The Utah Dental Hygienist Association annual convention was this past weekend. It was the best one I have been to yet! I LOVED it! The vendors were generous, the speakers were informative and a pleasure to listen to, the lunch was alright, the company was SUPERB! It was great to see everyone! From catching up on the latest from WSU to seeing Megan Howell and her super tiny pregnant belly--I realized I am fatter than a 8 month prego lady. But never fear my self esteem is still intact. In out registration goodie bag we got shower water piks. I have not hooked mine up yet but I thought it was pretty cool. I also scored several syringes of bleach and fluoride as well at the usual prophy paste, toothbrushes, floss, and toothpaste. It was wonderful!
So to the best part ever....the 3 hour lecture on how the tooth tells the truth. It was given by a cosmetic dentist out of Sandy (Dr Faddis) He is a forensic odontologist. His lecture contained pictures gorier than any Halloween movie. There were pics of plane crashes where body pieces are scattered everywhere (like ears, faces etc) There were drownings, burnings, bodies cut up by boat propellers, shootings, car accidents and every other grotesque way to die. It was amazing! I admit it was disturbing. I definitely did not fall asleep during this lecture and was a little sad when it ended. I could have listened to him for another hour. Anyway it was such a great lecture and am so glad I was able to attend. GO DENTAL HYGIENE!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Utah Dental Hygienist Association....
Another week has flown by. I am impressed by how smoothly it went. I have been very busy and was worried that I would not get everything done. I admit my dishes have piled up and that my laundry basket is overflowing but all in all I got all major commitments completed.
I am looking forward to this weekend which is UDHA. I like going to this convention. I like the speakers and camaraderie with other RDH. I like to remember why I am a member of ADHA and that membership dues are very important. Going to these meetings recharges me. I love learning and being reminded of things that are important to my profession. I love seeing all the professional people who care for their patients and work hard to give them the care they need. I also like going to SLC and eating at all the places Cedar does not have. I am really excited to go to the convention! See you there:)
I am looking forward to this weekend which is UDHA. I like going to this convention. I like the speakers and camaraderie with other RDH. I like to remember why I am a member of ADHA and that membership dues are very important. Going to these meetings recharges me. I love learning and being reminded of things that are important to my profession. I love seeing all the professional people who care for their patients and work hard to give them the care they need. I also like going to SLC and eating at all the places Cedar does not have. I am really excited to go to the convention! See you there:)
Monday, October 15, 2007
How mean am I?
Time sure does fly when you are not paying attention! I cannot believe it has been so long since I last wrote. I really am surprised about my lack of posting! I mean this is my 'out'. This is where I come to dump all my emotion and frustration and triumphs! The only thing I can think of is that life has been life.
So down to business. This past weekend I went to Delta to help my parents move to another house in Delta. It was hard! My parents have lived in that house for 25 years and have accumulated a lot of stuff. It was funny to see what they held onto and what they let go. My mom was cleaning out our food storage room and found a apple box full of bread bags. Yup that is right bags bread comes in from the store! I just throw mine away but not my cute mom! She saved them! We convinced her to throw them out as well as the cottage cheese containers. Our winning moment was when we told her she would buy more bread and cottage cheese and could start her collection all over again! Really my mom is the cutest! My dad is just as bad. There were little boxes of .22 shells and washers and bolts etc that probably cost 78 cents all together and we just threw it out. Man it was like we (my brother Brent and I) had thrown away $100 worth of stuff. On our way to the dump Brent and I were laughing about how each generation looks at money differently. So bless the baby boomers who were raised by parents who had lived through the depression and saved every scrap of everything!!!
Now saving stuff is not all bad. I think I am very wasteful. I could definitely learn from the waste not want not theory! Reusing things is wonderful and very productive but I think there is a line that each of us need to draw for ourselves. Personally my line is drawn at bread bags and twisty ties....where is yours?
So needless to say I was a grade A witch! I snipped at everyone and hurt every ones feelings! I am cruel and at the time I was too mad to realize how irrational I was being. Moving sucks and I do not have to take it out on my family! To them I apologize and beg their forgiveness! I am so sorry I was mean and snotty and snippy! I am sorry I was not patient and understanding. I am sorry! I love you all very much and cannot wait to see you next weekend for round 2!
So down to business. This past weekend I went to Delta to help my parents move to another house in Delta. It was hard! My parents have lived in that house for 25 years and have accumulated a lot of stuff. It was funny to see what they held onto and what they let go. My mom was cleaning out our food storage room and found a apple box full of bread bags. Yup that is right bags bread comes in from the store! I just throw mine away but not my cute mom! She saved them! We convinced her to throw them out as well as the cottage cheese containers. Our winning moment was when we told her she would buy more bread and cottage cheese and could start her collection all over again! Really my mom is the cutest! My dad is just as bad. There were little boxes of .22 shells and washers and bolts etc that probably cost 78 cents all together and we just threw it out. Man it was like we (my brother Brent and I) had thrown away $100 worth of stuff. On our way to the dump Brent and I were laughing about how each generation looks at money differently. So bless the baby boomers who were raised by parents who had lived through the depression and saved every scrap of everything!!!
Now saving stuff is not all bad. I think I am very wasteful. I could definitely learn from the waste not want not theory! Reusing things is wonderful and very productive but I think there is a line that each of us need to draw for ourselves. Personally my line is drawn at bread bags and twisty ties....where is yours?
So needless to say I was a grade A witch! I snipped at everyone and hurt every ones feelings! I am cruel and at the time I was too mad to realize how irrational I was being. Moving sucks and I do not have to take it out on my family! To them I apologize and beg their forgiveness! I am so sorry I was mean and snotty and snippy! I am sorry I was not patient and understanding. I am sorry! I love you all very much and cannot wait to see you next weekend for round 2!
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Diagnodent quandries
Ok so my office has a Diagnodent. It is a great tool! I really like using it and think it helps the dr out while deciding between incipent and full blown decay. I do have a few questions/problems.
1. How important is it to calibrate with each patient? The instructions say to 'set' it to the patients specific enamel by placing it on 8 or 9 and then proceeding. One of my Drs does not do this. He just picks it up and uses it. I may have used it 10 min earlier or another RDH used it or an assistant grabbed it to use on a restorative patient so there is no telling who used it last. This brings up another question...once the machine has 'timed-out' and turned off does it remember the last calibration or do you have to reset it each time you turn it on?
2. How accurate it is through sealants? Again same dr has told me twice now that I need to be going over sealants because there could be recurrent decay under them. True. But I was under the impression that the Diagnodent read false highs when in contact with plaque, calculus, debris, restorative materials-including sealants. So here are all my patients having high diagnodent readings under sealants and I am afraid there is nothing there. Since I am not on the restorative side I am unsure if these teeth are truly decay free or not.
One of my drs has me write down the readings on each tooth after I have completed the cleaning and then he does not do it again he trusts my readings and then uses the xrays and explorer to decide what to do. I think he is the example for the office---I just wish he would tell his brother (who has me write the numbers down and then he gets the diagnodent out and does it again-I am standing there wondering why I took the time to do it in the first place).
I have read the instruction book and in my little world the Diagnodent is to be used along with xrays and other diagnostic instruments. Sealants give a false high reading and each time it is to be used it needs to be set to the patients specific enamel. I do not know how to tell the dr he is doing it wrong. I dont know how to bring up the fact it cannot go through sealant--maybe it can let me know...I just feel bad because the patient can hear the siren and know they have a cavity but I want it to be a true cavity. Maybe my concerns are not a big deal...like polishing-it does remove enamel but not enough to freak out about (according to me and my own research-not ADHA). Let me know what y'all think.
1. How important is it to calibrate with each patient? The instructions say to 'set' it to the patients specific enamel by placing it on 8 or 9 and then proceeding. One of my Drs does not do this. He just picks it up and uses it. I may have used it 10 min earlier or another RDH used it or an assistant grabbed it to use on a restorative patient so there is no telling who used it last. This brings up another question...once the machine has 'timed-out' and turned off does it remember the last calibration or do you have to reset it each time you turn it on?
2. How accurate it is through sealants? Again same dr has told me twice now that I need to be going over sealants because there could be recurrent decay under them. True. But I was under the impression that the Diagnodent read false highs when in contact with plaque, calculus, debris, restorative materials-including sealants. So here are all my patients having high diagnodent readings under sealants and I am afraid there is nothing there. Since I am not on the restorative side I am unsure if these teeth are truly decay free or not.
One of my drs has me write down the readings on each tooth after I have completed the cleaning and then he does not do it again he trusts my readings and then uses the xrays and explorer to decide what to do. I think he is the example for the office---I just wish he would tell his brother (who has me write the numbers down and then he gets the diagnodent out and does it again-I am standing there wondering why I took the time to do it in the first place).
I have read the instruction book and in my little world the Diagnodent is to be used along with xrays and other diagnostic instruments. Sealants give a false high reading and each time it is to be used it needs to be set to the patients specific enamel. I do not know how to tell the dr he is doing it wrong. I dont know how to bring up the fact it cannot go through sealant--maybe it can let me know...I just feel bad because the patient can hear the siren and know they have a cavity but I want it to be a true cavity. Maybe my concerns are not a big deal...like polishing-it does remove enamel but not enough to freak out about (according to me and my own research-not ADHA). Let me know what y'all think.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Still alive...
Thanks everyone for calming my fears of being infected! I really feel fine and still LOVE being a dental hygienist! I am still thinking about pharmacy school but the thought of FIVE years of school just makes me vomit. I do not know what I am going to do, hopefully I will figure it out one day.
My life has meaning again:) Rob Thomas and most of his old gang got back together and made a greatest hits CD to be released on October 2. I am already counting down the precious minutes before I get my hands on that lovely piece of ecstasy! It will be glorious! Almost as good as keeping the shaded safety goggles off my Hispanic patient with the best green/light brown eyes I have ever seen so I could stare at his eyes for an hour! I know y'all are thinking Damn, she needs a man-and you would be RIGHT! But alas, I do not have the joy of having one so I am forced to seek other venues such as music and eyes! Well I am off to learn about the exciting world of Invisilign-at least I get free dinner.
Stay tuned for some diagnodent quandaries......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)