Making a Good Impression
Clinical labs are hands-down one of my favorite parts of school. Beyond the heaps of bookwork and practice on mannequins, we sometimes get to put what we’ve learned into action, like taking impressions and pouring casts.
One thing is for certain, I did not realize how awkward it would be to maneuver a tray ( covered with impression material) into someone’s mouth for the first time. Thankfully, our patients were our own classmates, and all were good sports about having their cheeks yanked, tongues gagged, and chins covered in alginate.
I did need to retake my first impression. But thankfully with a little guidance, I have since adopted a much better technique! The word is that our impressions and casts will be used to create our very own bleaching trays. Oh yeah!
Facebow Frenzy 
If just taking an impression wasn’t awkward enough, we also learned the purpose of and how to use a facebow and an articulator. Dentists use these instruments to replicate the relationship of the dental arches and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) outside of the mouth. That’s a mouthful huh? Well, in short, they are helpful when a dentist needs to make crowns, dentures or any prosthodontic case while preserving a healthy occlusion for the patient. They are also useful to study or avoid problems related to occlusion, like joint dysfunction. The facebow is the (very fashionable headgear-like) instrument placed on the patient to record the relationship of the bite. Meanwhile, the articulator is the instrument that you use to mount the final cast.
She said yes!
To kick off our second year of dental school, we got to select our class advisor. It was so nice to have the chance to vote as a class for a faculty member that we have bonded with and been inspired by. Our choice was Dr. Carabello and I am thrilled because while I love so many of our professors, she is such a genuinely sweet woman who is always willing to serve. She will definitely be helping us get through a lot these next 3 years! Take a look at the proposal we planned during Sim Lab:
Holy Ravioli
Sometimes you just need to kick back and do something that has absolutely nothing to do with school or dentistry. The American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD) is a club I’m a member of and they are amazing at distracting us from our stress! Here’s just a taste of one of the many fun things dental school clubs can offer—making ravioli from scratch at the Fat Tuscan Café in Gainesville! I’d don’t like to brag, but I’d say mine look pretty good. ????
