Polishing

I hate the air-powder polisher. Not doing it on someone. I like that. I hate having it done on me. It taste sick, it gets all over my face, and it hurts my tongue. I just think for the sake of my patients I will never do it on them. Mybe if they have really bad stains or something. Today wasn't hard, and for the most part it was fun. I don't think I did the best on my Dental Screening PE, but I still think I passed. We will see. It has been a good day. Lots of learning and polishing came pretty easy for the most part. It suprises me that they only have course and medium paste here when we hear so many bad things about it in class. It is hard to control the rheostat. I try and make it go slower and it just turns off, so then I push it in the slightest and it is going too fast. It is definately hard to control. I'm really glad I got to have a fluoride varnish done. It just feels discusting on my teeth. I don't think I'll keep it on too long. I like the bubble-gum flavor though. Well, that is all. No frustrations. It has been a good day.

Oct. 26, 2009

Today was a combination of fun and relaxing. I didn't feel rushed and it was fun to use the ultrasonic. Like probing, I have a more difficult time with the ultrasonic in the cole area, but I'm sure with time and practice it will become my favorite instrument. That is really all I have to say. Today was just normal and great. There was little frustration and I felt like I kept on task really well. That's all.

Practice Day

Today was great to kind of review over everything we have learned so far, but I kind of felt like I didn't get to practice what I REALLY needed to practice. We had to review over health history and treatment record stuff to see how far we get, which was good, but I didn't get a chance to practice scaling, which is what I feel I need the most practice on. It was kind of a more relaxing day. And MY INSTRUMENTS CAME BACK!!! Hurray! They aren't lost anymore! I think one of the instruments punctured a whole in the bag, so they had to re-bag it and send them through again. I had a feeling they would turn up. Now I am complete. I don't really have much more to say. I think I need to continue review the skills that we have learned and maybe look over the order of how to do things so that I am prepared when I see my first patient. There is a lot to remember and so much that I have forgotten. I get worried sometimes, but I have a feeling we all feel the same and I 'm sure everything will work out in the end. I'm sure I'll get through the program! Everybody makes it through. I just give it my best effort and I really can't worry about the rest because it is just wasteful to worry. Anyway, that is all for now. It was a good day. Not as productive as I would've hoped, but not bad.

Oct. 14, 2009

I'm actually n0t sure what day of the month it is right now, haha. The days are going to fast. All I can tell you is that it is Thursday. Yes, I'm a day late again. Can I just say that I feel so much better after venting all my frustrations! So much better! I'm not longer miserable and suffering, but instead joyful and full of excitement and confidence. I'm felt a lot better about this last clinic day, except for the fact that I am missing almost half my instruments. I'm not worried about it though. I'm sure they will turn up. I just got to remember to email everyone and ask them to be on the lookout. I'm hoping they just got put in the wrong bin and hopefully someone will notice. Anyway, I faced yesterday with much more confidence and professionalism. I got three PE's done!!! Oops, I think we are only allowed to do two a day. Well, but here is the thing, Julie (the instructor) forgot to grade them, so I may end up doing them again anyway. Kind of funny, I graded myself and gave the papers to her half way through clinic and Megan found them at the end of clinic near her pod after Julie left, so there is nothing I can do about it except hope that someone will pass me anyway. What will probably end up happening is that I will have to do them again for someone else. I would just give them to Julie to grade next week, but they are due on Monday, so that doesn't really work. I can't believe the are seeing our first patient on the 23rd of next month! It is going by so fast. At least we have plenty of time to practice. I have nothing more to write really. Life is good and clinic is fun. I'm grateful to be in the profession I am in! The end!

Oct. 7, 2009

Haha, so last post I only got out half of my frustrations. Here goes the other half. I was so frustrated today in clinic because I had a yes or no question that I was trying to ask an instructor and she kept not answering in a yes or no way, but felt like she had to explain it over and over again and waste my time. I just want a "yes, your right!" I know what I'm doing! I'm not confused! I don't need it explained to me a thousand times! I just want a "yes!" Is that so hard! Wow, I'm kind of glad nobody looks at this blog. I have to be honest. I usually hate blogging because nobody reads it and I think it is a waste of time, but I'm kind of grateful for it today because I really think I just need to vent to something right now. I do feel a lot better. I'm just really stressed with life right now. We all have our ups and downs. Life is a rollercoaster. My is just on a down right now, but I am enjoying the ride. Sometines the downs are the funnest parts of the ride. I just need to get it all out and maybe do some yogga and I will be going up again in no time. Well, that is all. I think my goal is to do yogga once a week, preferably before Monday clinic. That way I can get my head on straight before I come in. Well, that is all. I hope we get a day to practice all these new skills soon because I'm getting a little worried that we see our first patient in 6 weeks! Ttyl

Oct. 7, 2009

So, I know I'm writing this almost a week late, but I can't miss any more days. Wednesday was less frustrating than Monday. Actually I don't think I was that frustrated on Monday either. The instructors were great at being at my side as I learned how to use the universal scaler on the posterior teeth. The days seem to go by faster and faster. Maybe it is because I am half asleep in the chair for half the time. I really don't have much more to say. Nothing really all that exciting happened. I'm just feeling a bit frustrated because I feel like we don't have any time to practice these skills. I try to practice on my typodont at home, but it just isn't the same as a real mouth. I feel like I'm being to pestimistic. I suppose compared to the confusion I felt at the first of the semester, things are a lot better. I just get frustrated when I know what I need to know and there seems to be no way of doing it all in the amount of time that I have. I need a break. Don't get me wrong here, I'm happy to be here. I'm happy to be in the program and I love the people I am working with. I just feel a little burnt out right now. Good thing we have fall break this weekend. It came just in time. I really need it!

Oct. 5, 2009 (I think)

Today's clinic was the scariest of them all. And I thought an explorer was bad. Today we had to use the scalers on each other. I'm always so nervous about it and I get frustrated all throughout clinic, but then by the end of the day I think, "that was so much fun!" I think it is great because, yeah, I'm frustrated at first, but then once I get it down I get really excited about it. I have a sense of accomplishment. I definitely still need to practice though. I'm going to take my typodont home and practice probing so I'll be ready to pass it off by next clinic. I really can't think of anything else to write. I swear these entries get shorter and shorter. It is just kind of the same every day. Clinic gets shorter and shorter and we do more difficult tasks every time. And I'm loving every minute of it!