No luck atal..

So today I had a funny feeling that my patient wouldn't show, I was right. Damn the weather. She was a class II, which makes it worse. Me and jackie got to trek around campus hoping some nice person would agree to be tortured and then have to pay for it in addition to missing their class. We had no luck. I passed off my sharpening PE and sharpened the rest of my instruments, which by the way, I haven't even hardly used!! I was a total waste of space today. How can our grade be so dependent on other people??? Hopefully next week goes better, I can't trust anyone...

I finally scaled!

Yay, After stressing about not getting a patient today, my boyfriend kindly came in and I finished all 4 quads! It feels good getting some quads completed and some experience with calculus. Today went more smoothly than I had imagined and I felt like I could actually detect calculus. Although I missed a couple of spots, i felt pretty good about the appointment. Next monday I am a c.a. and then wednesday I am seeing a returning class II (od finished at last appointment). I was planning on passing off my sharpening pe, but of course, no instructors were available to help. That is the only complaint I have about the day...

2 patients in one day

Today was nuts! My first patient who just wanted to get a pano taken happened to have a long health history and complications etc, but I finished one of my two pano requirements and that makes me happy! My second patient ended up qualifying to be my Class III and that made me even happier! Although I though I lost my probe a couple of times in her 6, 7,8 mm pockets and the amount of sub calculus she had made it difficult to get around, I finished her OD. Ive already done 4 ODs this semester and NO SCALING! I need to get on that. I really need some good experience on easier patients before my class III comes March 3rd. I still feel unorganized at times, but it is getting easier.

1/14/08

Today was quite the day. Besides my initial patient cancelling 2 hours before her appointment, I found another patient that had to leave early. Oh well, I was lucky to find another person to come in. She had mild perio and so it was my first experience with that. It's definately a different feeling when your probe keeps going down, it's hard to orient yourself after 4-5mm. I need to get my loupes adjusted so I can wear them, that will definately help alot. Everyday I feel more confident on some things like x-rays and HHx, but when there is alot of existing dental work I get overwhelmed with charting it all. I don't feel as confident with perio statements as I thought I did. I need to go over descriptive words and phrases. Today turned out good considering...

1st patient-2nd semester

So I thought it would be a little easier having my mom come in to the clinic, but it actually made me more nervous because she is the one I try so hard to impress not these people I have never met before! She reassured me, but I made many stupid mistakes. I guess I learned from them, like: Chart skin lesions as part of your extra-oral, posterior PAs are supposed to be horizontal (duh!?) and chart every detail about any medication someone is taking. I didn't even start on a quad today because for one the snow was horrible and the doctor didn't even get here until 8:30 and plus I took forever in radiology. I can't wait to feel like this is a routine and I'm still not guessing on most things!

First day, new semester

Today was just as overwhelming as the first day of clinic last semester. After a month-long break, I'm pretty rusty. I'm scared that I have a patient coming on Tuesday. It's my mom, so that shouldn't be so stressful but I am still nervous. I feel really uncomfortable about using the ultrasonic, but after I learn it I think it will be one of my greatest assets. The biggest thing I am nervous about is paperwork and scheduling patients. I really hope my chair is full every clinic.