New Patient (for reals, this time) and... Arts and Crafts!

First day of clinic and nobody died!

I am no longer a clinic newbie! I had my very first patient today (who showed up) and who was a total doll. It's so much easier to do the procedures when the patient is kind, understanding and, well, patient. No pun intended. (seriously). He was quite cranky in the beginning and I was afraid we were going to have a repeat of last week (see last post) but "kill with kindness" is an adage that almost always works, and fortunately it did this time.

I was able to do an exam, probing depths/charting and a cleaning in roughly 2 hours! Not bad for a first timer! I am sure the dental hygienists and dentists are scoffing at that lengthy time, and many of you as patients can hardly imagine a cleaning taking 2 hours (believe me, it could have been 4 hours), but hey! My first time! I'm still giddy over it.

No cavitron, though. I am waiting for some serious calculus to bust that bad boy out.


Quick switch of topics:

Many dentists are people cut from similar cloth. Creativity and artistry is woven into the fabric of their daily existence. This is why many dentists are painters, sculpters, knitters, and... stitchers! Like me! Get the previous puns? Anyway, I am a proud, prolific cross stitcher who is proud to display some artwork that I have stitched on my walls.

To the right is a beautiful piece called "Deidre," who has been drawn  as a stunning likeness of me by the artist Nene Thomas. The company Heaven and Earth Designs converted this piece of artwork to a cross stitch design for addicts - ahem, artists such as myself to stitch.

Heaven and Earth Designs is a small American business, who like many others is struggling in this awful economy. If you are a stitcher, or have someone who you know (anyone, really - family, friend, neighbor, random person on the street) who might be interested in creating something beautiful from a piece of fabric, a needle and floss, please consider visiting the website.

Mark your calendars!

HAED's anniversary - 11 years of existence and enhancing the lives of crafty type A personalities - is Sept 14. To support them, some people on facebook are throwing around the idea of a "HAED Appreciation Week" during Sept 10-14, during which we all purchase charts to raise awareness of the need to support a beloved business.

Anyway. I love HAED, stitching and all that it stands for. Their designs have kept me sane through this rollercoaster ride that is dental school.

Until next time!