10/28/09

Today we did the air powder polishing and selective polishing. I had no idea that polishing could take such a toll on your teeth and gums. I have been working as an assistant for two years and that is my main job. In my office it is part of the cleaning! I was so surprised when reading the module that polishing had so many disadvantages. We tried out the air powder polishing today, and that has to create so many aerosols! We use sodium bicarbonate in it and it gives it an off taste. I prefer polishing over using the air powder, but that is probably from more experience with polishing. I also got to practice scaling a little bit more. My main worry is just knowing that I'm adapting and using indirect vision correctly. I'm going to be practicing using the instruments on my typodont this weekend!

10/26/09

Today was so exciting, we actually got to use the ultrasonic. As always it was alot harder then it looks. It was fun practicing on the typodont because you could actually see the calculus coming off. It was kind of scary on a real patient, and I gave Jenny quite the shower. I didn't know that you couldn't use the tip when it came to using the ultrasonic. we have practiced using the leading third with all of our other instruments. So it was kind of confusing switching to using the lateral, face or back. I passed off intraoral camera and OHI PE's. It is going to be alot scarier going over the different types of perio and gingivitis with a real patient. I want to become confident in what I tell my patients. I want to be confident that I'm giving my patients the correct feedback and methods to prevent the disease from progressing.

10/21/09

Today was kind of a repeat of last Monday, but we really went into to depth. This time we had to record everything in each others charts. We got our pts chart and filled out HHx, HHxRx, OD, OHI, and Status Rx. My goal for this week is to learn what goes under everyone of them and be confident in it. I was really slow doing this today and want to get so I don't even have to think about it. I also passed off the Universal PE today. This instrument was a little harder for me then the others. I'm sure with practice that I will eventually get it. I had a hard time locating the composit feelings when recording for Dent. I think it will be alot easier once we have x-rays. I'm going to practice looking for these while I'm at work so it doesn't take me so long. That was the main thing that slowed me down. As a dental assistant I just take x-rays and polish. I have never looked out for these. So I think work will be a great help with this!

10/19/09

Today was a good day! Everything went so smoothly. We got to sit each other down and go through the whole process that we will be doing very soon. We did the HHx and HHxRx on our treatment records. We performed quick extra and intraoral exams. We probed a certain area. We looked for caries and recorded findings in each others charts. I learned that asthma is a medical alert and needs to be listed in the upper right corner in red. If someone has asthma we should ask the duration, when their last attack was, what sets it off, and any medications taken. In HHxRx we would write that they need their inhaler, and to avoid aerosols. I passed off treatment planning on Eaglesoft and Anterior Instrumentation. I need to practice using universal instruments and make sure I have that down for this coming wednesday. Overall, it was nice to be able to see how everything fit together.

10/14/09

Today we got to work on the dental screening. It was nice because now we actually know how to chart. We all had pretty good mouths so not a lot to chart. I got to feel what a cavity feels like. I was amazed to see how much info was on one green sheet. We must have to get pretty good at this to fill that all out within one app. and still have time to do the cleaning. The PE was very helpful in learning how to chart the different existing work and work to be done. I'm used to doing it on the computer so it will be nice to do it by hand and see which one I like better. I passed off my instrument classification and adaptation, angulation, and activation PE. This week my goal is to work on using anterior instruments. I'm very excited for the fall break. We definitely need one!

10/12/09

Today was a busy day, but not as stressful as it has been lately. We got to learn to do OHI in our treatment records. It was nice to put everything we have been learning together. We had to write our HHX and HHxRx in our treatment records. We learned what to write under OD and OHI. we looked over the gingiva and noted if there was any gingivitis. I didn't realize that people with such healthy mouths could have localized gingivitis. It was nice to see where I had it so that I can focus on those areas a little better. Afterwards, we did the disclosing agents and found the PFI. I think the disclosing agents will be very helpful for telling pts. where they need to focus and helping us identify where plaque is. I learned to be very specific with the OHI. For instance, instead of just writing brushing twice a day, you can indicated what TB method they are using. My goal for this week is just to get more familiar with using my instruments and especially my mirror with indirect vision.

10/7/09

Wow lots of information that we have been taking in these last few weeks! Today I passed off probing. I have never been so scared to pass off a PE. Luckily, I was within 1 millimeters on all my quadrant. It took me thirty minutes but I did it. I'm really thinking of getting loupes! Today we used our Universal Curet. It is exciting to start using instruments, but alot harder then it looks. We used the Barnhart and Columbia. I had the hardest time using my wrist and not my fingers. I did not get as much time to practice as I would have liked. I'm going to go home and practice exploring, probing, and using a universal curet on my typodont. We also learned to treatment plan using Eaglesoft. I have used dentrix for two years so that made it a little easier to understand even though they are quite different.

10/5/09

Today we got to finally scale. It was very scary, but very exciting. We learned to use the Nebraska on the anterior teeth. We learned how to properly use adaptation, angulation, and activation. I could actually feel the tartar and see it coming off. We also got to refresh on probing. I'm very scared for this PE. I will have to practice on my typodont and study Nield to make sure I'm doing it correctly. My goal this week is to practice exploring and probing on the typodont. I want to be able to use indirect vision properly. I have noticed that through all the practice with the mirror, I'm getting indirect vision a little more. Just takes practice! It was an exciting day and I learned a lot.