Kamryn came in today to get her teeth tickled. She was a little apprehensive and didn't want to sit in the chair. I had to involve her in EVERYTHING I was doing. She wanted to lay the chair back, squirt the water, use the suction, hold the paste, etc... I finally got her to lay down and put her sunglasses on so I could use the 'big flashlight'. We prepped her for this at home and she seemed so excited. She definately knows how to beat around the bush!! I 'm sure if somebody else was cleaning her teeth she would have been better. I'm also a little traumatized because she has 2 cavities on S!!!! How could I let this happen?!?! We brush and floss her teeth everyday and have done that since she had teeth! And she's taking fluoride. I know it's not a big deal but I hope that's her first and last!! I'm a little worried about taking her to a dentist to get them filled but hopefully with a little nitrous and oral sedation she will be ok. :(

Today I finished my class 4 requirements! Woo hoo!! The only other requirement I need a 4 quads of a 1A but I'm bringing Kamryn in next week so that will take care of that. I hope she will do ok. I've been prepping her for it and practicing and she seems really excited to get to go to mommy's school. I was going to get Darin in again but I really don't want to pay for 2 so I'll just let my insurance cover his. I have 1 more clinic day at Weber and 1 more VA day. I can't believe how fast time flies!

Only one more!

Yes that's right...only one more VA day. Today was actually a good day there. I saw 2 class 5's and it was an easy early day. We have a new instructor there from SLCC and she is very nice. I do miss McConaughy but I guess she had to move to a different day since Barb had surgery. I will be so happy when I don't have to go to the VA!! Graduation is only 3 weeks away. I can't believe it's here! Now if WREB will just post those dang scores I'll be much better!!

4

Finally I found a class 4! My afternoon patient wasn't coming in until 1:30 and another patient's wife was sitting in the lobby and wanted a screening so I said I would do it. She ended up being 4 quads of a 4! I can relax now that I know I will get my requirements. Now if she will just show up :) I finished up my class 3 requirements and my 1B requirements so it's just smooth sailing from here on out. I am still waiting to hear from WREB about my clinical. I don't know why they take so long to get us our results. They know when they check our patients if we passed or not. Hopefully it will come soon!

Getting closer

Boards are over!! It it definately a good feeling to be finished (hopefully). Today I saw 2 class 3's and a 1A. I am feeling confident that I know what I'm doing and that I can work in the real world. Now it's all about getting the little things done like PE's! I only have 1 more to do. And I still need 3 quads of a 4 so hopefully the VA will be good to me! Graduation is only weeks away!!

LA mockboard

Last week we had LA mockboards. I was one of the first ones in the morning. I used one of the first years and it went great! She did have her wisdom teeth so it threw me off a little but you do that same thing so it was fine. I did get osseous contact on the IA so I had to take a breath and remember exactly how to handle that. I must have done ok because I passed, both of them! We also took a mockboard written. I did well on that too but I'm worried the real thing won't be like that. I am really worried about the written to be honest. This week I will have to hide myself away so I can study for it. I feel bad neglecting my family but it will all be over in no time! Now I just hope that I can get my board patient to show up! And I got my results in the mail for the National Board and I PASSED!!!! SUch a relief!!!!!!

4

I had my class 4 today and he was willing to stay all day so I could get him completely finished. It was a workout to say the least. I had a hard time because while using the ultra sonic it kept clogging my blue boa. Then I tried the small suction and I probably went through 10 of those because it kept getting clogged. So I ended up having to switch back and for between the HVE and the small suction. There were huge chunks flying off! He had lots of irregularities on his teeth so it was hard to distinguish between calculus and rough teeth. I was very disappointed today because Dr. Hanson wasn't there. I swear I always get ripped off when she is suppose to be my instructor. I scheduled my class 4 today because I specifically wanted her to help me! I know she is mourning the loss of her brother but I really wish I could have had her expertise today!! I feel like she is full of knowledge and is so helpful. Hopefully she will have an extra week with our pod. I am beginning to think I won't ever get my qualifications. Every time I go to the VA my patients don't show up. EVERY TIME!! I still need 16 quads of a 3 or 4! And I still need 4 panos! I really hope I can get everything I need!

Last mockboard

I was really nervous for this mockboard today because I felt a lot of pressure to do well. This is my real board patient and I wanted to pass. My patient filled out the health history and put that he smokes pot. I knew this before and had asked him not to do it before he came to see me because he might be disqualified. I checked him in and sent him to the examiners and thought I'd ask Prof. Alexander what to do about it. I asked her if he shouldn't put that down. She said to ask him when he did it last because it's a contraindication for LA. I asked him if he did it today and he said ya, right before he came. I was so pissed!!! This is my board patient and if he gets disqualified because he is high I will be so mad!! So today started out pretty rough. I was really unhappy that he would do that to me. I cleaned a quad and was really worried that I missed a lot of spots and missed recession. When they bring your patient back and they have a post it note in their hand it usually means you missed spots. I had a post it! But I only missed one spot! I was so relieved! I did miss one recession area too. It looked like there was recession but I couldn't feel the CEJ (which I thought you had to in order to mark recession). Alexander said to dry the area and look for the yellow to white color change. I am so glad mockboards are over. I think they are so helpful to be able to run through the whole thing like the board will be. I think it is a good idea. Now I get to take the National Written Thursday so wish me luck!!

Class IV

It's about time I get a class 4! This is the first one ever! I screened this patient a couple weeks ago. He seemed hesitant to get screened but Mr. Salomon talked him into it. He also tried to cancel on me yesterday! I wasn't having that! He showed up and I took an FMX. I told him we wouldn't clean anything today since money is an issue right now. I'm hoping to bring him back in 2 weeks and keep him all day so I can complete his whole mouth. Now I'm just worried that he won't come back. This will be a great experience for me because he has calculus EVERYWHERE!! I know it will be challenging but I'm looking forward to it. Now I just have to remember to double up on the masks because, whoa....!!!!

This morning I cleaned one quad of the patient I'm using for boards. I also wanted to get a second opinion from an instructor to make sure he would be a good one. Dr. Hanson explored and said he would definately be a good one. I'm really nervous because I don't want to rely on what they say but I did agree with them and I felt like he would be good for the boards. He doesn't want to get numb so that scares be a little bit. I did an upper quad and only missed one spot. I hope I do that well for the real thing. I am using him for mockboards in 2 weeks and the real board. I take the POC test Thursday and I'm really not sure what to expect. I hope I do well!!

Mockboard

Today was the first mockboard of the semester. It went well! The worst part is the waiting to see if your patient qualifies and then waiting while they check them after you're finished. My patient was so sweet! She didn't want to be numb and I wished she did! I know I hurt her a couple times but I had to get that piece!!! I wish every patient was as reliable and nice as she was. I ended up missing 3 spots but when I went to explore them I couldn't feel them. Dr. Hanson came over to help me and she taught me something very important. She told me when I've doing the mesial buccal surfaces of the lower right quad I need to sit at 12. My fulcrum needs to be way up so I'm right over their nose. This helps to get the right angle. When I did that I was able to feel the spots I had missed. She said this patient wasn't way hard and that I would definately want somebody that had better calculus. I am glad that this one is over! I think it's good to do these mockboards because I learn so much and it helps me see my strengths and weaknesses.

Possible board?

This morning I had a husband of a patient that I saw early this semester. I was assuming he would just be a 1B. He said he never had any xrays taken so I recommended we do an FMX. Surprisingly, he agreed! Yay I was excited. I decided to do them conventional so I could get those out of the way. After doing the OD and exploring I thought that he might qualify for boards or mockboards. It took me all morning for the OD and xrays but.....he qualifies! I really hope that he will work for boards. I went around and explored after my instructor did and I didn't feel quite as much as she did but she said she was being pretty strict on what surfaces she counted. She said it will definately qualify if I submit a quad and extra teeth. This takes a huge load off of my shoulders. Now I just hope that he will show up for me. He was actually really nice and really wanted to help me out so I am grateful for that. And he speaks English! My afternoon patient was just a follow up. I only had to do one quad so it was a nice afternoon.

VA

This morning only 3 out of 7 patients showed up! How did that happen??!! I was one that was able to see a patient in the morning. He was a class 3 and I only finished 2 quads. He had soooo much stain!!! It wouldn't come off! I was proud of him because after smoking for 50 years he finally quit! That's amazing! Maybe it could have been the heart attack that he had that gave him the urge to quit but still....that's great!. He was a really nice guy. He was married...but kept hitting on the dentist ha ha. I thought it was pretty funny. My afternoon patient was just a 1B but I was ok with that because I was spent after my morning one. All I can say is I HATE STAIN! Only 6 more days here!

Well I can tell that I had a month off of clinic because I am hurting! I tense up really bad and my thumb and back are killing me! I had a class 2 and a 5 and I shouldn't be hurting. I was able to do 6 injections and I was actually pretty comfortable doing them. I did get osseous contact on the PSA but I just needed to go more posterior. It's really helpful when the instructors take time to help you and explain things to you. Our first mockboard for this semester is in 2 weeks and I'm hoping that my patient is still willing to come in. Hopefully it will go well. I don't think I need any more stress since I just signed up to take the National Board Feb 17!!! I'm nervous but I will be so happy when I get that one out of the way.

Last 1st day of school. EVER!!

Well today was my first clinic day back. My morning patient was late so I was already flustered and she had to be done by 10:15 to go to work. So I had to hurry. It ended up being pretty rough. First of all she didn't speak ANY English which always make it difficult. She ended up having a lot of problems in her life and it makes me really sad. She has no money and hasn't eaten for 2 days! I felt so bad for her but she sounds like she wants help and she is willing to come back so I am happy I can help her. My afternoon patient was diabetic and so I took her blood glucose and it was extremely high. After waiting for a while it came down so I was able to finish treatment. She ended up being a class 5 and I took bitewings on her. She even brought her grandson to translate which made it so much easier to communicate. Only 14 clinic days left!