Good time

I was able to complete a patient today who I did an OD on last time and she was a 1B. We had to wait a long time last time for an OD check so I wasn't able to start her at all. So today I completed 4 quads and only had 1 error! I was really excited for this, even though she didn't have that much to start out with, I still only missed one little teeny tiny spot! This is encouraging to me, in the future as a hygienist I am not going to have instructors coming around and checking my work so it makes me feel good that when I go over and look for mistakes that I am finding them ok on my own. I need to get some kid patients and and find some people who need sealants!

Class II-Check!

Dear Blog,
I completed my first class II patient today! My patient had some recession and he had some areas of sensitivity so I put some topical on his gums to help with that and then I was able to remove the calculus. I had quite a few errors today, but the only thing that makes me feel better is that those errors were subgingival and this is my first patient EVER with subgingival calculus. Instructor Hafen was a HUGE help today because she stayed with me to help me find the errors. I hope that I can get better at finding errors because even when she was helping me I couldn't really feel the errors. I am so happy that clinic is finally starting to get better and that I don't go home everyday wishing I could just hide under a rock for the rest of my life.

Thanks Linds!

My patient today was my sister who came in and was my real patient before thanksgiving. I completed 1 quad last time and today I completed all of her quads. This is my first patient that I have finished!  I have had mostly OD appt's where I need my patient to return. I think I like continuing care much better than OD appts because I feel like I actually get something done. So far I have had pretty good luck with patients and I haven't  been too stressed out (knock on wood). I keep feeling better and better with each day that passes. I hope by the end of this semester that I feel as good as I did last semester! I think that the first couple of days just set a blow to my self esteem and now I am just trying to work it back up. I was so happy that I only had one missed area today for her whole mouth!

first cancelation

Today I had my first cancelation today. I was freaking out yesterday because I was calling and texting my patient to try and confirm their appt. I left 4 messages and sent about 4 texts. Finally last night around 7 my patient texted and said, "I am not going to be able to make it tomorrow"..and that was it! Luckily I had another name of a person I could call and lucky again that he could come in on short notice. Today was a better day than last week, I feel like I am starting to get in the mode better. I am still experiementing with what positions feel the best and what instruments work best for what kind of deposits. My instructor gave me a compliment today when she said that I was doing really well with the OD because I was catching stuff that she wouldn't have caught. Today was a much better day than last week and I think I will keep coming back!

Someone have some mercy and just put me out of my misery

I am dubbed biggest failure of the day today. I definitely got feeling very comfortable last semseter and now I feel like I have never seen a scaler in my life and the mouth is a completely foreign object. Maybe I will just drive to Mexico tonight and never come back...tempting, very tempting. Adios!
Today I had a class II patient and I wanted to pass of a couple of PE's...bad idea Michelle, very bad. First of all, you have to learn how to use an explorer (I thought I learned this, but apparently I have had it wrong all along), then I have to sit in the right area and actually scale to remove calculus.
Fail, fail.
Before I end this post, let me just let me say something I did right today, I didn't have to take retakes  and x-rays went fast today. I had a lot of time to scale, but I just didn't get done, oh wait, I am only saying good things here...Karen was awesome and helped me by writing down my probe depths because her patient didn't come (lame patient, if you say you are going to come the night before then you better be there or we will hunt you down).

Clinic day 2

The days just keep getting better and better. I remember things that in previous appts I forgot. I might actually make it through this semester!

Thanks/Sorry mom!

Today officially starts patient treatment for the next semester! I am really excited about this semester because I am excited to see new things and to become better at...everything! I forsee problems with PE's because they aren't scheduled and I can see myself forgetting them and then struggling at the end to get them in! This is why I have  planner. My mom was my first official patient and I was so glad because I am still trying to get the hang of things, and especially since we haven't been in clinic for a month...I am a tad  rusty! But I am excited to continue going!

Back in the saddle

First day back in the frigid weather! Today was not nearly as stressful as Wednesday probably will be. We had a lab day where we went over our new grading system (taleval), ultrasonics, gracey's and stuff like that. We painted out typodonts with whiteout, and it is horrible! It is sticky stuff that just baffles my mind. I am excited for this semester and I am excited that in 4 months I am going to be a second year!