A Salt Shower

It was a good thing I didn't take a shower this morning (gross I know) because I got one in clinic today! I don't know if it was necessarily a good substitute however. A shower was not the intended purpose of clinic today but it was definitely the result. We used the air powder polisher which blasts air, powder (sodium bicarbonate- aka baking soda), and water on your teeth to remove extrinsic stains that may be caused by tobacco or chlorohexadine as well as biofilm. It isn't the easiest thing to use and from what we hear we won't use it all that often but it's good to know how to do. Misty and I were partners today and she was great! Not only was she patient with me and my rookiness but she also did  a great job when she was working on me. We both got a shower but that was to be expected. We also learned selective polishing (prophying) as well as varnish. I have varnish coated on my teeth right now and it literally feels like I have a coat of fur on them, I don't know if I love it but it's doing good or so they tell me. But nontheless I'm still smiling, even with a furry mouth.

Trial Run

So once again in clinic we did or I guess were supposed to do everything we have learned so far. Talk about impossible! We were supposed to do one arch (the mandibular arch) and I barely got through my OD check... AHHHHH!!!! Sometimes it's so discouraging because I still feel like I don't know anything and have a lot of questions and I either feel too dumb to ask them or feel dumb when I ask them- It's a lose lose if you ask me. I got to work with Sierra today- She was such a good patient and a great hygienist. I really enjoyed working with her and it was nice to talk to her so I don't feel like I'm the only so far behind. I know it all will come with time I just don't have a ton of patience so it makes it a bit difficult. But I'll deal with it, I just need to keep my head up and keep pushing on- It will come one day, or at least so I'm told. I'm hoping for a lot more of these trial runs so I can hopefully somewhat get done everything I need to do in an appointment (at least up to what we've learned to this point) and be able to do it in a timely manner- AND when I'm able to do that I'll be smiling bigger than ever :)

Intra Oral Camera- Psych!

So today was a little out of whack in clinic it seemed. We got there and did the usual- set up for patient treatment and waited to receive instruction from our instructors. BUT... We didn't get any, supposedly we were just supposed to get going on the day. So that's what we did.. It was kind of like the blind leading the blind because none of us really knew what was going on but somehow we all figured it out! We went through everything we have learned thus far (except curets and scalers) on a paired up partner, mine was Kelsi- We had a grand ol' time together! I'm so lucky that my class is full girls (and boys) that I feel totally comfortable with and are so willing to help so it never matters who I get paired up with. I was able to go through everything and I passed off two PE's! The only problem was... I only did a quadrant and it took me FOREVER!!!! Looks like I need to pick up my game. Everyone says it will come with time and boy am I telling you I cannot wait for that time! Oh and about the whole intra oral camera- So that was the concept we were supposed to learn (that's why we were all sitting around waiting for instruction at first) but it kind of slipped the instructors minds so the last 5 minutes of clinic we 'learned' how to use it. So ya, that was clinic today and I'm done boring you (even though YOU don't really exist I'll pretend like you do) with the events of today. So long, until next time.. And you know I'll be smiling :)

Circles, Dots, Oulines- What do they all mean???

So I decided my blog is kind of boring considering there is no pictures so I guess it's a good thing no one reads it! Haha.. Well today is going to be short, first of all there isn't much to tell and I also really need to study. Today we learned how to chart our findings in our patients' mouths. I won't lie, I'm not the best at identifying the proper location of composite fillings but hopefully I'll get the hang of it. Overall it wasn't too bad though. After we learned all that we got to practice scaling on each other- And guess what? I MAY slowly be getting the hang of it! It's a good feeling BUT I still have A LOT to learn! Well that's all for today and as always, I am smiling :)

Secrets, Secrets Are So Fun

Brush your teeth? Well we found out today! We all used the disclosing agent and discovered all the places in our mouths where we were missing while brushing or flossing. It was pretty cool to see all of our mouths purple but kind of gross to see all the little places we were missing. I was glad I wasn't the only one who isn't a perfect brusher though. I definitely need to focus more on my anterior linguals where my lingual bar is as well as my 2nd molars. It really was fun though. We also had a lot of time to practice scaling on each other and I definitely needed that- I'm still struggling but making small increments of  improvement each day, or at least I hope I am! Today was a good day and I smiled nice and wide with purple teeth :)

The Ins & Outs of Scaling

Sometimes I feel like I need to reintroduce my title when I start my post, I don't know why I do but I do so therefore I'm going to continue doing it. So... Today in clinic we learned the ins and outs of posterior scaling and guess what? I really liked it and felt pretty good about it! Monday was the day from you know where but today made up for it. I guess that's why you have to have bad days so you can appreciate the good ones. I didn't get a ton of practicing scaling on a patient (Misty) but I did a little and practiced on my typodont and I feel like I'm FINALLY sort of getting angulation down. I don't know why I struggle so much with it but I'm sick of it so hopefully I'm catching on! I also need to work on using my mirror for indirect  vision and working on more difficult surfaces- Not just mandibular surfaces towards me. But scaling was fun and I'm really looking forward to scraping large amounts of calculus off of my patient's teeth :)

Oh and another great thing about today- I passed off my probing PE! I was so nervous for it but I did it! I wasn't able to do a whole quad in under 3 minutes but I did mine in under 4 so I felt pretty good about that and I can see I'm catching on, slowly but surely. And thank goodness for Misty, she is just the sweetest nicest thing and puts up with me and all my crazy instrumenting. Well know today was good and be happy because I am- Happy and smiling :)

Sucks to Suck

Yes that basically sums up my day. It was long and I'm glad it's over to say the least. X-rays, probing, and scaling- Three thing that brought about some feelings of frustration and inadequacy today. I don't know what my deal was but I just couldn't get anything right it seemed and I feel like it's never going to click. But I know that's just me being dramatic and I'll get over it. So ya.. That sums up my day. Sorry to be so pessimistic. I'm going to keep it short so you don't have to deal with it anymore and hopefully I'll be smiling tomorrow... :)