Yesterday was my last clinic session for the semester... I can't believe I made it, and I didn't even cry :) ... This has been a great experience for me, and I'm glad to know that I love dental hygiene!! I'm excited to continue along the way ;)

Mr. Daniel James Laneri... My first patient!

Today was our patient day in clinic... The real deal--where we brought in someone unfamiliar with clinic to begin the treatment process... First, shout out to my older brother Danny who saved me!!! Fairly last minute he rearranged some things and came up this way to help a sista out! What a saint! Danny, if you're reading this, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! I love you, and you were a rockin patient! (not to mention a stylish one ;))






This patient experience was pretty much a final clinical exam for me, and made me a little bit nervous... For those not in dental hygiene school, here's a rundown of what we did.

We started out at 8 am taking some vitals... Good news... Danny is very healthy and made my life very easy! Then we moved to an "extra-oral" exam which is basically a cancer screening. The "extra-oral" was followed by an "intra-oral" exam. (Again, a cancer screening--this time, inside the mouth ;)). After that I "probed" around each tooth with one 0f these bad boys...

Well, the good news is I didn't hurt him. He snored through most of it!! haha... I couldn't help but giggle a little bit when he would fall asleep and his mouth would close a bit on my fingers! (I'd have to gently remind him to open for me) Crazy boy... :) Then we disclosed his teeth and went over some oral hygiene instructions that were specific for him, and we moved on to scaling. The one bummer was that I didn't have time to finish a quad. Cleaning his teeth was so fun!! I know I'm so weird, but I really do love this stuff! It's fun to clean calculus!

We took four BWX x-rays later in the treatment... I used the new Phosphor Plate system which I had not used before... They are digital films which means less esposure and faster development :), but they fit just like a conventional film, rather than having a big, bulky sensor. It was nice to actually do x-rays on a patient, be able to take them quickly, and have no retakes! They weren't by any means my greatest films, but they passed "inspection," if you will!

(these are not danny's x-rays)

I knew I wouldn't have time to finish so I brushed the purple disclosing solution off of his teeth and let him go 8$ later... (i payed :)--the charge was for the x-rays $2 each) ... Hopefully sometime he'll be willing to come back for the actual cleaning, polishing, and fluoride treatment!

As for me, my goal was not necessarily to get A LOT done, but to do what I did, with confidence and ease. Everything went really well for me... I need to get faster at probing, but I know that will come with time... My biggest issue IS time! There never seems to be enough of it... I know I will get better, but right now it's hard to imagine actually finishing a patient in the time alloted!

My instructor, Instructor Hansen (not my usual instructor), was very helpful and very encouraging! She was a great confindence booster and gave me lots of positive feedback! I think i definitely learn more through positivity!

Things I'd like to improve for next time: better/more thorough assesment of gingiva, faster probe time, keeping track of how long it takes to do each portion (with that, keeping myself on track without looking over to see how far along my pod people are)

All in all, I was pleased, and I had a lot of fun! This will definitely help prepare me to see patients next semester!

Pulse? check. Respiration? check.

Yesterday was my turn... Mock patient day... 30 minutes early to clinic never seems to be long enough when you are going to see a patient. So much to do! Of course, the clinic temperature was less than comfortable, and it wasn't long before beads of sweat lined my glove--(unfortunate? not so much for a girl with dry skin... disgusting? absolutely!) Luckily for me, I had the best patient around! Natalie Burghardt :) What a cute girl! Also a treat... Alisha Barber assisting! That was probably the only way I maintained any composure.

My goal for clinic today was to remain calm, cool, and collected ;) I didn't mind if I didn't get very far in the process, I just wanted to do everything I had time to do well. I would say I almost reached my goal... For the most part I was very calm, but I wouldn't say I did EVERYTHING well! There are definitely things that I will get better at as time goes on, but all in all, I don't think it went too poorly! The part I was most nervous for was probing... I just didn't want to hurt her!! Before clinic I had reviewed in my head all of the procedures, and reminded myself to be gentle! I actually did well with the probe! I was proud when she said that I didn't really poke her! (even though I'm pretty sure I may have once or twice--:)) She was a good sport through it all, and was a great patient to work on because I was able to see and identify a lot of dental work! It was a good experience, and I know it will help me for Monday when I see my first real patient!!!

Productivity... Or So it Seemed...

Wednesday clinic was great because we passed off a bunch (3) of PE's... Sealants, Air/Powder Polish, and Instrument Sharpening!

Surprisingly, the air/poweder polishing was much better the second time! Although I did nic the floor of my partners mouth and saw a tiny bit of blood :S eek... sorry Candace!! But when I passed off my sealant PE the instructor told me it looked like I must have done them a bunch before :) That was a great compliment because it was the second sealant I had ever done!

The yuckiest so far....

Today in clinic we learned the air/powder polisher... This is a little device that is great for removing stain...HOWEVER...it tastes really bad, it makes the biggest mess, and it stings a little! Wanna try it?! Well, let's just say I'm lucky that Candace is such a tough patient because I didn't understand how awful it was until I had my turn in the chair! Yuck! It's essentially baking soda, water, and air blasting in your mouth... hence the bad taste(sodium bicarbonate), mess(air+water), and sting(blast)...

Anyway, another not so happy thing today... It looks like I might have yet another cavity! I don't understand how I've never had them, and now I for sure have two, maybe three! I go to the dentist thursday to figure it out, and get some fillings...

Okay, so now that my pessimism about the day is out, there were good things that happened! Today I placed my first sealant! We learned later that my air/water syringe was blowing water when it was only supposed to blow air which put a little damper on the drying of the tooth--(no pun intended) ;) But, I ended up drying it with a cotton roll, and it stayed... We'll see how long it lasts! I also learned how to take a pano today! And, I learned how to duplicate x-rays! So a lot of good things happened today, but starting it out with the air/powder polisher made it a little harder to get going...

This is my group learning sealants in class!
(L to R: Pam, Candace, me, Katie)

Also, I volunteered to try in an aid to keep the mouth dry during sealant placement!
I don't know what made me volunteer for this?! It just came out of me...

Professor Costley trying to help me put it in...

And the finished product... how cute :)

Have a Seat...

Today was a relaxing day... I got to be the patient the entire time! It was good to sit back and not worry about much--except of course if my gums would be poked :) (Luckilly they weren't much today) But I definitely learned a lot from watching Tandem work on me! I always learn so much from the people who work on me! Tandem did a great job though, and I was glad to be her patient. Oh and in other news, the cavity that was so devastating a month ago has gone missing... No one can seem to find it anymore... Is there hope for remineralization?? haha... Probably not... But still, it's weird that no one can find it now.

*p.s. this IS me in the chair, but it is Candace in the background... not Tandem

Whirlwind & It's Over!

Today we had a mock patient day in clinic. I was hoping when I got to class that I would luck out and be able to be the patient for the day... Well, of course, I was the clinician. BUT, in hindsight, I'm really glad I was able to get my turn over with today!
I feel fairly good about it. I worked on Tandem (she's darling), and I felt fairly good in my skills. Probing & scaling are coming along nicely. My prophy angle broke during my polishing PE! haha.. So i put on another one, and a few teeth later, it broke too! Talk about a way to wig out a nervous first year student during a PE! haha
Time is the hardest thing for me. It's hard for me to manage my time and make correct estimations of how much time I will need... Overall, it was a great learning experience for me! It makes me even more excited for Wednesday, when I get to relax in the chair!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the junior WSU dental hygiene class!!

To Polish, Or Not To Polish

Today has been interesting in clinic... We learned how to polish. In class yesterday we learned about how polishing is purely a cosmetic thing, and has little health benefit! It is used to remove stain, not clean the teeth. The big problem is that most patients expect polish, and even don't feel that the treatment is complete without polishing. This is a big dilemma in the dental world because most dentists and hygienists know that polishing teeth can take off enamel, yet it remains a routine part of most dental treatment.

Today we compared the toothbrush polish to the prophy-cup polish, and actually, I think i did a better job brushing Candace's teeth than I did polishing them... Maybe because it was my first time polishing though?? I can definitely see why hygienists would polish in private practice--especially because of the ease, and the saved time and wind (from explaining :))! haha... Anyway, I definitely don't want to lose my enamel, and if I knew that I could, I don't think I would want my teeth polished at EVERY dental appointment. I'd like to educate my patients and give them the option of both in the future!

What would you choose?? Keep your enamel, or have your teeth polished when you don't really have stain in the first place??

That.. is the question

Boring post

Clinic went well Monday... We had a day to practice a lot of the skills we have learned so far. I worked on Candace, which made it very comfortable for me! I'm really glad because I think I'd rather work on her in comfort now and solidify my skills a bit before I jump into other mouths and get nervous! But I felt really good about the way things went. I'm really understanding scaling, and I love it! I always thought I'd love cleaning calculus because it's so nit-picky and detail oriented, and I was right! I love taking a tooth with build-up and leaving it squeaky clean! I also passed my anterior scaling PE off which felt good... I think I did it well, but we'll see when I get my PE back with scores I guess :)

ERRRGonomics

Ever heard of ERGONOMICS???

(no this is not seriously how I sit... ever, but it illustrates the point, right?)

According to Wikipedia, ERGONOMICS = "a science concerned with the ‘fit’ between people and their work. It takes account of the worker's capabilities and limitations in seeking to ensure that tasks, equipment, information and the environment suit each worker."

Proper ERGONOMICS are really stressed in our dental hygiene program... and thankfully so! Today in clinic I really FELT the importance of proper ergonomics! I was a little sore from yoga on Monday, and my back decided it wanted to bother me throughout clinic. Even though I would never ask for back pain, it's a good reminder to keep yourself properly aligned. My biggest goal right now it to maintain a nuetral wrist position! I really don't want carpal tunnel syndrome. Can you blame me?

Today in clinic I did a little better with noticing which way I was moving my wrist. I know if I continue to focus on proper wrist motion each clinic session, I'll get there someday!

This is where I want to be... That would be nice

Medical Miracles

First, I just want to say how grateful I am for simple medicines that can make things SO much more bearable!! I wasn't feeling so hot today around lunch time... In fact, that might be an understatement... I was pretty miserable, and I couldn't imagine making it through radiology lab until 4. Lucky for me, there is a little thing we call an ibuprofen which works wonders! Within an hour I was back to my goofy self in radiology. Some of the girls may have wished I'd stayed mellow like when I was in pain ;) jk...

Anyway, overall I'm just feeling much better about a lot of things in dental hygiene. For starters, my indirect vision is beginning to make sense--I can actually see what I'm doing! Also, in general I would say my dexterity has improved. I'm not as spazzy as I was at first--in fact, I think I only jabbed my partners gums a little today :) (unless she was keeping quiet about her woes)... I also am somewhat understanding how to scale. I've been lucky enough to find the right partners so that I have something to clean! (I felt so accomplished today cleaning around a permanent lingual bar retainer!)

Next time we scale in clinic, I'm going to work on using proper activiation... No more carpal tunnel risk for me! I'm ready to do it correctly!

I feel like a hygienist!!!

Today, I removed my first few deposits of calculus!!! I actually felt like I was doing something :) haha... Drying the teeth for visualization of the calculus works miracles, and I felt so proud when I actually had little chunks on my Nebraska scaler!! Hooray for dental hygiene! P.S. I'm sure many of you felt the same way today, and other people must think we are super weird for being so excited that we removed things that most would consider pretty yucky! Congrats to all those who feel like a hygienist today!

ALSO... We are learning pretty much EVERY bone, and suture, and fossa in the human skull right now in anatomy, and we have to label it all--down to the tiniest nook... This picture was taken as we were labeling, and apparently I was the only one feeling a little pathetic with my attempts at writing on the pterygoid hamulus, styloid, etc.. :) haha... We have a quiz on parts of the skull on Tuesday... Looks like I'll be studying in the car on the way to Boise this weekend!

P.S. sorry I blocked your head sarah! it's really nothing personal ;) love you!

No retakes!

Happy day! Today in radiology I didn't have to take any retakes in my conventional films! It seems like I've consistently cut off part of the pre-molar shot... But today, my goal was NOT to do that! haha... And I did--I even have the films to prove it ;)

Also, I think Candace and I may have had a little too much fun in radiology lab... Our classmates may or may not think we are crazy now?! ha But it was well worth the good time! :) It definitely made the time fly!!

Clinic today was good as well.. I passed off the explorer PE, and even though it wasn't my best, it was passing, and that's what really matters in clinic! Each day gets a little more comfortable, and I'm starting to feel like a true regular in the clinic..

Just a little flustered... :)

(WARNING: this paragraph may be boring for those who are not in the dental hygiene program! :))
Today in clinic was just a little bit frustrating for me... We worked on a different partner than we're used to and we had to probe a lower quadrant--and the lingual posterior teeth are BEASTS!! My partner today also had a smaller mouth than my usual partner which made me a spaz with the mirror... haha i kept clinking her little teeth... poor girl! My goal over the weekend is to practice exploring because our PE is due on Monday. Exploring has gotten much better for me ever since, Alyse (the TA)--bless her heart-- showed my how to position correctly and get up on my fulcrum even more.. It kind of throws my elbows to my side rule out the window, but it's SO helpful with patient comfort and adaptation!

Every day, even the frustrating days, must come with some good news... SO--the good news is that now I am 99% plaque free... with the only plaque remaining in those little holes of the leftover glue from my pre-existing permanent bottom retainer! Other good news... I got 100% on my anatomy test!

EEK... I've been disclosed!!

Today in clinic we worked with disclosing solution to discover the plaque in our partner's mouth! I decided to be brave and go first.. actually, i always go first.. haha. But anyway, it was good to see that my oral hygiene habits have not been in vain all these years... I was plaque free except for where I had had my permanent retainer removed--the leftover glue attracts plaque (or perhaps the glue just stains?! who really knows?) So i was 93% plaque free.. and withoutthe plaque on my glue it would have been better :) That's great news! I think my partner Candace might have wished for some more plaque covered surfaces to count.. in fact, i know she did, because she told me i was no fun :) Fortunately for me, I'd rather have clean teeth than be fun! haha jk Candace!

Anyway, today in clinic my goal was to practice exploring and make some progress there... I actually felt much better with the explorer today! I was able to do an entire posterior sextant without jabbing candace, and I felt tooth structure and possible even a little calculus!! Hooray for improvement.. I love clinic! I really do :)

SADDEST ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE YEAR!!!

I, Alyse Katherine Laneri, age 20, would like to solemnly announce that on Wednesday, the first day of October, 2008 I was diagnosed with my first CAVITY!!!

News Stream: WSU

Today in the Weber State Dental Hygiene Clinic first year student Candace Hillyard found the most epic discovery of the year in Alyse Laneri's mouth. Laneri, age 20, a first year student in the Weber State University Dental Hygiene program reported once having a cavity in a baby tooth as a child--the tooth fell out of her mouth not too long after having it filled. When asked what she thought of the new discovery of the cavity on the occlusal surface of tooth 31, Laneri simply pursed her lips and said, "I didn't think this would happen to me. It's pretty ironic that my first cavity ever was discovered by a dental hygiene student--especially when my last dental exam was about one month ago." Those close by on the scene reported that the common phrases from Laneri's mouth seemed to sound a lot like, "No!" Coupled with, "Oh sad!"

Laneri mentioned plans of having the cavity filled before it got much worse and decided she would rinse with fluoride for the time being to prevent any further advancement of this devastating carious lesion.

Dark Room Disaster!! :)

Monday in radiology lab we had to pass off our BWX Process Eval... So, I start doing my thing and explaining what I am doing... I take my 4 BWX and explain to professor Mc. that next I would go process the films. She sends me back to process the films (okay #1 lesson --Alyse, alone in a dark room=bad idea). I decided I would practice proper "infection control" techniques to open the film packets... As I opened the packet, trying not to touch the film, but rather, slide it out onto the counter, it dropped and disappeared!! AH!! Panic set in... I start feeling through all of my packet wrappers, on the counter, under bins and machines... Next step--the floor.. I'm down on hands and knees feeling the ground for my poor lost vertical BWX! All in vain... So, I step into the light and tell professor Mc. that I dropped my film and "it's really dark in there!" haha. Denver then, being the nice person she is, decided she would come help me. Together, we repeated my search from countertop to floor to no avail... It was a lost cause. The lights had to go on :(

When the lights came on I found my film... pretty much right in front of me! But apparently, films on the counter top, disappear in the dark. Normally this story would just be funny, but the irony of it happening on a PE is just too much! Haha.. jk.. It could have been traumatizing, BUT it all worked out because professor Mc. is a saint, and she too had her tough days in the darkroom! :)

Anyway, the moral of the story is... Be careful when practicing proper "infection control techniques," and don't let Alyse process films alone :)

Hooray for the probe!

Okay, apparently, I'm a better "prober," than an "explorer(er)" (sp?! haha) I don't think I poked my partner nearly as much today!! Yay for her gums! And I even got the angling thing down! Amazing! Now I just have a long way to go to get good at reading the bad boy while it's in the gum tissue!!!

I think these look a little scary... But to me, they are less painful than explorers (if used correctly of course! :)) Anyway, clinic went well today. I passed off my mirror fulcrum PE, and I think over the weekend I'll practice my extra-oral exams on the fam... That way, come Monday I'll be rip roarin' ready to go!! Have a good weekend everybody!

2 down, 2 to go!!

This week we have four tests!! :) So far i've taken two and i'm feeling good because I haven't missed any points yet... I know the next two will be harder though, and I expect to miss some questions! So far the week has been pretty good... The most frustrating clinic day I've had so far was monday though. We used explorers, and I felt like I had no coordination! haha! usually, i feel pretty good with hand-eye coordination, but poor candace must have been so tense in the patient chair while i poked her to death! (I guess I bled a little too--an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth (literally) I suppose :)) But, overall, I would still say I feel good about everything... I'm just excited for the day when I feel comfortable exploring sub-ginigivally!



MOSTLY, I'm just excited for this weekend when i get to go home to Heber! My entire family is getting together, and Landon's coming to play too! It will be so much fun, and I'm ESPECIALLY excited to see my sister Amy, and my adorable nephew Easton, AND the little boy inside her belly whom I am excited to meet in November! ... Here is a picture of them right now... Just because pictures are fun! (by the way amy, sorry for stealing pictures from your blog, but i just LOVE this one!) haha

Balancing Act

One thing that I think we've all discovered in this program is that balance is key! It's definitely tricky to be in and committeed to this program and have other aspects of "life" to deal with as well...

I've been thinking about this a lot because today in class I was a little out of it due to being in the ER last night in Logan around 12 with the kid I'm dating. (*he got a major head injury/concussion, but he's doing fine now (on drugs) if you were curious:)) Needless to say, I was up a little late, and it would have been nice to have slept through class. However, such is the nature of the program, and I actually think it is neat that we all care so much and are dedicated to this top notch program that we make sacrifices to be in class, clinic, labs, and meetings!

I know I have plenty to deal with with ambassador president responsibilities, my calling, family, and boys--or i guess boy, and I also know that there are girls in my class with jobs, kids, husbands, and countless other responsibilities...

So this post is a shout out to everyone in the dental hygiene program, and everyone who has been through the program, and learned the art of balance! You are all amazing, and just know that if you feel overwhelmed, you're not alone--i think that's the most comforting thing we can offer each other right now! We can do it!

Beautiful Bitewings :)

I'm feeling very proud of my bitewings right now... I took some this afternoon in radiology lab, and professor M. thought they were great! I feel accomplished because if you refer to my last post on radiology, you'd see that i have NO experience with radiography. So, it's a great accomplishment for me!

Things are going well in the program! Today, we did health histories, vitals, extra-oral exams, and intra-oral exams on a student partner in sequence as if it were a patient! It's cool to think that in only three weeks I am able to perform these things without TOO much trouble... I love clinic time, and my pod instructor, Instructor Carter, for Monday mornings rocks! She's a lot of fun! Tomorrow I have my first anatomy test (or at least part one of the test...) But I'm feeling okay about it.. I've been studying, and I think I'll be fine!

SIDE NOTE

Okay, so mostly I just couldn't resist putting this picture up...

I think I was 3 or 4 in this shot, and the little sleeping angel/prayer pose is my favorite!

Wednesday Afternoons...

There is something wonderful about Wednesday afternoon clinic... I haven't quite put my finger on it yet... It could be that I am more awake, or maybe it is getting over the "hump" of the week, that excites me so...
I've really enjoyed my pod instructor and TA--the Julies--conveniently named to eliminate confusion for little newbies like me.
Anyway, today in clinic, I tried to pay particular attention to my working posture (NWP-for those who abbreve ;)) I think I did a good job with positioning myself so that I wouldn't have to bend and twist to see particular areas of the mouth...
It was super great to actually be in the mouth a little today! My pod partner Candace is a patient gal! It's been super fun to work with her... We have a good time role playing pt/clinician roles!! It's weird to think that in not too long, it'll be the real deal! AH! crazy.

I make an especially good patient don't you think???

Okay, so I may have been posing for that one...

Here I am, behaving myself... somewhat

Tackling RAD LAB--one x-ray at a time...

I made it through my second radiology lab, and I loved it!! Having only worked in an orthodontic setting, my exposure (haha--no pun intended) to radiography has been very limited... They did take pano's in the office i worked in, but only one assistant was "trained," if you will, in taking the x-rays, so needless to say, I'm a dummy when it comes to radiographs.... BUT thanks to the wonderful professor McConaughy, I can now take horizontal and vertical bitewings :) haha... for most of the girls, BWX's are no big deal--they've been taking them since birth! But for me, it feels great to have learned the concepts, and put them to work in the "rad" lab (and it is rad for sure...)



**And no, this is not a patient of mine... I just thought he was a little cutie... and his face is classic!


Anyway, my third week of hygiene school is going SO well! I love it, and doing my homework is far from a chore because I'm so interested in everything being taught! I'm definitely in the right place, and I'm excited to keep on, keepin' on!

A LITTLE RELIEF :)

Yesterday in clinic felt really good! I was prepared for the right thing (haha), I passed PE's, and there were no significantly embarassing moments... ha :) I had decided before clinic that I would remain calm no matter what happened that day. Well, I would say I accomplished just that! (possibly because there were no trying moments, but nonetheless!! I did it!) I really enjoy clinic time.. It seems to pass quickly, and I really learn a lot!
By the way... Here's a corny little thing I found to make you smile!

TECHNOLOGY WOOPSIE!

SO... I was finally starting to feel somewhat adjusted to the twists and turns of the dental hygiene program when dun dun dun... I get to Dental Hygiene I class and my lovely friend Candace asks me if I knew we were supposed to have read and completed Module 4 in Professor Costley's class. "What?" I started to panic... I could have sworn it was module 3. She then told me that there had been an email informing us of the change over the weekend.
Well, right then I knew something was wrong because I had even checked my email last night and there were zero emails from anyone in the department...
After some detective work, we found that my email was not in the system correctly and I had been missing any and ALL emails from the department!!! haha--(i can laugh now, but it was NOT funny at the time!:))
Professor Costley was nice enough to let us take the quiz after class discussion... BUT, that didn't help me completely! It helped with a few questions, but when there are only 5 questions on a quiz, that's not enough!
Now, I realize I'm just another anal dental hygiene student who likes her points, but it was not a fun feeling... that feeling of utter unpreparedness--by accident! Anyway, hopefully those few points aren't the death of me! And, you can bet I ran right to the secretary to get my email address in the system! I want to avoid having that experience again at all costs!

Meeting "Dex"

On Monday I met my new friend Dexter! or at least I hope he's friendly--he's been reported for biting fingers once in awhile. Let's pray I'm never a victim of that kind of abuse.

Dexter and his new friends...

L to R: Jessica, Alyse, Hailey, & Denver

The Hustle & Bustle

The first few days of hygiene school have been full of 30 frazzled girls trying to figure everything out! I think we are finally starting to get the hang of how it all goes down here in the department... So far, I'm really enjoying my experience. I really appreciate the understanding the professors have lent me :) I'm definitely not the most experienced as far as the dental office goes, and having them be understanding of that has given me the confidence I need to keep on keepin' on! So if you're reading this, thank you :)

HOORAY!

I made it--I'm finally here!

TODAY...
*Met faculty :)
*Felt an array of emotions--scared, excited, nervous, and calm?!
*Spent $1,800 on new instruments!
*Had only junk food... wooops
*Started a new blog!

I'm excited for my new adventure! Ready or not... here it comes!