hand use

[Millionaire Mat]

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So, I am technically pre-dental, but I have a problem that needs the help of current dentists/dental students.

A while back I injured my left hand. While I have complete movement, it is MUCH MUCH MUCH weaker than my right hand. SO my question is, how much will this affect my ability to perform in dental school.

I am normally right handed and from what I observed in shadowing a RIGHT handed dentist, things seemed like i could handle them.

I guess my question is how much do you really use your left hand?

 

[aggie-master]

In my pre-clinic experience and a tiny bit of clinic experience, it seems that my dominant hand needs to be pretty strong and I need to have great control over it. My other hand does not need to be as strong, but when you put "MUCH MUCH MUCH weaker" it makes me wonder if it will cause you problems. Just the other day while working on a patient's posterior teeth, I was holding the patient's tongue back using the mirror with my other hand. It wasn't any trouble for me with two healthy hands, but maybe if I had an injured hand doing little things like that all day would take a toll on it.

If I were you, I'd go to that dentaltown.com site and ask the same question there. You might get lucky and find a practicing dentist that has a similar problem or if nothing else the average poster there will have more experience to draw from when trying to answer your question.

 

[Saddleshoes]

I can address your question a little.....

I worked my way through college doing heavy labor with a jack hammer. As a result I had some damage to the nerves in left hand, not unlike carpal tunnel problems. (I am right handed.) If I hold my left hand in the same position for a long time it goes numb.

This issue has never been a great problem for me. A right handed dentist primarily uses his left hand to hold a mirror and retract. You learn to have the dental assistant do most of the retracting and have the patient turn their head for best position for you and your hand.

My hand was never an issue in school. I have been able to to do every thing I needed to do in dentistry. No one even knows about my numb hand as it is no big deal. (I hope the disability insurance people don't read this board however.)

 

[StudentDentist]

So, I am technically pre-dental, but I have a problem that needs the help of current dentists/dental students.

A while back I injured my left hand. While I have complete movement, it is MUCH MUCH MUCH weaker than my right hand. SO my question is, how much will this affect my ability to perform in dental school.

I am normally right handed and from what I observed in shadowing a RIGHT handed dentist, things seemed like i could handle them.

I guess my question is how much do you really use your left hand?

People without hands can play the piano with their feet. You should learn to do dentistry with your feet. Otherwise, buy a hand mirror and practice cheek retraction on yourself and see what you can do. If it's a problem, find another career.

 

[ou_jay]

If you really want to be a dentist but your off hand is too weak for cheek and tongue retraction, you don't have to give up. You really only need one hand. Your assistant can retract. This may require you to use two assistants instead of one, but it is no reason to give up on dentistry.

Also, in school you can have a physician document your disability and request that the school provide reasonable accommodation in the form of an assistant.

 

[DCRedskinsRule]

If you really want to be a dentist but your off hand is too weak for cheek and tongue retraction, you don't have to give up. You really only need one hand. Your assistant can retract. This may require you to use two assistants instead of one, but it is no reason to give up on dentistry.

Also, in school you can have a physician document your disability and request that the school provide reasonable accommodation in the form of an assistant.

But what about in pre-clinic in lab? I'd be very surprised if a school was willing to provide an assistant while practicing. What if OP wanted to come in and practice on the weekends? I would think that both hands are necessary....

 

[Millionaire Mat]

Thank you for the responses. I feel, based on the replies, that I can mask the pain in my hand for four years and then just get my assistant to do that job. THank you soo much for the replies.

 

[ou_jay]

But what about in pre-clinic in lab? I'd be very surprised if a school was willing to provide an assistant while practicing. What if OP wanted to come in and practice on the weekends? I would think that both hands are necessary....

It's not a question of whether or not the school wants to provide the assistant. The schools are required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. One requirement of this act is that employers and schools must make reasonable accommodations for their employees or students with disabilities. A person with little function of one hand can still practice dentistry with their other hand but will require assistance. It is up too the lawyers to define "reasonable", but it would probably be considered a reasonable accommodation to provide an assistant for clinic, preclinic, and a limited number of study hours.