten to that point yet.  But seeing her tongue after being told that it was coated tongue gave me a better idea.  After entering this program, I have been super particular about brushing my tongue.  It humors my husband sometimes.  Anyway, I probed accurately, even with braces to navigate around.  That felt good.  At her next appointment Ive been told to use the US on its lowest setting.  Im so excited!  Goal for next time: explore before using a scaler...sometimes I use the scaler with an exploratory stroke, but Im going to be more careful about my scaling. 

No shows = Greater Appreciation for MIL's

I took all measures to ensure that my patient would make it to her appointment today.  I sent her an email with all the information she needed, including information about where to find a parking pass and a campus map.  I called her the day before and she seemed excited to come.  Then she texted me at 7:50 this morning, having had an emergency, and told me she would have to reschedule.  Oh boy.  Already with this stuff?  Haha.  Well I hope everything was okay with her family.  I will call her later today to see that everything is okay and to reschedule her.  I consider myself very blessed to have back-ups.  Today, I called in my mother in law.  I love Tami.  I had woken her up so it took her an hour to get showered and over to the clinic but I appreciated that she was willing to come.  While I waited for her I helped other students with their patients by recording probing depths, etc.  Emily was super cute and offered to record my patients depths when I was able to reach that point, but unfortunately that time never came.  I had to put together an extensive HHx.  I was pleased with my detail.  I was thorough and confident.  I am getting better at finding pulses!  Hooray!  I took her in for BWX.  I was determined not to get myself worked up, so I kept a cool head and decided to take conventional films.  I need them and Id prefer to take them on BWX patients rather than for a full mouth.  Organizing 40 films sounds like an ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE.  So, guess what.  I must have lost my touch.  I think there were only 2-3 times ALL LAST SEMESTER that I cone cut my x-ray films and I was a natural with BWX.  Today I did a great job at leaving contacts open but I'm tallying up the conecut images this semester.  What happened?!  Both of my molar shots were cone cut...even on the retakes (although not as much).  I need to repent of this.  I am not going to stand for this!  No way, no how.  My film placement was fantastic...I just need to move the PID closer to the front of her mouth.  Noted.  Good thing that the teeth that were essential to capture in the images were clear.  I was able to perform her extraoral exam but I didnt get any farther than that and OHI.  I am getting more comfortable with explaining OHI in words patients understand...and I dont stumble over choosing my words as much as I used to.  Hooray again!

Compliment to Self:  Continue your good work on charting.  I feel I do fairly well at this. 
For Next Time:  CONE CUT AND DIE...in other words, no more of that nonsense. 
Note to Self:  Make MIL cookies. 

Filling the spaces

I walked into today 100% confident I would finish Rachel.  I only had 3 quadrants to clean afterall!  Don't ask me how the day managed to slip away from me, but after taking longer than I expected I would on scaling, and after waiting a lengthy period of time for my instructor, I only made it through 2 quads which means she gets to come back.  Blah.  I feel defeated...haha.  I feel that Instructor Demmings is of the opinion that I should be working faster.  I want to work quickly but I feel its more important that I master my technique (adaptation, angulation, etc) before I focus on speed.  Still, I need to be able to finish 3 quads of a 1B in one appt.  I will never complete all my requirements if I proceed at snail pace.  Next time I scale, my goal is to improve my time by using my explorer more effectively.  I also need to have more controlled working strokes and a firmer fulcrum.  I will also ask for an instructor earlier so that I get them when I need them!  They have so many of us to help. 

Oh and I had a thought.  HOW COOL WOULD IT BE to have a clinic day where our Senior peer pals observe US!  It would be so neat to have one on one time through an entire appt.  We would be able to ask for pointers and they would be able to teach us a lot!  I think I will recommend that to Professor Costley sometime.  It may not happen for us this year but it may be able to help the juniors next year. 

Chatting up the hair stylist

Rachel came in as my first patient for the semester.  Can I just say how much I enjoy this girl?  Not only does she do an exceptional job of cutting and styling my hair, but she makes for one awesome patient!  My goal was to get through the day.  I was a little intimidated by the tasks at hand.  After going through an OD and scaling 1 quad, I had CA Duty.  I expected it to be a long day, and while I admit that I left it fatiqued, it wasnt as draining as I expected.  Rachel was a Class 1B.  I did better with my probing than I did with Sharlene at the end of last semester.  After scaling one quad, Instructor Caldwell couldn't find any missed areas.  That was the best feeling in the world!  I hope to be an efficient scaler.  Im sure everyone does.  I considered it a great compliment that throughout the appointment, Rachel kept falling asleep.  I could tell I had lost her when she'd go to close her mouth on my hand. ;)  I have always considered it a compliment when people fall asleep in my car as I drive.  It seems to indicate that they trust me as a driver and that they are comfortable.  I can't imagine that it is any different as a patient.  If you can fall asleep as Im scaling your teeth, Im obviously not jabbing you!  Hooray!  Shes coming back Monday so that I can finish her up.  As far as CA duty goes, I have to say that I love paperwork.  I always have.  I enjoyed working at WSCU as a teller...logging stuff into computers and helping members with their membership and loan apps.  It was fun to be at a desk again, as weird as that sounds.  I got more familiar with all that is required behind the scenes to make a dental clinic operate.  Supplies run out quickly and Tori and I were spending a good share of our shift restocking and getting supplies for the girls.  I was able to start an autoclave which was good practice for me.  I need more exposure with that, I do admit.  I enjoyed being there to help the girls as they needed.  I found it really rewarding.  I hope I did a satisfactory job!  I tried.  Im glad Tori was there to help, as she has had a lot of experience working at this clinic.  Thanks Tori!

Back to Work!

I was overwhelmed about a week ago, but today I have been remarkably calm about coming back for a new semester!  In clinic, we went over ultrasonics and graceys.  I have to say I'm excited to use ultrasonics, but I LOVE that we are being encouraged to build our muscle memory before we are unleashed with powered instruments.  They are essential to the work of a hygienist, but it is more important that we learn precision and technique with handscalers.  The more we build our muscles and tactile sensitivity, the more quality others will find in our dental work.  I am glad I am attending a University that challenges me and and helps me to become the best hygienist I can become.  I dont want to cut corners.  Im excited for my patient Wednesday!