Most efficient day yet

It felt good to know I was proceeding at the pace I was intending to today.  I saw and finishing cleaning 3 Quadrants of Tamis mouth and then I brought in my niece Kenzie.  She is three and I was able to give her a pretty thorough cleaning!  Good girl!  So all in all, I cleaned 7 quads today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  and I didnt have ANY errors!  I was very happy!  I passed off three PE's as well!  I passed off my intraoral camera PE, my selective polishing PE, and my removable prosthesis PE.  My computer was giving us difficulty so we werent able to save Tamis images.  That was kind of disappointing because I see how taking pictures can be an effective means of educating and motivating our patients to care for their oral health.  I remember how uncomfortable polishing was when I volunteered in dental offices, but I was pleasantly pleased with my level of control as I polished beneath Tamis gingival margins during my PE.  My motions were very thorough and fluid.  That is one evidence of the progress I have made and I consciously realized how far I have come with fulcrums.  I hardly think about them anymore, but place them autonomically.  Its fun to realize how much progress you are making sometimes.  Kenzie was so good about letting me clean her mouth.  I was able to use my explorer and everything!  She is so good tempered!  It was so cute watching her keep her mouth open, even when she didnt need to.  I noticed some white spots and educated Sharlene about fluoride supplements that she could give Kenzie to guard against demineralization.  She knew very little about the advantages of fluoride and I was happy that I was able to make a difference for her. 

Niece and Nephew Goodness

Today I was able to take my panos, do 2 sets of BWX, and I was able to clean Peters mouth.  Professor Demings advised that I should be able to clean a Class 1A in 75 minutes, so I need to decrease my time significantly in that regard.  Goal for next time: Clean a 1As mouth in 75 minutes, like she advises.  I missed anteriors, which surprised me.  I thought those were easier areas, but I need to work on them more apparently.  Ill give them more attention next time.  As for Panos, they werent as hard to take as I was expecting.  Honestly, I was scared I was missing something but it wasnt bad at all.  I almost forgot to ask the patients to keep their tongue at the roof of their mouth but thankfully I remembered just in time.  I know that would have compromised the integrity of the xray. 

Finishing up Maries Cleaning

I had lots of ideas today.  I wanted to clean all four quadrants of maries teeth, which I already proved to myself I am able to accomplish.  I also wanted to pass off my sealant, diagnodent, and explorer PE's.  Reality set in and things turned out a bit differently.  I passed off an entirely different PE than I had intended, and didnt get to the PEs I had expected to pass off.  My Errors were- Supra: 19M,26M,27MD,28D; Sub:14M,15M I obviously need to develop a greater awareness of which instruments will clear calculus deposits more effectively.  I really need help on cleaning canines...their anatomy can make it so difficult to clean them effectively.  Im still not sure about what instrument is best to use there.  I dont like using the nebraska or nevi there.  Goal:  Ask for help finding an instrument or position more conducive to cleaning cuspids and to improve in those areas.  

Tani Continuing Care Appt

Tani ended up having quads of class II and I didnt get through more that her UL quad but it was a good day!  I wasnt able to finish her today as I was hoping.  I learned that coming to the 12 oclock position and using the nevi while cleaning the linguals of the maxillary left quad can be really effective, especially around the premolars.  I felt like that position was a little niche for me...it felt really comfortable.  I did a fairly good job of reaching interprox and was able to pass off my U/S PE.  Goal: trust myself and commit to moving forward without rechecking all areas.

Air Powder Polish PE and my first child

Joyce came in to have her teeth air powder polished and brought her son to have his teeth cleaned.  I made a custom map of campus to let her know where she needed to grab a  parking pass.  Austin was very timid and leary of coming in.  Im used to my courageous niece coming and had to really work to build a relationship of trust with him.  I started by reading him marvin the magnificent molar and showing him the instruments and tools that he saw in the book.  Then I asked if I could count his teeth.  I told him how big and awesome he was.  I made sure not to tell him he was being brave, like it was going to be difficult for him.  Offering him stickers helped.  I brought him a coloring page of someone brushing their teeth.  I need to remember to bring crayons next time.  He had to use my markers.  Instructor Hafen had a great idea.  She took a glove and filled it with water to keep him distracted.  It was of comfort to him and he was more willing to sit in his moms lap while we looked in his mouth.  He was afraid of the mask at first so I let him try one on and he was able to brush his moms teeth while I brushed his.  It was a good experience trying to enhance patient comfort and he was talking openly with me by the end of the appointment.  That felt great!  Goal for next time:  Remember to ask pt if they are interested in a headdress when I am airpowder polishing.  Everything else was great.  Also, leave more time for Peer calculus removal PE.  Im sad I wasnt able to finish that today according to my plan. 

Finally getting some PA's...

Before:  It feels so good getting closer to meeting my xray requirements.  Today I will be taking a full mouth of PA's on Tani, my sisters friend.  She hasnt been to a dentist in years and feels she could use a detailed look at her anatomy. After:  Tani was an amazing patient and she was very patient as I worked around her mouth and took alot of xrays.  They came out awesome and I was surprised at how healthy her teeth were looking considering how long ago her last dental appt was.  I didnt have to retake a single image and my professor said they were beautiful!  That was so empowering!  I wasnt able to fully complete her OD, which I feel I should have been able to accomplish.  Probing still seems daunting...doable, but daunting.  It just takes time, but really not as much time as I tell myself it does.  Goal for next time: don't let myself think that taking xrays means I have to sacrifice progress in the clinic chair...I can do both and get through alot!

Red Lobster later tonight!

Kay, Im gonna try to focus on what I did today in clinic but Ill be honest, crab is about the only thing on my brain right now.  I was surprised to find that she was a harder classification than what we determined in her OD appointment.  This was due to the great amount of calculus she had on her teeth.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to detect the calculus...well I did, but after trying unsuccessfully to get it off I figured that it was tooth structure.  Professor Hafen came and used an astounding amount of pressure...more than I would have ever felt comfortable activating, and she was able to get off that tenacious calculus.  I hope that next time Ill be wise enough to know when Im feeling calculus and not tooth structure.  I would hate to use that kind of pressure on only tooth structure.  I need to explore deeper into the contacts of the patients teeth...almost through to the anterior surface on the linguals.  Especially on the mesial side.  Most of the surfaces I missed were mesial.  Goal:  fail to miss any mesial surfaces on my next scaling appointment.  I also need to complete more PEs.  Ill make an action plan in my planner for which days and on which patients I will pass off each PE so I can be prepared.  Now, on to that crab!!!