CALCULUS

Okay, so today we explored subgingivally on a DXTR....YIKES! My fulcrum and that is goood, and I feel okay on the anterior teeth, but the posterior were so hard! It's hard to get the distal surface. And then when you add doing it with indirect vision with the mirror...I need more practice. Plus I'm so scared I'm totally going to catch or go through their gums. I've got to remember I'm not getting the calculus off, I'm just FINDING it so that I know where to scale it off. None the less, I'm nervous to do it on a real patient. Also, it really hurt my neck and trap muscles. Instructor Skeen said it would get better though, we're just not used to using those muscles. She also said that eventually we will get a callus on our fulcrum finger, so that will be good. We were supposed to switch and do it on each other today....I'm sure glad that ended up being a negative. I don't know if I'd be able to do it. I want to get more comfortable on the DXTR. However, they said that we will be doing it on each other on Monday! So I'm taking my instruments home to practice on my typodont. I really hope that I can get the hang of it. I think my DXTR had quite a bit of calculus on it that I was trying to get off with the explorer too, so I've got to remember to just find it and have a soft grip. My thumb is getting better at staying in position. So if I can just remember to not have a killer death grip on the explorer, and just be soft and "explorer" I think I'll be ok. Hopefully I'll catch on! Until next time....

Frosted Peacock

Hey Guys! I just thought I'd give an update on my stethescope....the color is "FROSTED PEACOCK". Those of you who are lucky enough will get to see the color...it's hot! And those of you who are not so lucky, it's the color of this font. You're jealous aren't you! I know all of you wish your stethescope was FROSTED PEACOCK.

Explorer Day

Hey Hey Hey! Today was Explorer day! So today we did our first Intra-Oral Exam...AWKWARD! I feel so weird! It's nothing like extra oral. Extra is easy, you do it in like a pattern, but intra you have to notice all these structures. It just feels so weird and at the same time you're trying to not to get their saliva all over their face. CRAZY!
So anyways, after that we worked on finding calculus on the teeth with an explorer. That was kinda fun. My thumb position is getting better. I'm really starting to feel a little bit more comfortable with the instrument. I was kinda scared though because I was afraid I'd go under the gums and poke Desiree really hard. But all in all, it was a good day.
On the way home today I've got to stop and get a stethescope so I can do my vitals...Yipee!

SADHA

So today I went to the SADHA meeting. It was good. It feels good to be involved on some type of committee again. I really miss being in Student Activities...I never see anyone anymore. However, it all sounds really fun! I've been checking on prices for sweatshirts to make for a fundraiser. I'm the Jr. C0-Chair for Activities and am kinda excited about that. I was happy that I knew quite a bit about who people are and what goes on here on campus so that I could help them know what to do and who to talk to. At first when I said I'd be the activites position I thought "oh nuts, what was I thinking" but now, I hope that it won't be too bad. I just have so many other things to do. Oh well, upward and onward to VICTORY!

Rob

This is my cute boy Rob and I just relaxing on a Sunday afternoon.

Catching on

So today clinic was a good experience. I'm really begining to catch on and really enjoy the program. Things are starting to slow down from that first initial rush...either that or I've caught on to the pace from when we hit the ground running.
In clinic we learned how to do an extra-oral exam. That's where we feel the outside surfaces of the face and neck to see if there are any lumps or bumps or places of tenderness. It was neat to learn something we're actaully going to be doing. Also we started to work on our partners with an explorer and a mirror, just tracing along the gumline. We were getting used to using an instrument while using a fulcrum, which is your finger as a resting place on the teeth. It was good to get the explorer in my hand and actaully do the stuff.
So far this week has been really good. I've really had a better attitude and I'm not so worried all the time. That is a HUGE relief. I was wondering how I was going to do it for the next two years if that's how it was going to go. But I'm really enjoying it now!

Dental Hygiene Clinic

Today is my 4th day of clinic in the Weber State University Dental Hygiene program. I am feeling slightly overwhelmed with the whole program, but am getting the hang of things day by day. I'm starting to get to know the girls in my class a little better and it's been fun, especially today because we've had a little down time to think about things other than homework and studying. :) We've been working on patients health history charts, using a partner here in the class as an example. Today we did blood pressure and pulse rate. It was so fun because we worked on it last week and I wasn't able to hear the beat through the stethescope, but today I DID! It was an amazing experience. :) I'm really beginning to like it and feel a little bit more comfortable....until I do homework tonight. :) Also, in Radiology lab this morning, we started taking x-rays. That was fun, but a little frusterating. Out of 10 x-rays, only 1 tunred out to be diagnostic. NUTS! I've got to line them up a little bit better.