10/25/12

I had some hard patients today, and I felt good about it. I had two class two patients and one class three. I got lots of practice with giving shots and removing tenacious calculus; my hand is feeling it now! It was fun. I picked up some instruments that I wasn't as comfortable with and starting using them, sometimes that's the only way you learn. I am very much a hands on person and learn best by doing. It was a good day!

10/18/12

I feel like I totally redeemed myself from my mockboards today. I had a hard patient today and I did awesome! She had tenacious calculus and it was hard to get off. I felt like I knew what I was doing, which isn't something I can say everyday. Sad I know. Some days I am on my game and others, not so much. Hopefully I will be on my game more frequently than not the closer we get to the end of the semester. Can I just say that I love Thursdays!

10/16/12

Today was mockboards! Ugh! What a freaking day! I had a patient scheduled that I had seen twice, and today was supose to be the day I finished her. Well that didn't happen. She didn't show up, I couldn't get ahold of her. And many tears were lost...I really hate crying in front of people. I had given two patients away to other students who needed mock board patients. One of them canceled last minute, I felt bad about this. The other one came and her son came with her, so we called to see if he would come back to the clinic and be my mockboard patient. He ended up qualifying! Crazy! I didn't do very well, as far as cleaning, he was tough. But I had a patient in the chair and I feel like I can handle anything that comes my way. Bring it on!

10/15/12

Today I had a couple of adult patients and then I saw a child that I placed 2 sealants on. I really enjoy doing sealants, especially when you have good patients. I also had a patient that had a partial that had a good amount of calculus on it and I was able to scale the partial. It was really good practice for me. I wish everyone was like that, in that you could remove the teeth to clean them. It makes things much easier!

10/7/12

This Thursday was a challenge. I had two adult patients that did not speak hardly any English. Due to the language barrier I feel like I don't completely do my job. Even though there are translators that help, it's hard to feel your patient out to see how they are doing with their home care and what I can do to help them better their home care. I tried really hard to speak my Spanish with one patient, we both were trying to communicate with eachother...but it just wasn't working. I also finally got some harder patients to work on and it was really exciting! I have had children patients for the last couple weeks and it was excited to have a challenge; both in hygiene and language.

9/27/12

Kids again today! I love the kids, don't get me wrong, but I'm ready for a challenge. I had really good patients today. They were great with the x-rays, which is one thing I find more challenging. They all seem pretty excited to be here as well. I had one that was really nervous about it, but by the end we were friends and he did much better. The thing about kids that I feel is most important is for them to understand that you are there to help them and will so your best not to hurt them. I do enjoy it. I don't know if I could work in a pedo office full-time. Maybe one or two days a week.

9/20/12

I absolutely loved today! It was really busy. I think I ended up seeing six patients…children that is. Even though it was crazy busy, I felt like it went well. I feel like I’m getting the feel for things, and more than that, I am gaining a real love for the Hispanic people/culture; being that that is the majority or who we see at Midtown. There are some that stick out more than others, but they all seem to have a great appreciation for the service we provide for them. It is really rewarding to be in a place that you feel appreciated and needed.
I really enjoy the group of girls I get to be with at Midtown, some of them I didn’t get to know as well last year. I also really enjoyed the change of instructors today, not that I don’t enjoy my assigned instructor, but every instructor is different and I enjoy the variety.

9/14/12

I had three patients today.  My last patient was the hardest by far. She was a class III on the top and I thought at first glance the distal of #14 was completely decayed. It was actually calculus, it was so dark and black and really fun to clean, but it was difficult in removing. I tired many different techniques in removing the calculus and learned a few different tricks that I can use. I have been trying to use my Spanish more. My Spanish skills are progressing slowly, I have a long ways to go.

9/6/12 wk 2

I had three patients today. Two adults and one child. I felt like I am getting into the grove. I finished all my patients today, it was a good feeling. My child patient was a little harder because he was a young little boy with lots of energy. It was just a but harder to manage him, especially since I had issues with the pano machine. It took a while to get it to work right. We figured it out and everything was fine.

9/6/12

First day at Midtown. I was surprised at how quickly what I had learned last year came back to me. I know my skills have a long way to go, but they have also come a long way.
My ultrasonic wasn’t working today so I had to scale my class II patient with hand instrumentation only. It made me really focus on my hand instrumentation. There is a good chance that once I graduate this same thing may happen and I will be expected to clean my patient’s teeth.
My patient was so nice too! It’s so much easier to work on patients that appreciate what you are doing for them. The majority are that way, but every now and then there is a patient that is not as appreciative. Not only are the patients really nice, those that work at Midtown were so helpful today. I am really excited for the opportunity to use this time at Midtown to excel in my skills and not have the stress of requirements.

4-12-12

I was able to come into the seniors clinic and finish up my one quad of a class 3 requirement! It went really well and the senior that was helping was awesome! SO sweet!

4-11-12

Another patient no showed...ugh! I am stressing!

4-09-12

I had my class 3 patient no show on me...what a headache! It is so frustrating when that happens. Hopwfully I can get everything done before the end of the semester

3-5-12

Today my friend came back in and I finished her lower arch. It was pretty easy and I made great time, didn't miss any spots either! Yay! They started playing volleyball and she was telling me about that a little. I miss it so bad! Some nights it was hard to step away from school and everything I had going on but I was so glad I did at the end of the day! It was a huge stress reliever for me and great exercise. I told her to let me know if they need a sub too. I could just stay in c-town and play then drive to school the next day. It's a little close even too so that makes it nice. I can sleep in a little longer.

2-29-12

So this was the first time that my patient canceled on me. His ride called and said she was sick and really sweet about it, but finding a patient was nerve racking. I ended up going to the front desk of the clinic and a couple had just left saying that they wanted to get in. So I snatched them up and Kayla took the husband so they both were able to come in together. But the story gets better... They were second year students' patients. Ugh! So me and Kayla called them personally to make sure it was okay and they were fine with it, but I felt sick about taking them. Grateful that the second year students were okay with letting us taking them. Phew! They happen to be classifications that are hard to find so that make it even better. It was a challenge though. This was the first patient that didn't speak fluent English...it was tough to try to communicate and do OHI but I made it thanks to Mark! He was a life saver!

2-27-12

I found another class 3 patient. It is good to know that I have two quads down. Two to go. They are so much harder for me. With the first quad I did I needed to get down in the pocket more and this was the same case today. I need to just do it! But with all this blood gushing out, and my patient wasn't numb today (poor guy), it just makes it hard to go for it! But I need to! Geez! I'll get it! I have my other class 3 patient coming in on Wednesday so I'll be able to finish my two quads, hopefully! I'm excited, I feel like I've learned alot!

2-22-12

I had my friend come in and let me clean her teeth. I was excited to see her. She is prego aand doing well! I finished her in one appointment too! Yay! I am a little nervous about getting all my requirements done. It's hard to plan ahead especially when you don't know the classifications of some of the patients you have scheduled.

2/1/12

My patient came back in, my class 3. He was so hard and I was a little upset that I didn't get more than just one quad. I talked to Michelle after and she totally pumped me up. She told me that taking your time and missing less spots will be better for you in the end. It will force you to be a better clinician and with time the speed will come. It was the best pep talk ever. I love her! He's coming back in in a few weeks and I am so pumped. He is one of the nicest guys too, so that helps!

1/30/12

My sister came in today and she was the first patient I completed in one appointment! Yay! She didn't have very much calculus but still I'm taking credit for getting a whole patient done!

1/25/12

This was the the first patient I had come back and I finished him! YAY! I loved today! It was so nice to just sit down and scale. My patient was so nice. TIday was the first day I felt like I was getting in my groove a little. So nice.

1/23/12

My friend came in to the clinic and I am starting to feel a little more comfortable with instrumenting but still not as comfortable as I would hope. It was great to see my friend and work on her.

1/9/12

I had my mom come in today and it was awesome! I had to retake some x-ray but I feel like I did well. I got two quads cleaned and I got to spend some time with my mom. It was great! I even got to use the ultrasonic. It is much different on a real patient, but I love it! It is easy to use and removes the calculus very easily. Now for my patient I don't know on Wednesday.

1/4/12

Today was the first day of clinic. I am glad to be back but a little nervous and excited to work on patients. We learned about the ultrasonic today and I really like it. We didn't get to use it on a real patient, only on the typodont so I'm sure it will be different on a real person.