LOCAL ANESTHESIA BOARDS!

Local Anesthesia Board: I was most nervous for the local anesthesia exams. The written exams were a lot harder than I thought, when I finished, I really didn't know how it went until I got the letter: PASSED!!!

As for the clinical exam, my lovely fiancee Ben was my patient and I was so excited and nervous to have him there with me. I got him in the chair and took a quick look in his mouth and what did I see? AAACK!!! A 1mm round red lesion just anterior to where I would be demonstrating the Inferior Alveolar injection!!! I thought for sure I'd have to find another patient and I didn't have any backups! The chief examiner came around to examine the injection sites so I doubtfully and very nervously pulled his cheeks and lips out of the way so she could see. To my astonishment, she said it was fine and I could proceed with the injections. Two examiners jumped right in to observe. I was so startled and emotional at that moment, I started with the PSA. I thought everything was going perfectly until I was depositing and I noticed that instead of having the needle angled 45 degrees toward the long axis of the tooth, it was parallel... CRAP! So I proceeded with the IA where I made osseous contact and withdrew only to make osseous contact again but was able to angle it around the bone. I made sure I was at the corner of the mouth and the examiners had Ben pull his cheek back to see if I was over the premolars and I totally thought I was. Of course after completing I got the result: FAIL! I failed both injections! Luckily, I had brought a cashiers check to retake the clinical instantly just in case. However, I did not have a patient and I had used all my needles and the only four cartridges of Polocaine that I had. What could I do?

I was so frustrated and I was venting to Ben and Meagan when my hero, Meagan, stepped in and offered not only her extra cartridges and syringes, but she also offered herself as my patient! I never would have expected that much from her. Even better news... after calming down and with her as my patient, I PASSED!!!!