D1 Problem, Need Some Adivce Please!

[MIDENTIST]

So heres the deal. Im a D1. Second semester and Im taking preclinic 2. I have failed my first 2 practicals one on class 4 compositie restorations and the other class 1 preps( just drilling). Im really scared of failing this class. Im down 15% already just because of these practicals. Need atleast 70% to pass. I have 4 left and need to pass them all with good scores and do great on the written exams and Ill pass the class. The only probelm is that I cant do well on practicals. I spent lots of days drilling for the class 1 prep and really had great preps. Everyone I did would pass. Then the real practical came around and I had the worst prep that I ever did. Even worse then the first one! I dont no what to do. Im so scared about more exams because I get so nervous. Everyone keeps saying stop being nervous its only a prep but its not helping. I feel like a loser because im about to fail a clinic class and get held back. It just makes me so made because I am so condfident with the prep but when the practical comes around I cant do it! What do you guys think. Im dying I really am.

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[Midoc]

First advice, talk to your bench instructors, they may be able to give you relevant advice on how to pass your particular practicals.

Second advice, something along the lines of speed preps. Ie. get it done and be done. DO NOT TRY TO BE PERFECT IN ALL REGARDS. The pursuit of perfection is generally a good thing but in operative dentistry practicals it can sure screw you up. If you're always attempting to perfect in every category you will generally screw one up, attempt to fix it and by doing so you will have screwed up two or more categories.

 

[Wayne Coronado]

First advice, talk to your bench instructors, they may be able to give you relevant advice on how to pass your particular practicals.

Second advice, something along the lines of speed preps. Ie. get it done and be done. DO NOT TRY TO BE PERFECT IN ALL REGARDS. The pursuit of perfection is generally a good thing but in operative dentistry practicals it can sure screw you up. If you're always attempting to perfect in every category you will generally screw one up, attempt to fix it and by doing so you will have screwed up two or more categories.

I totally agree. You first need to talk to the instructors who grade your practicals and get the skinny on what they look for in the prep. Do a practice prep and take it to their office and get the critique. I myself was guilty of trying to perfect things with the extra time that I had during the practical when I probably would have been better off just turning it in. In an attempt to raise your score a few extra points, you may reduce your score by ten. Just my experience...

 

[1992Corolla]

A lot of the time you may just be overworking your nerves in the preclinic during practical day. The first few practicals in Dr. Bobericks class (Temple DS's know what I am talking about) I would get so wound up that I would be convulsing on the ground. Well, in my mind. Just sit back, realize that you are one of the lucky ones to have gotten into dental school, relax, breathe deep and start the prep.

Some people tell me a shot of vodka helps to calm the nerves too...but I wouldn't know. Just relax and start to prep in robot mode, not in my nerves are shot mode.

 

[Joe70h8]

Completely agree with Midoc. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just walk away. The more you try to perfect a preparation, the more structure you're probably going to remove.

And don't worry too much about failing. Obviously you want to avoid this, but worst comes to worst, you repeat the class, gain more skills, and move on. I'm 100% certain that there are tons of students that have failed courses and have moved on to become qualified dentists.

If you can do it in practice, you can do it during the practical. Just relax (easier said then done) and do what you do.

 

[djeffreyt]

It seems like everyone is assuming that the OP is overextending his or her preps, but I'm not sure what the exact case is. Of course, overworking a prep can often make it worse because you remove too much tooth structure. You could also make the prep messy and cause all sorts of nicks and scratches that you can then fail for...and if that's the case, you should listen to the above posters.

But if the case is slightly different and you are failing cause you don't drill deep enough, or extend the preparation out far enough, then that's different. I generally choose to err on the side of caution and underextend a preparation rather than always shoot for ideal...not so underextended I would fail. My reasoning is simply that I can always drill farther on a real patient, but I cannot rebuild tooth structure I remove excessively.

Also, set up patterns when you practice. For example, if you always start on the distal...then always start at the distal. Always use the same burs, always use new burs in both practicing and the practical (or use old ones over and over...just stay consistent). On a simple class 1, there aren't as many steps, but as your practicals get more difficult, you find being consistent in methodology helps and keeps you from forgetting things.

Also realize that 2/2 fails sucks, but it is just the beginning and we all have good and bad days. This week we had 3 practicals at my school: waxing opposing premolars, a#30 PFM prep and temporary, and a #29 class 2 Composite prep and #20 class 2 Composite restoration. I'm just trying to say...you'll have lots of pre-clinical practicals and I don't think I know anyone in all the pre-clinical classes that hasn't failed at least 1 practical along the way, and usually several early on. I failed one this week because I was cocky and missed the distal pit of #29 cause I wasn't paying close enough attention. We all screw up sometimes.

 

[MIDENTIST]

Hey Guys. Thanks for the feedback. Its not that I am not practicing enough or anything like that. For example I had a practical on #30 class 1 prep just drilling and did lots of practice teeth. EVERYONE of them would have passed. Thats the thing. Im producing good work but the mintue the practical came my mind blanked. Like I was so scared of messing up and I did what I was so scared of doing, messing up. I dont know what I can do about this. Im stressed out. Im on spring break and all I keep doing is think about this damn situation. I wouldn't be so mad or scared if I knew I couldn't do the prep. But I can do it. The next day I failed the practical, I went into lab and just drilled the same prep just to prove that I could do it. It turned out great. What should I do. Honeslty, its a strange situation.

 

[SugarNaCl]

That is tough, but I agree...talk to the instructors. They may already know you are working really hard. Explain your situation. I know at VCU, Operative is probably the hardest class so far (I am a D-1 as well) to get a good grade in. I think the highest score anyone has gotten on a clinician graded practical was 3.5/4.0 but even on that, the class average was just barely over a 2.0/4.0. I have beat out the average in my class on the first 4 practicals and I still have a little under a 3.0. This is hard, subjective stuff. I think my preps, restorations etc look really good, just to get it handed back with a 2.5/4.0. Many I know have failed 1-3 practicals already. This ISN'T easy. I don't know what to tell you exactly, but you have my understanding. You aren't alone with problems like these.

 

[djeffreyt]

Well, then your problem seems to be psychological and we're not behavioral psychologists. The best I can offer is to not think about messing up so much or to not dwell so much, but that's obviously not helpful.

At our school, we do actually have a school psychologist on staff. He teaches some of our classes on patient communication, but I've heard he also sometimes talks to students about problems such as test anxiety, which is pretty much what you are describing.

I haven't gone through what you are going through, and from the looks of the posts so far, no one else who has responded has gone through it much either. When I sit down to prep a practical, I don't start thinking that I'm going to mess up or worry too much about it, and I don't dwell on it if I do. I can tell you to do the same, but I'm not sure HOW I do that...maybe it's years of apathy training. I'm not sure any of us are going to have an answer for you. My best suggestion is to seek help from someone who knows how to deal with the anxiety you are talking about.

You might also look up some information on behavioral modifications to test anxiety and see if any of it works. It just seems like you are psyching yourself out for practicals.

 

[Dr2BSoon]

Don't stress about failing one or two here and there. Almost our entire DS1 class failed the perio probing and H6/7 scaler competencies (which hygienists do I might add--so we shouldn't have any trouble as student dentists). The Drs. fail people to bring us down a notch so we lose our superiority complexes.

 

[jackbauer!]

your problem sounds more psychological than anything else. you need to find ways to relax. be confident, yet careful.

best of luck to you.

jb!

 

[xxsuzuki1000xx]

Just relax, it sounds like you're really stressing yourself out. Best word of advice is to know when you are done. If you keep messing with it, you will screw it up. Also, take a break if you can - when you come back to it, you will see a difference.

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[ChilliCheeseDog]

I'm obviously not a mental health professional, but have you considered discussing your anxiety with your physician? Just a thought....not trying to suggest that medication is the answer to everything, or that it is right for you.....good luck.....

 

[BuckeyMcGee]

Just learn to relax, that will help you a lot in practicing dentistry, not only in your work, but setting a patient at ease. Try listening to music when you do your practical prep, or go workout before the practical. I have not been in your situation, my work is usually average but for practicals I somehow bust out above average work, I think the added stress makes me better. Also understand that you won't fail your class and be held back if you fail another practical. Your instructor doesn't want you to fail and most likely they'll give you more and more work to do. The more you practice, the better you'll get. Try timing yourself on the next prep you do, give yourself less time than what you will get on a practical. Remember, failure is not an option. I'd agree with the others that the more time you spend perfecting your work, the more errors you can actually create. At some point, you have to just turn it in. You'll get better, and just remember, some of the worst technical dentists out there end up being the most successful...good luck.