Average student loan debt?

[drjeff]

Well that's good to hear. Dentists get a bad rap for just doing their job. I had another good cleaning yesterday, although the backs of my front lower teeth continue to be a problem spot for tarter and calcium build up.

Anatomically, most of us are pre-disposed to having the greatest amount of tartar accumulation on the tongue-side of the bottom front teeth. It's all about the access (or lack there of) and a rich calcium supply from basically two saliva ducts that are the equivalent of "oral firehoses" right under the front of your tongue.

The loose rule of thumb in the dental world with respect to tartar(actually our technical term for it is "calculus" - just like everyone's favorite math course ) is that the amount of tartar on the tongue side of your lower front will make up 90% of the entire amount for your mouth.

 

[Warp Daddy]

As of late, we've actually been dropping down that list of "professions most likely to knock themselves off" list Either we're all just starting to get a warm fuzzy feeling about ourselves as dentists, or all the real crazy ones "did the deed" already

I'm betting on the second option doc

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Anatomically, most of us are pre-disposed to having the greatest amount of tartar accumulation on the tongue-side of the bottom front teeth. It's all about the access (or lack there of) and a rich calcium supply from basically two saliva ducts that are the equivalent of "oral firehoses" right under the front of your tongue.

The loose rule of thumb in the dental world with respect to tartar(actually our technical term for it is "calculus" - just like everyone's favorite math course ) is that the amount of tartar on the tongue side of your lower front will make up 90% of the entire amount for your mouth.

Steezy info drjeff...plus I have a permanent retainer between my lower canines which doesn't help things..

 

[drjeff]

Steezy info drjeff...plus I have a permanent retainer between my lower canines which doesn't help things..

I'll bet that it gives your tongue a Mad Steezy thing to play with though!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'll bet that it gives your tongue a Mad Steezy thing to play with though!

fo shizzle..and chicks notice it during hot and heavy makeout sessions..

$100 for a 10 minute cleaning doesn't seem that bad considering how much $$$$ it costs to be a dentist. My haircut costs $16 for 15 minutes or so but beauty school is alot cheaper than dental school...and the haircut lady gets a tip...

 

[drjeff]

fo shizzle..and chicks notice it during hot and heavy makeout sessions..

$100 for a 10 minute cleaning doesn't seem that bad considering how much $$$$ it costs to be a dentist. My haircut costs $16 for 15 minutes or so but beauty school is alot cheaper than dental school...and the haircut lady gets a tip...

If you're cleaning is only taking 10 minutes, then most likely a) you've only got about a half dozen teeth b) you're mouth is ridiculously clean to start with, or c) you might want to find a new dentist

The standard of care for dental exams nowadays should have the examintaion portion which is often done via data gathering an visual examination by both the hygienist and dentist taking ATLEAST 10 minutes combined between the doc and the hygienist. Basically, if you're the average adult, you have roughly 28 teeth. Each tooth has 5 surfaces to be examined, and each tooth also has 6 distinct points where gum depth readings should be taken (that's 308 distinct data obseravtion points to be checked out in the average 28 tooth mouth), Then there's the examination of the rest of the mouth(tongue, checks, palate, etc), and finally, if all that hasn't come up with "anything exciting" that needs further data collection (x-rays, etc), then the cleaning can begin.

My hygenists get an hour for an adult's cleaning, and the vast majority of the time, they're not coming to get me for my examination until atleast the 45 minute mark. I just wish that my hygenists could do things upto the standard of care that I want for my patients in 10 mnutes, then I could schedule them for 3 to 4 cleanings an hour (gotta give them a couple of minutes to clean the room and wait for me to drag my butt in their to look at each patient), and the hygienie section of my practice would become a ridiculous profit center!

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

If you're cleaning is only taking 10 minutes, then most likely a) you've only got about a half dozen teeth b) you're mouth is ridiculously clean to start with, or c) you might want to find a new dentist

The standard of care for dental exams nowadays should have the examintaion portion which is often done via data gathering an visual examination by both the hygienist and dentist taking ATLEAST 10 minutes combined between the doc and the hygienist. Basically, if you're the average adult, you have roughly 28 teeth. Each tooth has 5 surfaces to be examined, and each tooth also has 6 distinct points where gum depth readings should be taken (that's 308 distinct data obseravtion points to be checked out in the average 28 tooth mouth), Then there's the examination of the rest of the mouth(tongue, checks, palate, etc), and finally, if all that hasn't come up with "anything exciting" that needs further data collection (x-rays, etc), then the cleaning can begin.

My hygenists get an hour for an adult's cleaning, and the vast majority of the time, they're not coming to get me for my examination until atleast the 45 minute mark. I just wish that my hygenists could do things upto the standard of care that I want for my patients in 10 mnutes, then I could schedule them for 3 to 4 cleanings an hour (gotta give them a couple of minutes to clean the room and wait for me to drag my butt in their to look at each patient), and the hygienie section of my practice would become a ridiculous profit center!

Wow..are gum depth readings a standard thing???? I don't think I've ever been to the dentist for an hour..The last time my dentist came in..looked at each tooth for a second or two each...and then left..

 

[riverc0il]

But my point is that IQ or your degree are just openers --after that it WHAT are you contributing and how do you work with people--


Steve : Good discussion -- we could have had some REAL fun working together

Warp

Yup. Any many psych studies suggest IQ doesn't really change much during the course of a lifetime. IMO, that suggests the test itself may not be measuring what most people think it is measuring or perhaps intelligence is ill-defined to begin with (entering the "emotional intelligence... EI" as you mentioned). Etc. etc. etc. What you do and how you interact with people are sensationally important. When you can combine an intelligent person that reaches for the stars and works really well with people... well, you got a no brain hire in my shoes as a manager.

Warp- I share your assessment. I have a great time working with everyone in the higher education environment. So many good people committed to good goals. The youth and drive for knowledge creates a great environment and for the most part, some really great people are drawn to those types of positions. For the most part

 

[riverc0il]

Connecticut requires a BS/BA to substitute teach.

Well, there is your problem. You live in the wrong state!



Well, not really. Employment opportunities really suck around here for professional level jobs. At least if you don't work in higher education, hospital, law, etc. where turn over is respectable but those are the jobs that require the piece of paper.

 

[mondeo]

Wow, there is a lucky bunch in here with parents who could afford it!

Yep, I am. But I'm even luckier to have been taught how to work hard - that's what got my employer to pay for my last semester, and how it was that I was able to pay for $25K of college myself. Had I gone to the University of Buffalo, I would've come out with no loans, and my parent's wouldn't have dropped a cent. I also probably wouldn't have gotten the job I ended up with, given that my boss knows one of my old professors, which is what got me my internship there.

I figured my post wasn't really relevant to your current concern, but might be 15-17 years down the road, from someone who graduated fairly recently.

Engineering's a decent field to be in, though. Decently stable, and decent money with a 4 year degree. Even if I had come out with $50K in loans, it wouldn't be that big a deal. Probably would've gotten the WRX instead of the STI, it would be another 2 years instead of one until I bought a house, but the difference between having the degree and not having one would dwarf the loan.

 

[drjeff]

Wow..are gum depth readings a standard thing???? I don't think I've ever been to the dentist for an hour..The last time my dentist came in..looked at each tooth for a second or two each...and then left..

GSS, lets put it this way. If ever I get taken to court about a case, and if anything gum related is involved(and considering that gum health is directly related to tooth stability it's a major overall player in my line of work), If I DON'T have all that "gum data" to back things up, then my malpractice carrier will in all likelyhood be writing out a big check

Is it overkill in a majority of HEALTHY patients, most definately. But for that 0.001% of the time, it's needed overkill. Additionally there's a ton of new research out there that links folks that have ANY gum disease with having increased risk of various full body systemic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, and for women of child bearing age, low birth weight babies - basically any type of gum disease (be it the "minor" version - gingivitis - or the more "major" version - periodontitis) is a chronic inflammatory disease, and your body produces certain chemicals to attempt and rid itself of this inflammation. These naturally produced "inflammatory mediators" long term can actually cause some harm to the affected tissues which can increase the risk of new disease onset. So in a sense, it's my job to monitor and control the potential "source" of this inflammation, and if I'm not checking those data points regularly, I'm not doing it, and that can spell trouble for both my patients and me as the dentist.

I think I'm finally done with my hijack of this thread now

 

[severine]

That's ok, Dr. Jeff. It was an interesting hijack.