just as planned

OH.. I am so grateful for good days like today. My sweet pt came a little late-but she came!! She was very patient and kind and we had a good time communicating in broken spanglish. She didn't have #30,29,28 nor 19, 20, 21. So instead of BWX we took 4 PAs. The first set were going to be perfect but the film that was set out for us to use was duplicating film and so didn't create an image. SO the second set had to be taken. They were pretty good considering the missing teeth-but not perfect. Because of time, I was only able to get 1quad done.. but because she is so relyable, i was ok with it.
My afternoon pt was right on time, and when i went out to get her she was gone!! The clinic manager had sent her to get a parking pass and she got confused and didn't come back for 30 min. Finally we got started and since she was a recall pt, I got right in the mouth and cleaned her up. It went pretty smooth. I was amazed at how much better I am adapting the ultrasonic and using the gracies... i saw several large pieces of cal removed by hand scaling. she was out the door in just a little over an hour.

VA day

I finally had a really great day at the VA. Not to say that all the other times that i have been there have been bad.. just that i finally saw some perio! it was a relief to see some pockets deeper than a 4mm and I got a really awesome view of calculus coming off in chunks. I was really grateful for the lesson we had on ultrasonic instrumentation. I was able to better adapt the insert to the tooth and the calculus removal went much smoother. Both of my pts there were considered class 4 perio pts.. because of the gravity of their situations, i was only able to complete 2 quads on the first and 1 quad on the second. I also had a good learning experience; i broke an instrument tip in the sulcus of 2D. I was totally blank as to what i should do. all i could remember is what i shouldn't do.. don't get the suction, don't stress out.. I had him keep his mouth open while i went to get an instructor. she tried many instruments, including the proxy brush and finally it came loose.. wow.. we were just about to take a PA too. I was glad for the learning opportunity..

interesting afternoon

Last week's morning appt was a stress. The pt couldn't find the parking pass ticket box and ended up being more than 45 min late. we rushed to get her started and in the chair. her 4bwx went smoothly-we took a supplimental to get the very back of a 2nd molar. then she was dx as a class 2. Because i know this pt is reliable, i made it my exam pt. it went pretty well.. i did miss some spots which is hard to take sometimes. My afternoon pt was a 16yr old and her mother was my pt in 3 weeks. after several conversations about fees and bleaching, i went to set up the xrays and came back to see that the office manager had given the mother to another student without any consent of mine.. I was furious and it showed in my scaling of the daughter. the mother ended up being a class 2 which is what i needed. During all this, I also had a first year student observing the clinic session.. she learned a lot!

busy morning

I am trying to focus on the possitve, since, so far, i feel pretty unproductive. I am grateful for the little 7year old boy was such a joy. Our goal was to get 2bwx and clean his teeth. He only has 2 permanent anterior teeth and 2 of his 6year molars. We also had his molars 19 and 30 evaluated for sealants and he needed them. So after the cleaning we were able to get that done. I had my second pt out in the foyer waiting-so i was a bit hurried-but they turned out great. My second pt came at 9:30am and I didn't get to him til 10am.. i was worried about time. Good thing he didn't need xrays. He is really cool for a 15yr old and we laughed some.. that was good. He had obviously more plaque and calculus on the right side and i found out that he is right handed.. he has flossed a few times since our last apt. He's learning. My afternoon pt didn't show up and she didn't answer her phone the 3-4 times that i called her.. I even tried calling her husband. i am surprised because they were so wonderful last year and so reliable. I hope all is ok.. especially because her husband is my pt next tuesday!!! so I got a walk-in pt who all she wanted was xrays.. for many reasons, it took me quite a bit longer than normal. oh well, they turned out great and i even challenged myself and did conventional films.. i'm happy about that.

first pt as a 2nd year

I am so grateful that I brought in my little brother (a 1b) to be my first pt. I feel SO SLOW!! I am super frustrated, because my pt in the afternoon just canceled AGAIN!! I don't know what i am going to do.. i guess i better start calling people.. ARG!! that is the worst part of this-you never know if your pt is really going to show.. well.. I hope it all works out.

first week back

I am writting this a week late, but I still feel that i am adjusting to being back in school. I a surprised at how much i have forgotten. I am also surprised at how much i have remembered. I really am not thrilled about being back so soon. I want more time to play, but such is life. It is really good to see everybody though.