Bloody Exploration...It's a learning experience!

Today I really learned how to use the explorer and I went a lot further under the gums than I ever thought was possible! I think it is really good that we can tell each other what hurts and what doesn't. There is so many different things to think about. I think one of the hardest things for me is to figure out what end of the explorer to use. I have decided that I need to start looking at the tip before I determine which end is right just by looking at the shank. Right when I think I understand it, I'm proved wrong! I guess a little bit of blood never did hurt anybody...right Mindy????

Caution!!! Slippery Surfaces!!!

Wow. Today I felt a little overwhelmed. We were learning adaptation and angulation. I had a hard time getting the hang of it! I still don't feel completely comfortable, so hopefully on Wednesday I become more comfortable after more practice. It is so different trying to do it on a real person than on a typodont! The teeth are so slippery! Angie helped a lot and Michelle was very patient with me! Thank heavens for instructors and classmates!

Rugae, Caruncles and Torus...Oh my!

Today in clinic we had a lot of fun. We learned how to do intra-oral exams. The time sure does go by a lot faster when we are exploring new things on each other. I didn't even know some of those features of the mouth existed! And if I did know, I didn't know how to find them. I found it really interesting.
I realized one thing as I was passing off my Health History PPE... I missed something on my case study (I hope that won't take off too many points!) I forgot to write "physician's consult" in the upper right hand corner under medical alerts. I sure do know now though for the next time it comes up...and I don't think I'll forget it!

Pinky down, down, down!!!

Today in clinic we went over fulcrums and the use of the mirror. The only time I have previously used fulcrums is when polishing in the office. However, I was not focused on where I was fulcruming, and I have this nasty habit of letting my pinky finger chill exactly where it is not supposed to be! I am definitely going to have to break that habit.
I can't imagine that someday I will be able to do all this without thinking about it....Right now it seems really tricky! It seems like there are so many different things to think about at once! I can only hope that after a lot of practice I will get it down!

She is Alive!!!

Today I learned AGAIN how to take blood pressure! I learned how to do it like 2 years ago, but I haven't done it for so long that I totally forgot how to do it! The first time I tried it today I didn't hear a thing... After a few more times I finally heard a beat and realized my pod partner really was alive! After practicing today I felt a lot better about taking blood pressure and I'm starting to feel more confident about it. Vital signs are such a simple thing that can be so important. I wonder how often they get over looked in private practice.
We are learning so much I am just hoping that I will be able to remember it all so I can apply it later!

Details, Details, Details!

Today in clinic we learned how to review health histories and record entries in the patient chart. I have never gone over one in so much depth! I now realize that they are truly valuable to anyone in the dental office...especially those performing the dental treatment.
Today my pod partner didn't have hardly any thing listed on her health history, but I get nervous about how much time it is going to take me to go over a patient that may have a lot of things to list! I sure do like abbreviations!
I am so sure that important details get looked over so much in the dental office because of the carelessness of the staff. I have never had anybody sit down and review my health history in so much detail...but this is something that I want to do. I am a very detail-oriented person so I want to put this to use to benefit my future patients!

Busy Bees

Today in clinic we learned ALOT! Learning how to do the patient write-up in the chart was pretty intense! It made me excited though to think about everything that we are going to know by the time next year rolls around and then the next...my TA (Joni) had written up some notes to put in a pretend chart and she sounded really smart! I think it's great because EVERYTHING that we are learning in our classes will be applied. It is much harder to enjoy learning something if you think you are never going to use it again!