Floss Floss Floss!!!!!

Today my friend came in and he informed me that he flosses maybe once a month. I explained to him the importance of flossing and how it can lead to perio disease and I think I got it in his head that he needs to floss :)  he promised me that he would floss everyday!  I am going to check up on him weekly at ONKA to make sure he is doing it.   I scaled one quad on him and I didn't miss anything again!! I am feeling more confidnet in not missing anything and it may be because I feel that I am a little OCD and I check it more than I should to make sure I didn't miss.  I need to work on not checking it so much, I just get worried that I might miss something,  But I guess that is how we learn, from our mistakes! Everything is coming along better now I am getting the flow of things and feel that I am getting faster.  I feel like the only thing that slows me down is the x-rays.  It isn't taking the x-rays that takes forever it is just the process of setting up the room and breaking it down.  It doesn't take that long, but still!

Children are so much easier and faster :)

Today I saw my first child!  He was 8 and surprisingly he had pretty bad calculus on the lower anteriors.  He said he brushed like he is supposed to but doesn't floss... i think he brushes, just not for the correct amount of time!  He was a fun kid to work with! When I was scaling his anterior teeth I thought I was all done and almost grabbed the instructor to do a scale check, then I had a feeling to double check his lingual anteriors and spray them with air.....sure enough to my surprise SUPRA CALCULUS!!! I was so glad I checked because when the calculus was wet, i could not even see it.  But when I dried it, it was clear as day that I had not gotten it all!  I finished getting everything then got the instructor and I did not miss any calculus.  He had some mixed dentition so I got to still probe and scale. It felt good finishing in one appointment because then I didn't have to worry about him coming back and having less clinic time.  I knew I would finish him in one appointment because children are a lot easier and quicker than adults.  I got to pass off my anterior scaling pe on my patient as well.   It felt good to get a pe done and one less thing I have to worry about!  I am loving clinic more and more!

4 quads in one appointment :)

Today was AMAZING!!! I cleaned my dad and did all 4 quads today, last time he came in was last semester and so we got all the OD done and that.  I loved working on my dad because he has crowns and so I was able to get experience scaling around crowns on my dad without being nervous.  I did not miss ANY CALCULUS!!! I was so proud of myself.  I was shocked that I was able to clean all 4 quads and not miss one spot, I for sure thought that I was going to miss at least one spot.   My dad was very impressed as well.  I feel like this semester is going to be good, but stressful at the same time!  I just need to make sure I keep up on everything and not get behind on PE's and such.  Something I could have improved on today is keeping the flow of things and make sure I have everything that I need.  Sometimes I would forget stuff so I would have to take off my gloves and get it and that would just take extra time.  That is going to be a goal I set, to make sure that I have everything already out and ready to go! I felt very proud of myself today!

First patient back!!

So today went really well!! Surprisingly I was not that nervous to see my brother after Christmas break! I got one quad done on him and I felt that I was able to keep up with the flow and not get behind.  It was good to have my brother in for my first patient back because then I wasn't as nervous, he helped me stay calm.  I felt that I was really slow but really i did ok, it will take time to speed up.  Todd had really good teeth so his teeth were really easy to clean.  He really didn't have that much calculus to get except in the lower anteriors, I started getting a little frustrated with that because it took me a little bit longer to remove it but I enjoyed it!  I am excited to see patients this semester I actually get to put to use what I have been taught all last semester.  My only worry is not being able to find patients! I guess it all works out in the end....so i have heard!

First Patient being back!!!!

Today was our first day back with a patient!  It went well, my patient was my brother Todd! I am glad I had him because it made it less stressful and I was able to be more calm.  I scaled one quad today, i could have done two but I was trying to be perfect and make sure I got everything!  I didn't miss anything :) but I think next time I am going to trust myself and not continue to go back and check so many times!   I am getting the hang of things. I noticed what I struggle with was the dent, I never know if it is MOD or just O or OD.... I need to make sure that I am better at that.  Today was good and I feel confident for next time!

Back to school! lab day

Today we just went over some scenarios and what we would use for what and talked about everything.  I am nervous for next time I feel like I will be rusty but I am sure once I get into the mouth I will be fine!  I am going to study everything and make sure that I remember it all.  My brother is my first patient so it makes me feel better and I am not as nervous if I hurt him ha but we will see how it goes!