4-12-11

No show. Called about 15 people to come in. Finally got a pt to come in but that was 30 mins ago. I hope that I can get him done. I am looking forward to having an office manager to help me get pt in. I need to start handing out my resume and card.

04/07/11

Last Day at the Va!! I enjoy working at the VA because I do not need to sell the treatment to the pt. The Pt gets the treatment that they need for the most part. I was grateful for the chance to give back to the men and women who has served America. I have met some really nice poeple and some not so nice, with a wide range of oral health needs. I believe that by coming to the VA I have gain new skills and knownledge.

4-5-11

My Goal today is to work faster. I need to get use to getting a pt done under an hour. Scaling under 45 mins. I did ok on my first pt. Class V. I got him in and out in 1 hour and thirty mins., but I only scaled for 40 mins. ya! I would really be happy if he actually had any calculus :) I was not able to be much OHI because he spoke Spanish. I really need to get more pamphlets in Spanish.

3-29-11

Today I will be finishing up with all my requierments, which is a great feeling. I keep reminding my self that the ultrasonic works better if I slow down. I tend to speed up and jump around. I think it is because of the sound. It is so high pitch. I think I am getting better at writing in the charts and giving the pt OHI. I think I am also getting better with my time, but it is hard to tell.
I need to look for anterior lingual fissure and make sure I clean them with mini. graces. Mini are amazing on furcations as well.

3-22-11

Ya! I finally got an other kid in to do. She needed sealants as well. That is a big relief off my shoulders. The only thing that went wrong was the kid was coming in at 12:30 and I already had an other pt coming in. I try to call the other pt a few times but her phone was disconnected. Lucky she is a way cool pt and was fine waiting an hour.
I feel so much better now that I am done with boards. I feel like I can take time with my pts and do a really good OHI. I was doing it before but not covering everything.

2-8-11

Today I used my gracys more then ever. I still have a hard time using them on the back molar (3rd molars) To be honest I hate cleaning 3rd molars with a passion. They are so far back in the mouth that I feel like I have to gag my pt to get to it. I think every one in the world needs to get them ext. I have learned that I need to explorer at every angle b/c if I did not feel any from one angle then I may still feel it from an other. I need to work on dropping everything. by the time I am done there is so many 2x2 and cotton rolls on the floor.

3-1-11

Today is LA Mock boards. My Pt was wonderful and I want to say "THANK YOU" I had to keep poking her because I got a + aspiration the first time and then the bar code was in my waythe second time. The third time I was so focus on the bar code that I did not have a 45 degree angle on the occ. IA went better then the PSA. I am glad things went the way they did because then I will know what to do about it and how to act. I did ok on the written test and now I know what I need to test more.

2-22-11

My Pt canceled so I was able to bring in a 1B.
One down one more to go.
I really hate trying to clean a third molar that is partly erupted.
My Pt that I finished this afternoon has been used as a Board/ Mock board pt a few times but never had her upper teeth cleaned. The calculus was so hard. I am glad that I am done for the day.

A Day you will not believe

I do not blame you for not believing me, but today at the VA I not only had one or two pt cancel on me but FIVE pt cancel. My 8:00 am then my 9:30 am so I took the second 9:30 am. This afternoon my pt cancel before lunch so Connie gave me her pt and sure enough they cancelled. The last two pt the VA staff try to get for me did not want a "student" so Connie end up with .. But it is only 1:36 pm and I am still

3rd Mock boards

Third time is a charm. I finally pass a Mock board. ya ya!! The first time my pt was a class three and I did not use my x-rays. Never again.
I do feel that I am getting better at scaling, but I still have a long ways to go. I can not believe that I will be graduating here in 66 days. Yes I am counting. I need to see the light at the end of the tunnel to get me through this.
Things I learned today was to explore at different angles. If I can not feel it at 8 o'clock then I need to make sure I do not feel it at 12 o'clock.
I need to make sure my name can not be seen on my instruments during the boards.
Now I need to find a board pt. And I would really like to find a back up just in case.

First Class Four pt

WOW, I am so so tried. Lucky I just sharped my instruments and I had to sharpen them again during tx. I really think I would enjoy working in a perio office.
Thing that I would like to work on is using the x-rays as I work. I was using the perio chart more this time, which really helped but I need to use x-rays more.

2-1-11

I traded a Class lV for a class lV. My first pt had really high blood pressure so I was only able to take x-rays. I decided to make the most of my time so I talked one of the midtown's pt in letting me screen her. I was really hopeing for a board pt, but she ended up a class lV. Which is bitter sweet, because I need a class lV, but really really need a board pt.
This afternoon went ok, I felt bad because my pt is a talker, but I needed to get things done. She made the comment that it was going faster then last time. I could not help but think it was because I would not let her talk as much.

Mock Broad

At the last minute on Friday I was given a Mock board pt. None of my pt that I screened qualified. But thank goodness Marilyn screen a pt and let me use her. For Mock boards I a going through the emotions. Trying to get the paper work down. Trying not to stress out. I thought I did better then I did which was very frustrating.
I learned that I do not want to do a 3rd molar on the boards. they are so hard to get it all. Hopefully next mock board will work out better.

1-18-11

Ok, I am starting to stress out about finding a Mockboard pt. It is in a week and I still don't have one. Let a lone a board pt. Hopefully my afternoon pt will work or on Friday screening. But that is cutting it close.
A weird thing happened to me today as I was giving my pt an IA. I was giving the anesthetic and in the middle of it, it stopped. It felt like someone kept stepping on the brakes. It felt so jerky. Maybe I was right next to the bone. Funny thing was I did not feel the bone.

1-11-11

I am learning that some pts take more patience then others. My AM pt needed to go to the restroom 6 times. But I was still able to get something done, thank goodness. I need to focus on keeping my terminal shank parallel with the tooth. As well as keeping my finger straight when giving a PSA.
I finally found a Class IV. I have never see one yet. I was only able to get the OD done today, but I really enjoy being able to get right to work when I see them again.

Day One

I jumped right in and feel like I landed on my head. I had my Pt who has moderate to server perio in all day( am & pm). My hand and back is so tried. I am not use to it. She was hard. I wish I started with some one easier. I tried to keep in mind everything. How to sit, where to sit, how to do things.....there was a lot going through my mind. I feel bad because I forgot to talk to my pt until the end. Which helped because it made me relax more. On top of everything it is so so hot in here.