Today I started shadowing Dr. Allan Acton and his team during their day at the office.
First, I was stationed with the lovely sanitation hygienist, where I learned about the procedures for hygiene trays, the meaning sanitization-wise for the color coding system, and the uses of the tools and machinery that are cleaned or used for cleaning.
Fun fact: the sterilizing agent, Cavicide, is so potent that it can’t be used without gloves because it can cause cancer over time!
top picture: sanitization machines and tray dismantling station
bottom picture: sterile trays labeled for each hygienist (over 45 made per day; one per patient)
Next, I followed Dr. Acton to some of his patients. While I (obviously) could not assist with the appointments, I was lucky enough to witness 3 incredible procedures: the insertion of a temporary tooth, the filling of an interproximal cavity (a cavity found between the teeth), and an emergency composite filling for a cracked tooth. (Due to HIPPA laws, I can’t take pictures of patients having their procedures.)
My favorite part was seeing the Itero machine, which is technology that was coined by Invisalign to help doctors scan full 3D models of the patients teeth through camera, which are then sent to the Invisalign company for dentures and retainers.
picture: Itero machine being used to scan a patient’s teeth
Finally, I met with Dr. Acton privately where we looked over before and after photos of transformed smiles, where I learned about the different types of crown, veneers, the structure of a tooth, and how acidity affects overall oral health.
picture: before photo of decay/what I believe to be gingival hyperplasia (overgrowth of the gums) and after photo from treatment and veneers
I concluded my day by walking through the tornado warning and slipping in a nice, cold puddle in front of the practice’s door – can’t wait for tomorrow!