Working Life

I know it's been a while since I've graduated now and I've been getting used to working as a hygienist in a real dental office really quickly. It's so much better and a bit more stressful than school because I get to call the shots. I'm the one that's got to decide what kind of treatment is done and what the charge is in the end. I was afraid that the sudden loss of appointment time would throw me off but it's really not bad. Sometimes I actually find myself obnoxiously AHEAD of schedule due to scheduling confusions.

I've been working 2 days a week consistently and subbing here and there which is perfect for me. I get to spend a lot of time with my husband while still making the money we need and I can choose whether I want to work or not on Saturday through Wednesday. Lately I've been choosing to work more than not, mostly to get my name out there and to gain some more experience in different offices. I've enjoyed getting to know many different offices, it's really nice to see the differences from office to office and to get a real idea from experience of what I like and don't like. I would highly recommend this path to any recent graduate of any program. Variety is definitely the spice of life.

LAST CLINIC DAY EVER!!!!!

Well, there it goes. My time in the WSU clinic and the best part is: I don't ever have to come back here if I don't want to (no offense) I'm just so excited to get out and work for a dentist in a real practice and actually get paid instead of paying. No more scale checks, no more PE's, no more Patient Encounter Forms!!! Just real honest to goodness patient treatment! While all of this is so exciting, I know for a fact there is a lot I'm going to miss...

1.

I've had the most wonderful class of 30 girls to work with and get to know over the past two years. We've worked so hard together to survive this crazy ride and now it's all done... I'm going to miss you all so much! We better keep in touch!

2.

The amazing faculty and staff that helped shape each and every one of us into the successful clinicians we will all become very soon. The professors and instructors that cried with us, that lost many nights sleep while we weren't sleeping because of boards, that laughed at our stupid mistakes and picked us up in the darkest times, while humbling us whenever needed. Thanks to all of you for everything you've done for us!

3.

SCHOOL. Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do with all of the free time I'll have not studying anymore... I've had school my ENTIRE life so how am I supposed to up an quit cold turkey??? What about my comfort blanket? What about that great excuse to get out of housework by saying "sorry, but I've just got so many projects and tests right now I really need to focus on my school work." (instead my fiance soon to be husband will be the one pulling off that one!) I'm excited to read but what about learning??? I guess that will never stop. As my wonderful late Grandpa always taught me: Education is an ongoing process throughout life, to end learning is to die inside.

4.

The VA... NOT!!! (sorry, but I'm just not really going to miss braving the storms and traffic at 6:00AM to make it to Salt Lake to clean endless class V patients for free!!!

I hope you all have enjoyed this time as much as I have and I know we're all ready to move on to bigger and better things so let's all charge forth! Don't ever stop learning and progressing (I guess CE courses will help take care of that:) Good luck out there everyone, keep in touch please!!! Congratulations class of 2010

Boards are over, now for: the Last VA Day EVER!!!!

Well, I've passed all my Board Exams (YAY!!!) and now the school year is winding down for me, I've only got two more clinic days after this one and yes, this is a very nice day for me, it is the last time I have to wake up way too freakin early to drive all the way to Salt Lake and clean teeth for free. While, I must admit that this is a great service we provide and I do love being able to actually give the treatment needed without thinking of the financial aspect of things, I'm excited to actually start being paid for the work I do.

This morning, my 8:00AM pt. had to go to the ER due to high BP (200/108!) so I ended up seeing a patient at 9:00AM instead. This patient was a pretty straight forward class V with severe toothbrush abrasion and recession, but there was one little detail that no chart note could have adequately prepared me for: HIM. He had suffered a head injury and had some motor dysfunction because of it, he also had a profoundly decreased social inhibitory response accompanied by short-term memory loss. Therefore, I spent an hour and a half trying to get my instruments into his mouth while dodging all of his compliments and inappropriate statements such as: "No offense, but you have very nice, soft skin." and "It's too bad you're spoken for." and the very worst: "I think I'm going to tickle ya, what would you do then?" He made me very uncomfortable and to make things better, he couldn't remember what he had previously said so he was repeating the same conversations over and over again and made it very difficult to get the cleaning done. I got to hear over and over again about my nice hair, my gentle touch, my inadequate height, and the mole on the right side of my neck. AWKWARD!!! Oh well, this is the career I chose, take the good moments with the bad and I still love my future job!

VA: 10 quads III?! Can it be?! PSYCHE! only 4... :(

So in the morning at the VA, my first patient was a 63 year old man with 3 quads of class III that I was so excited to clean!!! ...Until he decided after 1 quad he was done being treated so he left at 9:30!

Diane from the front desk brought me back another patient at 10:30, another 63 year old man, with 4 quads of a class III! However, because of how late he showed up and all the waiting I had to do with the other students ready for scale checks, I only got 2 quads done... so I got the 3 quads in the morning I guess! (possible III quads so far: 7, actual quads cleaned: 3)



In the afternoon, I miraculously had another patient walk in who was yet another 63 year old man with 3-4 quads of a class III! (he was missing some teeth). I was stoked! He was easy to clean but needed anesthesia for each quad, and the doctor came in for a check right when i had finished with the first quad and don't worry, he only took an hour and a half to do his exam!!! I don't know what was up, this was not a new patient and he only treatment planned two fillings! What the?! Anyway, of course Professor McConaughy came for a scale check again and again while the doctor was there doing his exam. Finally when the doctor left, I had to go track her down where she was doing charts already and when I asked her for a check she said she had to go to Charlotte first (even though I had been waiting for well over an hour!) By the time she came to see me, it was time to just walk him out so there you go: a 1-quad afternoon :(



Possible class III quads: 10-11, Actual class III quads cleaned: a measley 4 :(





Sad day...

CLINICAL BOARDS!!!

I told my patient to show up at 7:30AM. I was afraid she'd be late, but surprisingly, she showed up at 7:00, the same time that I did!!! The scariest part of the boards was waiting to see if my patient qualified or not which, don't worry, only took a little over an HOUR, but in the end she DID! I was so excited, I immediately went to town with the ultrasonic that Dr. Shaw so graciously lent me. The time cleaning flew by, my patient wasn't that difficult of a patient but I was so focused on cleaning that had I not had Casey and Alisha to set my pace from, I wouldn't have even noticed the two and a half hours going by. I finished, probed, and did an oral cancer screening for her and then turned her in. I wish there was some way to end this story, but I can't yet, I don't know how it ends... so that's all I've got for now, just a cliff hanger and it's driving me crazy! I should find out this week though... I guess we'll see.

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!!!!