Simulation Day

Today was our simulation day where we try to see as many patients as we can in one day. I had a very hard patient this morning. It's been about 30+ years since he was in to see a hygienist (or maybe even a dentist) and he is REALLY afraid of needles. Well, his mouth hurt so badly that I was able to get xrays but I couldn't even probe. The bone loss on his xrays said that he should have 8-10mm pockets upon probing, but I could hardly even get a 2 before he cried out in pain. But he WOULD NOT let me get him numb. So at the end of his appt after explaining everything and how important it was for him to finish his cleaning, he told me that will not come back in. He just won't. And that's that.....
Well, after him in the am, I saw his girlfriend (the reason he even came it) and took 1/2 a full mouth on her. She is my board patient.

In the afternoon I saw an easy 1B patient and got her done in just over an hour. Then my Class IV patient came in and I cleaned 1 quad. I learned SO much! I got out my curved ultrasonic instruments and just went to town! It was a blast!!!! What a great day!