DrStudentDentist

Human anatomy quiz down. Dental anatomy and restorative to go. Right now, I have Woelfel’s Dental Anatomy open. I’m taking a quick break from Woelfel’s Dental Anatomy.

My morning started off with the quiz at 8am. It wasn’t too bad. Lectures and lectures and lectures and then lab til 8pm. I had to finish up my 2 maxillary and 1 mandibular alginate impressions. Then it was pouring up the stone models. I can definitely tell I’m getting better at it. For my impressions, I’m able to capture the vestibules but my technique is still very rough and no way could I see myself doing that to a real person … not until Wednesday when I practice on my classmates and vice versa. I’ve got two days to make myself a pro at the alginate.

Oh and paperless … yeah. I’ve cut down a lot on paper waste but yeah, no way can I do just paperless. Although, I am able to make it through my days with only my laptop. It’s just when it comes time to review my notes before a quiz/test/exam, I need to print them out for writing all over.

Back to Woelfel’s!

Yeah, still rough around the edges but well, it’s my first …

Saturday and studying for Human Anatomy. Next week is looking like:

Monday @ 8am - Human Anatomy Quiz
Tuesday @ 8am - Dental Anatomy Quiz
Wednesday @ 8am - Restorative Quiz

Right now I’m studying Bone and Cartilage. I’m glad I’ve had some exposure to the subject material already. It doesn’t feel so alien to me but irregardless, I’m still nervous about my first quiz.

Earlier today , I went to my first SCOPE event. There was a table set up for oral health screenings and handing out goodie bags. Then it was onto the Big Bro/Big Sis BBQ at Student Housing. I didn’t stay to see it end since I wanted to come back and study. I did manage to clean my room a bit and after this blog, it’s back to the books. Like now.

I’m 4 days into my classes. So far, I’ve already done a wax up of #10 (right maxillary lateral incisor) and drilled on a learn-a-prep. I’ll have to upload pictures later.

We received our assignment to do a wax-up of #10 and I’ve redone it twice and finally my third attempt is looking like a real tooth and not some disgusting mass of colored wax. I was told my wax up looks really good but after spending 10 hours on it, I’d hope it does. I was also told I’m spending too much time on it and that I can’t do that if I hope to keep up. Perhaps … since I’ve stayed up until 2 am for the past two nights working on it. I guess that’s also the reasoning behind “dental school is a marathon, not a sprint”. Well, since I had the time and have found it surprisingly fun to do wax ups, I don’t really mind.

Other than that, the week has been mostly introductions and orientations into the course.

Saturday July 13th … computer orientation.

I started the day off at the sim lab as part of the 2nd batch of students to attend computer orientation. The first batch started at 8am while I got to sleep in and went in at 10am. We received out Dell Latitude D630s with Windows Vista and a whole bunch of dental related software installed onto the computer.

The orientation was held in the sim lab and although I joked about them showing us how to drag a file or turn on the computer, there was actually very helpful instructions on how to get onto blackboard and other school related websites. That and we had to check off all the stuff we received.

The laptops are very cool and I’m able to keep everything in one place but they are annoyingly slow and outlook, which is what I use to keep track of my life, has a tendency to freeze and become unresponsive. Aside from that, I like having this laptop around and I’m gonna see how long I can keep up being, for the most part, paperless.

I had to wait for computer orientation day to get my brand, spanking new laptop since my desktop of 3 years is slightly kaput.

So Day 1 of dental school was on Friday July 11th, 2008. I woke up at 6:15AM to get to school by 7:30AM breakfast. I decided to try a new bike route to school  - Sutter Street instead of Pine Street. Sutter is a no go as far as early morning biking as I had to step off and walk up one of the hills. That was not only inefficient but also a monstrous blow to my self-esteem. So Pine Street it is.

 Breakfast @ Cafe Cagnone (UOP’s Cafeteria)

 The Rat Pack of Deans

I started off the day being handed a folder of papers while walking into UOP’s cafeteria. Breakfast was provided for both the DDS and IDS (international dental school) students. With 150+ people waiting on line for breakfast, 30 minutes was not enough time for breakfast. Plus, I spent a lot of it shaking hands with my fellow classmates. I ended up bringing coffee and a bagel into our next event of the day - welcoming speeches by Dean Ferrillo and staff.

Here are some notes I took of Dean Ferrillo’s speech:

• Class of 2011 is working with traditional textbooks and some digital material
•  3100 applicants to UOP for 2008 cycle for 142 seats
  • 175-180 accepted … 75% accepted students chose to attend UOP
  • Dean Ferrillo is not involved with the selection process - he does read the applications
  • Numbers: 3.4 GPA & ~20+ on DATs (22 avg)
  • Looking for students with a commitment/passion about people & engaged in community activity
    • Personal note: I was asked about any volunteer work during my interview. I cited my involvement in the NYC MS Bike Tour and raising money for this cause as an example.
  • current class: 51% male & 49% female
  • average age: 24-25 with a high: 36
  • 35 from UOP Stockton
  • IDS: 400 applied for 22 seats
• UOP values humanism as opposed to militaristic way of teaching
• Values:
  • innovation
  • reflection
  • collaboration
  • stewardship
  • philanthropy
• 97-98% of graduating class donated to school despite loans

Other notes:

• There is mandatory health insurance that you must enroll in even if already covered under another policy (i.e. parents’)
• Office visits: $20 copay
• ER visit: $2000 deductible
• Can tack on dependants; or subtract during the year
• Avg Total amount of loans: $241,319
• Estimated monthly loan payment: $2,875
• Loans will be disbursed July 25th

I signed my names on the dotted line, officially matriculating into the class of 2011 in the Registration part of the speech as well as confirming that I’d pay the school my dues during the Kit Payment confirmation part. The financial aid speech was, no offense to the speaker, the most boring part of the morning. I understand the information is important but much of it is highly redundant and could have been cut short by handing out a 6 slide/page printout of the powerpoint presentation. After the speeches, I went on to lunch where 1/2 a wrap, chips and drinks were provided.

After my belly was full, I proceeded up to the Sim Lab where I discovered my sim lab seating assignments and where the student kit awaited my opening. I wished and prayed and hoped I would get a window seat and …. I GOT ONE! Those seats are most seriously coveted by all and for good reason. The only thing behind me is a giant sheet of glass facing the rest of the world where I can turn to and daydream in case dental school gets on my nerves. The only negative of that would be in the case of an earthquake that shattered the glass so quickly that I can’t run for cover before it comes tumbling down upon my head causing some horrible, awful, terrible physical deformity … but … let’s pretend my legs are super fast. In any case, without a path behind me, there won’t be anyone strolling by and carelessly bumping into me while I diligently work away on my 17th wax up. In any case, there isn’t much any one can do as far as seating arrangments so I would’ve been grateful anywhere I ended up, it’s just now I’m happy and grateful.

Student kit opening was a bit overwhelming for me. We had 2 big boxes of equipment and materials to sort through, check off, and put into our lockers. It wasn’t until I talked to some 2nd years that I realized they felt the same when they went through it.

After all that, I still had to pick up the 3 boxes of books at Pacific Housing. Now that all that is done with, I feel like quite the House DDS with ~27 books on teeth sitting on my desk. Then the day ended with more meet and greet during happy hour at the local Mexican restaurant.