NCUR

We presented at NCUR today.  It was actually pretty cool.  I thought our project had kindof bombed because of scheduling problems and lack of participation but we still accomplished some good stuff.  It was fun to talk to people about it.  One lady even wanted to try to implement 2nd life in her school class.  We told her that one of the problems we had was that the students didn't have updated enough computers to handle loading 2nd life.  Her response to that was that all of the kids in her school were given ipads.  I think I picked the wrong school to go to.
We met some really interesting people from all over the nation.  It was neat.

TA day

This week I had both Tuesday and Wednesday off.  It was glorious.  I wasn't feeling all that motivated to say the least after my days off.  I have finished my requirements and figured I would just show up and call someone or see some of the walk ins that seem to be suddenly showing up every day.  Yeah I know, lazy.
I lucked out when a first year student called me and said her patient could only come in on my day and she had talked to the instructors who said that she could take the chair of someone who is finished with their requirements, aka me.  The catch was that I still had to come to clinic and "supervise."
So I came and helped everyone chart and then just hung out with Olivia.  She did a great job and didn't need too much help.  I passed off her PE's and did a scale check and pretty much was her personal TA.  Lucky girl huh.
Anyway it was not a bad day, I went home feeling even lazier than when I came.

Goodbye Requirements!

Today I had my last kid requirement scheduled for the morning.  This is the fifth day that I have scheduled a kid and not had them show up.  I was pretty darn frustrated.  I finally gave up and called my sister-in-law to bring in my two year old niece.  She was nice enough to bring her in even though she was super sick.  I had a walk in class V until she got there.  She wouldn't let me do anything really, as predicted.  I felt so bad because I walked away and she turned to her mom and asked if this was the doctors!  I think she thought she was there for a shot.  Poor little girl, no wonder she was scared.  Then when I told her that my friend wanted to take a look at her teeth she covered her mouth and started crying.    As soon as we walked out of the intimidating clinic she was trying to show everyone her new toothbrush and prize.  I was so grateful that she was willing to come in.  I hope she isn't traumatized.
My afternoon patient was the mom in a family of a bunch of kids that came down from Idaho.  She was super nice.  Her kids would all come sit by us and talk after they were done getting their teeth cleaned.  It was fun to sit and chat with them all.  My favorite was her little six year old boy.  He was so excited I let him put on a glove and hold the suction.  He kept telling me he wanted to be a dentist.  So cute.
I still needed six injections and Karen was kind enough to let me do hers.  I think it was a win for both of us because he was a bit of a pain!  It was actually a really good experience for me.  He have very abnormal anatomy.  When I went to do the IA he would only open his mouth about 1/2 an inch.  Then as soon as I go the needle near him he would jump so high.  I finally had to tell him to buck up and be a man.  I told him to go to his happy place and hold still with his mouth open wider or I was going to have to keep stabbing him!  He was a little more compliant after that.  I kept hitting osseous super early with the IA, only about 1/3 of the needle would go in.  The interesting part was he felt the zing of the lingual nerve and I was in the exact right spot (which was difficult considering how much he was moving) and he went numb super fast.  Crazy.  I haven't had the chance to do many IAs and none on abnormal anatomy so it was a great experience.
The VERY BEST part of the day was the end when I realized I had successfully completed ALL of my clinic requirements!!!! Woot Woot!  I am ready to graduate.

Only 1 more VA day.

Today was our second to last VA day.  So excited!
I tried my loupes once again.  Karlie W. was charting probe depths for me.  She kept asking me where a was and my eyes wouldn't focus, I was so dizzy.  I felt like my head was floating on the top of the room.  That pretty much sums up how it goes every time I try to wear them.  I try them on for 5-10 minutes and then am dizzy with a headache for the next two hours.  I don't know if they are going to work out.  I'm so sad about it.  My first patient was a sweet older man that had hearing problems.  It was so frustrating to try to tell him what was going on in his mouth and he couldn't hear a thing.  #27 was so decayed that I was afraid to even touch it.  I tried to deplaque it and tooth structure started coming out.  It was so sad.
On a good note the afternoon went super smooth.  We were all cruising.  My patient was awesome.  Such a nice guy.  And we left at 3 again.  It was Sam's birthday present!

Elementary Presentation

We went and did an elementary presentation to finish off a project for class.  It was fun.  

Post Board Celebration

My parents took me to a Chinese restaurant to celebrate the end of my FIVE different boards.  When I snapped open my fortune cookie this was my fortune inside of it.  I thought it was rather appropriate considering what we were celebrating.

Clinical Board!!!

I was so lucky to have my sweet mother-in-law as my patient. She came and slept at my house the night before, even though she wouldn't be there until 12:30 in the morning.  I was so worried because Maren and I had no back-up patient.  We were the only ones on Friday morning and I was scared that one of ours would not qualify and we would be stuck with no patient.  Maren called me later the night before and had found one!  Took a huge load off my mind!
We got there and luckily Maren was right next to me.  Helped me relax just knowing she was there.  I signed in as quick as I could.  The chief examiner checked my paperwork and I sent her back to be checked behind the curtain with the other examiners.  She was gone for an hour and 15 minutes.  I was sure she hadn't qualified.  Maren's was also gone forever.  We were so so nervous.  They both came back and our first submissions qualified!
I have never cleaned so fast in my life.  On the mockboards I felt like I had a huge surplus of time.  I sat and rested my hands for a half hour at the last mockboard.  I couldn't believe how different it was in the real test.  I looked up and had half an hour left!  I quickly probed and rechecked everything.  It was crazy how fast time went.  I turned her in with about 3 minutes left.
Now we just have to wait for the results!

I am so grateful I chose to go to Weber.  I talked to many girls from other programs and they just were not as well prepared.  Every single one of our girls had their first submission accepted.  I think that is a real testament to our instructors.  I am so grateful for them.  

LA Clinical Board!!!

IT IS OVER!!!  It's a little surreal that the thing I have been anticipating/dreading for 2 full years now is finally over.  I have been eating, breathing, living boards for two solid months now.  I can't believe all the trash you have to go through to be a dental hygienist.  It's a little bit much.  I am so excited to get to be a real person again.
The clinical fun started durning "Spring Break"  which was actually not a break at all.  I did homework, my mentor shadowing, paniked, and organized paperwork and instruments for the first three days.  Then on Thursday was all of our Local Anesthetic clinicals.
I was a little nervous for them because I have done a grand total of ONE other IA injection this semester, and it was my mockboard, which I failed.  Yes, I was very nervous.  But I studied my little tush off and had my mom come in to practice angles with a Q-tip so I figured that whatever was going to happen was going to happen.  I was as prepared as I felt I could be without practice.
I had one of the later times for the test.  I was not scheduled until 2:15pm.  After orientation at 7:30am I went home because I couldn't handle the stress of everyone else going.  I was very productive and wrote my mentor paper and then watched some of Pride and Prejudice, my go-to show.  Then I headed back to the school about noon to see how far ahead they were.
The examiner came in and got me about 12:30 and told me I could go set up my unit and I would start my test after they got back from lunch at 1:10.  I went and set up my unit.  Emotions were crazy back there.  People who had not passed the first time were preparing for their second attempt.
When the examiner got back I brought my wonderful mother back and was chit chatting with her until the other examiner was ready.  She was all friendly and smiles.  As soon as the other examiner got there and the test began it was a total change of atmosphere.  All smiles were gone.  It was extremely unnerving.  But I was confident.
I did the IA without any incidence.  I slid right in, in the exact right spot thanks to my mothers perfect landmark triangle and anatomy.  It went smooth as butter.  Then to the PSA.  My confidence was so high.  I had my hard one out of the way and it went perfectly.  I could do the PSA in my sleep.
I went to the PSA, got in the right position, and started.  I immediately hit osseous.  They began the countdown, literally.  We have three attempts when we have hit osseous before it becomes an automatic fail.  I repositioned and again, immediately hit osseous.  I heard them say "third and final attempt."  I started to get really really nervous, confidence was wavering.  I repositioned and it slide right in.  Perfect angle, everything was great.
The examiners said they needed to go behind the curtain and talk.  My confidence was soaring.  I knew I had passed, I was ecstatic.  They came back and told me that they needed to see the PSA on the left side.  I had no idea why but I said okay and repositioned.
I retracted my mom's cheek and brought the needle into position.  Immediately the examiner behind me yelled, I mean literally yelled, "Stop and hold!  You just touched the needle to your glove!"  My heart sunk.  I didn't think I had touched it.  They left to go talk behind the curtain.  I was close to tears.  Touching your glove without noticing is an automatic fail.  A 120 dollar mistake and a chance I might not get licensed that day.  I was on an emotional ride.  I was mentally preparing for them to come back and tell me to go get my backup patient.  Even my mom was close to tears at this point.
They walked back to me and said to get a new setup and do the left side again.  My only explanation is that one examiner saw that I hadn't touched my glove.  I did the injection again.  My confidence was shattered by this point.  It didn't go that well.  I was sure I had failed.
I didn't even break down my unit until after I got my paper because I was so sure I had failed.  I talked to Jodie.  She felt the same way.  When I walked out and pulled the paper out, the pink one that meant I passed, I just broke down.
That was intense.

Mentor Shadowing

I have finished both of my mentor shadowing assignments.  I found it so helpful that I contacted my hygienist friend and went and shadowed her just for fun too.  I really really liked getting to talk to so many people in the real world.  I had a variety of hygienists, some with 23 years of experience and some with 2.  It was nice to know that they felt as inadequate as I do.  I love seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and knowing that this time will pass.  I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in this program.  I have had amazing, incredible teachers and peers.  I have met some of the most dedicated and kind people that I hope I will always be able to stay in contact with.  I know I will miss this time after it is over but shadowing made me so so excited to get out into private practice.  As I was watching them, I kept thinking that "hey, I can do that, and I could do a really good job at it."  I am still so nervous about the first week in private practice and the adjustment that comes with that but I am so excited for it as well.  I think that I have gotten such a wonderful education that can really help me to make a difference in people's lives, through their mouths haha.  All of the hygienists I shadowed did a really good job, and all of them did it their own way and with their own style.  I hope I can find a dentist that lets me keep my own style.  Yeah for hygiene.  Now if only I can finish jumping through all these hoops to get there!
Tomorrow the clinical fun begins.  Wish me luck!

Weirdest Day of Clinic Ever

Today half of the girls didn't have patients, and no one cared the least bit.  I had a sweet older couple come in the morning.  The wife didn't know she needed to pre-med so we got to hang out and have some quality chat time for quite a while.  Then MeChel was kind enough to see her while I saw her husband so we could still get them both done.  I love you MeChel.
In the afternoon I purposely scheduled my aunt so that I could finish fast and have my mom come in to practice angles for the LA clinical next week.  So glad I did.  I might stand a fighting chance next week.  Still mostly terrified but it will come regardless.  When I was stood up after to walk them out I realized there was only one other person in the clinic with a patient.  And I finish an hour and a half early.  Awesome.  You can tell that boards are upon us.  Bring it on.

Last CA ever!!!

Today I had my last CA ever.  Never again will I have to try to organize the unorganizable.  I went out with a bang.  MeChel had no patient for the afternoon and it was awesome.  What a way to end it.

Last sealant clinic of my educational career

I have really enjoyed the sealant clinics but I must say that it will be oh so awesome to have a Friday off finally!  I tried my loupes today for the first time.  Probably not my best idea ever.  Wiggly kid + new magnification that is difficult to get used to = massive headache.  I hope I can figure these darn things out.

Sister-in-law

Today was so much fun getting to clean my sister-in-law.  Only downside?  I forgot my darn loupes.  I got them last night and was so excited to try them out.  They were sitting in my living room not being used the entire time.  How aggravating.  I never get to spend time with my sister-in-law so I had a blast getting to chat with her.  And now she has cleaner than clean teeth.  Check and check.