Written Boards= FINISHED

I am so happy I am finished taking those 3 boards! I feel like my brain is mush. I am exhausted. I am relieved. A huge burden is finally off my shoulders! I can't do anymore studying for my next 2 boards, and I don't think I will ever be able to make myself study ever again! I remember always dreading taking these written boards when I got into the program, just because I have always had a little test anxiety, but I feel now, having gone through these past 2 years and the hardcore studying I have done the past 3 months has helped me not have that anxiety, for the fact that I enjoy what I learn in this program. I don't stress a lot over it because I actually like the stuff enough to want to remember it, and it retains easy for me. So here is to hoping that this theory of mine works, and I pass these boards with flying colors. Now I am heading out to celebrate with my husband :)

Written Boards...CHECK

I can't tell you how happy I am that all my written boards are done and taken! No more studying like mad anymore. I don't think my brain or body or spirit could take any more ha ha. I just hope I passed all of them so I don't have to relive any of that. I am grateful for the chance I had to study and relearn/refresh what I had previously learned, and recement all the knowledge I have pertaining to everything dental hygiene. I think that was very beneficial for my future career.  Now off to clinical boards in March! And I am more relieved about those boards because I have found my board patient!!! Happy Happy Day!!! That is seriously a burden I am glad and relieved to have off my shoulders. It was looking bleak for a while there, and I was doubting my capability of every finding one. The bonus is that my board pt is the sweetest guy. He is willing to do anything I need, and always tells me that I'm "the boss" and whatever I say he will do. Blessings! Thank the heavens for the board pt!

Board Patient FOUND!!

What a relief to finally find a board patient. I had a good feeling about the screenings we had today, hoping that from the 4 people i scheduled, I could find someone who qualifies. When McCall screened her one patient, I felt hope and jealousy, because she found a board patient and I had yet to find one, and hope because If she found one today, hopefully I could.  The first 3 pt's were a no go. Waaay to clean to qualify. I was feeling doubtful at this point in the day. That if the first 3 didn't qualify then the 4th one definitely won't. As I sat down to start on the 4th pt I asked how long it had been since his last cleaning. He said 2-3 years. Good sign. As I put the mirror into his mouth I could see calculus ant. and post. Good sign. As I started exploring, calculus everywhere! And heavy. Great sign. As I probed, all within the limits of WREB. Great sign. Alexander came over to check and when she was done she told me to "take my pick".  All 4 quads qualified! HA! It was a miracle. So I am using him for mockboard and boards. He seems like such a good guy, and hopefully I can rely on him. It will be good to see him in a couple of weeks for mockboard, so I can see what I am in for when boards comes around. Thank you board pt of mine!

Longest week ever

I am exhausted. LA written on Monday, VA Tuesday, Junior Clinic Wednesday, Clinic Thursday, Sealant Clinics Friday, Give Kids a Smile Saturday. Wholly moley. I need a break. It was great to be able to help so many kids and some adults throughout the week, and be a part of something great in the community, but it sure does take a lot of energy out of you. I worked in radiology all day with McCall on Friday for the sealant clinics. I think that was a good change of pace, being able to help keep the flow of radiology running smoothly and keeping the organization up to par with the processing of the all the conventional films and making sure they get to the right clinician with the right child. We were literally on our feet all day, and they seriously KILLED by the end.

I had a super creepy patient on the VA on Tuesday. Very inappropriate comments and once and the end of the appt he ran his fingers down my back when my back was to him filling out his chart on the computer. GAG. Awful. Sometimes I like the VA, but in all honesty it is not my favorite place to be all of the time. Only 4 more VA days of my life and I am finished!

I ws supposed to see my fall through board patient on Thursday afternoon, but he didn't show up. The nerve. It really bothers me when the patient doesn't have the courtesy to call you back, and let you know they won't be coming, instead you end up having to find a fill in patient when the appt has already started. For the love.

GKAS is always a fun event to be a part of. I have done for the past 4 years at least. it is always a good feeling to help the little kids out that have so many dental needs.

P.S Still need a board pt...any extras out there, you can send them my way :)

First day with Perry

So Perry is known to just grill you with questions throughout the clinic day. Good because it makes you think and bad because you can feel stupid if you don't know the answer. So far so good. I didn't get questioned as much as Brooke did, but it sure does keep you on your toes, and you study up a little bit more before the clinic starts. Which I guess in all actuality it prepares you a little more for boards.

I saw a 1B this afternoon. He had to leave an hour after the appt started....this was a good chaalenge for me to see if I could do it. We didn't take xrays, but I had to do a new patient OD, OHI and scaling, in an hour. The OD is what took the longest with charting all his existing work and then filling out all the paper work and getting the tx plan and walkout signed and printed. But I got him out at 1:30 on the dot. I was a little nervous at first when I looked into his mouth and saw his mandibular lingual bar full of calculus...and sheet calculus. CHALLENGE. No spots missed though. So I think goal accomplished.

Bad news.....terrible news....My board pt fell through. He won't be in town the week of boards. :( I called him last night to schedule an appt to confirm he was a board pt with senior clinic instructors and to start his cleaning. He told me the bad news. I cried for a second after I got off the phone. What a punch to the gut....Indian Giver. Here is now to hoping and praying AGAIN that I can find a legit board pt who won't bail on me. Happy board hunting.

Mockboard #2/Sealant Clinic...etc

I have found another reason I am grateful for being TA in junior clinic....I have found a board pt! Hopefully it all works out. He seems really reliable and he speaks english really well.  I need to bring him in for more xrays and to have Dr. Hanson and Prof. Alexander check the calculus so I can no for sure and have a lot of opinions on the pt truly being my board pt in March. There is one glitch though. He is going out of town for the first 2 weeks or so of March and he won't be back until the 16th of March. So the ONLY he could come is on Saturday. I need to call WREB and see if I can schedule him on Saturday since that is the only day he can come. Fingers crossed for everything working out!!! Mockboard was a good experience. I didn't do as well score wise on this one as I did on the first one, but I think this pt I had was a little more difficult, and I was able to think about what I need to do if the issue I had comes up again. I took the mockboard LA written that day too, and I only missed one. I think I am a lot more prepared than I thought I was...but I still have a lot to study because I don't feel confident enough...make sense?? I think I will be overprepared. I hope that is the case. I  have 1 week to get all the hardcore studying in. My deadline Jan. 30th.

Mockboard and this dang coldsore

I am thankful for being TA in junior clinic merely for the fact that I found my mockboard patient for next week! What a relief. I still have to take PA's on him on the day of mockboard, but I guess that is better than not having a qualifying mockboard pt. at all. I am so happy that my pt seems really reliable and he has been used for multiple mockboards previous to this one. That is a good sign.  My ONLY concern is that when he called to confirm his appt next week he kept saying "Tuesday" , and I would say NO THURSDAY...THURSDAY the 19TH. Then he would respond, "Yes Tuesday." NO! I hope his Thursdays just sound like Tuesday...I think I will be calling AND texting him so he can hear and read the word Thursday...the 19th. Oh my word, please don't be confused pt of mine. Folow up on appointments is extremely important.

I think the stress is starting to get to me...want to know why....because a new cold sore has surfaced yet AGAIN! I just had one in December people. This is a record for me. I maybe get a coldsore 1 time a year, not 3 times in the last 3-4 months. Good grief. My lip and self esteem can't take much more of this nonsense.

Clinic today was good. I am starting to overflow with the class V/II's but my speed is getting a lot faster, and I am not missing areas. I am proud. In Junior clinic on Wednesday I helped some of the girls perio chart, and I realized that as I sat there with one girl for an hour just on probing, just how far we have all come, me especially. It is something to be proud of to actually see your progress as you look at where the juniors are  right now to where I am now.  I have grown leaps and bounds. Good Ah-ha moment.