A Day In The Life Of… a Dental Student

Post #4

Interesting how time gets away from you. There is much to update on, so lets get to it!

The intensity of dental school has definitely picked up recently. We are taking several classes simultaneously (different from our first year which was just one class at a time) as we gear up for clinic. Our class has received CCU assignments (CUU = Comprehensive Care Unit, a division of the clinic where we receive more focused help from doctors assigned to us) and it seems that seeing patients is right around the corner. Our courses have transitioned from science-based to person-based. We have also began taking our Public Health courses. These classes help us focus on the charitable aspects of dentistry – giving back to underserved communities, helping those in need, etc. An ASDOH dental education is definitely diverse.

Perhaps the most interesting thing that we have started doing is learning about anesthetic. You know, everyone’s favorite part of going to the dentist? INJECTIONS! Did you know that a dentist has 16 different injections he can give you to accomplish the appropriate anesthesia for your dental procedure? Guess how dental students get to learn each of the 16? By giving them to each other! In the future, I will be able to tell all my patients that “I know how it feels” …because I do! Many of us walk around campus with numb faces for several hours after we’re done injecting one another.

Here are a few pictures of things I’ve been working on since my last post.

Thanks for reading! As always, if you have comments, concerns, complaints, etc. please send them my way: chrisevans9@gmail.com. If you are interested in seeing more about the life of a dental student, check out Instagram!

We fabricated our first set of dentures!

...Learned how to place implants

...root canals

... and occasionally we have some fun, too. 

From the Land of OZ

 

 

In the January 29, 2014 issue of the Deseret News,

Dr. Oz answered this inquiry:

 

 

Q. Are dental x-rays harmful, and are they necessary?

 

 

 

A.

Depending on your age (kids may need them more often) and whether you have a lot of decay or bone loss (that affects older folks), your dentist will suggest when and how often you need X-rays. A full set of dental X-rays is appropriate if you haven’t been to the dentist in more than a year. They let your dentist see things that aren’t apparent when doing a standard exam and cleaning, such as the extent of gum disease, bone decay, decay under fillings or caps and even tumors.

The risks from dental X-rays have decreased, and they now deliver the lowest dose of radiation of any medical X-ray. Two to four images of your back teeth expose you to about 0.005 millisieverts of radiation. Nonetheless, if you’re going to be zapped, you should be given (not offered? ask for it!) a lead bib and a thyroid shield/collar to wear. Generally, pregnant women should skip any X-rays if possible.

By comparison, the average North American is exposed to 3.1 millisieverts from the environment annually. Various estimates conclude that 50 percent to 97 percent of this background radiation comes from natural sources (cosmic rays, radon gas and radioactive atoms in the upper atmosphere). The rest may come from nuclear power plants, nuclear medical facilities and procedures, leftover pollution from nuclear bomb tests and other sources.

We understand your concern about a lifetime’s accumulated exposure to radiation. That’s a valid point, but there are bigger sources of exposure that you can control (like opting for MRIs instead of CT scans, if possible). If having a dental X-ray every couple of years reveals an infection or disease — periodontal disease can damage your heart and worsen diabetes — we think the rewards far outweigh the risks.

 

 

 

 

Our dental office fully supports regular dental check-ups twice a year and taking films at least once a year. This is a great time to start off a healthy 2014 - by making your appointment today!