Good activities to improve hand and finger dexterity

[laelialudisia]

okay, now that your done laughing ...seriously...what are some CLEAN activities to help improve hand and finger dexterity before we start d-school?

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[INFNITE]

video games

 

[dr.rex]

guitar

 

[laelialudisia]

video games

enough for me to justify getting a Wii?

 

[laelialudisia]

do video games really help that much with hand and finger dexterity? i always thought they just improved hand-eye coordination.

 

[H2OPOLODENT]

As if typing on SDN all day isn't good enough for manual dexterity...

I will be shadowing my orthodontist starting in January and he will have me spend time working with the lab tech with molds, models, etc. I also understand that there are dental labs out there that will actually hire and pay predental and dental students to work on crowns, bridges and all that good stuff. If you're gonna do something to improve your manual dexterity, you might as well get paid and you might as well work on developing skills you will actually need in dental school.

 

[TheBestDoctor]

i was born with all the dental skills i need

 

[EngDentist]

Try carving using a Dremel tool.

 

[drdoodle]

The Wii is awesome!!!!

Get "Trauma Center:Second Opinion". It's kind of like playing that old board game, "Operation", but about a THOUSAND times cooler (and nerdier) coz you're using the wii remote to remove tumors and inject antibiotics and make incisions onscreen. Ok, ending my geek overload

 

[dentstd]

Video games doesn't help with hand-eye coordination, as the hands never meet where the eyes are looking at. It does help with timing, however. It should help with quick thinking.

Disclaimer: this does not justify playing too much video games!

 

[DDSY]

Try sewing.

 

[ll KiC ll]

Art/Drawing/Painting helps. I love drawing. If you want to play video games to help with coordination then Halo 2 would be good. Specialize with the snipe and BR. On Lockout shoot the boxes at Snipe tower and have your team go....let me stop

 

[Mcglock]

Specialize with the snipe and BR. On Lockout shoot the boxes at Snipe tower and have your team go....let me stop

Lol! Sadly I know exactly what you're talking about.

 

[HOTTY]

okay, now that your done laughing ...seriously...what are some CLEAN activities to help improve hand and finger dexterity before we start d-school?

knitting

 

[SugarNaCl]

I don't really want to admit this, but since I have been accepted, I have been drawing on a piece of paper by looking in a mirror. I draw teeth and try to trace the lines etc. I've waited so long for this that to me, sadly...it sounded like a good idea.

 

[xplayer2885]

My dad got me started in remote control airplanes when i was 8. Iv been using a dremel tool an xacto knife for proabally 13 years or so. An wow did all those years of the dremel pay off. Now i just fly r/c helicopters, there freak blast!!! Building all those legos as a kid kinda helps with the PAT when your doin those blocks an have to count the sides.

 

[kappa505]

Get a book of knots and try them with silk thread or fishing line.

 

[Indie]

guitar

yeah, you cant beat a musical instrument for improving hand strength, coordination and finger independence.. You really get used to putting your hands in some akward positions...

 

[dentstd]

yeah, you cant beat a musical instrument for improving hand strength, coordination and finger independence.. You really get used to putting your hands in some akward positions...

But try to play without resting your pinkie on the pickguard. Or your palm on the bridge. Your hands need to move in space, not just your fingers.

As far as your fret hand, playing electric over acoustic may help, since there are more bends. Fast riff's help too!

I say playing Chopin on piano helps. That junk's hard. Anything quick but with finess.

 

[sdn_addict]

i'm a manicurist part-time in the summer. it's really great for manual dexterity and working with instruments (but you need a license for this)

 

[Suicide_Stat]

Yo real talk these r the best activities that you can do to achieve better finger dexterity and hand&eye coordination

1.knitting
2.piano
3.guitar
4.model building
5.drawing
6.yo yo
7.videogames
8.ping pong
9.typing
10.picking your nose

 

[REDSOX08]

thumb wrestling

 

[_veo_]

The Wii is awesome!!!!

Get "Trauma Center:Second Opinion". It's kind of like playing that old board game, "Operation", but about a THOUSAND times cooler (and nerdier) coz you're using the wii remote to remove tumors and inject antibiotics and make incisions onscreen. Ok, ending my geek overload

That sounds kind of cool. I wish I had enough money to get me a Wii

I think I'll start practicing some guitar!

 

[laelialudisia]

That sounds kind of cool. I wish I had enough money to get me a Wii

I think I'll start practicing some guitar!

i think i'm going to buy a model dollhouse and build it. i have always wanted to try that.

 

[ibwhoa]

Back to the paid dental jobs, in some states/cities its legal to be an orthodontist assistant just by being trained by the orthodontist you work for. Example (D.C). I played the piano,and guitar, took courses in drawing and sowing, played lots of halo, played with legos which im sure helped, but actually working in peoples mouths with dental instruments over a summer made my manual dexterity 100 times better than all those other things combined. I would suggest it to every pre dental student who has the opportunity.

 

[Indie]

But try to play without resting your pinkie on the pickguard. Or your palm on the bridge. Your hands need to move in space, not just your fingers.

As far as your fret hand, playing electric over acoustic may help, since there are more bends. Fast riff's help too!

I say playing Chopin on piano helps. That junk's hard. Anything quick but with finess.

I tinker with guitar for fun, im actually a Bassist... So I dont have the luxury of resting my pinky on the pick guard.. but the positives of bass are, I can do a 5 fret stretch on the top of the neck (not so easy on bass) and crush cue balls with my bare hands (Im just kidding, but I do have insane finger strength, like a grip of death.....lol..) fast riffs is never in question... I play metal and rock...

 

[Old School]

...
10.picking your nose

Does it have to be your own nose?

 

[sumluck]

But try to play without resting your pinkie on the pickguard. Or your palm on the bridge. Your hands need to move in space, not just your fingers.

As far as your fret hand, playing electric over acoustic may help, since there are more bends. Fast riff's help too!

I say playing Chopin on piano helps. That junk's hard. Anything quick but with finess.

hopefully there are quite a few predents who play the guitar so that wherever people do end up and do get a break from studying there will be some peeps to jam with...and i'm sure that if someone can make it into d-school and become a dentist, they should be somewhat skilled at playing...so therefore some good jam sessions could come about...guitar definitely helps with eye hand coordination as well as stimulating creativity...plus i've been told once or twice that the ladies don't mind a guy who can play the six-string...not too sure about the predental ladies though...met a couple and they are kinda weird...lol, JK!!

 

[Turnerjo13]

Tying flies and building fly rods are great and fun. Also playing guitar hero on ps2.

 

[Old School]

What about text messaging? I'm a whiz at that.

 

[PennPB]

Flamenco guitar and rock climbing.

 

[_veo_]

i think i'm going to buy a model dollhouse and build it. i have always wanted to try that.

You mean like a Barbie dollhouse??

 

[_veo_]

Flamenco guitar and rock climbing.

I have to say that if you know how to play Flamenco guitar you are awesome

 

[laelialudisia]

You mean like a Barbie dollhouse??

sort of, i'm thinking about this kind of thing...

http://www.rockler.com/go.cfm?SearchHandle=DADBDBDJDADADDDGDBDADBDCDGGFGCDHCNDDDCDDDACNDEGEDDDCCNDJGCDHDHCNGCDIDEDFGFDBGCGCGBDCDJDDDADADADBDADADADBDFGEGPGMGMGIGPHFHDGFCAHAGMGBGOHDDADADADEDADADADADADADADBDFDADADADBDADADADADADADADADADADADADBDADADADBDFGEGPGMGMGIGPHFHDGFCAHAGMGBGOHDDADADADBDB&Grid=false&SortMethod=1&SortAscending=NO&action=1&AnswerHandle=DCCDDEDGDJCDDIDB&filter=dollhouse%20plans

 

[shuna]

What about text messaging? I'm a whiz at that.

I have a master in that...I can do it blind lol

 

[kappa505]

Tying flies and building fly rods are great and fun. Also playing guitar hero on ps2.

I am in the process of building a 4pc. 3wt. rod. It will be my second. I take it you flyfish?

 

[Dr IWannaBe]

Piano!!!!!

 

[jendent]

take a jewlery making class

 

[Suicide_Stat]

Does it have to be your own nose?

It can be any where that your lucky enough to stick your finger

 

[jim85213]

take a jewlery making class

I second this one.

 

[gamecock83]

place your hands together palm first, slide both middle fingers past each other, and twist and wiggle!!!!

 

[koochooloo]

place your hands together palm first, slide both middle fingers past each other, and twist and wiggle!!!!

haaaaahahahahhahahaha i love doing that

 

[jim85213]

place your hands together palm first, slide both middle fingers past each other, and twist and wiggle!!!!

 

[iviikoivi]

I'm actually gonna start learning how to knit.

I'm doing it because I really want to make a sweater for my dog but too cheap to buy one.

 

[Old School]

How about this:[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0YgrUKfTcA[/YOUTUBE]

 

[DDSABeach]

place your hands together palm first, slide both middle fingers past each other, and twist and wiggle!!!!

This excercise you'll need after drilling for long periods of time. Example: drilling and picking for a root tip in a socket, because you broke the tooth off at the gumline by excessive pressure extracting the tooth. Extracting teeth you will use your hand and wrist ... So, you need to build up strength and dexterity most docs used stress balls, tennis balls, to build up strength in fingers, hand also for your wrist muscles do small weights curls.

FYI: Dentist use three fingers their thumb, index and ring finger. Thumb and index finger is to hold the drill and instruments the ring finger is used as your fulcrum to rest on the upper or lower teeth (depends on what quad your working on) to give you stablilty while working.

Excercise: This is extremely hard getting used to doing (docs all said ) ... Practice. Hold a pencil with your thumb and index finger only then put your ring finger the tip down on the table stablilizing your hand in the air. Then move that pencil up, down and small circles toward the table (middle finger and pinky can't touch the table.) If you extend that middle finger under your penicl you will more than likely get your glove caught in your drill pit.
Tell me how you do So if your Right or left handed you will be using these fingers and hand the most.

 

[Ecks]

I do alot of craft pottery, oragami sweets, and hoop magnet sculputures. I find these help a lot with my dental hands.

 

[dds_sdc]

How about this:[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0YgrUKfTcA[/YOUTUBE]

lol that was amazing. i need to learn how to do that .. even if it doesnt help me with dental school. its just cool. period. lol

 

[PlanB21]

This excercise you'll need after drilling for long periods of time. Example: drilling and picking for a root tip in a socket, because you broke the tooth off at the gumline by excessive pressure extracting the tooth. Extracting teeth you will use your hand and wrist ... So, you need to build up strength and dexterity most docs used stress balls, tennis balls, to build up strength in fingers, hand also for your wrist muscles do small weights curls.

FYI: Dentist use three fingers their thumb, index and ring finger. Thumb and index finger is to hold the drill and instruments the ring finger is used as your fulcrum to rest on the upper or lower teeth (depends on what quad your working on) to give you stablilty while working.

Excercise: This is extremely hard getting used to doing (docs all said ) ... Practice. Hold a pencil with your thumb and index finger only then put your ring finger the tip down on the table stablilizing your hand in the air. Then move that pencil up, down and small circles toward the table (middle finger and pinky can't touch the table.) If you extend that middle finger under your penicl you will more than likely get your glove caught in your drill pit.
Tell me how you do So if your Right or left handed you will be using these fingers and hand the most.

That wasn't hard..my middle finger doesn't extend. Is it supposed to?

 

[DDSABeach]

That wasn't hard..my middle finger doesn't extend. Is it supposed to?

No, it should be tucked into your palm out of the way. On some occasions you will use the knuckle of the middle finger to help stabilitize the handpiece for some of your procedures like working on back teeth (postierior area's.) Do you think you can hold that position all day?