My Grand Adventure

I just got back from 5 days in California! My dearest friend Andrea and I went to Disneyland for 3 days. We got the Hopper pass and hopped around all weekend. Here we are eating Churros! I have been to D-land 3 other times while this was Andrea's first time. We maximized our Fast Pass capability so we avoided a lot of the holiday lines, which were GINORMOUS.

I was the designated photographer for other people. I was laughing as about the 10th person asked me to take their photo. I laughed harder when a little Oriental woman told me I did not take the picture right and I had to do it again. I guess I was still glowing from my fabulous victory in the workforce so I was extra easy to approach.

Speaking of being easy to approach, Friday night after the electrical parade at California Adventure a man came up to me and gave me 7 fast passes for California Screaming-the big roller coaster that is amazingly fun, breathtaking, ear splitting, stomach lurching! Sadly, I was too tired and so we passed them on. Then on Saturday another man approached me and gave me 2 fast passes for Indiana Jones! How great is my life?! Let me just tell you. I had so much fun in Disneyland! I have such great memories of this icing on top of the already triple layer chocolate cake of a week!!!

CDC has come through. I will be staying in Cedar and will be working for CDC. Breanna told me that 1 of 2 things would come out of this situation. She stated that "1. decide you are happy where you are at, and enjoy it even more. or, 2. Recognize there is more out there and gives you the guts to try something new." Luckily I learned both! Working at the other office for one day I learned that I do work in a great office with some great assistants (Alisha!!). After working in that office and being offered a job at the wage I desired gave me the 'guts' to apply my money making skills and earn a raise. I have always been told that the first year of practice is when you learn even more that you did in school. Well, it is true. These past 9 months have been the best textbook ever! I have learned that I have been trained to be a great RDH, that I have the personality to deal with all patients, that I have an enormous earning potential and that I have tons more to learn.
Thank you for reading.

Another update

Today I presented my plan for a larger raise from CDC. I went in and talked to one of the three Drs at CDC-the other two were not there. I had prepared a spreadsheet documenting my production for the last 7 weeks. I had a column for prophys, bwx, fluoride, what the % of my production I earned etc. My doctor was so impressed! I proceeded with the speech I had been practicing for days. He liked my plan-which is to sell at least 2 fluoride tx daily. By doing fluoride tx I would be earning my own raise; my Dr liked the idea and the fact I had 7 weeks of proof that I could do it! He asked my if I thought of this plan and speech all by myself. I am proud to say that I did! I am on such a high! I do not have a final decision yet because the other 2 Drs need to be consulted but I have such a high right now that I am fine waiting until Monday to hear. My initial feeling is that I will get what I want. Who is the Dental Diva now?!? I AM!

I want to thank everyone for helping me with this hard decision and giving me the strength to present my plan like a man! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!

And The Verdict Is....

This morning I arrived at Dr ? office for a working interview. I was told that the day started at 8:30 but to come early to see where things were. I arrive at 8:10. No one is there. I wait around until 20 after. I am told that I am too early because my first patient is not until 9. So I am thinking why am I here so early? I chalked it up to miscommunication-minor irritation. This office is small. There are 3 chairs. That is it. It was amazingly clean-which is a plus. So I get my tray and proceeded to prepare for my first patient. Now it went as planned. I had to take regular BWX with tabs which I have not done since school and guess what I cone cutted! (I have digital and use XCP holders to line it up). So my first 3 patients-I had a no show- went fine minus cone cuts and not giving fluoride treatments because I could not find the fluoride-the office just does not do this-weird. I got a 30 min lunch because I went over on a little bit harder patient to get him finished. I went out with the front office girl. It was nice.

My afternoon rocked! I had a 3 year old which was hard because I do not currently see children. I made it...barely. Then my next two were fun patients and I had a blast talking to them. I did fluoride on 2 out of 3 afternoon patients. I think that this surprised the Dr. So I get ready to leave and after filling out W4 etc Dr ? asked me how I felt. I told him I would need a day to think about it. He agreed. Then he said that he thought about my compensation and he said 'this morning I was solid on $__ an hour but after working with you all day I will agree to what you want'. I am so honored! He is willing to pay me what I am worth! Amazing!

So the verdict is....I am not sure. I just do not know. I am going to have to think about this hard. So the saga continues. As a funny side note....Instructor Jennifer Wold's sister works at this office...ha ha ha

The Plot Thickens!

Monday the first miracle happened. My 11 & 12:00 patients were husband and wife. At 11:15 I tried to call them to find out if they were on their way and I did not get an answer at home or on their cells. So I proceeded to do what I always do....clock-out and have a 3 hour lunch. So I tell my dentist that I am leaving and he looked up and said 'why don't you stay. I am sure you can find something to do'. I almost fell over. There has been this unwritten law that the RDH clocks out whenever there is a no-show or cancellation and he has been the largest instigator of this law; so when he told me to stay I almost passed out. So I stayed on the clock until lunch at 1.

Today the second miracle happened. I got a raise from CDC. It is not as much as I wanted but it is definitely an improvement. Now these two miracles have started me thinking that maybe they know that tomorrow I am having a working interview....I guess we will see. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow!

I hope National Boards went well for everyone! Thanks Breanna for the vote of confidence!

Hello Spring!

Last Saturday was my last day at Albertson's Pharmacy. It was a bitter-sweet day. I do miss many of the patients but I do not miss working every Saturday. So today is the first Saturday I have not had to work or had plans! It was luscious to sleep in until 7:50 this morning! It was the best morning! I had pancakes for breakfast, watched some Saturday morning cartoons, did laundry, loaded dishwasher, organized my room-especially my dresser drawers, made my weekly menu, and went grocery shopping. It was such a nice day I decided to drive up Cedar Mountain. It is one of my favorite places in the world. Isn't it beautiful? Cedar Breaks is not open during the winter so this is as close as I could get. It was worth it though. I always feel so rejuvenated after a drive up the mountain. Especially with some Fall Out Boy on the stereo. While FOB sang 'this aint a scene' I was enjoying this great scene!

After I came off my high mountain top I decided to go to a movie. I saw 'The Last Mimzy'. I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is going to be on my list to purchase. It is a great family movie with a sci fi theme-my fav! I love a good clean movie even though I did enjoy the hottie-filled bloodalicious action packed movie, '300' I have had my boob quota for the month-for some reason they do nothing for me....anyway back to Mimzy. It truly is a great movie full of imagination. It was the perfect topper to my Saturday off.

What Have I Done?

Well without saying too much because I know there are some people who read this blog who work with me; but I have been offered another job. Now this is not new. I have been offered two other jobs in addition to the one I have at Cedar Dental Center (CDC). This will be three. I was honestly surprised when I got the job offer from this Dr ?. When I interviewed I did not feel like it was going well. I figured that he just did not like me. Then on Saturday I was working my last and final shift at Albertson's Pharmacy (sniff sniff) when the front office girl from Dr ? came in and told me that she told him to hire me and that he would be calling me. I was shocked. So I was not surprised when I got the phone call. What I am surprised about is that I told him I wanted more compensation. He asked me how much money I would need to leave CDC for two days a week and I told him. He said he would think about it. So I guess I have to wait to find out if Dr ? is willing to pay me what I am worth or not before I tell CDC that I have been offered a job for more $ and that I am seriously thinking about taking it. The kicker is that the job is temporary until Dr ? assistant graduates from dental hygiene school in Dixie so it would be until June/July. What should I do? Do I stay loyal to the office who gave me my first job? Do I take the job from the Dr who is willing to pay me what I am worth? Do I compromise a full time RDH job for a 2 days a week job that ends in a couple months? Do I play the Drs against each other in a strategic plan to increase my wage? Should I just relax and stay with the secure low paying? Once again I need y'alls advice. Please help me!