Is this real life??

Today I accompanied Ryan to his dental appt.  His hygienist was super nice and answered all sorts of questions for me.  She was a weber graduate.  We started the appt in the familiar way, taking xrays and blood pressure.  What surprised me was how far back Ryans chair was as they took his bitewings.  The occlusal plane of the films were WNL though.  I'm still trying to figure that one out.  No oral cancer screening, no probing, no exploring...really not a whole lot of assessment at all prior to treatment.  I was kinda appalled.  She immediately went in with an ultrasonic, followed by the air powder polisher, flossed and then the dentist came in.  That was it.  She didn't touch her explorer once!  This girl was the sweetest person ever but why would she leave out so many of the essential elements of an exam?  I have to wonder if she just figured I was taking care of those things at the clinic.  She didn't give any OHI...I was in a stupor.  SO MUCH LEFT OUT.  I really don't know what to think.

I did get to witness the excision of Ryan's fibroma, however!  The dentist brought in a Diode laser and lased it from the top-down.  Pretty seamless!  They gave him a mental block and 2 infiltrations coronal to the fibroma, itself.  The diode laser was so much smaller and easier to manage than the CO2 laser.  Both can be used for laser-assisted periodontal therapy and the diode is a lot less expensive, apparently.  Good information.  The dentist did say that he hopes to have a CO2 laser one day, so I assume there are several advantages to the CO2 laser that I should study and understand a little better. 

I was advised to sub at different offices in order to get my name out, and in order to learn which offices would be the best fit for me.  Makes sense.  I told her to keep a look-out for a good board patient for me, and she said she would help get my name out after I graduate.  It is so fun making these connections with people.  I am so excited to get out there and make a difference. 

Wind Blows... :)

Kay, this windstorm was insane! 

I'm surprised I even made it to clinic today!  Things haven't gone exactly to plan.  I had anticipated treating 4 children today.  This would have more than enabled me to meet my semester requirement for 1A patients.  The father who was bringing in the children I was going to see during my morning appt had to park clear down campus because of our closed lot.  I was concerned that his kids would fly away like kites.  There was all sorts of debris flying around so we told him to get his children home safely and that we would reschedule his appt later.  People first.  That left me the rest of the morning to assist other students who had patients show to the clinic.  I was able to be the patient for two different girls as they passed off various PEs.  And we were able to spend some time in front of the window watching all the craziness unfold outside.

They closed off Weber's A6 parking lot after I parked there, so all our cars were essentially used as target practice for sheet metal and giant tar pads all morning. Oh, did I mention the truck shell that got thrown from the big white truck?? I saw term papers (and their owners, literally) flying, and 2 people put into ambulances. 

Be safe out there peoples. Luckily, my car escaped with very little damage. I have a minor fender bender and Ill be cleaning off tar stains for a while!