Using the Mirror...A little easier said than done

Of all the years I have been getting my teeth cleaned by a hygienist, I never thought about.."hmm, I wonder how the hygienist is holding the mirror?" I always just thought that they do whatever they want to see the best. It never occurred to me that my molars are difficult for my hygienist to see while maintaining correct clinic posture, or that the way they grasp the mirror is important. I have realized that everything a dental hygienist does is very detail- oriented, and usually has deeper underlying concepts and reasoning for doing it that way. Needless to say, its all appears much easier than it actually is. No wonder when I tell people I am in the dental Hygiene Program they say "that is really a two year program? I can't believe that the program would last two years just for dental hygiene" That comment bugged me before, but now it makes me mad!! After learning all that I have in these few short weeks, I am surprised it's not longer than 2 years! There is so much to know and master. I hope it will all come with practice because I feel like I will never understand it all! I just have to keep telling myself... it is still very early on in the semester and everything is going to be foreign and new but I will get the hang of it all. As I was saying before I got on that huge tangent, we learned the different uses for the mirror and fulcruming for the mirror. We also leaned how to give an extra oral exam, which I had a tiny bit of practice with at the Women's Health Connection. Until next time!!