Some Good Experience

Last week I made a valiant attempt at seeing two patients in the morning.  One was my wonderful husband who needed a cleaning desperately and the other was my patient needing to get an a transplant list.  I got Trevor in and out of there within an hour and 20 minutes.  Feeling good!  My next patient shows up and still all is going well.  By 10:30 I was getting close to being done with him.  I called him a class III because of everything going on in his mouth.  Had my scale check.  All was well.  Polished, flossed, and added fluoride.  He was on his way to getting on the transplant list.  One unfortunate thing did happen during the appointment.  The amazing thing is that this very thing happened with a patient in the spring.  A composite filling came out of an anterior tooth!!!  I couldn't believe that this very thing would happen twice to me.

My afternoon patient was supposed to be a young woman.  When I called to confirm the appointment the night before, she told me she was expecting Medicaid to pay for this visit.  I had to inform her that we do not take medicaid and that she would be responsible for the visit.  She made it sound very bleak that she wouldn't be able to come up with the money.  I called my dad in a panic and informed him of the situation.  It is a little hard for him to take off on such short notice, but he was able to make it work for me.  I was able to get his cleaning down relatively quickly and then we did some laser therapy on one area.  I hope that it helps to rehabilitate his tissues and close up a pocket.  We will see him back in 2 weeks for a tissue evaluation and to laser the area again.

A Good VA Experience

I have to say that today went very well.  I saw a class V patient in the morning.  I took and pano and 4 bitewings on him as well.  He does an amazing job at keeping his teeth clean, so it really was very easy.

My patient in the afternoon was a little trickier.  First of all, he was hard of hearing.  I felt like I was shouting at him every time I said something.  Next, he couldn't be laid back very far.  I had to do a lot of the scaling standing up.  My back was already hurting me from the moment I woke up, so scaling unsupported was a little hard on me.  But I made it through.  His lower anterior teeth were horribly malpositioned and I didn't feel like I could adapt my instruments very well.  Next, I didn't probe because it had been done 2 months previously.  But there was one pocket that was a lot deeper than the person had recorded.  Unfortunately, I should have caught that by virtue of scaling down into the pocket.  Prof. M was really nice about helping me get to these areas.  We were able to clean off the stain for coffee.  This gentleman even said that it is enough to make him want to quit drinking it.  We'll see!

Staying on the Positive Side

I had a really strange feeling on Friday night after speaking with my afternoon patient.  I just had this little thought in the back of my mind that she was going to no show.  Well, sure enough, she no showed.  But let me start at the beginning of the day.

MeChel was so sweet and let me have her second patient for the a.m.  My patient had cancelled the week before and MeChel knew of my predicament.  Thank heavens for helping friends who are willing to share.  So, I saw the most wonderful, accommodating patient.  I took bitewings and 4 PAs!  She was a class V, but had furcations as well.  I got her completely done and out the door by around 10:40.  I was feeling pretty good about myself.  I didn't even miss any spots!  Woo Hoo!

I had promised my 4 year old that I would clean his teeth that morning and then we would have lunch together.  Well, I was short on time, so I wasn't able to squeeze that in.  I called preschool to make sure that he wasn't sad since I had told him that was what I was going to do.  They said he was doing fine.  Lunch comes and goes.  I let some friends have the things I had brought for my son.  Right before patients are supposed to be there for the afternoon, I get a phone call from preschool saying that Zach is feeling bad because I was supposed to pick him up.  Broke my heart!!!  I talked to him to see if that would help him feel better.  Well, next thing I know, my patient no shows.  Emergency back up?  You guessed it!  Zach Morris.  No, not the guy from Saved By The Bell.  My son.  

When I picked up Zach and as we were heading into my building, he remembered that I had brought him chips to go with this lunch.  When I told him that gave the chips away, he started to whimper.  Mr. Soloman was right there to pick up the pieces.  He promised Zach that "if he would let his mom clean his teeth that he would buy him some chips."  Thanks Mr. Soloman!  That was so awesome of you to do for him.  So, we went back to my unit and cleaned his teeth.  He lost two teeth over the summer, so I took an occlusal film to check where those permanent teeth are.  They're there.  After all of that, he got his Doritos.  I called my sweet hubby to see if he could come in for some x-rays as well.  The stud came up and let me take 18 x-rays.  What a trooper!  

Overall, it was a productive day.  I took 2 sets of bitewings and 19 PAs.  I can't complain about that.  Let's hope for no more no shows.  It sucks!