Just a day in the life of a fourth year dental student

So I didn't sleep last night because I was thinking about my root canal patient today. You see, yesterday, my original patient didn't show. So my classmate gave me his (very nice). But I didn't get started until 3ish. So I didn't get out of the d school until 6:30. Then I had mental breakdown for awhile. So I spent the night fretting about finishing the root canal this morning.

This morning, I got to school over an hour before my patient was to arrive because I had to "bag" my instruments last night. That means that I turned them in after 5:15 which means I can't check out until I check in (which takes about 10 min). But I can't check in the old until 8:45. My patient comes at 9am. So I need to check in, check out, and set up in 15 min.

After all of that I get started. My patient is the most wonderful lady. I am working as quickly as I can. At 11:25, I take my master file xray (this means I'm done with shaping canals and now I just have to fill the canals, then fill the tooth). I take my xray with the canal filling cones. My instructor (who happens to be at least 3 years younger than I am) tells me I need to have the xray by 11:30 to do the final canal filling. I run to the xray developer and am waiting for the film. It is out by 11:33. He tells me, I'm sorry, its too late for you to fill the canals. So basically the main difference between finishing and not finishing is searing off the cones at the right length versus pulling them out with forceps and placing a temporary filling. So, the difference in time between finishing and temporizing is about 3 min. He is obviously too busy and important to wait those extra 3 min. I personally can vouch that I would have been done on time. Then later, he had the nerve to wink at me like I'm his friend.

So, my patient comes BACK at 2pm (meanwhile I have to cancel my hair appt). Now, I have to anesthetize her again, take out the temp, put the rubber dam back on. So in order to have her come in at 2pm, I have to reserve a chair. This takes me going to the appointment office, then waiting for the endo office to open and then going back to the appointment office. In the meantime, dispensing wants me to move all of my instruments to a different cubicle. I skip lunch and get up there ready to finish the canal, while thanking God for giving me such a great patient. Then at 1:50...............the power goes out in the entire building. You know, people stuck in elevators and all. However, it came back on at 2:20.

I finished the root canal and now my stats are up to...

1 root canal needed
1 case completion needed

And do you ever wonder why school makes me crazy?