Me

I realize I am admitting my lame-ness here, but is anyone else already feeling bored? Happy Holidays.

Part-ay

Kristie.  Need I say more?  :)

Adrienne

Santa's little helper.

Me, Santa, the Elf.

Love these girls.

Thanks for an amazing first semester friends!

Lessons Learned

Things I learned from Real Patient Day.

Bring NCR X-ray Evaluation form with Tx Record HHx/HHxRx to Instructor at the same time.

Pre fill out the Tx Record with X-ray stuff.

Set-up the x-ray room that you signed up for.

Put Tx Plan in 2 Phases.  Selective Polish and Fl with second phase.

Be Patient.  With yourself.  With others.  With the Faculty.  Be Patient.

If you want to e-mail your pt's x-rays to their dentist, to decrease their exposure, do NOT give them a paper copy as it will be basically useless and they'll have to pay $10 more dollars to get them e-mailed, which may seem ridiculous, because it is ridiculous.  I have "discussed" this with Mr. Soloman ad nauseum and there doesn't appear to be any hope of making it more convenient for us all.  Whatev.  Just don't go there I guess.

Now, we are sitting in clinic.  Chatting, because there are no instructors here and apparently today is not of uber-importance.

HHX - OHI

I got to work on this lovely lady today.  Thanks Mom.

Mock Patient

This post will be short,
because I am a dork.
I can't rhyme like MeChel,
so I just might as well . . . go to . . . JK.

Bada BOOM Bada BING

Hey.  What's up yo?  I am done being the operator for the week.  And today was heavenly (see previous post about other heavenly topics).  It seemed like we had all the time in the world (so we yacked and yacked a lot) to scale.  Megan let me wear her loupes.  They were really fun.  Sarah's teeth looked like they were as big as a dentoform.  This is one of my more boring posts. Oh and my air/water was NOT working.  So, Sarah's sealant just popped right off.

Just Keep Swimming

I just have to keep telling myself this, so I don't get too frustrated during clinic lately.  I just have high expectations of how much I can do during clinic, and when I can't do those things (because of things and people outside my control) I need to just chillax.  "Chillax Pam, stop Pam M S-ing." - Michael from The Office

Being the operator was fun.  Sarah was my patient, which was fun because I have never worked on her before.  I feel like it is the little things I need to be better at.  For instance, putting on my glasses and mask before my gloves. 

MUST SEE!

Remember me talking about my amazing friend that could put his tongue behind his uvula?  

Well folks, here he is in full glory.  Enjoy.

P.S. Wednesday's clinic was good and great.  Marilyn's soap teeth and Inst. Hafen's birthday cookies.  :)

You'd Think

You'd think that the Hygiene Program would have every policy and procedure down pat.

You'd think that everything would be streamlined and in perfect working order.

You'd think that if clinic was 4 hours long we could get it all done in that time.

You'd think that a rubber cup polish would remove all biofilm on a tooth.

You'd think I would hate the feeling and aftertaste of Fluoride Varnish.

You'd think the treatment record could have a standard procedure for each circumstance.

You'd think that I'd stop losing my stuff (bib clip, pen, who knows what'll be next).

You'd think after a long fun weekend Mondays would be a good half day.

You'd think with only 4 more weeks of the semester I'd be picking up steam to study.

You'd think that when I got home the house would be clean and dinner in the works.

You'd think that Chris would have left me at least a few cookies to eat.

You'd think Monday would be a good day.

guess not.  :(

Hickey?

If you would like a laugh, Google search hickey like I just did.  :)

I have plenty of hickey's in my mouth this morning.  MeChel was getting a little angry at Mr. High Vac today, to say the least.  The Prophy Jet is an experience to remember.  Two HUGE tubed things in your mouth?  Not so great.  Let alone the clinician working with both of them, can be frustrating.  Also, not pointing the tip towards the gum?  Again, very difficult.

Also, selective polishing is also more difficult that you would think.  Keeping the RPM's down?  Freak-oly.  And getting the flared cup just under the gum, also hard.

And if all of that wasn't enough, then you have to deal with Fluoride Varnish on your teeth.  Man Luann!

In spite of all these things, today was a fun relaxed day for the most part.

The dental screening PE is a lot like the Health History Pe, it creates MASS CONFUSION!  But it is over now.  Hip Hip Hooray for the weekend (to me, after Wednesday the week winds down and I am practically in the mental frame of "weekend"). 

Monday from Heaven

Today Jeanie Allen (Instructor Allen) was one of our Instructors, which was heavenly.

I got to work with MeChel, which was heavenly.

I was going to think of more things that were heavenly for my post.

Marcy taught me to eat soluble fiber when you feel sick to give your immune system a super big fist pump and viola, I have had oatmeal every day since Tuesday and it is heavenly.

Also, I am worried about Char and her baby and pray that they are doing well.  My prayers will hopefully make her life more heavenly.

And, last the best of all the game.  I passed my Intra-Oral Camera PE, which was honestly a gift from God. (heavenly).

To Do Today

Arrive. Clock in. Wash hands.  Dust.  Flush air/water syringe for 2 minutes.  Disinfect.  Place barriers.  Remember saliva ejector and air/water syringe.  Obtain sterile instruments.  Cover tray with pt. bib and clip.  On DESK have cup with Listerine, gauze, cotton rolls, laminated forms, pens, paper towels, pillow and glasses.  (Toothbrush stuff on tray).  On COUNTER: Sphygomanometer. (p.s. Mine has a hole in the tubing.) 

HHX: Explain rationale.  Review.  Take vitals.
HHxRx: Instructor Signature.
OD:
Extra: gloves, record findings.
(new gloves.)
Intra: gloves, gauze, probe out. record findings.
Dent: compare to previous. Bite classification. PROBE.
Perio: blue sheet. Gingival Statement.
Do Tx plan.  OD CHECK.  Have tx plan up on screen.
OHI: PFI: BFI:
Remember vaseline.  Disclose.  Count PFI.  Brush and floss.  Instruct pt, on what they need to work on.  Goals.
Instrumentation: Anterior. Posterior.

Release pt. Remove barriers.  Take instruments to be sterilized. Transfer info from laminated charts.  Finish tx record.  Status Rx. Instructor Signature.  Disinfect. Clean up.  Blog.  Clock out.  Go to lunch. etc.

Pass 4 PE's while you're at it.  :)

0% PFI

Today was the day.  The day that all my hard work would pay off.  And it pretty much did.  I think these photos speak for themselves.

TEETH AFTER HAVING NOT BRUSHED/FLOSSED for 5 days.

 

 

 AFTER DISCLOSING

 AFTER RINSING

Man I love this tongue pic.  FUNGIFORMS UNITE!

 AFTER TORI BRUSHED MY MAXILLARY TEETH.

Thanks Tori for putting in all that hard work today!

Early Riser - Experiment

Wednesday Morning

6:30am - Snooze my first alarm.

6:45am - Snooze my second alarm.

6:58am - Start thinking seriously about waking up.

7:04am - Realize I should be leaving in one minute.

7:05am - Curse the Hygiene Program for making me get up so freaking early.  Consider dropping out.

7:06am - Get up anyway and quickly get ready.

7:10am - Grab some breakfast and get in the car.

7:40am - Get to the Hygiene Clinic.

7:45am - See all my friends that I love.

7:50am - Bless the Hygiene Program, realize how thankful I am to be in it and for all the fun it is.



On Wednesday I took the challenge from Prof Costley to NOT brush my teeth until next Monday when we would be disclosing in clinic again.  It is now Saturday morning, and let me tell you that it has not been easy.  However, I have full support from my hubby (in the name of science!) and doggoneit if Morgan Spurlock can eat McD's for 30 days, I can not brush or floss for 5.  I did actually floss my lingual bar last night, so I am not perfect, I succumbed to temptation, but overall I am doing pretty well.  Bring on the ACQUIRED PELLICLE!

Purple People Eater

"It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater, sure looks strange to me."

 

I'm sure that is what Kristie was thinking when I opened after disclosing my plaque, for two reasons.

1) I had a lot of plaque on my teeth.
2) I was putting all my extra saliva, disclosing agent, plaque etc up on the facial surface of my maxillary anteriors (if you can imagine) and blowing bubbles with it.  Yes, I am immature at times.  I thought it was funny though.

Determining PFI is one of the hardest things I have learned, because it is so subjective.  Costley told me just to be consistent, as it is mainly something to compare effectiveness of brushing between visits.

Ode to Clark

For all my hygiene girls, here is the aftermath of the Friday I wore my brothers' neon green shirt.  He went to class.  Did not get extra-credit.  Then wrote this poem to express his emotions.  One of the reasons why I love him.

What's not to love?

905 South Main

Come one, come all!  To the dental hygiene clinic at my house.  Equipped with nice comfy chairs/couches and pillows to enjoy during treatment.  I keep patient fees low, by supplying the office with homemade masks (truly utilizing dental floss for all of it's many uses) and other cheap aseptic techniques (wrapping everything in paper towels and washing your hands).  

Don't mind Cam's bumbies.

My homemade mask, inspired by Clark's complaint about me breathing on him.

Patients LOVE it here!

Floss wrapped around the ear to secure the fit.

Close up of my genius.  Paper towel to office clip to floss to face.

"Livin' on a Prayer"

FYI - I ate cashews for breakfast on the way to school this morning so Stefanie would have PLENTY of crap to scale/scrape, and you better believe she did.  I'm not ashamed of having stuff on my teeth, that's just the way it is.  Passing off the Probing PE was great.  I am beginning to better understand the relationship of the instrument to the tooth and holy smokes the tooth is contoured, NOT like a box or square at all.  This blog post stinks to high heaven with boredom so I am just going to stop here. 

p.s. The songs in clinic are just great.  I know that adjective is extremely overused, but hey while we're using worn out boring adjectives, extreme goes right along with that.

"Hey Nonny Nonny"

Just thinking of "Mine Mine Mine" from the Disney animated version of Pocahontas cracks me up.  Lyrics here, for a good laugh.

The pertinent phrase from the song is here, "Dig and dig and dig and diggety ..., etc." Today we actually started scaling, which went better than I thought it would.  It was a good day.  I'm not sure what else I can say about it.  Except I am not looking forward to probing an ENTIRE QUAD and have measurements checked next time.  Sorry Chris, here I come to practice!

On a better note (since I know all my readers are concerned), I did figure out my contact situation and am seeing 20/20 today.  Chris had taken my contacts to their case for me once and he mixed them up.  Honest mistake, what does he know about contacts?  Nothing.

Peace out home dogs.

Glory Glory

"Glory glory hallelujah!"  -Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory of the Coming of the Lord . . .

What a glorious (hence the post title) day in clinic.  I passed off Intra-Oral Exam (not with flying colors, but hey a pass is a pass), and we got to PRACTICE (see video below)!  I got to work on MeMe Chel who did a fabulous job on me and helped me while I was working on her so I believe I am getting better and definitely more confident.



Now that my friends was a good day.

And how about we get some COMMENTS going on?

p.s. I forgot that the absolute BEST part of my day was walking out of clinic (late thanks to the freaking ultrasonic) and seeing Chris and Cam!  It was so fun and great to spend lunch with them.  Today just may not be beat.  The only thing that could have made today better was MeMe Chel being happier, but thanks to a freaking freak she was kind of down.  (MeChel, I will erase this if you want.)

FOCUS

Today was hard primarily for this reason, I can't see worth a darn.  Even standing 1.5 feet away from my computer screen right now I can't read the words I am typing.  I do have both my contacts in, but one of them is not pulling its weight.  It is pretty bad.

I enjoyed today's clinic in spite of that.  Exploring.  Kristie helped me understand why I kept poking her.  And she did a great job.  I realized that this is the feeling that I LOVE at the hygienist metal down in those pockets, feeling along the tooth surface.  LOVE IT.

Short and sweet today, because I still need to do 2 PE's and clean up and notice the time.

Over and out.

p.s. I LOVE Miss Neely.  She faxed some uber important documents for me.  as in LOVE.

Say what?

Have you ever heard of the ADHA?  How about the UDHA?  Or SADHA?  No?

WELL I HAVE!  THREE TIMES!

I don't know, maybe one of these days my role as an advocate will really kick in and I will be baptized by fire about how great the UDHA convention was, or how important it is that I submit an essay to become a delegate, or how awesome it would be to get an all expense paid trip to Nashville to get even more free stuff (what could be greater?), but for now I'm aight.

However, if one more person comes to show me a power point on ADHA/UDHA/SADHA, I will most likely puke on them.  Not even on purpose.

In other news, I FOUND IT!  For all of those who were part of my vision, please enjoy below.
p.s. All credit goes to my hubband Chris for finding it.  :)



Oh yeah and we probed in clinic today.  It sucked.  Here's to better days in the future.

Sleeping in this morning - Refreshing.

Taking a shower for as long as I want - Relaxing.

Spending the morning with Chris and Cam - Rejuvenating.

Getting to clinic with plenty of time - Relieving.

Learning how to fulcrum in clinic - Revealing.

Getting to work on McCall - Ravishing.

Accidentally (I swear) probing McCall - Regretful.

Passing off the HHx PE - Rejoicing!

Coming home to Camden - Priceless.

No Time

When we don't get time in clinic to blog it is hard to remember to do it later, not to mention what to talk about. 

So . . HHX.  What the freak?  Everybody has a different opinion on how it should be done.  EVERYONE.  Prof Costley, Inst Hafen, Inst. . . . (what is the other lady's name?), Inst Demmings, Megan, Kim, Lauren and Marilyn.  You'd think they all had different training, but they all went to Weebs!  They need to have a systematic approach to these things.  I know they try, but really we're smart people we can figure this out right?  This is the main reason I am dreading passing off the HHX PE.  I want to feel good and competent about what I am doing, but it seems impossible to me with ZERO experience with a real person.

Is this is where critical thinking gets me?  Frustrated?  Great. Puke.

No skull tomorrow.  Rock hard.

"I love you dark continent, good night!" -if you name the movie this quote is from correctly on my comments, I will give you a prize.

All the time

So, if you read my last post you will know that I was frustrated during the last clinic session.  While I was thinking it over I realized that it was MY OWN STUPID FAULT that we didn't have time to do anything.  While we were in the instructor area about to "BREAK" someone asked if we were actually doing vitals.  Prof Costley said no.  Then I (like the idiot that I am sometimes) said, "Why not?" So, Costley said, "Ok if you want to we can."  Then she had the 2nd year TA's demonstrate taking vitals.  (All the while taking up time.)  THEN we did vitals on each other THEN we did Health History.  So . . it was all my fault.  I apologize to all of you in Wednesday's morning clinic last week.


And now, the opposite is true.  We are studying vitals today, and we have AMPLE (as in AMPLE) time.  So here I am.  Blogging to my heart's content.


MeChel pulled her left hammie sometime over the weekend so she is in pain.  (If you'd like to know how much pain just check her HHX changes.)  It is sad, because she is passing off the maintenance PE and she has to bend down and stuff and she is like crying (not really).


Peace out homies.

P.S.  My computer here in UNIT 12 possessed and will not listen to me.  So the AMPLE's are supposed to be red, not green.  word.

Pessimism or Realism

One thing I LOVE about our hygiene class is how positive everybody is.  Seriously, it is so fun to come and be uplifted by you all.  Now, I don't want to detract from that so please . . . just let me vent.

Clinic this morning was annoying.  So much time was WASTED and therefore I could not pass off 2 PE's, blog, or feel good about my clinic time.  ARGH.  I think I am especially sensitive to this type of thing, so I'm sure it bugged me more than others in our clinic, but it just bugs me!  We've got certain people yackidy-yack-yacking about things that are not pertinent to our learning.  I'm sure we may see a patient who has had a mitral valve prolapse, but when/if we do we will consult an Instructor who will help us know what to do NO MATTER HOW LONG WE TALK ABOUT IT TODAY.  And I feel like only through those EXPERIENCES will we begin to really understand the importance and flow of the pre-med thing.

Thankfully I have Jeanie Allen to end my day with.  She is wonderful and I love her.  Radiology was two thumbs way up.

FBE

Fastest Blogging Ever.

3 minutes people.  That is all I have.

What a great day to be in clinic.  MeChel and I are learning to live in the "Paper World" and then transferring our paper knowledge to the "Real World".  For instance, would we really just stand around in the sterilization room for 15 minutes while our instruments get their nasties jiggled away?  I don't think so.  I think in my real world I would come back and disinfect my stuff THEN finish sterilizing my instruments.  Also, I would NOT Cavi-wipe a tray with DIRTY GLOVES, assume it be clean, stick it under my armpit (ever heard of aerosols?), and bring it back to my Unit with a clear conscience.  But whatev.  We lived in the "Paper World" today just fine, because we passed our PE's.  4 PE's in one week?  A little much?  I think so.

I just got a hunger growl.

G2G.  Pod Wrap now.

"During all intra-oral procedures"

I have officially used the subject phrase at least 10 times today.  It applies to gloves, masks, operative protective eyewear, and for that matter scrubs, lab shoes, lab coat and hair barrier option!  (I think I forgot to mention the hair barrier option in my PE . . . thanks Inst. Chaffe for passing me off anyway.  Assuming I pass.)

Oh today today.  I am feeling a little slow today.  As in . . . mentally and physically slow.  As in . . . I am boring.

I enjoyed suctioning in Kristie's beautiful mouth.  It really is refreshing to be working on a real person mouth!  It is unique and interesting.

After having a "system" of set-up and clean-up in your own personal office it is difficult to learn a new method, especially when it is specific as WSU's is.  Also, when we have never really seen patients I can hardly think of it logically, because I don't know what I am going to be touching and not touching.  I am great on the wipe-down (at least I think I am), but the preparatory work is harder because you are just pretending you know what you will be using. 

Today we listened to some seriously awesome music during our instructor session.  One particular song brought joy to my soul.  When I am at home I will embed the video, if this doesn't work. Enjoy!

Reader Be Warned

Ah . . . the pressure to live up to my previous blog post. I am drawing a blank in the hilarity department today, unfortunately.

I am looking forward to lunch so that I can "go pump". For you women out there who do not have children and/or did not breastfeed that is probably a strange phrase to you. Well . . . let me explain it. (If this breastfeeding subject creeps you out, please skip to the next paragraph.) Well . . . Your body makes as much milk as your suckling child needs. And . . . my child needs a lot. So . . . while I am away from him for these hours my body makes the milk, but he isn't drinking it so it builds up. This is an interesting feeling, kind of like a tingling, a fullness, if you will. So . . . that is what I am going to feel in an hour or two if I do not pump. So . . . I go out to my car, I get my electric breast pumps, hooked up to bottles and hopefully in about 10 minutes the bottles will be full of breast milk, which I will put in the fridge (please do not drink it) and take home to be used the next time I am away from little Cam. So . . . there you have it. I am a pumping fool. Don't be grossed out, it is part of life if you are a woman.

In other news, today I suctioned like a mad fool. I sprayed air. I sprayed water. I sprayed both together. I filled my Typodont (not sure I want to name mine, but that may come later on) with water up to his maxillary central incisors (rdh lingo), then sucked it out.

Ann Arrington came and talked to us today. She is cool. She invented the BlueBoa. She asked us if we had any questions. I am a naturally nosy person and the two questions I stopped myself from asking were, "How much did you have to pay to invent this?" and "How much are you making now?" Thankfully, I had the smarts not to ask.

Now, on to Radiology based off the most confusing email I have ever gotten in my life.

Let's talk about . . .

First off, these keyboards. Ever heard of ergonomics? Hello? My arms are like at shoulder height, my wrists are kinked (welcome into my body carpal tunnel syndrome, please cut off blood flow to my hands) and as far as I can tell it cannot be adjusted. Maybe I'll talk to Mr. S-sauce about it.

Today I saw my first patient. Her name is MeChel B. She was totally awesome. I squirted water in her mouth. She liked it. It looks like she has some pretty great HC (home care), but I didn't get a fabulous look. Maybe I should have turned up my light brightness (which you better believe I know how to do).

We are using EagleSoft software (because Patterson doesn't make enough money as it is, why don't we buy it for EVERY SINGLE STUDENT COMPUTER). jk. They probably donated it, which is smart because then we are all being brainwashed by their software for 2 years. Start the indoctrination.

What I am most NOT looking forward to is memorizing this PE (Process Evaluation). "Find your birth date in the calendar and go there. Go forward one day. Go back one week. Go back to today. Go to the Wednesday after Labor Day." I mean come on. I've got a child at home who needs to be cared for, I've got no time for this. JK again, whoa don't freak out.

Really though, it has been a great fun first day in clinic. I am sure there will be MANY great memories to come here in Unit 12.

To Do before 8.23.10

Order books online.
Label ALL of my instrument issue.
Wash lab coats again.
Read Chapter 2, 3, and 4 (of a book I don't have or plan to get).
Become familiar and explore Perry's Blackboard (which is not up yet).
Read Module 1 for DENT 2206 (Clinic) with Costley Monday.
Read Module 2 for DENT 2206 (Clinic) with Costley Wednesday.
Read Module 1 (Ch. 2 in Wilkins + additional reading) for DENT 2207 with Costley Tuesday.
Read Module 2 (Ch. 3 in Wilkins + additional reading) for DENT 2207 with Costley Tuesday.
Answer Learning Objectives for Module 1 and 2 for DENT 2207 with Costley Tuesday.
Prepare for the readiness assessment in DENT 2207 with Costley Tuesday.

Am I keeping this all straight? Massive confusion. The first week should be a "practice week", but be for real, but take the stress off.
This doesn't sound too tough . . . NOT.

X minus . . .

Already changing the world, one 8 month old brushing at a time.

Testing . . . testing.