DS2 Class Update
Derek PetersenIt just keeps getting better! As the spring semester began back in January it was snowy and cold, but there was a fresh, new smell in the air. Perhaps you didn?t notice it, but the DS2?s certainly did. Was it the sweet spiciness of grandma's gingerbread? Was it the rich aroma of Jody and Tricia's coffee-cocoa concoction? Nope. It was the aromatic allure of TRANSITION CLINIC! We all knew it was coming, we just didn't know exactly when. The anticipation was nearly unbearable. The thought of actually treating living, breathing patients made our blood flow with new, invigorating energy. Heck, James even switched to decaf! We proudly received symbolic white coats embroidered with our names, signifying our transition into the world of patient care. It was an appetizing taste of the future when we will be able to add the initials ?D.D.S.? to the name on our white coat. But alas, before the powers that be would let us loose on patients, we had to prove ourselves on each other. It began with Perio. We practiced probing and scaling. We all tried to be gentle, but make no doubt about it, we now recognize the twitch in a patient's eyes when we push the probe a bit too hard, or the furrow in their brow when we find a sensitive exposed root with the ultrasonic.
No worries. Our next adventure was giving local anesthetic injections in our pain control class. Despite the shaky hands and sweaty brows, we followed the "Living Legend's" confident instructions, poked and squirted in the right spots, and produced profound anesthesia. It was so profound that many of us didn't each lunch until halfway through the afternoon. Sung was our sole casualty, coming away with a giant hematoma on the side of his face. Thanks for showing us all what one of those looks like, Sung!
Once we could control pain, it was time to place a rubber dam. When we first tried this in the Sim Clinic as DS1's, many of us expressed pity for the poor souls we did this to for the first time in the real clinic. Well, you guessed it; those poor souls were our classmates. Jody was the poorest soul of all, as she counts one fewer cusp in her mouth since that day. It?s a good thing we practiced on each other. Otherwise, as Cameron Birch pointed out, we would have had to schedule three-hour appointments with our first operative patients just to place the rubber dam and remove it (well, if we worked fast there might also be time to take their vitals, too.)
Outside of school, the DS2's are as busy as ever. Pulp Fiction, the DS2 volleyball team, had a great season showing much improvement over last year. They finished with a winning record and made a good showing in the playoffs. They have an intense training camp scheduled for the summer so they can change their name from Pulp Fiction to Pulp Fact next season. Thanks for reminding us all to "Use the rules" guys.
Some DS2's have been even busier than others. Kevin and Christa Baker had their first baby, Anna, on December 16. Baby Addison Jean joined parents Matt and Kristen Hein on March 24, also a first child. Donovan and Janette Hansen had their second daughter, Bella on January 14. And there are others on the way?
It?s been a great semester so far. We?re ready get to work in the clinic and provide the best dental care of our careers!