{"id":819,"date":"2023-03-21T12:30:18","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T12:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/?p=819"},"modified":"2023-03-21T14:15:44","modified_gmt":"2023-03-21T14:15:44","slug":"life-as-a-dental-student-treating-my-first-patient","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.tees.ac.uk\/talkingteesside\/2023\/03\/21\/life-as-a-dental-student-treating-my-first-patient\/","title":{"rendered":"Life as a dental student: Treating my first patient"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having spent weeks peering for second year students on the student dental clinic, dental hygiene student and committee helper for Teesside University\u2019s Dental Society, Christy Olsen, found herself pining to get started on her own clinical journey on the first day of her second year at uni.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Guest blog: Christy Olsen, Dental Hygiene student
\n<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/em><\/span>Christy is currently a second year BSc (Hons) Dental Hygiene student at Teesside University. As a Dental Committee Helper for the University\u2019s Dental Society, Christy is passionate about establishing a friendly, fun and supportive network for all dental students.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Naturally, it can feel overwhelming when the time finally comes to treat your first patient as a student in training, and Christy knows that feeling all too well. Read on as she reflects on her experience interacting with a patient for the first time, and her top tips for a successful outcome…<\/span><\/p>\n

Introductions <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Looking back, I found the initial patient introduction to be one of the most challenging aspects of the appointment. This is when you first begin to establish that crucial patient clinician rapport. Remembering patients are human, just like ourselves, really helped me to relax into this aspect of patient management.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was at this point, with my legs trembling, I tentatively straddled my seat and took my first step to becoming a qualified dental hygienist.<\/span><\/p>\n

On first appearance\u2026<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I vividly remember looking in my first \u201chuman\u201d mouth; having every anatomical feature vying for my attention \u2013 I had no idea where to look at first! Suddenly fears, doubts and worries started to rear their ugly head and my brain was convinced I simply wasn\u2019t up to the task.<\/span><\/p>\n

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At this point, I stopped myself from going any further and instead took a deep breath to calm my racing mind. This helped enormously and I found myself more focused and determined mentally to make a success of my first patient appointment.<\/span><\/p>\n

I then began to perform what would be the first of many intra and extra-oral examinations…<\/span><\/p>\n

Establishing structure <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I started by structuring my observations, ensuring no area was over-looked. You\u2019ll be told many times that a methodical order is essential to ensuring no (tonsil) stone goes unturned! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Support<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It was during this time that I found the support I received from my peer to be invaluable. After some initial nerves about performing these tasks for the first time in front of a fellow student, I swiftly discovered this actually works in your favour. We\u2019re all in the same boat after all, and good teamwork goes a long way.<\/span><\/p>\n

I also found my clinical supervisor to be incredibly supportive throughout. I was shown patience and provided with guidance from the start. Still, timed tasks were set, but appropriate to my current skill level. I was, however, questioned throughout, which did apply some extra pressure. On reflection, I\u2019m genuinely glad that my clinical supervisors pushed me quite early on in my training. You may feel thrown in the deep end, but it gears you up for what to expect as you progress through your studies.<\/span><\/p>\n

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On completion, I felt a heady mix of elation and anxiety \u2013 my first patient hangover! I was proud of my achievement having successfully finished my first ever appointment, but I was also daunted by the prospect of receiving my first clinical feedback and dizzied by the enormity of what was to come.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is during these scenarios that the importance of continuous self reflection becomes apparent. Looking back now, I can laugh at my first day jitters and quaking limbs. It\u2019s encouraging to see the progress I\u2019ve already made, which can often be overlooked when you\u2019re having a bad day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t be so hard on yourself <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When observing second and third year students, I often found myself astounded by their level of competence and the ease of which they performed each task. It\u2019s easy to forget that they too started exactly where you are today, and therefore, this is something entirely achievable to yourself if you\u2019re willing to put the effort in.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Top tips<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n