11/6: You gotta crawl before you walk. 3rd year dental school can be so frustrating at times. As one of my fellow classmates put it best, it just feels like we are stumbling through this year. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it’s much better than 2nd or 1st year, but 3rd year presents itself with its own set of challenges. First off, I spend much more time at school this year. I’m pretty much at school from 7:30-5:30. Sometimes, if I need to do lab work, it can drag on much later. Next, I keep coming across good notes that I need to remember for when I get into private practice. I plan on keeping a list so that I can remember them all. The first one is that you must be very clear when you speak to your patients. It can be hard enough to explain what needs to be done without having to explain yourself twice. Second, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean that you necessarily should do it. Sometimes, it’s better to delegate the procedure/responsibility to someone else so that the patient doesn’t associate a negative experience with you. Third, no matter if you know that the pt knows that they have an appointment, always call and double check, b/c you never know. That’s all for now. I’m sure there will be more to come.
7/14: I'm so excited! I actually get to say that I am officially a third year dental student. It's all down hill from here. I learned last week that I passed the first part of the national dental boards, and tomorrow is my first day of school. I actually am excited to start. Is that weird? It's going to be a fun, challenging, and fast paced semester. Here we go!
6/26: I started seeing patients at the dental school this summer. I have already done several fillings, a root canal, and a deep cleaning. It has all been really exciting, but it has taken it toll on me. It's a different type of stress as compared to just studying and sitting in class all day. It is also more tiring since I'm on the go most of the day, which makes it seem more like work than school.
5/18: I am almost half-way through dental school. This summer we have to pass the first part of the National Dental Board Exam. My exam date is July 20. Between now and then, I have an implant course, a biology course, and clinic. Afterwards I am off until the start of the fall semester which is Aug 15th.
