Culminating Blog Reflection

     The way I used communication, creativity, critical thinking and collaboration to complete this project was quite simple. I had great communication with my mentor so I could get my hours done, and also so she could help me understand everything that I was observing. Communication was a key part in getting hours done for this project. The creativity part of this project was pretty hard because my topic was pretty straight forward, so I tried being creative with my paper by putting in many resources and different opinions. My research paper also consisted of most of my critical thinking. It took me a very long time to complete my paper even with all the hard work and critical think I put in. Putting the whole project in the presentation is where it all collaborated. I got to reflect on the whole project and see all the different aspects to it. 

       From this project, I realized that my dream job as a dentist was just that. A dream. I now know that I can't be a dentist because of all the circumstances they're surrounded by. I didn't take into account the amount of blood and germs are around dentists and also the patience they have to maintain while doing procedures on patients. I personally can't be around germs and blood 8 hours a day 5 days a week. Although I know I can't be a dentist, this project helped me develop confidence and patience when dealing with patients. This project also helped me a little bit with my fear of germs, but there's still a part of me that can't be around them for too long. Over all, the capstone project saved me a lot of time deciding on what I would want to study after high school. 

    Some challenges I had included transportation, and my fear of bacteria. It was always hard finding a way to get to my mentors office since my parents worked, and they didn't let me take the bus. Because it was small challenge, I overcame it in the end by getting my hours done. The hardest, and main challenge I faces was the germs and bacterium around the stations. I had the hardest time watching Dr. Legaspi perform procedures on patients because of the blood and other germs that would come out of the mouth. I feel accomplished knowing that I got all my hours done and not giving up.

Capstone Log 12

Hours for May 14, 2014: 1 hour

Running Total: 25 hours

Finally done!! For my last hour, Dr.Legaspi told me that the reason my my teeth were hurting was because my wisdom teeth are coming in. They're not quite ready to be extracted, so she recommends me to wait until summer to remove them. I wish I could remove them already to get it over with, but if the doctor says to wait, I'll definitely listen. Other than hearing about my teeth, I helped an assistant get a tray ready for a cleaning, and also for a crown replacement. I feel like I know which instruments and items are used for each procedure which is a personal growth for me. I watched the procedures and that pretty much the hour I spent there. I was a bit disappointed that I didn't get to see a different procedure for my last time there, but I'm happy over all with the experience I gained. 

Capstone Log 11

Hours for May 8, 2013: 2 hours

Running total: 24 hours

Are you a young adult with minor tooth aches? Well, I am. I was telling Dr. Legaspi how recently every time I ate, it would hurt the teeth in the back of my mouth. She kindly walked me through how to take x-rays as she took my own. Since there was a patient waiting with an actually appointment, she told me that she would look at my X-rays and get back to me tomorrow. As she got the patient settled in, I filed some folders and pulled folders for tomorrow's patients. Filing folders isn't what I really want to do, but I'm happy to help them sonce they're helping me. Since I've seen Dr. Legaspi perform cleaning, I decided to read a textbook that one of the assistants brought for me to read. She was explaining to me the different types of dentists such as endodontists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons. The book she gave me elaborated on each of the jobs. I didn't know there were so many jobs for each type of doctor, so learning about the jobs was interesting. After reading for a while, a man came in who was a new patient. He filled out a few forms, then I helped the assistant take his x-rays. I could tell that the man hasn't been to the dentist in a while because the appearance of his teeth. Soon enough, Dr. Legaspi told him that he had two major cavities that couldn't be filled because they were so deep that it was near the root. The option he chose was to get a root canal, so doctor had to refer him to an oral surgeon. I felt bad for the man because he barely spoke English and he seemed so lost during the whole process. Over all, I felt like today was a good way to spend an afternoon! For my next hour, I would like to see the results of my x-rays, and to see procedures I have yet to see. 

Capstone Log 10

Hours for May 7, 2013: 2 hours

Running total: 22 hours 

Today I started off my hours by doing some filing and a bit of office work. After I was done, I got to watch a man with dentures get an impression so he can get new ones. Since he only had a few real teeth left, they had to match the new dentures to the color of the real teeth that were showing. It was pretty unfortunate that the teeth he had left were very yellow and looked unhealthy. I could barely understand what he was telling me because the dentures made it difficult to understand. It saddens me to see people who are in situations like his,because if they only took care of their teeth, life would be easier. After the patient left, I observed the steps in making the mold for the new dentures which should be ready in two weeks.The process seemed pretty easy, but there were many steps to memorize. Memorization skills are much needed to be a dentist, and I wonder how they can memorize so many steps for different procedures. I personally would have a difficult time memorizing so many steps. After the mold another patient came in for a cleaning and he asked Dr. Legaspi if she could hurry because he had a baseball game. Dr. Legaspi did her best to rush, but he was still a little late which made him upset. Seeing a patient act this way made me a little disappointed, but Dr. Legaspi told me that it was okay and not all patients would be happy with her service. I then watched Dr.Legaspi fill a cavity to a woman who rarely went to the dentist. Her last cleaning appointment was two years ago, but she only had one cavity. It taught me that the way you take care of your teeth is very effective even if you don't go to the dentist. For next time, which will be my last time, I hope to see more patients with different operations. 

Capstone Log 9

Hours for Friday, April 19, 2013 :1 hour
Running Total: 20 hours

I haven't been in the office in a while, but because of the star testing schedule I took the opportunity to get in an hour! This morning, I helped the doctor and assistant prepare for a teeth cleaning, and also got the folders ready for the patients that were coming in today. I observed the procedure where a woman got her teeth polished and cleaned. Although I have seen this procedure done many times, it was still interesting to see how the woman reacted to the instruments since her gums were very sensitive. I felt sorry for her because her age also contributed to her sensitive gums, and it wasn't only due to poor care.

Capstone Log 8

Hours for March 20, 2013: 2 hours
Running total: 19 hours

Today was a bit slow, within the two hours I was there, there weren't many patients to watch. To start off with, I watched Dr. Legaspi perform a cavity filling and a deep cleaning procedure. The woman seemed a bit uneasy, but I've seen worse. She got through the procedure without making a single groan! I was then taught how to fill out the envelopes for the sterilizing machine to check if everything is working okay. One of the assistants was showing me how to put the which instruments in the bags for sterilizing. Who knew there was a whole color coordination process for sterilizing tools? I didn't! I learned that all the colors on the instruments meant that they were used for different procedures. While watching her, I got a bit confused because there were so many different colors and instruments going in different bags. I know if I became an assistant it would take a long while to memorize all the things she knows.
They then showed me how to do the x-rays for the patients, and I learned that if you don't get the x-ray at the right angle, you'll have to do the whole thing over again.
A younger girl then came in for a cleaning and I observed that she took very good care of her teeth. I saw her x-rays and how her baby teeth were coming out to make room for her new permanent teeth. Dr.Legaspi said that if her loose teeth were bothering her, they could extract it, but for now they should just wait for it to come out. She seemed happy that she got to keep her teeth! I feel happy when I see the patients smile because it means that they're happy to be there. For next time, I hope to see more smiling patients with new procedures!

Capstone Log 7

Hours for March 19, 2013: 2 hours
Running total: 17 hours


It amazes me how some gums can bleed so much. Today, an older woman came in to get a temporary crown. I've watched this procedure a few times before, but this one seemed a bit different. The woman seemed very uneasy and in pain for most of the procedure. From seeing Dr. Legaspi inject her with the anesthetic, to watching the her gums bleed, I felt my stomach turn a little like it did last time. The assistant told me that it takes a while to get used to, but I can't imagine a time where I won't feel a bit sick from seeing someone's gums bleed over and over again. Continuing to watch the procedure was a bit hard, but the rest was simple. Later, a man came in to bleach his teeth which took about a little over an hour. When applying the solution, the patient has to keep his/her mouth open for more than an hour with the application of the solution every 10-15 minutes. The patient has done this before, so he wasn't as restless as I would have expected any other person to be. Seeing the issues some patients have makes me realize that now is the time to take care of my teeth so I won't have to spend hours in a chair with my mouth wide open.

Capstone Log 6

Hours for March 7, 2013: 3 hours
Running Total: 15 hours

Cavities? Of course I've had a few! Most people have experienced what it's like
to have a cavity filled, but not many know how the actual process is done. Today, I watched Dr. Legaspi perform 3 cavity composite fillings for two patients. The process took a while, but it was pretty interesting to watch. They showed me the different components that combine to make the composite filling and all the pre-procedure steps that are taken before the filling is put in. It took a while for Dr. Legaspi to get the filling to fit just right, but in the end they used a machine to solidify the gel that became the filling. After watching the fillings, a patient came in and explained how some of the teeth on bottom are very sensitive whenever she eats hot or cold food. The doctor showed me her teeth and explained that her teeth showed signs that she grinds her teeth. The enamel of the sensitive teeth were practically gone, so the doctor said that they could do a basic filling to protect the teeth. Once the enamel of your teeth is gone, it can't come back, so it wears down your inner tooth which can cause certain diseases. The Dr. Legaspi told the patient to stay away from acidic fruits and juices to help keep the remaining enamel in tact. Next, I learned how to get a station ready for the doctor for the cleaning procedure. They showed me how to set up the station for what each patient needed so the doctor doesn't have to worry about it. Next time, I would like to observe a procedure that I haven't seen yet.

Capstone Log 5

Hours for March 1, 2013: 2 hours
Running Total: 12 hours


Although it was a sunny Friday, I spent a few hours at the dentist. Today, a family came in and they all needed their teeth checked, cleaned and polished. Their son needed fillings and an extraction so Dr. Legaspi filled a cavity, worked on the two parents, then made the extraction from the son. After I watched the filling, I watched Dr. Legaspi clean the moms teeth and it was interesting because she had dentures. The process is a little different because the doctor takes out the dentures to clean them and also has to treat her remaining weak teeth. The mom was telling me that I should always take care of my teeth so my teeth won't end up like hers. Also, the father had braces so the cleaning process was a bit different too. The doctor used a flossed tool to floss, and it also took longer to clean and polish his teeth because of the brackets. Brandon, the son, then had his extraction which went pretty well. While Dr. Legaspi was pulling out the tooth, we could hear the roots break off from the gums which kind of scared me because of all of the blood that was coming out. After the family left, I watched Ray Ann, a dental assistant create a temporary crown like what I saw the last time. It was interesting again because a lot of teeth were infected with the decay and so the process took much longer. For the next time, I look forward to learning about more procedures.

Capstone Log 4

Hours for February 21, 2013: 3 hours
Running Total: 10 hours

Today I observed the dentist with a patient who had tooth decay. To treat the tooth, the dentists have to create a temporary crown, and also remove the tooth to stop from spreading. The whole process took about an hour and a half, which included steps such as making the impressions of the patients teeth, using cords to separate the gums, and creating the temporary crown itself. As time went on during the process, the patient became a little restless and antsy. I felt bad for her because she was a little on the older side, and it seemed very hard for her to lay down with her mouth open for more than an hour. Aside from the temporary crown, I watched a little girl get three of her baby teeth pulled out.Dr. Legaspi, her assistant, and the little girl's mom had to hold her down, and comfort her the whole time because she kept whining and squirming around. During the girl's appointment, I felt bad for her because I know that it's hard getting three of your teeth pulled out at the same time, but I also wanted to give credit to Dr. Legaspi for doing a good job with calming her down. Patience is also needed in order to be a dentist because there will be patients who choose not to cooperate. In that situation, I don't know how I would have handled it. After the little girl, I watched the dentist polish and clean the teeth of another patient. Although I have already seen this, it was still interesting to watch again. For the next time, I look forward to observing patients with other needs that i have yet to see.

Capstone Log 3

Hours for February 13, 2013: 1 hour
Running Total: 7 hours

Today, I watched Dr. Legaspi perform a deep cleaning session on a patient. I learned that the difference between a deep cleaning and a normal cleaning is that in the process of deep cleaning, the doctor cleans beneath the gums. We talked about how after a deep cleaning is done, the patient must come back for a normal cleaning every 3-4 months as opposed to only twice a year. This process is called periodontal maintenance, which is therapeutic to the gums. I actually got to see the consequence of not properly caring for your teeth, and with watching the process of deep cleaning, brushing and flossing seems like a walk in the park. I felt my stomach turn a little when I kept seeing the blood of the patient's mouth, and it definitely made me want to brush and floss everyday twice a day.

Capstone Log 2

Hours for February 5, 2013: 3 hours

Running total: 6 Hours

When I got into the office, there were no patients being assisted so Well, Dr. Legaspi's dental assistant asked me to file. I put back the folders of patients who have already been helped, and i also had to pull out the folders for the patients who have appointments for tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday. After filing folders, I filed payment stubs into different folders. Although filing folders and papers can be boring and tedious, I think that it's a good skill to learn and very helpful to their business. After filing, Dr. Legaspi demonstrated how to clean and sterilize the instruments they use on their patients. She was explaining how it's important to make sure that all instruments are clean and sterilized because they're used everyday with different patients. When a patient came in, i watched Dr. Legaspi inspect and clean their teeth, and she showed the patient how to properly floss their teeth. After checking and cleaning the teeth, I observed her dental assistant polish the patient's teeth. I thought that it was interesting seeing how the doctors polish and clean the teeth instead of me being the patient and having my teeth cleaned. It was pretty cool seeing the different ways that each patient acted with the doctor because they each have their own relationship. I feel like having trust in your dentist could benefit your experience with dentistry. 

Capstone Log 1

Hours on January 24,2013 : 3 hours

Today I got to meet some of the dentists, and most of the dental assistants. Since this was my first time there, I mainly learned most of the office work. I didnt have my hep. shot so I couldnt go to the very back with the xrays, but i got to watch the dentist clean a girls teeth. I learned how to make appointments for patients, read and file the charts, clean and change the machines, and file payment stubs for the patients.

Fiscal Cliff Response

A) In the eyes of the republicans, the fiscal cliff should be solved by cutting spending and also avoid raising taxes. On the other hand, the democrats believed that a combination of both spending cuts and tax increases will help solve the fiscal cliff. The democrats are seen to be "more willing to work with leaders of the other party" which may also help solve the problem. I think that with both parties working together the fiscal cliff problem will be solved with fewer conflicts. The Republicans though, think that with the democrats, in one year, everything will get worse.

B)The way I conducted my research included narrowing down some reliable sources. I tried to make sure that the dates were current enough, and not outdated. The sites I used seemed to be very accurate with numbers and percentages from both parties. Also, I tried to use a little information from every site to compare results and numbers to check for accuracy.


http://bonds.about.com/od/Issues-in-the-News/a/What-Is-The-Fiscal-Cliff.htm

http://www.people-press.org/2012/12/13/as-fiscal-cliff-nears-democrats-have-public-opinion-on-their-side/

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/01/us-usa-fiscal-idUSBRE8A80WV20130101

Changing my project

So, i decided to change my physical project! Volunteering at the bank didn't work out too well, so i decided that changing the physical portion would be best. Instead of volunteering at the bank, i decided to job shadow my dentist. I have already found my mentor and got in a couple of hours with her.