Clinic 25

Today we learned how to be clinical assistants. I was nervous about having to do it but I think it will be good.  We also learned how to calmly handle emergency situations...run around screaming!  not really, we calmly spread the information from person to person. Hopefully I will remember what to do if that situation ever arises!  Yikes thats big responsibility!

clinic 24

WOW!  My first real patient.  I was pretty nervous to get started but I was really glad it was my dad and he has to love me no matter what! The OD was better than I thought it was going to be and faster. X-rays went well too!  Success!  I'm glad its done. Now I have all Christmas break to forget everything I've learned and then practice on other people:)

clinic 23

Day two of my mock patient. Boy it was kind of stressful!  It was my first time scaling an entire mouth. It took me longer than I thought it would. However, I did get to use the ultrasonic for the first time!!! It was quite exciting!  Its kind of hard to use but easier than I thought it would be.  I'm just grateful that I got through it all!
Up next...a real patient.

clinic 22!

Well, it was finally my turn to be operator. I kind of wish I had gotten it over with last week, however, it wasn't so bad.  It went pretty smoothly. I finally probed a whole mouth-it had been quite a while since I probed. I felt bad for Adrienne as I got back into the swing of things :) Its good to have the first half down.  I'm more worried about a week from today when I have my first real patient. Ah!  I can't believe we're already to the end of the semester! I'm almost a fourth of the way done!

Clinic 21

Day two of being a patient. Its great except for the beeping out in the hall!  Adrienne used the ultrasonic on me for the first time in my life. It was crazy. I'm excited to get to use it next week.  But she did a full cleaning and my mouth should now be spic-n-span!

clinic 20!

Today was great! I was patient all day!  Adrienne and I finally got to work together and I was finally allowed to be the patient!  Much to Adrienne's dismay.  She was very gentle.  After that I passed of my last PE for this semester!!! Whoot Whoot!  That's a great feeling.

clinic 19

Today went soooo much better than monday!  I still couldn't get worked on but i was able to pass of my PE's and have extra time to do sealants on Kelsey.  They're getting better.  I did get Kelsey alittle wet with the a/p polish but she did a good job protecting herself with the paper towels and gauze and cooton rolls. I wish we had a camera!  Also, I get to be the patient all next week and I'm really excited!!  Oh and Marilyn is AMAZING!  She carved us all soap teeth on which to practice. Seriously amazing!

clinic19

Wow, today was actually kind of stressful even though I didn't do as much as everyone else. It must be because we were doing sesalants...I don't like sealants!  I worked on Kelsey and gave here a really high sealant. Then I got to hand scale it down! But I eventually got it down and passed off. Then I just worked on the tx record and computer while everyone else worked since my lip was having issues.  Bah! Hopefully next clinic will go better.

Clinic 18

Today was interesting. Ahsley, Mollee and I helped with an oral cancer screening before lunch.  It was a good time to practice and luckily we didn't find anything!  But hopefully we will get some patients from it. In clinic we practiced our selective polish and learned how to air-powder polish. Its an interesting process. Essentially its a light sandblast for the tooth. It didn't seem to go to bad. I have no clue if I was doing it correctly but I'll find out once someone has stains. Then we did our dental screening PE which everyone was nervous for. I'm awaiting results.  I hope it went well:) 
Results just in.... I PASSED!!

Clinic 17

Today went really well!  Julie worked on me and then I worked on Julie.  While we waited to pass of PE's I was able to scale almost the entire mouth!  And I actually felt like I knew what I was doing! I wasn't perfect but it definitely was coming back.  Then I passed of my OHI PE and it went really well! It always feels good when it goes well. Plus now...we're off to a lunch and learn!

Clinic 16

Today was pretty nice!  I just about fell asleep.  I was the patient and layed back while Kayla did amazing work.  She's so good!  We eventually switched though so that i could pass off some PE's.  I did universal scaling.  It was pretty frustrating at first. I felt like I wasn't getting it at all but it eventually came back to me.  And I passed it off!!!  woot woot! 

Clinic 15

Today we did it all...to a certain point.  I was the operator. We went through health history, took vitals, did the exam, probing and the funnest...disclosing and OHI! ha!  But it was good. It was helpful to do it in an order and I felt really good about probing.  I'm excited for the next clinic when i get to sit back and relax for Kayla!

Clinic 14

Today was exciting. By the end of the day we all had blue mouths!  We used the disclosing agents on our teeth to check our plaque free index.  Then we brushed each other's teeth and flossed. whoot whoot!  We passed off our explorer instrument PE. It takes me a minute to remember what all the different instruments are used and how to properly use them. I'm glad we get alot of time to practice in the days ahead!!!

Clinic 13

Well today was a big day!  We worked on posterior scaling with a universal scaler (Kelsey would call it a worldwide technique).  Its kinda tricky! The instructors were very helpful though.  My partner today was Kayla, she did a really well and then she let me work on her.  She was a helpful patient. I'm sure with practice I will get it all down.  I did get to pass of  my probing PE.  It went pretty well.  It still sometimes blows me away when I think of all the things we're doing. I used to just watch these things being done, now I'm the one doing them. That's a big responsibility! But it's fun!!

clinic 12

We scaled... AHHH!!! It actaully wasn't so bad, but kinda nerve racking and its hard to make sure I'm using the correct technique. We worked on anterior teeth only. Karlee was gracious enough to let me practice on her again (actually it was her idea). But I think it went well. Its crazy to think we are starting to learn how to actually clean teeth. This is pretty much what my life will soon consist of...scaling!

clinic 11

Today went really well!  We got all of our instruments in packs and learned about the different scalers and curets. Then we worked on each other. I worked on Kelsey for the first time!  She was a great patient. We probed and explored. I think its getting better. I'm getting more used to the movements and I know I'm working in the mirror better!  Oh and I can't forget all the amazing help Marilyn the TA gave. She's fantastic!! 

Clinic 10!

Well, today went alot better than I was expecting it to!  We learned to use the explorer subgingivally. It was alittle terrifying when we finally worked on a real patient. I worked on Brooke. She was great!  and it really wasn't as bad as i thought it was going to be. I personally think it was easier than probing. But all in all it was a good day!

clinic 9

Well, today was exciting and extremely terrifying! We probed...aaah! We gained our expertise on marshmallows and candy corn.  Then we practiced on our fake mouths and then on our buddy (poor Karlie!)  I'm not sure I was doing it right, I was more focused on not hurting her. Let me tell you, Karlie's got some good gums! She must floss. But all in all, its pretty cool that we are really learning these things!

Clinic 8

So today was more difficult. We learned the proper way to fulcrum in the mouth and its actually quite complicated!  It will definitely be a learned behavior. I think I was stretching Mollee's lips farther than they are supposed to go:)  But I still like to actually work in the mouth!

Clinic 7

Today we learned how to really perform extra-oral exams and use our mirror. It was good  to practice and fun to actually get inside the mouth!  I worked with Leigh. She has fantastic teeth. Plus we discovered its an extremely small world out there with the peeps we know.  It was a great clinic day!

Clinic 6

Well, I'm no pro at taking vital signs but I can tell I'm improving. Brooke's hand only turned slightly purple:) I actually like taking blood pressure though. It feels very professional. We went over our health histories again. One day I'm sure I'll get it but I still feel alittle overwhelmed. Its good to get into the real stuff. I'm starting to feel like I may really be a hygienist one day!

clinic 5

Today was a little overwhelming. We are learning to do patient history. There is quiet alot of info to remember while doing that. One day I'm sure I'll get it down. But it had been very exciting and I feel like I got alot accomplished!

Clinic 4

Today was the first day I actually feel like I will one day be a hygienist. We learned the surfaces of the teeth and the proper positions to sit in to be able to see each tooth without causing posture problems.  We got to use real instruments and practice in our fake mouths! It was pretty cool. I'm excited to be a hygienist!

Day 3!

We finally worked on a real person...well, a fellow student! We learned the proper way to clean and disinfect the ops when working with patients and how to properly suction. You'd think it would be easier to learn to use the other hand but its not. Lets just say there was alot of suctioned cheeks:) But it was fun to work with each other! All in all,  a good day!

Clinic Two!

Day 2 of clinic.  We got to officially use the air/water and evacuators and properly glove and mask! whoot whoot! We also learned the process of bringing patients back. I keep forgetting that we don't actually do anything with real people till later and I don't have to know everything this instant.  That's a good thing to remember! But it's been a good day! I like being in the clinic.

1st Day of School!

Welp, its finally here...the 1st day of school.  We started in the clinic bright and early this morning. Its pretty nice being back in an op. It's nice to get to know everyone better and to see some familiar faces! I'm pretty excited to get to work with Instructor Chaffee! I used eaglesoft for the first time this morning, alittle unfamiliar but it should come along fast. I suppose that's all for now.
...I cant believe i'm back in school!

orientation

yeah! here's my first post!