Introduction:
As an introductory, the purpose of this portfolio is to document and showcase my time through the dental hygiene program at The Canadian Academy of Dental health and Community Sciences. This portfolio will summarize the necessary clinical, and theoretical aspects of the program. It will also be specific to my accomplishments, along with trials and tribulations that I faced. As a student dental hygienist this is a great tool, to allow any faculty, previous students, future students, future employers, and peers to have a detailed look at my schooling experiences.
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The growth and development in this program is incredibly significant, I not only have grown as a professional and clinical therapist but also as a human. Something that I feel can sum the experience is, without change there is no growth.
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As a mature student I needed to change the way I was thinking, I also had to teach myself how to study efficiently again. I had not been in full time studies for several years, this was quite an adjustment. The theory in the first year of this program is very heavy and I required excessive time to grasp the concepts, however I do feel that it gave me some crucial skills in learning quickly and efficiently. Some skills that I developed were to use cue cards, cue cards allowed me to review material while writing it down, and then again by going over it. I discovered I learned best with repetition; this skill helped me immensely. Another skill I developed in regard to my study habits was to start studying early, and to be taking notes after each class. This helped to keep the information fresh in my mind and to ensure that I was learning the material not just listening in classes. Another skill I would use is to utilize practice questions as much as possible. The textbooks provided various amounts of questions that helped me determine the areas that I was lacking in each course so that I could spend more time where it was needed. With these skills among others, I also learned that I love being a student, I genuinely enjoy learning and feel that knowledge is power. In relation to being a student in this program theory was only one half of the whole, the other portion being clinical.
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The leap from pre-clinical to clinical is drastic and requires an incredible amount of organization, drive and willingness to learn. I am very much a hands-on learner; I feel that I thrive in situations that I am able to do by myself and I can take constructive criticism very well. Having seven years of clinical experience prior to this as a certified dental assistant gave me a good baseline when starting in clinic. The growth as a clinician went from developing skills utilizing a typodont to completing a debridement on a person, to being confident in my debridement skills. It’s incredible what a year will do when given the opportunity to grow. I started out taking roughly three to five, four-hour visits on any given client. To then being able to complete someone of a higher difficulty level in a maximum two visits at the end of level 3. Another big clinical accomplishment was that I completed all my clinical competencies and clients five weeks before the end term in level 3. This provided me with more time to study for the board exam and I was able to provide my classmates with help, screening their clients. Clinical experience pulled on many learning outcomes as well in relation to the dental hygiene entry to practice competencies. These ensured that the dental hygienist we would become has an incredibly strong base, and that there is a significant amount more to the career than just cleaning teeth. I thrived in clinic, and this has given me the justification that I am absolutely in the right career path.
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On this career path I also have some goals for myself, I would eventually like to get my master’s in dental hygiene. I think it’s so important especially in the health care field to be a lifelong learner and student and to stay updated with what is changing and happening. I feel higher education will provide me with that. I also would like to do mission work as a dental hygienist, I have done some research on companies that attend countries to provide care for those who do not have access to it. That to me is incredibly inspiring and meaningful, I want to make a difference in the world and truly believe that it can only take one person to seek change to do so.
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I feel like I have blinked, and I am in my final semester, the transformation is nothing short of incredible. The knowledge I have obtained during this diploma program is life changing. I’m excited to get into the real world and work force and make a difference.