Continuing Ed

I met a former hygienist who is now in her 80's. She said that the whole time she was practicing hygiene she never took a course to update her skills or knowledge of periodontal disease. She said at the time, it wasn't required. She prided herself on practicing the exact same way for over 30 years. How sad. If this isn't a vote for continuing ed requirements, I don't know what is.



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Amazing

I had this patient who really wanted to whiten her teeth. She did not have the fiances to do in office whitening, or even the home disposable whitening trays. She was very determined. This is something she really wanted to do. As life happens, I did not see her for about two years. When she came in again, her teeth were dazzeling. I could not help but ask her what she used. She said she used a whitening tooth paste every morning and night for about two years, and it worked. She said she was VERY faithful. It too about two months for her to notice a huge difference. I was amazed not only at her dedication, but at her amazing results.

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Third Molars

I don't know about you, but I really have a hard time cleaning the distal of third molars. Even when patients have good hygiene and have room for them, the distal is still tough for them to clean. Power brushes and junior toothbrushes help, but cleaning 3Rd's is a constant battle for the patient as well. They really have to stay focused. I think in all the years I have been practicing, I can count on one hand the patients who I felt did a good job of cleaning the distal of thirds.

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Front Desk

To be front desk personal, I am convinced you have to learn to work with your hands, mouth, and head all at the same time. That is the way it seems with Pam. She is constantly on the phone with patients, looking up information for them, and in general doing a dozen things at once. I heard her handle a patient who was in a tirade because his statement was $1.50 more than he thought he should pay. She kept her cool. Good for her. I don't know about you, but please hand me my scaler.


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What's love got to do with it?

I have this patient named Rodger. He has no front teeth. He is a man about 55 years old. For years I have been telling him to get some front teeth. He can easily afford it. For some reason it just didn't happen. Rodger's 80 year old mother would ask me to talk to Rodger about his missing front teeth. I assured her that I was trying my best.

On one appointment, Rodger came in and ASKED ME about getting his front teeth replaced. I just about fell down on the floor. Rodger said that he now has a girl friend and she has refused to go out with him until he gets some front teeth.
What's love got to do with it? Plenty.


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School Presentation

If you have never gone to a pre-school or an elementary school to do a presentation on brushing teeth, you haven't lived. It is so much fun and you will have so many laughs. Kids are so funny. Keep it short and have them brush their teeth for you. If you can give some give aways great. If not, bring a picture of a large tooth and have them draw a healthy tooth with no sugar bugs and a sick tooth, with lots of sugar bugs. Bring some new crayons if you can. Two or three crayons per child is enough. I don't know what it is about new crayons, but it is a turn on. Try it and let me know how it went.


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Brothers

When I can, I take two or three young children into the treatment room. It is called modeling. I learned it in school. It helps the younger children to be less fearful of the what will happen to them during their appointment time. It works. Sometimes the younger one can't wait to get into the dental chair to get his "turn'.

I had two boys, one five and one three. I started with the five year old. I asked him what his name was and he told me Chris. I asked him what his brother's name was and he told me he didn't know. I was shocked. I guess in the three years his brother has been living, it has never come up. Strange.


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