So here goes the rest of my experience with the dreaded boards... I had already written about the national written boards but I still had 4 more to go after this one. I took a process of care test that was on a computer and it was new this year and we had no idea what to expect, so I kinda went into it blind without studying much. It was a very subjective test, so I wasn't sure how to feel about it, but at least I was done with it.
Then came the biggest scariest test... Clinical and anesthesia. So the first day was anesthesia this was the last written test I had so I had been studying alot for it. We took it in the morning and found out the results right after. We had to pass the written part in order to take the clinical anesthesia that afternoon. The examiners just put all the envelopes on a table that has our ID number on it. So you have to search the table and then open it, it was very nerve racking to do, but I passed! Then I took the clinical part of anesthesia that afternoon. Lucky Race got to be my patient, poor guy he has gotten so many shots in his mouth only for the purpose of helping me with my education. We had to give two injections with the examiners watching and breathing down our necks. I gave the two shots, the examiners left and then came back and told me to excuse my patient, which is great news because if you didn't do it right they have you do it again. So I let Race go and luckily he was still just waiting for me. The examiners came back and asked me to bring back my patient because they had a miscommunication. So I gave one more shot, which was fine because you get two chances anyway. Well then I waited around and I got my results, and it was the coveted purple success memo card, I passed! I'm so glad I didn't have to do it again, it is extremely nerve racking and I was much more shaking then I would normally be. So that day was a success and I was very happy :)
The next day was the clinical or practicals, I had to find my own patient with very specific requirements, it was a lot of stress and it was hard to come by the perfect board patient. I found one that was going to be really hard, but it was all I had. Our patients have to have teeth with a lot of tarter, so it is tough to get off. As I walked my patient back so we could get started he said he could feel the stress in the clinic... yes it was very stressful. I submitted my patient to the examiners that are behind a curtain so it is anonymous, this part of the test is critical, the examiners check and make sure your patient really does meet the requirements and if they don't you have two more chances to either re-submit the same patient with different teeth or use a back-up patient, which I didn't have. If you don't pass submission you fail and don't even get a chance to clean your patients teeth and show your skills. So anyway my patient came back around the corner and he had a blue paper in his hands, which is great news, he passed on first submission! So then the race against the clock begins. We have two hours to get our patient numb, without anyone watching because I passed anesthesia, and then we had to clean a quad and I had two extra teeth and we had to do probing depths also. It sounds like a long time because most normal people go into a dentist and are completely clean and done with their appointment in an hour or less, well our patients haven't been to the dentist in years, mine hadn't been in 6 and it is very difficult to clean. So I started cleaning away, and all of a sudden the 2 hours were up. I literally was running my patient to the check in desk so I wouldn't get a time penalty. I really didn't feel like I had enough time and didn't feel like I got everything clean. The examiners then grade your patient but you don't get the results right away.
When I got home and Race asked me how it went I just started bawling, all the stress and my worry that I didn't pass all came out. I was not very optimistic about the test and was worried I would be searching for another patient and waiting months to re-take it and paying another 1,000 dollars. We looked into what we would have to do in order to re-do the test, thats how crappy I felt about it. And then the waiting game began... I think this was a tie for the worst part of the test. They said it could take up to 30 days to get them. They come on the computer, so every day like a million times a day I was checking on the computer. Three weeks had pass and still no word. The day after the three week mark I got on facebook and one of the girls said she had gotten her results... so I started shaking and opened up the results... and the best news ever I PASSED clinical boards and the process of care exam!!! I seriously couldn't believe it! I passed all the boards 5 for 5. Obviously I was preparing for the worst... and the best happened! I was so grateful, I had prayed so much and just had faith I passed and by a miracle I did! I'm so grateful for Heavenly Father helping me through all of school and especially boards, there is NO WAY I could have done all of that on my own.
Race had already left for his annual training for a month, they are going to Africa and luckily they hadn't flown out yet, so I got to tell him on the phone that I had the best news ever and our lives could go on as we wanted and I was forever done with hygiene school (well besides the on-line bachelor's program) and boards! I'm grateful I at least got to tell him on the phone and not through a text that he may or may not have gotten. But the day would have been perfect if he was actually here with me and could celebrate with me, but with the military I take what I can get. I love Race so much and he really put up with a lot while I was in school, especially crying and stress break downs... I'm sure he won't miss that, but he is a great comforter and solution finder. I really do miss him, it's going to be a hard month without him, but it is ONLY a month and then it will be in the past... Now I apply for my license and that takes a couple weeks to get, then it's on to job hunting, which I would much rather be doing then patient hunting again. And the hygiene school phase is behind me, THANK GOODNESS, sometimes it felt like it would NEVER end, but it did :)
