Firsts

Upon returning to school after spring break, I will be encountering a lot of firsts. First denture patient, first nitrous oxide administration, first injections (okay, maybe I did some in Mexico), and first diagnosis appointments. Here we go! Summer clinic will bring even more, but it's time to ramp up, get lots of good advice, and think about how I want this to go (I'm sure I'll look back on this and laugh hysterically).

We had a lunch and learn with the upperclassmen last week to get advice on how to make the experience of entering clinic as smooth as possible. I took good notes (literally typed it up) and I'm planning on running through it and making a sort of action plan. At this point, my general goal is to treat my clinic years as if I'm starting up a practice. I'll bring in lots of call patients (friends, family, friends of friends, friends of family, friends of friends of friends, you get the idea) and count what they throw my way as icing on the cake. I'll micro-manage my appointments, and work to avoid having paperwork and labwork preclude me from chair time. Can it be that different from a cake business? ; )

At this point, I feel like I'm ramping up. I don't want to over do it and make things harder on myself than they have to be, but I want the experience to be better than it has worked out for some 3rd years so far this year.

And spring break? A lot of the moving is done, still bits and pieces to do. LOTS of house finishing before unpacking. And some serious quilting is in my future. And a birthday cake. Maybe two.

I Got a Star

(a moment to brag - it doesn't happen very often in dental school)

A la elementary school, Dr. Miller, our fixed prosthodontics prof (crowns, bridges, etc), will give stars when he signs off what he considers "excellent" work. He literally draws a star in pencil next to his initials.

It's a pretty big deal.

I've only received one other star for my fabulous margin outlining in red pencil on my waxing dies. Such talent! We switch professors for each project and have been working with him for a few weeks now. Today, we did an exercise where we repaired a central incisor with composite using teeth that more closely simulate real teeth because they have a dentin colored core and an enamel colored shell. Not really fixed prosth, but that's ok. The real challenge was to reproduce the exact shade of the tooth and shape and polish it so that no one can tell that you knocked half of your front tooth out.

Yeah, I got a star : )

My Baby Girl is Losing a Tooth

Erik and I took Roxy and Reagan to the vet this evening only to discover that my baby girl Roxy broke one of her maxillary canines. Her canine! I'm so sad. So now we're getting her scheduled for an extraction. The vet was all excited to show me her dental setup when she found out I was in dental school. It was hard to be too interested knowing that Roxy will have a toofless cat smile.

Erik asked me if we could replace the tooth or do endo. I figure a cat partial will go over about as well as cat clothing.

All in White

On a positive note, we had our white coat ceremony last Friday. It's our "welcome" into the profession as we enter clinic - well, soon, at least. We said our dental version of the Hippocratic Oath, awkwardly had a coat put on us and then my family went to dinner. Big deal? I guess so. I'm sure one day I'll look back fondly. Ready to get this over with? Yes. Most definitely yes. 2.25 years-ish to go.

Right now, I'm pretty caught up with all my projects, so that feels good. I like fixed. I seem to be good at crown and bridge preps. I'm getting faster at operative. I've been paranoid because there are so many people faster than me. I talked to one in particular today, and found out that she's not using indirect vision (looking in her mouth mirror and working "backwards") so she'll get done faster. I try to use indirect vision as much as I can to save my back and get used to it because it's hard. So now I feel better. I'll get fast and I'll be doing it the right way. Endo? Well, for me, it's stressful, but it's not that bad. I kind of like doing root canals. It's methodical and so far, hard to screw it up. Pedo, let's just say it's nice to learn how to do practical things like ID caries on a radiograph or visual inspection (especially since we've already taken a class in radiology). Ortho is a bore, but I'm making an appliace that might be capable of fixing my central incisor that sticks out - if I make it right : )

Starting in the summer, if you want to come see me at the school, let me know! Even if it's just a cleaning. It's not free, but it's cheap ; )

Burned Out

I need Spring Break tomorrow. Well, maybe I mean Monday. I really just need the Lord to lift me up and carry me out of this hole of dental school and let me see His purpose anew because I have very little left and all they do is ask for more of me every day.

25 Things: I'll do it, but I'm not tagging anyone

1. I generally straight up delete forwards.
2. I hate trying on dresses when I'm wearing socks.
3. I watch an episode of Gilmore Girls everyday even though I've seen the entire series at least 3 times.
4. I have 3 blogs which I consistently update. One on dental school, one on quilting, one on the house.
5. I used to practice Yang Style Tai Chi - the long form. I miss it.
6. I "met" Erik on a "blind" date after I said yes to him thinking he was a different Erik.
7. I feel like I end up in the middle of random emergencies all the time: at least 4 seizures, girl run over by car, elderly neighbor falling out of bed. Why me?
8. I'm allergic to cats, dogs, shellfish, and pine. And maybe down...
9. My wardrobe is mainly brown, black, gray, and blue. I'm working on it.
10. I can play a lot of musical instruments. Mainly piano.
11. I find it really hard to get rid of things.
12. I'm really bad at talking on the phone and keeping up with friends long distance.
13. I usually end up crying when I try to play golf.
14. I really enjoy a good cup of tea.
15. I'm an Audrey Hepburn fan. I have a VHS with Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffany's, How to Steal a Million and Charade on it which I have watched a million times. Especially while studying for tests and writing term papers.
16. I love to travel, but according to Erik, I complain most of the time.
17. I think it's fair to say that I never officially played any sport growing up. Ok, t-ball for like one season.
18. I really liked teaching high school but find it hard to believe that all of my students are adults now. With kids and stuff.
19. Don't talk to me in the morning before I have my coffee. You have been warned.
20. My feet get cold easily.
21. My room is a MESS. All the time. This kind of translates to "house" when I'm not living with my parents.
22. I wish I could wear a formal gown every day. Either that or pajamas.
23. I'm a night owl.
24. I'm a pretty big James Taylor fan.
25. I can't believe I thought of this many things. I'm now going to bed. Later than I planned, as usual.

Gloomy Day

This is the kind of day I woke up to. Rain is never a good thing for a commute into downtown. But it wasn't that bad. Plenty of time to grab a zucchini bread (mmm!) and coffee (hallelujah!) before class.


Got to class, dropped my zucchini bread on the floor with one bite taken out of it. One bite. Well, at least I still had my coffee. That's all that really matters, anyway.

Good news, though...no patients in perio today, just simulated surgery. I wasn't in the mood for a patient, today. Especially after dropping my breakfast on the ground.

Then endo (not bad), organized my extracted teeth (can't beat organization), only had 30 minutes to study for "pop" quiz in fixed. But it turns out I'm a "good guesser". Not too bad.

Ok, so middle of fixed class, Derek gets a text...scores are here. Apparently I was in a batch that didn't get sent out until last week. So as soon as perio was over...

The horrible walk to the mailbox.

That stupid envelope HAD to be the one sitting right on top.

All I did was look for the word "PASS"

Then it was off to the house after making a few phone calls and texts.

Only after stopping for a small little celebratory treat. (The real celebration will come Friday night: good food, free margaritas, and some Wii to top it off)

This whole process has really made me seek God's peace that passes understanding. Peace that no matter what the outcome of this crazy test was, it would all work out. It was not fun, my break didn't exist, my Christmas was maybe not ruined, but definitely 2nd priority, and I'm so glad it was not a waste.

Ok, ok - fine.

I have a test next week, so it looks like my studying hiatus will soon be over. Ideally, I will get my scores tomorrow or Saturday, find out I passed, celebrate, and then succumb to dental school again. Ideally. If not, well, I'll have to succumb anyway, but I like the way the first scenario turned out.

My Day Off

Will be spent:
sleeping in...
having a long breakfast with a cup of coffe some homemade sweet rolls and Sunday's ads...
quilting, quilting, quilting and watching movies while I do it...
finishing up some long awaited Christmas gifts (really late)...
and NOT looking for mirrors for the house.

I might even organize all my new course materials and maybe even read some of it.

And We're Back

The first week of school has come and gone. The inevitable "boards talk" is inescapable, but the first day was the worst and it's continually fading. I'll probably get my scores next week and I'm occasionally terrifed but mostly don't think about it. Which is good.

It's been a bit strange coming back since we're in the middle of our two biggest classes, so it's kinda like we never left. We got our dentures back in removable, and I'm still working on my bridge in fixed. We actually have a rotation which is basically operative (along with actually using universal precautions and rubber dams and talking to our patient (Mr. Ty Podont) and going over med history and treatment plans with our professors). It also includes doing an entire procedure start to finish in 3 hours. I know that sounds like a long time, but that's how we start out and gradually get faster. Then you graduate and have to face the reality of 1 hr appointments...if that. We started pedodontics (that's kiddos) and I really love the way they format the class. Instead of sitting through lectures, we are in small groups that rotate through instructors where we have hands-on, face-to-face, can't hide in the corner sessions where we are accountable for information and it's amazing how much better you learn : ) We started orthodontics, too, where we bent wire for 3 hours and I pierced myself with the thin gauge at least 3 times, drawing blood. But it's a way laid back class with music piped into the sim lab and no practicals. Endo is kinda scary. Right now that's just based on rumors which the course director has tried hard to dismiss. But we all know how things really work in dental school.

I haven't read or studied for anything yet. I haven't finished organizing binders and syllabi, either.

The hardest part has been getting up in the morning. It's really super hard. I've been staying up until Erik gets home from the house because it's kinda nice to spend some amount of time with my husband each day, but I can't go to sleep at midnight every night and expect to be useful in the morning.

Be Prepared

Tomorrow is my last day of study before I take it. I have never felt so unprepared for anything in my life. At least going into the Grand Canyon was sublime ignorance. This, I know, could be really bad.

I also do not like the approach of "I just want to pass." Granted, it's all I need. But you see, I usually go into something with the attitude of "let's try to ace this". That way, when I don't quite do that, I at least make an A or B...usually. What happens when you go with "just want to pass" and you have no where else to go...except not pass? I don't like it.

Of course there's always the "microbiology approach" which is - don't study and let's just see what happens. That was a God thing if I ever saw one....

I have about 1/4 of the Kaplan book left and that is depressing. I've done most of the 1996 released exam and feel...ok. I do absolutely have to do the dental anatomy section before all is said and done.

Then comes the waiting for scores. I'm going to pass, right? I mean, really... Right? I'm so unprepared for this.

Please, Lord, let this be the coming to life of Your power made perfect in weakness. Because I am seriously weak right now and will need a lot of Your power come Saturday morning.