Brittny's Internship Journal
September 7th 2006 Today I had an interview with Jamie Trump. It was very formal. I got an idea of what I would be experiencing while interning at Dayton Dental Care. I met most of the people I would be working with.
September 11th 2006

Today was my first day and I had the privilage of watching my first teeth cleaning. It was very interesting to see all the tools that are used in the process. Also it was amazing to see all the angles and the way your hands fit into a mouth to get every part of the cleaning finished.
September 13th 2006 A temporary crown was made today while I was in the Dayton Dental Care office. There are a lot of things that need to be done before the final temp. crown can be finished. I also made small talk with the patients.
September 18th 2006 Another teeth cleaning was done while I was in the office. This time I knew what to expect for the general cleaning but I learned a few more tips that help you out.
September 20th 2006 Today I learned a lot more about the tools used when cleaning teeth. Each tool has a different angle or curve that makes it significant to each tooth or each curve of the tooth.
September 25th 2006 Today I watched another cleaning. I am learning a lot more about the mouth and the college needed to become a dental hygienist.
October 9th 2006 Once again I watched someone get their teeth cleaned. There was a difference, this person had braces. There was one different instrument that was used. It blasted water and baking soda out to clean around the brackets. Our patient did not like that very much. It was definitley a new experience watching someone with braces get thier teeth cleaned.
October 11th 2006 Today I learned how to some what use the computer system at Dayton Dental Care. It was very interesting learning how to enter the patients information and how to clock in. I only practiced with one patients information to get the feel of what its like. Also I learned how the charts are filed. There are different color schemes for last names and the date that the certain patient.
October 16th 2006 Today I entered about 6 patients informaiton in the computer and updated files. I also put remider post-cards in the files that I updated. I was a little better at remembering how to get into the computer to even start entering in informatio
October 23rd 2006 Today I observed with Connie, the dental hygienist. There was a person in the chair that had massive amounts of dental work done. There were bridges and crowns and implants. I had never seen that much dental work in one mouth before and it was quite amazing.
October 25th 2006 Today I filed files and entered information into the computer. It was kind of a slow day.
October 27th 2006 Today I learned how to make a clear plastic retainer. The retainer is going to be for me. An assistant and myself made the impression and filled it with the mold material. The mold has to sit for a few hours before the actual retainer can be made. On Wednesday I will finish it.
November 1st 2006 Today I observed with the dental hygienist again. I also worked on my retainer again. I sanded down the extra parts so that there isn't a lot of extra mold when we fit the plastic.
November 6th 2006

Today I made out post cards for reminder cleanings. I put the names, dates and times on them. I also learned how to get all the little "nerds" off of the mold for my retainer.
November 8th 2006 Today I chiped off all of the "nerds" off of my mold. I covered the mold with a jelly so the plastic would come off of it. I put the mold in the vaccuum and melted the plastic and then it stuck to the mold. I had to cut off all of the extra plastic because it was bigger than the mold. I smoothed out most of the edges.
November 13th 2006 Today I finished making my retainer. I sanded off the rest of the rough parts, then I put pumice sand and polished it. I used the polishing wheel. The end result was very good. The retainer is not as thick of a material as my others. I will be making another one soon.
November 15th 2006 Today I observed a mold being made on a patient. This person was not to happy with it. Making molds is pretty messy. I also obsereved a bridge being made and fitted into another patients mouth. This was pretty interesting. A bridge is made to fill in a space where there isn't a tooth. There are caps that go over the other teeth beside the missing one to hold the bridge in place.
November 20th 2006 Today I obsereved with the dental hygienest and watched two patients get their teeth cleaned.
November 25th 2006 Today I filed reminder cards for cleanings. I also made new cards for cleanings. I had to use the computer to get adresses and names. This helped me out a lot on using the office computer.
November 27th 2006 Today I sat in on a staff meeting. Everything from financial issues to scheduling issues were brought up. Everyone shared their ideas and thoughts.
December 4th 2006 Today the Orthodontist people were at the office so I didn't go to my intern.
December 6th 2006 Today I observed 2 people getting thier teeth cleened with the hygienist.
December 11th 2006 Today I filed appointment cards. I also made new appointment cards for the people who didn't have them . I learned how to put people in the computer to get a phone call for an appointment.
December 13th 2006 Today I was out of town and did not attend my intern.
December 18th 2006 Today I did some office work. I filed appointment cards. Also I put new informaition about patients into the computer. I learned how to do a full head x-ray. I learned the settings and how to develop the negative in a dark room.

 
December 20th 2006 Today I filed charts and made new appointment cards.
January 3rd 2007 Today I made new appiontment cards and observed in the office. My mentor was home sick so I just watched a lot.
Jauary 5th 2007 Today The office was closed.
January 8th 2007 Today Dr. Fink was in the office so I did not attend my intern.