Not a Very Good Day

I have to admit that today was a little rough.  First of all, my AM patient was pretty foul and kept telling dirty jokes and swearing a lot.  Honestly, the guy wouldn't shut up!  I kept thinking to myself, "just be patient with him."  But deep inside I wanted to tell him to SHUT UP!  I felt like things went ok on him.  I probably could have utilized my time a little better on him (I would have finished more if he hadn't been talking so much).  I only finished two quads of a class 2.  He did have some areas that were tenacious, so they were hard to remove.  I got all but one spot, so I was pleased.

Next, my PM patient was a nightmare.  The poor guy is needing a cleaning to get on the liver transplant list.  Because of his liver failure, I needed to get a Physician's Consult to find out about premedication.  Well, I got a hold of his dr.'s office and they gave me the fax number.  I told them the patient was in my chair, waiting for treatment.  I thought that would have sped things up, but oh no!  They were taking their sweet time.  As a matter of fact, they never got it faxed back to me.  While we waited, I charted existing dental problems in his mouth, but I couldn't do anything subgingivally.  I did get a Scan-X pano taken on him though.  So, 1 pano down and 5 to go.  I had to reschedule this patient for next week, so that we can hopefully complete the cleaning so that when he meets with his doctor next Friday, he can be put on the transplant list.  The whites of his eyes were completely yellow and so was the gingiva of his mouth.  I had no idea that liver failure could cause yellow gingiva.  Now I know.  Here's hoping to a better week next week.

First VA Experience

I had my first experience at the VA all day today.  I didn't sleep well last night.  I think I got a total of 3 hours of sleep.  So, on top of having a boring morning, I as exhausted and ready to go to sleep any minute.  Each of us five students got our patient names.  I was assigned a woman.  What made me nervous was that there was no answer on this woman's phone the day before to confirm the appointment.  I was hoping she would show up.  I was going to be able to take a pano and 4 BWX, do full perio & dental charting.  But I wasn't going to be that lucky.  I was fortunate though, because 30 minutes after my first patient no showed, a very nice gentleman came in for a cleaning.  I was able to take 4 BWX on him and for not having taken x-rays all summer long they looked pretty darn good.  We also have to take them with Schick.  One set of bitewings down and 19 to go.  I completed his perio and dental charting and cleaned one quadrant as well.  I was very pleased because he is a class III.  I did pretty well.  I missed one spot, which was very obvious.  For some reason the area looked like an amalgam filling to me.  I was really mad at myself for missing it, but overall I was very pleased that I was able to complete as much on this patient as I did.  Overall I felt that it was a very good day.  Oh, one thing I will never forget...I forgot to fill my ultrasonic attachment with water before I put the insert in.  I bled it for one minute, but forgot to fill it before putting in the insert and the instrument got really hot because the water wasn't in there.  I didn't realize this was the problem until Prof. McCaunaghy asked if I had done that.  Oops!

It was a decent week

This was a pretty decent week.  I was able to pass off my Removable Appliance PE and scaled four quads of a class II and two quads of a class 1B.  I did struggle with one area on a patient though.  I just wasn't feeling very comfortable with my fulcrum on the upper left side of my patient's mouth.  I was scaling the lingual surfaces of the posterior teeth, but my fulcrum was just off.  No matter what I did, it just didn't feel comfortable to me.  I never had an opportunity to ask my instructor for help in this area.  I am going to make sure this next week that I will ask for direction.  I need to get better at my positioning and where my fingers should go.  I also got my loups several weeks ago and have been using them every time I am in clinic.  I just don't love them yet.  I feel like they help me see better definitely, but I get the worst headaches from them.  I just can't wait to take them off.  On Wednesday the right side was really starting to pinch right behind my ear.  It was so bad I couldn't wait to take them off.  I think I just need to take them to an eye doctor and have them adjusted so they don't pinch.  The odd thing is that they are so loose on my head that unless I have the string cinched nice and tight, they slide down my nose.

I have only 2 weeks of clinic left.  That is only 4 clinic session available to pass things off and complete requirements.  As long as I can complete my class III patient in one more appointment, 3 more quads, then I will be sitting pretty.  I feel like I will be able to get everything I need done.  I have already completed: class 1A, class II, BWX, PAs, panos, and my Removable PE.  I just need to complete sealants on two more people which will happen on Monday, finish scaling my class III patient, and if I get him done then I will see one more class 1B patient on the last day of clinic to have everything done.  I will be passing off three PEs on Monday as well.  I think that Monday is going to be a nice break to scaling teeth.  I am doing 3 sealants on my niece, passing off two unpleasant PEs on my husband along with four sealants, and then passing off one more PE after my patients have left.  I am really looking forward to Monday being very productive.  I can't wait to be done with my first year.  Summer is going to be such a nice break to stress.  I am really going to enjoy spending time with my kids and cleaning my house on a weekly basis!