Week 9
July 6th
I arrived at 7:30 and set up the hygiene area. I went through patients’ charts, imaging, and medical history and wrote down any important notes. I helped with the first patients which were hygiene appointments. I assisted the dental assistant with x rays and charting. At around 9:00, I helped assist Dr. Monic and the dental assistant with an infant frenectomy. It was interesting to compare the difference between an infant frenectomy versus a child frenectomy. I talked to the parent of the patient after the procedure to inform of post-care instructions. Afterwards, I went back to the hygiene area and helped with patients. I took x rays, charted, and helping the dental assistants. At one point during the day I talked to the other intern about making more educational flyers and had them look at my orthopedic flosser flyer for feedback. Thereafter, I spent the majority of the day in sterilization since we had a packed schedule towards the end of the day.I finished the day by setting up trays for Thursday, unloading the autoclave, and closing down the office. I spent about an hour with the front desk coordinator making phone calls to patients and working on tracking sheets.
July 7th
I arrived at 7:30 and helped the dental assistant set up operative procedures. I then checked off each task from the morning to-do list. The first patient arrived at 8:00 which was a filling. I chatted with the patient and calmed them down before and during the procedure. After the procedure I informed the parent of the child about post-care instructions. After the first patient, we had a break to catch up on paperwork, sterilization, and organizing the office. I spent time sterilizing the first patient’s room and setting up rooms for later patients. Once I was finished, I worked on tracking sheets for Thursday’s patients. I went through their medical histories, charts, images, and notes. It took me around 30 minutes to make the tracking sheets. When I finished the tracking sheets I then helped Dr. Monica make educational short videos about oral health. I enjoyed being able to turn educational information into a fun video. Once we were finished making videos, we went into another operative procedure. This procedure was a filling and sealants procedure which took around hour. At the end of the procedure, Dr. Monica taught me about the different types of burs used in dentistry. It was interesting to see how different shapes and sizes of the burs are used for different procedures. Before the patient left, I explained to the parent post-sealants care instructions. I informed them on limiting specific foods and drinks and how the may patient may feel after breathing in nitrous gas. Afterwards, I cleaned and sterilized the operative area. The team took a break from operative patients and had hygiene patients instead. I did charting with Dr. Monica for one of the patients. I showed a new employee how to chart and put the tracking information into the dental software. After I finished teaching them about charting I then showed them how to take a PANO xray. I set up the computer software for them and turned on the PANO machine. While they were taking the PANO xray, I helped the dental assistant with their hygiene patient. Additionally, I cleaned and sterilized the equipment after each patient. Our last patient was at 1:30 and had multiple sealants and fillings to do. This procedure took over an hour, as it took time to complete each filling and sealant. During this time I worked on the daily closing tasks such as running the ultrasonic and autoclave. I would also stand near the operative room incase the dental assistant needed anything. After the last patient, we closed down the office and set up for Friday’s patients.
July 8th
We did not have any patients today so I did not come in the office today. I worked asynchronously by creating new employee/intern training videos and folders. I divided the training into sections: front desk, hygiene, laser procedures, operative, sterile tech, tray setups, and weekly maintenance/testing. I made a document for each section listing important information and images. I also made videos explaining tray set-ups, sterilization information, and weekly maintenance. The last thing I did was make quizzes for each section, ensuring that the future new employee understands the content and watches the videos. Afterwards, I spent my afternoon studying tooth surfaces, tooth numbers, and pediatric teeth letters.
July 9th
I arrived at 7:00. I opened the blinds, turned on the tv’s, and unloaded the autoclave. I set up all of the trays which were mostly hygiene appointments. For the first patient I helped the dental assistant set up for a crown procedure. The dental assistant taught me the difference between pediatric and adult crown procedures. It was interesting to learn the differences in materials since children need materials that dry faster and procedures that are not as timely. The dental assistant also taught me about different instruments used during a crown procedure. Afterwards, I spent some time in sterilization cleaning after the hygiene patients left. I spent the rest of the morning helping out with hygiene appointments and communicating between the front desk staff and clinical staff. When there was a slight break I decided to show the other intern the training content I have been making. They were eager to help me and we spent around two hours making videos and working on training videos. I also made educational quizzes which I had the other intern take to see if the quiz is effective. Afterwards, I talked to Dr. Monica about how to make the cleaning solution and the difference between it and cavi wipes. I showed Dr. Monica the training/new intern content I made which she approved. Once the last patient finished, I closed down the office for the week. I completed the daily and weekly closing tasks with the dental assistants. Once the office was closed down I stayed to continue working on the training information. I worked on making digital posters to teach people about different instruments. I also talked to front desk coordinator about making a myomunchee poster to better inform the parents of its purpose. While I was working on this we had an emergency patient come in. I had to quickly set up an extraction tray and prepare the room for the patient. I observed the procedure and helped the dental assistant with any requests. After the patient left, I talked to the front desk coordinator about what to bring to the Cumming office tomorrow since she will not be there. She gave me a list of things to do and bring since I will be the first person to get to the office tomorrow.
July 10th
I arrived at 7:30 by unlocking the doors, dismantling the alarm system, and turning on all of the lights. I set up all of the hygiene chairs and orthodontic consult trays. When the other dental assistant arrived we worked on the daily morning to-do list together. We unloaded the autoclave, started the water/vacuum lines, and tidied up the office before patients arrived. While we were setting up we realized that the computers weren’t working so I had to start up the laptops as a replacement. During the first hygiene appointments I helped with x rays and communication between the dental assistant and dentist. At one point during the morning the PANO machine would not work. I tried to fix it, however, it would not connect to the computer to load x rays. Later in the morning I helped the front desk coordinator with tasks she needed completed before Monday. I also spent this time in sterilization, cleaning and bagging the instruments. I had the opportunity to watch an orthodontic consult which was very interesting. It was fascinating being able to se the molds of teeth and see how that impacts their airway health. I spent the last hour and a half of my shift working on tracking sheets for Monday’s patients. This took awhile because I thoroughly go through the patient’s information since I want them to get the best experience possible. After all the patient’s left I cleaned the hygiene area by wiping all of the surfaces and tidying up. I also ran the last autoclave cycle, drained the ultrasonic, and cleaned all of the instruments.
Weekly Summary
Competency 3.1: Coordinate the delivery of intervention(s) consistent with the implementation plan.
3.1.4: Establish training protocol.
I am in the process of designing a seven-part training curriculum for future employees and interns. This curriculum will ensure that there is standardized training for each employee.
3.1.5: Train staff and volunteers to ensure fidelity.
Mentored a new team member on dental charting software, patient charting, and how to operate the PANO x ray machine.
Competency 3.2: Deliver health education and promotion interventions.
3.2.4: Deliver health education and promotion as designed.
Delivered post-care instructions to patient’s parents after infant frenectomies, sealants, and extractions.
3.2.5: Employ an appropriate variety of instructional methodologies.
Created educational social media videos for patients/parents, training videos for employees, posters with dental graphics, and written dental chapters.
Competency 7.2: Prepare others to provide health education and promotion.
7.2.3: Assess training needs.
Reviewed clinical workflow inefficiencies in instrument setups and weekly sterilization to structure educational folders for future staff members.
Weekly Reflection
I enjoyed being able to step into more of a leadership role in the past week. Having the opportunity to work on training for new faculty and interns has increased my confidence and knowledge about my internship. I have been able to provide greater help and resources to those who have recently joined our team. Being able to step into a greater leadership role was certainly my strength for this week. My greatest weakness for this week was being able to decide how to design and initiate educational training. Since I know that people have different learning styles, it was a challenge to find a way to make education accessible and understandable to everyone. I tried to make training information easily accessible and not too timely as I know people may not have the time outside of work to watch lengthy videos. I also made all of the information using Google drive so future employees and interns will not have to worry about purchasing any training materials.
Week 10
July 13th
I arrived at 7:30 and turned on the lights. I set up the hygiene area, filled the ultrasonic, loaded the autoclave, and tidied the office. We went into huddle at 7:45 and talked about goals for the week and the plan for the day. The first patient arrived at 8:00 and I helped the dental assistant with the hygiene appointment. I helped take x rays, communicate to the patients, and sterilized the equipment. Right after, there was an operative procedure. I had the opportunity to observe fillings and a crown on a patient which was fascinating. Dr. Monica taught me about the different kinds of instruments used for crowns compared to fillings. It was interesting to see the difference in the shape of crown instruments vs filling instruments. Afterwards, I cleaned the room and sterilized the room. At one point during the day when there weren’t any patients I worked on educational posters with the other intern. These educational posters focused hygiene and airway health education. When we were done working on the posters I helped the dental assistants again. I continued to assist them with various tasks, ensuring that the patients left within forty minutes. I spent a lot of time communicating between the front desk staff and clinical staff to update them on financial information and appointment timing. By the end of day I sterilized the equipment and loaded the autoclave. I also worked on tracking sheets for the following days patients. I closed down the office by setting up trays for Wednesday and turning off the lights.
July 14th
I arrived at 7:30 in the Cumming office and set up all of the hygiene trays for the day. I filled the ultrasonic, unloaded the autoclave, and set up for all of the procedures. The first patient was at 8:00 and was a restorative procedure. I got to observe and help the dental assistant with any tasks during the procedure. After the procedure I sterilized the equipment and the team had a talk about what an AED and pulse ox machine are. We talked about the importance of knowing how to use an AED and how to be prepared during emergency situations. Afterwards, I worked on tracking sheets for Thursday’s patients. I taught the other intern how to complete tracking sheets and how to efficiently complete them. I worked on tracking sheets with them for around 30 minutes. For the next patient, I helped the new dental assistant with their hygiene patient by assisting with their x rays and patient flow. Later in the day, Dr. Monica tested us on reading x rays. I got the questions correct, however, it was helpful to talk through x rays with Dr. Monica afterwards. I learned that an easy way to differentiate between the maxilla and mandibular is by looking at the placement of your molars. Your top molars extend farther back in your mouth than your bottom molars. Towards the end of the day I focused on helping out with hygiene patients. I had the opportunity to educate a parent on the benefits of a tongue tie release. I enjoyed being able to teach the parent on what a frenectomy is, symptoms, and how long the procedure takes. After all the patients were finished, I spent time sterilizing and cleaning the instruments and rooms. I completed all of the end-of-day tasks and closed down the office. I spent around 3 hours with Dr. Monica at the end of the day cleaning and reorganizing the office. She also taught me about the purposes of many instruments and dental facts.
July 15th
I arrived at 9:00 and turned on all the lights and prepared for the day. The office was closed for the day but Dr. Monica allowed me to come in to help out. I first started with tracking sheets, going through each patient’s medical history, charting, and imaging. It took me an hour to complete the tracking sheets for tomorrow and Friday’s patients. Afterwards, I made oral health kits for future educational talks. It took me between 45 minutes to an hour to make the kits. When I was finished with that I quickly made hygiene trays to be extra prepared for the rest of the week. I also spent around 30 minutes cleaning the office and tidying up. I finished the day by working on the intern/new employee education content. I made a Quizlet for all of the operative instruments Dr. Monica commonly uses. Before I left, I spent time checking the amount of referral forms and post-op sheets we have, and printed more sheets if we were low.
July 16th
I arrived at 7:30 and worked on the morning checklist with the dental assistants. I went over and checked the tracking sheets with the front desk coordinator which took around 20 minutes. The first patient arrived a little after 8 and I helped with their x rays. In the morning I primarily focused on helping the dental assistants in the hygiene area. I helped them take x rays, communicated with patients, and improved the work flow throughout the morning. I spent a significant amount of time communicating between the front office staff and clinical staff. I would keep the front desk staff updated on the progress of appointments and if any appointment changes occur. I continued to assist the dental assistants and Dr. Monica throughout the day. I would rotate between hygiene and operative patients to ensure that the schedule is running smoothly. When there was a break in the schedule, I worked on the oral hygiene education bags with the other intern which took around 20 minutes. After the break, I helped with a frenectomy. Since I have observed several frenectomies during my internship I was able to educate the parent on the procedure and how long the procedure lasts. We finished the day with an extraction. It was interesting to observe an extraction as it was fairly quick. I learned that pediatric extractions typically come from adult teeth coming in before the baby tooth is loose. I closed down the office by sterilizing the equipment and cleaning all of the rooms. I also had to complete the weekly checklist since we won’t be in this office for the rest of the week. I drained the ultrasonic, unloaded the autoclave, set up trays for Monday, and took out the trash.
July 17th
I arrived at 7:30 and set up the hygiene area, unloaded the autoclave, and completed the morning checklist. I viewed today’s schedule with the dental assistants and talked about the work flow. I continued helping the dental assistants set up and check patient’s charts. Our first patient was at 8:00 and I helped the dental assistant with the SDF application. It was interesting to watch the SDF application, since it stops tooth decay. I then observed an operative procedure with Dr. Monica. I periodically helped the dental assistant with any questions or tasks. During the procedure, I learned how to set up the oral camera. It was interesting to learn how it gets set up. I also enjoyed being able to look at the photos since I am used to only taking x ray images. Afterwards, I cleaned the room and sterilized the instruments. Once I was done sterilizing I worked on tracking sheets for Monday’s patients. I continued to teach the other intern how to complete tracking sheets. I showed them the different forms and charts to view and explained the importance of each form. Completing the tracking sheets and teaching the other intern took around an hour. Later, I helped the dental assistant with another operative procedure. I enjoyed observing the procedure and learning about fillings. I also helped the other dental assistants in the hygiene area. I helped them track, take x rays, and I brought the patients back. I enjoyed being able to communicate with the parents and patients at the beginning of their visit. Since we had hygiene patients for the last two hours of the day, my tasks were repetitive. Whenever there was a slight break I would go to the sterilization room and clean. I would ensure that the ultrasonic and autoclave are working efficiently. Towards the end of the day I began completing the end-of-day an end-of-week tasks. I cleaned the back of the office, took out the trash, prepared patients’ trays, and cleaned. It took around 30 minutes to complete these tasks.
Weekly Summary
3.2: Deliver health education and promotion interventions.
3.2.4: Deliver health education and promotion as designed.
I made oral health kits designed for future oral health talks to promote proper oral hygiene habits for pediatric patients.
3.2.5: Employ an appropriate variety of instructional methodologies.
For the intern/new employee training, I created educational quizzes and Quizlets to support visual and interactive learning for future members.
Competency 7.2: Prepare others to provide health education and promotion.
7.2.5: Implement training.
I spent around an hour this week training the other intern how to navigate patient charts. I taught them how to complete tracking sheets and accurately check patient forms.
8.3: Engage in professional development to maintain and/or enhance proficiency.
8.3.2: Participate in continuing education opportunities to maintain or enhance continuing competence.
I engaged in an educational talk/quiz from Dr. Monica about reading x-rays. She improved my x-ray reading ability by teaching me how to differentiate the maxillary and mandibular structures.
Weekly Reflection
This week was relatively straightforward and consistent with prior weeks. One of my strengths this week was being able to act as a liaison between the front desk staff and clinical staff. This meant that I had to be able to understand the front desk information and clinical information. I enjoyed being able to help both sides of the office, as they both require strong communication. A weakness this week is how I am still learning instruments and their purposes. While I have certainly learned a lot since May, I wish I was more confident on the names and purpose of each instrument. I will continue learning these instruments throughout my internship, and will create more quizzes and flashcards to teach future interns.
Week 11
July 20th
I arrived at 7:20 and turned on the lights, filled the ultrasonic, and prepared the office for patients. I quickly worked on tracking sheets for afternoon patients before we went into huddle at 7:45. The first patients were at 8:00 and were new patients. I brought the family back and talked to the parent about airway health, preventative procedures, and Tiny Tooth’s overall purpose. I enjoyed teaching the parent about how tongue placement plays a prominent factor on a child’s growth and mental state. I helped the dental assistant with x rays and charting for around an hour. I stood on standby during the hygiene appointments as we were short-staffed. I would rotate helping the front desk, working in sterilization, and assisting the hygiene appointments for till around 11:00 am. We had a short break till 11:30 and spent that time learning about airway health and how to empower patients. Afterwards, there was an SDF appointment which I helped the dental assistant with. The patient was very anxious so I spent time calming them down and making them feel comfortable. At around 12:30 I assisted Dr. Monica with with a frenectomy which was fascinating. I enjoyed having the opportunity to directly assist the procedure. After the frenectomy I sterilized the instruments and cleaned the room. After the frenectomy I helped the dental assistant find orthodontic and oral surgery referrals for their hygiene patient. I spent the last bit of the day helping both the front desk and clinical staff with various tasks and requests. Once the last patients left I cleaned the office and tidied up each room. Before I left Dr. Monica showed me how to purge the laser machine.
July 21st
I arrived at 7:30 in our Cumming office. I unloaded the autoclave, wrote the date on the instruments, and put away each instrument bag. I set up the hygiene trays in the hygiene area. We went into huddle at 7:45 and went over today’s schedule. The first patients arrived at 8:00. I helped with the hygiene patients during the morning. I would bring the patients back, ask them what toothpaste flavor they want, and help the dental assistants throughout the cleaning. I would load all x rays taken into the computer and change the rotation and gamma so Dr. Monica can examine them. The morning quickly rolled by as it was repetitive due to it being mostly hygiene patients. At around 1:00 there was an operative procedure for fillings. I observed the whole procedure and Dr. Monica taught me about the purpose of each step. I enjoyed being able to watch how she filled each molar differently due to the anatomy of each tooth. When the procedure was finished I cleaned the room and sterilized the equipment. Afterwards, I helped both of the dental assistants with their hygiene patients. I helped both of them with x rays for the patients. While I was loading one of the x rays in the computer, one of the dental assistants helped me understand how to read bite wings x rays. She taught me to follow the smile line in the x ray to see if it has been correctly flipped. After I was done helping with the x rays I began to close down the office. We are only in our Cumming office one day this week so I had to complete the end-of-day and end-of-week tasks. I finished sterilizing all of the instruments and then took out the trash and cleaned the breakroom. Once the hygiene patients left, I had one of the dental assistants help me purge the water lines. I closed the office by tidying each room and turning off the lights.
July 22nd
I arrived at 9:30 since we did not have any patients today. I greeted the front desk coordinator and began working on tracking sheets for Thursday and Monday’s patients. I worked on tracking sheets until noon. The tracking sheets took awhile because we have packed schedules on both days and many of the patients are older, so I have to be more thorough going through their charting. Additionally, I slowly because I was mentally preparing how I would teach someone else how to complete a tracking sheet. Since my internship ends next week, I need to teach one of the new dental assistants how to complete the tracking sheets before I leave. After I completed all of the tracking sheets I began to make oral health education bags. I spent around an hour making hundreds of bags. Since the school semester is quickly rolling around the corner, Dr. Monica wants me to make as many bags as I can so they will be ready for elementary school talks. I spent the last 30 minutes at the office cleaning and reorganizing.
July 23rd
I arrived at 7:30 and turned on the lights, opened the blinds, and unloaded the autoclave. I took all of the instruments out of the autoclave and wrote the date on them. Afterwards, I ensured that all of the rooms were set up with the correct instruments and looked neat. At 7:45 we went into huddle and discussed the schedule for the day. After huddle, I helped the dental assistants set up operative trays for extractions later in the day. The first patient arrived at 8 and I helped take their x rays. I observed the hygiene cleaning and helped the dental assistant with any tasks. While I was helping the hygiene procedure the front desk coordinator asked me to help her make phone calls in the front of the office. She showed me how to look at past patient history and see if future appointments have been scheduled. I spent around 45 minutes calling families and leaving voicemails about scheduling hygiene cleanings. When I was finished making phone calls I then helped the other intern make oral hygiene kits. I showed the intern how to make the kits and how to organize the bags. Afterwards, I helped one of the dental assistants with an operative patient. I stood in the room while they started nitrous gas because the patient was very nervous. I helped calm the patient down and I left the room to tell Dr. Monica that the patient is ready for her. I observed the operative procedure and helped calm the patient while Dr. Monica was operating. The procedure took around an hour. After the procedure, I walked the patient to the prize station and talked to the patient and their Mom. Once they left I cleaned the room and sterilized all the equipment. I spent around and hour in the sterilization room catching up on cleaning hygiene instruments. I ran the ultrasonic twice, started the autoclave, and bagged instruments. While I was sterilizing equipment, I got asked to help take x rays for a hygiene patient. I helped take their x rays and loaded the films in the computer. I rotated the image and lowered the gamma to Dr. Monica’s liking. I also helped take x rays for another hygiene patient around 15 minutes later. I continued to work in sterilization until the hygiene appointments were finished. Since it was our last day of work for this week, I had to ensure that the majority of instruments were ran in the ultrasonic and autoclave so we will have enough clean instruments for next week. The last patient arrived at around 12:30 for an extraction. I helped the assistant set up the room and I turned on the nitrous tanks. I spent the last hour completing the end of day and end of week tasks with one of the dental assistants. I learned how to purge the lines and make the purging solution. I cleaned up the sterilization room, got the mail, and watered the plants. I also swept and cleaned the windows. When the extraction patient was finished I cleaned the room and sterilized the instruments. I closed down the day by turning off the lights and rolling down the blinds.
Weekly Summary
1.3: Analyze the data to determine the health of priority population(s) and the factors that influence health.
1.3.2: Determine the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, skills, and behaviors that impact the health and health literacy of the priority population(s).
Educated parents during new patient visits about airway health, preventative oral care, and growth impacts of tongue placement.
2.4: Develop plans and materials for implementation and evaluations.
2.4.2: Develop materials needed for implementation.
Assembled hundreds of oral health education bags for elementary school oral health presentations.
3.2: Deliver health education and promotion interventions.
3.2.1: Create an environment conducive to learning.
I eased patient anxiety by calming down several patients this week. This provides a comfortable environment for both the patient and parent to learn about the procedure and hear about post-operative instructions.
7.2: Prepare others to provide health education and promotion.
7.2.5: Implement training.
I taught the other intern how to complete tracking sheets. I also prepared how to teach one of the new dental assistants how to complete tracking sheets.
8.3: Engage in professional development to maintain and/or enhance proficiency.
8.3.5: Serve as a mentor.
I served as a mentor for the other intern throughout this internship. Last week was their final week of their internship, so they asked me several questions regarding college and being pre-dental. I answered their questions and gave them guidance for becoming pre-dental. I also taught them a lot about sterilization and how to sterilize certain instruments.
Weekly Reflection
One of my strengths this week was that I felt confident multitasking. Towards the beginning of my internship I struggled to multitask in a fast-paced environment. Since I now am confident helping in different areas of the office, I can efficiently multitask. There were several times this week that were chaotic, however, I stayed calm and helped out. A weakness this week is that it can be challenging to communicate with patients who are very fearful. For instance, several patients cry while taking x rays due to the fear of the unknown. While I try to help calm down the patient, it is not always easy since fear consumes their mind. Being patient is key since many patients need time to calm down to understand that nothing will hurt them.
Week 12
July 27th
I arrived at 7:30 and turned on the lights, opened the blinds, and put out the chairs. I cleaned the play area and filled the ultrasonic. I also unloaded the autoclave, dated the instrument bags, and put the instruments away. We went into huddle at 7:45 to go over the schedule and flow for the day. After that, we began to prepare for the patients by setting up x ray materials. At 8:00 the patients arrived. I helped with both of their appointments by helping with their x rays, providing the correct instruments, and talking to the mother and father about ENT referrals. At around 9:00, I had to quickly prepare a sealants tray. I helped give Dr. Monica all of the materials and helped the dental assistant during the procedure. After the first patients were done, I quickly cleaned their chair and put out new trays. After that I helped take the next patients’ x rays. At one point later in the morning I had to help with a hygiene patient that was not cooperative. I spent that hour keeping the patient still while the dental assistant cleaned the patient’s teeth. Once the patient’s teeth were cleaned Dr. Monica came into the room to complete the exam. I held the patient still while Dr. Monica completed the exam. After the exam, I took the patient to the prize station to pick out a prize and toothbrush. I spent some time around lunch sterilizing the instruments that were used in the morning. Afterwards, I observed an operative procedure that took around 30 minutes. I recorded several videos during the procedure for the Tiny Tooth Instagram (patient and their parent gave consent for the videos). These videos showed how to use the laser machine to complete fillings. Once the procedure was completed, I cleaned the room and put away the laser machine. I spent the end of the day in sterilization cleaning and running the autoclave. I would periodically help with the hygiene appointments helping with x rays. Once the last patients left I cleaned the hygiene area and put out the trays for Wednesday’s patients. I ended the day spending an hour with Dr. Monica rearranging and organizing the office. We reorganized the prize station, restocked referral forms, and tidied the sterilization room.
July 28th
This morning, the office celebrated me and the other intern by taking us out for coffee before the office opened. After coffee, I arrived at the office at 9:55 and quickly set up hygiene trays in the hygiene bay. I unloaded the autoclave, filled the ultrasonic, and made more hygiene trays. The first patients arrived at 10:00 and I helped take x-rays for both patients. Afterwards, I helped Dr. Monica organize objects around the office. I put away referral forms and unpacked objects we brought over from the Milton office. When I was finished, I helped the front desk coordinator with tracking sheets. I did tracking sheets for around 45 minutes. While I was completing tracking sheets one of the dental assistants asked me to help the x-ray machine. The x-ray machine would not connect to the computer, so the dental assistant was worried we lost the x ray images. I spent around ten minutes trying to figure out why the computer wouldn’t connect to the sensor and finally figured it out. I managed to retrieve the x ray images that were put into the machine, which calmed down the dental assistant. Afterwards, I helped the dental assistants with hygiene patients by helping them with x rays, grabbing referral forms, and relaying messages to the front desk. At one point during the early afternoon the x ray machine stopped working again. I had to explain to the dental assistants and Dr. Monica how to retrieve the x rays if they do not show up on the computer. I continued to observe and help with patients after that. At 1:30 I began to close down the office. I ran all of the instruments through the ultrasonic, bagged instruments, and unloaded the autoclave. I wrote the date on all of the clean instrument bags and put the instruments away. I then made hygiene trays for next week’s patients. Before I left I taught the new dental assistant how to complete tracking sheets. I walked through each step of the tracking sheet, showing them where to find the information on the dental website.
July 29th
I arrived at 7:40 and opened the blinds, set up the rooms, and unloaded the autoclave. We went into huddle at 7:50 to discuss the pros and cons of yesterday, and how we can improve today. We talked about the schedule for the day and how to be as efficient as possible. I spent around 30 minutes finishing the tracking sheets for today. While I was finishing the tracking sheets, I got called into an operative procedure to help with x rays. I helped take the x rays, however, the x ray machine would not work. Dr. Monica figured out that the x ray software updated overnight and is no longer compatible with our software. We called our IT person and talked to them about the machine not working. Luckily, the machine got fixed and the x rays were saved. After that procedure I cleaned the room and quickly set up for the next procedure. While Dr. Monica and one of the assistant’s stayed in the op room, I trained the other dental assistant on how to make tracking sheets. I walked them through the process of making different tracking sheets. This took around an hour since each patient can be very different, which changes the amount of information that is written on the sheet. Towards the end of helping them, I got called into the procedure to help out. I helped hold the patient during the procedure since they were wiggly. While I helped out Dr. Monica quizzed me on the purpose of each step of a filling. I learned that the explorer is used to prevent any gaps after you apply etch. After the procedure, I cleaned the room and went to sterilization. I sterilized all of the instruments that we used in the morning. After I was done with sterilization I brought the hygiene patient to their room. The patient was not very cooperative, however, this appointment was great to learn how to handle hard situations. This hygiene appointment took around an hour. After the appointment I sterilized the equipment and helped with hygiene appointments. I showed a parent our new patient binder and gave them an educational talk about airway health. Since the patient needed an ENT referral I focused on what would most benefit them regarding airway health. I then helped out with x rays and grabbing referral forms for patients. I ended the day by making trays for tomorrow’s patients and finished sterilization. I said goodbye to the team before I left and thanked them for allowing me to intern at Tiny Tooth this summer.
Weekly Summary
1.4: Synthesize assessment findings to inform the planning process.
1.4.2: Prioritize health education and promotion needs.
I gave a new patient talk on Wednesday and catered the conversation to airway health since the patient got referred to the ENT doctor.
3.1: Coordinate the delivery of intervention(s) consistent with the implementation plan.
3.1.4: Establish training protocol.
I wrote down the technical steps of how to retrieve the x rays so the dental assistants will know how to find the x rays in the Cumming office.
3.1.5: Train staff and volunteers to ensure fidelity.
I spent this week training the dental assistants how to complete tracking sheets and other tasks I complete daily.
3.2: Deliver health education and promotion interventions.
3.2.1: Create an environment conducive to learning.
When I taught the new dental assistant how to complete tracking sheets, I taught them during a relaxed time in our schedule. The office was quiet and not busy so the dental assistant could put their complete focus on learning.
6.3: Develop message(s) using communication theories and/or models.
6.3.3: Tailor message(s) for the audience(s).
I have adapted my verbal language to patients based on their age or their anxiety levels.
7.2: Prepare others to provide health education and promotion.
7.2.3: Assess training needs.
I realized that the new dental assistant did not know how to complete tracking sheets, so I asked them how they can best learn from me. They watched me complete a tracking sheet first, and then I watched them complete a tracking sheet.
7.2.5: Implement training.
Taught dental assistant how to complete tracking sheets.
7.4: Manage fiduciary and material resources.
7.4.8: Maintain up-to-date technology infrastructure.
Called the IT person to reconnect our x-ray machine to our newly updated dental software.
Weekly Reflection
I greatly enjoyed this week. My main high this week was having the opportunity to teach the other dental assistants. I enjoyed being able to use what I have learned during my internship to help them later on. It felt rewarding being able to watch them learn and apply what I taught them. I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to intern here. I have grown tremendously since May, and this internship has only strengthened my passion for dentistry. I appreciate the Tiny Tooth team for their support during my internship. My low for this week was that I wish I had more time to pass off what I taught the other dental assistants. I taught them the main tasks I focused on, however, there are smaller tasks I wish I could have explained with more time given. This internship has been a wonderful experience and I am truly grateful for it.
Kate Brown 