Improving manual dexterity...

[carn311]

Are you guys doing anything during your off time to ready yourself for the clinical aspects of dental school?

I guess I feel like if I go into dentistry there is a chance that I will not be able to handle the manual aspects of the job. In order to make this commitment I need to feel as if there is something that I can do to ensure that I will not fail in the profession.

Does anyone else have similar concerns? Can you recommend some hobbies that I should consider taking up to improve my dexterity?

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[divertete]

My interviewer sent me a note to congratulate me on my acceptace and in the same sentence said, now take a jewelry class. I enrolled in a "beginning jewelry fabrication" for-fun class at a local community college, and it's great. I get to work with tiny things, use various materials, and drill, cut and polish using handpieces... hmm wonder when that might come in handy. Next quarter I'm taking the intermediate class, where we get to learn lost-wax casting, which is EXACTLY what we'll be doing next year in school. Actually, a lady in my class has a son that's a D3 and she showed me the gorgeous ring he made her -- same techniques! Basically, though, I've heard that the hand skills just take practice, and most people eventually get the hang of things. So don't worry about it too much, just enjoy yourself before the craziness starts.

 

[Typo]

Hmmm . . . I think it depends on what your interests are. Since it's safe to say you use a computer, you might want to try working on increasing your typing speed.

For me, I play piano and play video games. These are probably more of a "blunt" type of manual dexterity (not as meticulous as carving things, I mean), but I think any kind of extra programming you've got to your fingers will help.

 

[The Godfather]

My interviewer sent me a note to congratulate me on my acceptace and in the same sentence said, now take a jewelry class. I enrolled in a "beginning jewelry fabrication" for-fun class at a local community college, and it's great. I get to work with tiny things, use various materials, and drill, cut and polish using handpieces... hmm wonder when that might come in handy. Next quarter I'm taking the intermediate class, where we get to learn lost-wax casting, which is EXACTLY what we'll be doing next year in school. Actually, a lady in my class has a son that's a D3 and she showed me the gorgeous ring he made her -- same techniques! Basically, though, I've heard that the hand skills just take practice, and most people eventually get the hang of things. So don't worry about it too much, just enjoy yourself before the craziness starts.

That sounds like excellent advice. In, fact, I read somewhere in the ether that a lot of dentists are closet jewellers.

 

[airvent]

I think when schools speak of manual dexterity, they are talking about 2 things.
1) you are not handicapped in some way.
2) You have the ability to work on small details with steady hands.

The jewelry making class sounds like goood practice. My dentist boss gave me her old waxing set(Models with pieces of the teeth missing). During lunch she always makes me wax up a tooth. (I really appreciate her help, but I just want to eat lunch.) ANyhoo if you can get your hands on something like that it should be alot of help, or so I'm told.

 

[jk5177]

This reminds me how important it is for us to take care of our hands. Can you imagine if some person got into dental school, and because of an accident, he has to amputate his left hand? Or how about someone gets an anaerobic infection on the hands, and the best cure is debridement. Jeez. That would be some bad fortune. However, as protective as we can be about our hands, accidents may still occur.

 

[The Godfather]

This reminds me how important it is for us to take care of our hands. Can you imagine if some person got into dental school, and because of an accident, he has to amputate his left hand? Or how about someone gets an anaerobic infection on the hands, and the best cure is debridement. Jeez. That would be some bad fortune. However, as protective as we can be about our hands, accidents may still occur.

Tell me about it. A teenage girl pulled out right in front of me last year, and I totalled my motorcycle (I had just gotten it serviced two days prior from the BMW shop for $1000, of course). I fractured three vertebrae and my left wrist and I was in a cast for seven weeks. When I was lying in the ambulance, all I could think about was all that I had worked toward the last couple years. Let's just say that I strongly agree with the saying, "there are no atheists in foxholes." Fortunately, I had a total recovery, but I totally agree that you should take care of those hands - they are the most valuable tool you will ever own.

 

[jk5177]

The Godfather

Thanks for your story.

 

[wammmy]

I was helping a dentist build his dental office and after about two weeks of work he accidentaly cut off his thumb and half of his index finger on the circular saw . Luckily he had a huge insurance policy on his hands, and is now in nursing school just for something to do. Not like he needs the money.

 

[Fermata]

^

Are you serious?

 

[Profchaos]

I was helping a dentist build his dental office and after about two weeks of work he accidentaly cut off his thumb and half of his index finger on the circular saw . Luckily he had a huge insurance policy on his hands, and is now in nursing school just for something to do. Not like he needs the money.

joke right my friend ...

 

[wimmcs]

I was helping a dentist build his dental office and after about two weeks of work he accidentaly cut off his thumb and half of his index finger on the circular saw . Luckily he had a huge insurance policy on his hands, and is now in nursing school just for something to do. Not like he needs the money.

 

[jk5177]

What? Are you serious about that story or was it a joke.

Also, insurance? Are there insurance like that for dentist?

 

[aceking]

What? Are you serious about that story or was it a joke.

Also, insurance? Are there insurance like that for dentist?

J-Lo has insurance for her behind

 

[Profchaos]

J-Lo has insurance for her behind

She should, that's her career.
I have no problem with people who take care of their career, we predents should all have insurance on our fingers.

 

[jk5177]

my question was if there is such a thing as hand insurance for dentist? J-Lo is nice, but it is not on my mind right now.

 

[Bullfan16]

Godfather.....

What do you expect riding a motorcycle? If you want to be a dentist you better sell the crotchrocket...think about it.....if you were a practicing dentist and one day you crashed the bike just like you did before....how many weeks/months would you not be able to practice and how much money would you lose by breaking your hand? My dad told me when I got in that I have to protect my hands as when you are a dentist, its what keeps your practice running. So I guess no more skiing, basketball, or injury prone activities. Well I dont know about basketball.....but I have to give up some of the other activities. In any case, you are lucky to be alive....a lot of motorcycle accidents result in death. If you want to live.....nonetheless be a practicing dentist sell the damn thing and take care of your hands!

 

[NCdds]

If jewelery isn't your thing, I've found pottery classes to be really helpful to strengthen my arms/hands, and when you work on a wheel with your piece you're sitting like you would if you were working with a patient...

 

[rocknightmare]

umm guys you can't not live life tho. just enjoy it with caution.

 

[v&andy_yankee]

story probably is true; dentists don't necessarily have "hand" insurance per se, but once you start work you do have the option of disability insurance. and with a few fingers missing, you'd definitely qualify for disability. on a side note, an oral surgeon i know did get extra "hand" insurance for his hands as well.

manual dexterityt: i've been trying to increase my etch-a-sketching skills. i have the block pictures down, but i need to work on getting the curves down as i aspire to be one of those etch-a-sketch artists...