Finding a patient for Nov. 23rd

Well, that's a challenge already! Why? because I thought I had someone solid and just cancelled a few hours ago. So, on the hunting mode again! Just hope I am able to take X-rays on the new patient I find so that I can complete the radiology assignment as well. So...whish me luck! Any hints on how I can sell my so far new skills to people for 4 hours non-spot?? Because I am open to many suggestions.
P.S. If you happen to know of someone that could be available please let me know!

INTRA-ORAL CAMERA

I have never used an Intra-oral camera. I liked it and I see the benefits of being able to see what you indirect vision mirror abilities and eyes can't see. The one things that I thought it was hard is to coordinate where you want to camera to be and where you are going. It is even harder that trying to manage indirect vision in the mirror. But overall, I was able to take 4 pictures and see some corners here and there that I wouldn't have been able to see if I wouldn't have used the intra-oral camera. Another thing that happened today is that I realized I am not mastering the anterior instrumentation, not even close! I am having a hard time trying to adapt the last 1/3 of my Nebraska tip subgingibally. I felt unsecure and even though I miraciously passed my PE I didn't feel I was there yet. One of the instrutors gave me the site of an on-line video that I can watch in order to expand my knowledge and observe how instruments in general work and how is done. I hope I am able to get better and definately this is a great step to start!
P.S. I really need my focal glasses. I just can't see that well without them!

SEMESTER REFLECTION

I was just wrapping up this nice and long weekend when I realized that not much longer is left in the semester. Also, as I gathered my thoughts, I thought about how much more I know than simply brushing my teeth, or know how to flosh...it is the knowledge behind the curtains that will let me treat a patient in the future that makes me feel more and more confident about my new profession. I also gave some thought about keeping in touch with my teaching degree. I think it would be a good combo for a while to be able to teach Dental Hygiene as well as practice Dental Hygiene. Also, I like the idea of getting my master's degree in the future to teach at a college level and enrich that way my proffession even more. I am not sure what the time line in these goals are but, I am confident this is going to be a good education plan for me and my family (as it will reflect on them and their quality of life).
Overall, I feel like even thought it's been more of a surviving experience things are coming along in general and I am able to grasp most of the concepts presented in our differnet classes. The key? for me it would be keeping myself organized nad having all my materials ready before class. Is it easy? It depends on the teacher although overall is very possible. Am I going to make it okay to the end of this first semester? Probably yes. There you go! More to come this week!

INSTRUMENTATION ... AND MORE!

So, times goes by so fast that I realized yesterday that having to find a patient is just around the corner. This means that this semester is almost over and the fun part is just about to come as we feel more and more prepare to really start making cleanings! It has been exciting and it feels good that we have been able to learn and practice with anterior and posterior instruments. I have learnt that we use our Nebraska to cleans anterior teeth and, Barnhardt to clean the posterior teeth. I learnt that with the barnhadrt we focus on the interproximal areas and our strokes are suppoused to go against the distal or mesial to the tooth and lingually. That stroke has been hard to grasp as I am not used to these two motions together. I am excited to be able to practice these two intruments better on Monday. I feel that many practical concepts have been presented and clinic and that little time has been provided to practice over and over. But I was really comforted to find out that professor Costley arranged it so that we get more time to practice our instrumentation more and more and feel really comfortable with them.
Overall, this semester has been very productive although I feel I haven't been on top of things like I would have liked to. I am little by little getting a hand of things and because of that each day I feel a micrometter close to the closing of the first semester!

Good times...it just keeps getting better... :-D

The art of probing isn't that easy...

Hey! So...today I had the hardest time to get to my pod partner's col area. And guess what I was doing wrong? Well, I was not angling the probe parallel to the contact area. So, instead of passing the PE today I will pass it next week and that way I will still be on time and at the same time I will feel like I know what I am doing and, most important of all, I am doing it right 100%. I realize how important and necessary the gaggles for seeing better are because when probing today I felt extremely hard to know if my probe was on the 2 or on the 3. I felt kind of unsecure that I may not be giving the right readings. To fix this one I will be using my regular seeing glasses and know that when it is closer to the black line it is closer to a 4, and when it is farther away it is more likely to be a 1 or a 2.
I felt a little bump to know I would be better off passing my PE wednesday instead although I feel more confident I would be getting a better evaluation.