Last Clinic Day!

I can't believe its actually over. I honestly never thought this day would come......and it still doesn't feel right.

This morning I saw my board patient. I cleaned one quad. It was a lot more tenacious than I was hoping for. He also had a really hard time getting numb, which makes me nervous. I've decided to clean the quad with the lesser clicks for boards and I think I will be just fine. I think if I chose the heavier side I would be burying a hole for myself that I wouldn't be able to get out of. I'm pretty confident he will work out great though. He seems to be very reliable (knock on wood) and hasn't ever had a cold sore. I get butterflies in my stomoch just talking about all this! I just hope that everything goes perfect for all of us and we don't have any more patients getting surgeries or anything like that!

This afternoon I saw my backup board patient that Chelsea Bomb and I are sharing. I'm not 100% confident with her. I think she will be there, but her calculus is just lighter that I would like. She's kind of just a LAST resort. Chelsea Bomb and Chelsea Buckwalter and I are doing screenings on monday to hopefully find some more back up patients. I just hate forking out all this money. It is sooo Not good on my pocket book right now....but you do what you gotta do!

I have very mixed feelings about today. I am so excited to never do another PE or have to meet another requirement or have another OD check, but at the same time I do think I will miss this part of my life. It's definitely something that I don't ever want to go back to, but I've enjoyed it (most of the time) while its lasted. I've hated the stress I've experienced, but hopefully I'll be a better person because of it. Hopefully I will be a more pleasant person to be around with less stress in my life after boards are over and I get the results that I passed!!!! (I'm going to have a nervous break down if I even consider what they might say if I don't pass!)

Its weird for me to think that I'm done with school. It's all I've ever known. I really would like to go back someday to get my master's and teach, but I can't tell the future unfortunately, so who knows if that will ever happen. Well, I guess this is sorta good bye, but not really. I'll have to write another post when all of this actually sinks in and hits me!

LA Mockboard

Well today brought be absolutely NO comfort!!! I failed both my injections and I'm really discouraged. I just get nervous and forget to think about what i'm doing....kind of a BIG deal in this situation! I just need to remember to take my time and examine everything...mainly my position before I say anything!


I did pass the written, but I think today's written is a LOT easier than the real thing, which doesn't bring me any comfort at all! I know I still have a lot of studying to do.


This morning after failing the injections I went over everything with a cotton tip applicator in Chelsea's mouth. I also attempted the injections on Jessica this afternoon. I feel more comfortable with them but I feel like I need to do it 1,000 more times before boards to get it right. I WANT to be able to PASS so bad!!! I hate feeling like this. I just hope that I can pull it all together by the time boards rolls around!

I can't wipe the smile off my face!!!

Today was a great day!!! I got 2 quads of a class 4 this morning to finish off my requirements. I also did 2 pe's....so now I just have the sterilization pe that we just got in our box today (at least it is an easy one!) I missed 4 spots this morning, but I was okay with it because I knew they were there. She was just tired and ready to be done so I had to stop. I did learn though to just numb up the stupid anteriors and don't try to get by without it. It will be much better for you and the patient. By the way...I do NOT like the curved ultrasonic tips. Maybe i'm just not giving them enough of a chance, but I really don't like them. You are free to have your opinion and I am free to do the same!
This afternoon went well. I officially am confident with my board patient!!! Hollie gave him to me but today was the first day I actually saw him for myself. He is perfect. He has a great attitude and is so patient. I took x-rays of his right side today. I had to have perry help me get supplementals to get the distal root of his third molars. I got through the OD and double checked my recession, probe depths, calculus clicks and occlusion and then checked it again. I'm kind of in a dilemma because I don't know which quad to submit. I'm saving his whole mandible for boards. His left side has like 18 clicks in it so I know it will qualify, I'm just worried it will be overkill. His right side has 13 clicks. So basically i have 3 options. I can be safe and submit the left side, but worry it will be too hard. I can submit the right side and worry about not having enough. OR I can submit the left side with an extra tooth or two. Does anybody have any suggestions? If I do the 3rd option it will be about as much calculus as just submitting the left side alone. Whatever I decide to do I really don't want to have to lose 4 points for going to my alternate submission...if I can help it of course! Let me know what you think. I'm going to have him back the last day of clinic to clean the upper quad so that may give me a little better idea. I'm feeling more confident about things.
I'm now going to announce my stress for next week: LA mockboards. I was shocked to find out we have a written test!!! I had no idea. I have so much studying to do! I guess I will think of that later and relish in the moment that I finally had a good day in clinic!

Final Mockboard!

This morning finally rolled around after a night of restless sleep. I was ready for my final mockboard. I had read over the candidate guide. I had all my paperwork filled out. I was ready to go. My patient showed up right at 8:00 and I walked out to the lobby to get him. The second I glanced at him I saw it.....I wanted to deny it, but then I looked again and it was still there. I wanted to curse the lesion that existed on my patient's lip.....you guessed it...a stinkin' cold sore. I immediately called Kami over and she confirmed the bad news. I had to have my few moments of break down from the frustration and dissapointment. My whole morning had just gone to pot!
I had to have Mr. Solomon explain to my patient why we couldn't see him and he was upset and disappointed (however, not as much as me!) Camille was my guardian angel today and she pulled out a name she had. Mr. Solomon called him and he said he could be there in 30 minutes. I didn't know anything about him and he was a new patient, but I decided to give it a shot anyways.
He showed up at 8:45. Kami took a look and we decided that he qualified! (praise the heavens above!!!) By 9:00 I was checked in (with no x-rays of course!), had given LA and working away.
At 10:30 I walked my patient to be checked out. I definitely felt rushed. I had no idea what the results were going to be because I didn't even have time to go back over and double check myself to make sure I hadn't missed any spots.
I was shocked when Perry told me I didn't miss any spots! I just stood there in disbelief!!! I did miss some points on my recession and occlusion, but I feel okay about that because I felt so rushed.
I'm so grateful for everyone who helped me out today and who helped me through the rough times. I'm sorry to all who had to see my tears! I just love our class and instructors and appreciate everyone's support! You guys are the best!