One of my friends in dental hygienist school had a really funny story. During a practical exam on patient communication, he was so nervous that he started talking about his love for pizza instead of dental hygiene procedures to the 'patient'. It was quite embarrassing at that moment but later became a hilarious memory among our classmates.
There was a story about a research project in dental hygienist school. We had to conduct a study on the effectiveness of a new dental hygiene product. Finding enough participants was a huge struggle. Also, collecting accurate data was not easy as we had to make sure the participants were following the correct usage instructions. It was a long and arduous process that taught us a lot about the importance of proper research methods in the dental hygiene field.
I've known of a situation where a dental hygienist accidentally dropped a tool into the patient's mouth during the cleaning. It was a small instrument but it still startled the patient and could have potentially caused an injury.
I heard about a case where a dental hygienist used a tool that wasn't properly sterilized. This put the patient at risk of getting an infection. It was a really scary situation for the patient who later found out about the sterilization issue.
There was a dental hygienist who had a little kid as a patient. The kid was fascinated by all the dental tools. He kept asking if he could take them home. The hygienist told him that these were special tools for the teeth in the clinic. The kid then said he wanted to be a 'tooth tool man' when he grew up, which made everyone in the room chuckle.
Well, a lot of dental hygienist success stories involve strong communication skills. They need to be able to communicate clearly with patients about their oral health issues. Community involvement is also quite common. They might get involved in local health fairs or school programs to promote oral health. And of course, a passion for their profession. Those who love what they do tend to find more success as they are more motivated to go the extra mile for their patients.
A dental hygienist named Sarah had a great success story. She worked in a rural area where dental care was not very accessible. She decided to start mobile dental hygiene services. She would travel to different villages with her equipment. She educated the people about the importance of oral hygiene and provided basic dental cleanings. Over time, she saw a significant reduction in dental problems in the area. Her story inspired other dental hygienists to think about reaching out to underserved areas as well.
I heard about a dental hygienist who accidentally turned on the water spray too strong and it sprayed all over the patient's face. The patient was startled at first but then they both burst out laughing. The hygienist was so embarrassed but it turned into a really funny moment.
I heard about a guy who was a non - traditional student. He had worked in a completely different field for years before deciding to pursue dentistry. He had to go back to school and take all the pre - requisite courses. He was really nervous at first. But he used his life experience to his advantage in the application process. He talked about how his work in his previous job had given him skills like attention to detail and dealing with stress, which would be useful in dentistry. And he got in!
One big challenge is the high academic requirements. A good GPA in science courses like biology and chemistry is expected. For example, many top dental schools require a GPA of at least 3.5. Another challenge is the Dental Admission Test (DAT). It's a tough exam that tests knowledge in various areas. Students often have to study for months to do well on it.