6/28/2007
I’m excited to begin a new chapter in my dental career. This month I start practicing with Dr. Bryan Murray at his surgical center in Lethbridge, Alberta. What is thrilling to me about this new opportunity is the chance to work with a new dental team and move even closer to achieving my goals for patient treatment and dental philosophy. The areas of dentistry that I am most passionate about are those that really change the quality of peoples lives.
For me these areas are reconstructive dentistry and TMJ, dental sleep medicine, and cosmetic dentistry. My interest in these areas are due to the experiences I have had with patients and family. It has been nothing short of amazing to be able to take someone who has chronic headaches to no headaches, to treat a life threatening condition like sleep apnea and change these patients daily lives permanently. I have also found cosmetic dentistry to be rewarding as we give someone an amazing smile, with little or lots of dentistry, and they are often tearful. They smile as if for the first time. It is incredibly satisfying to make a difference that is so palpable.
I also find all of these areas require detail, focus and a multi-disciplinary approach that challenge me to grow, learn and apply.
I’m positive I will look back at this decision as a landmark. I can’t wait to dig in and make it happen.
1/14/2006
I made $50 bucks today for about 1.5 hours of work signing people in and out of a dental conference. To offset that increase we bought another mic for Daria’s podcasting along with some headphones. We traped on over to Wal-Mart too, to replace our toilet-drenched cordless phone with a new model. We ended up getting a two-phone package (backup!) with the ability to two-way radio between the two units. Doubt we will use that feature too much but having a second cordless phone will be a nice addition around here since the cordless is inevitably on the floor your not come ring time.
I’m weighing the purchase of a computer. The demos always go on sale at my local campus computer store with every Apple hardware update and this particularly computer is the last of the PowerPC powered Macs, which could come in handy for running the software I currently own. Then again our current computer is getting the job done but slower I imagine. So tempting…
10/29/2005
It is that wonderful time of year where we all get to play make believe. I think the dressing up is just as fun as the candy, if not more since I can eat candy pretty much whenever I want. This year Dylan is going as Frodo Baggins of Lord of the Rings fame, Joshua is going to be a Dragon, complete with wings, and Brigham is going as a Turtle, Noah is going to be a little Lamb. I’ve seen most of them dressed up and they all look amazing or cute in their costumes.
Daria and I are trying to figure out our costumes still, although I do have a special costume planned for Monday at school. Just in case someone from university is actually reading this before Halloween I won’t be revealing my costume just yet-but it is sure to get a response, particularly from the class of 2006. I did a mock test of the costume after gathering the numerous pieces and accessories and I’m thrilled with the result. The costume will be a shocker, and a one-time only event. I’ve been stewing over this costume for three years now, and I’m relishing, with giddiness, the Monday moment when I walk through those clinic doors.
6/11/2005
I saw an emergency patient yesterday with an initial complaint of a sore tooth. The pain was severe enough that she couldn’t sleep at night. She had many other large cavities that will also likely need root canals but those teeth aren’t bothering her yet. Just getting in to see us was a huge struggle for her and unless we can find a way to motivate and educate this young lady she will continue to have major dental problems. She told us that she wouldn’t come back in the fall for any treatment because she is a seasonal worker and avoids all expenses after the summer. Several times throughout the appointment she became quite emotional. I think the initial prick was the finances but the whole combination of pain, being made aware of the multiple areas needing treatment and confronting all of that at once made her experience quite difficult. I felt such sympathy for her and her situation. It is so hard for all of us to come to a realization that our procrastination or our fears or our lack of preventive measures have dug us into a deep hole. I’ve met quite a few patients this year facing this difficulty. No matter how nice, pleasant or sympathetic I am for some it is all too overwhelming. As a fellow dental student pointed out—quoting Joni Mitchell—you don’t know what you got till its gone. Being able to treat these patients and restore their dental health is very rewarding, but occasionally against better judgement and recommendation patients will ignore your counsel. I think I’ll be doing a fair amount of charity dentistry as I can’t bear to see such severity left untreated.
On a brighter note? Daria and I saw Episode III last night. I thought it was excellent. It seems like Star Wars is not the “in thing” to be enjoying but I thought George Lucas captured almost perfectly the turning of Anakin to the Dark Side. I’ll be posting a review tomorrow. What impressed me most (as with all of the Star Wars films) was the films consideration and portrayal of Good vs. Evil.
5/6/2005
This summer I will be working at the school again, but this time in a different capacity-as a Dentist! Our provincial licensing body allows for a temporary license for dental students between their 3rd and 4th year, under the provision that a dentist be supervising (or in other words on-site for any needed consultation). This will be a true eye opener in many regards as we can begin, commence and finish treatment without the checkpoints of dental school. The onus will be on us to ensure the best treatment. I expect it will make me a better clinician knowing that unless asked I will have the final say.
The position offered has been 5 days a week, however, I’d like to work 4. I proposed this alteration and they are amenable to it. I want this extra day to spend time with family, visit dentists and specialists and make some trips to the great outdoors. Our family is more of a short trip family right now, home base being a key ingredient of our sanity. I’m currently debating which day would be better to take off Monday or Friday. I’m leaning towards Mondays: we won’t have to extensivley travel on the Sabbath Day, and I think more dental offices will be open on Mondays for observation. I haven’t looked at the calendar but I’m also thinking their are more Friday holidays then Mondays in June-August.
What day do you think would be best?
