5 Years into practising Dentistry, a well flourishing clinic; I still sometimes go back to the time when I was a final year student, still remembering the names of the techniques and making a mental note of things I will do when (if ) I get a patient. I learnt a lot assisting my final year senior, my teachers and professors. The intern calls my name, says take over this case and hands me the case sheet. I was overwhelmed with joy and apprehension.Merely an assistant to the interns. I have a patient to do today (YAY ME!!) who was going to work on you today.
You were emotional when you came in, you just wanted a filling done on your “BLACK” front tooth. It was something that seemed to really bother you. I rechecked the case sheet and explained to you what I will do. You were scared of the instruments and the sound my machine made.
I was scared as hell too (don’t expose the pulp, let him rest, where is my articulating paper, SUCTION….awwww I was going crazy on the inside ) I barely made it, My heart was pounding in my chest and my thoughts kept on moving from heart attacks to approval of my filling or to the fact that if the patient realized how scared I was will he jump off the chair and run ? It was my very first procedure and I was scared. Between these crazy thoughts and me finishing my work, I checked out my work. To be honest I had done a good job.I called my professor to check my work and let me know the changes it needed. (Of course it needed changes, but for a newbie, I Got the “GOOD JOB NOD”
In the end, it was all worth it. When you saw your rotten tooth fixed, you were almost in tears. You were ecstatic and overwhelmed. You were happy. I helped make you happy. Your reaction showed me that my career choice was correct. That what I’ll be doing is going to help people. That the coming years will be worth it in the end. You motivated me and erased any doubt I had that I was maybe in the wrong choice of career. You kept thanking us repeatedly and shook my hand on the way out. I don’t remember your name, but for the rest of my life, you would be my first patient. Thank you for the motivation.I realized I would not stop, I asked my professors to learn more ask them how to get better at what I do where to learn more. He simply wanted me to be up to date, keep a strong foundation of my basics, create more network, be in sync and NEVER STOP LEARNING.
After I graduated, I came across many apps and forums to keep me engaged and interested in the dental world. One such App is INDIAN DENTAL NETWORK, what I found on that app helped me learn more, it kept me up to date, meet my long lost college friends. I used the app to engage in CDEs, keep myself ahead in the game.
But you; my first patient is still and will always be a source of motivation for me. My heartfelt thanks to you.
