ALL LICENSURE PATHWAYS NOW ACCEPTED IN COLORADO FOLLOWING A STATE DENTAL BOARD POLICY AMENDMENT

DENVER, Colorado—The Colorado Dental Board voted to amend their licensure policy to accept all existing licensure pathways including all regional clinical examinations, PGY-1, hybrid-portfolio, and the OSCE.

ASDA has been working for some time now to make changes to the current licensure model that includes the use of live-patient exams. Little by little, steps have been taken in Colorado to ensure that this change would happen.

In 2013, DORA released a document as part of the Sunset Review stating that one of their top 3 “Key Recommendations” was to revise the clinical examination requirements for the state in order to allow acceptance of alternative licensure pathways including those that do not require a live patient.

In 2014, the state adopted new wording to the Dental Practice Act adding letter C to statute 12-35-119 (1) saying that the state will accept “other methodology, as determined by the board, designed to test the applicant’s clinical skills and knowledge, which may include residency and portfolio models” in lieu of a traditional live-patient clinical exam.

And lastly, just this year, the Colorado Dental Board amended their 1.A Clinical Examination policy to officially accept all existing licensure pathways in the US including all regional clinical examinations (ADEX administered by CITA and CDCA, CRDTS, SRTA, and WREB), the completion of a PGY-1 program or hybrid-portfolio model from the state or jurisdiction where licensure was originally obtained, and the Canadian OSCE for initial licensure, making Colorado the first state to make this change.

Here is what we know:

• You can take any regional clinical examination to apply for initial licensure in Colorado
• You can take the Canadian OSCE to apply for initial licensure in Colorado
• If you went to school in California and were licensed via the hybrid-portfolio model, you can now apply for licensure in Colorado
• If you went to school and were licensed in a state that accepts PGY-1 (a one-year residency), you can now apply for licensure in Colorado

Although some details are not known at this time, this is a huge step forward for licensure reform in the United States.

Stay tuned for updates and more information as we receive it. Get all the news first right here with Colorado ASDA on your number one advocacy blog—the Colorado Quickset.

At this point, you’ve probably discovered that dental school is much like drinking water from a fire hydrant. And, once you start studying for Part 1 Boards, you’ll realize why. To be entirely honest, there’s no way to feel completely prepared to take the exam—regardless of how hard you studied or how well you typically performed in your didactic classes, you’ll undoubtedly feel like you absolutely bombed it. This being said, the national pass rate is astronomically high. According to the ADA’s most recent release of testing data, only 6.3% of students failed in 2013. And, as rumor has it, CU’s pass rate is above the national average. So, to say the least, the odds are in your favor.

Format and Scoring:

The test’s format is pretty basic—a mere 400 multiple-choice questions. Although the questions are broken down into four categories (anatomical sciences, biochemistry/physiology, microbiology/pathology, and dental anatomy/occlusion), you will receive questions at random. In other words, you may have a question regarding the central incisor right after one on kidney pathology. Once you answer 200 questions, you will be rewarded with an optional one hour break—you may take as much of this as you desire. Your score is based off how many questions you answered correctly, and then it is scaled to account for differences in difficulty across exams. Although no one knows for certain, every exam is different, but similar questions do pop up between different versions.

It is rumored that a 55-60% percent score will suffice as a “passing” grade. That being said, the strategy in taking this test is very different from your typical dental exam—read on below to ensure you get that pass.

Studying tips:

• Start early
  • It’s always best to do a small amount of studying every day instead of saving it for the last few days before the test. Many of my classmates and I began about one month out. It is generally suggested that anywhere between three and five weeks is adequate, but this all depends on your individual studying style.
• Make a schedule
  • The more organized and diligent you are about setting and sticking to a schedule of studying, the less stress you will experience and the more likely you will pass.
  • If you’re using the decks, break them down into categories, doing a certain number of cards everyday.
  • Leave yourself the day before your exam to relax and do something fun!
  • Base your schedule and exam date off other exams for your didactic classes—it’s easy to forget about your day-to-day responsibilities!
  • Don’t reinvent the wheel—there are plenty of pre-made schedules floating around that are very easy to follow.
• Diversify your materials
  • There are typically two main sources of study material that students utilize—the Dental Boards Mastery App and the Dental Decks flash cards (from a variety of years). I highly suggest that you use both in some capacity.
  • Chose one source to read thoroughly—use the other simply as flashcards to gain exposure at a high volume.
• Study smarter, not harder
  • Remember—there’s truly no way to be completely prepared to take the exam. It’s important to realize that the test is extremely hard and that you will miss many questions—don’t overdo it! Understand it’s virtually impossible to get an A—all you need is to pass (actually, you won’t ever see your score)!
  • Focus on the high yield topics—dental anatomy/occlusion and general anatomy. These sections will make or break you—but if you know them well, you can almost guarantee passing. The categories of biochemistry/physiology and microbiology/pathology are so vast that developing a thorough understanding of every detail is unrealistic. Definitely study these topics, but only for surface-level understanding.
  • Implement the sandwich technique—start off with dental anatomy and general anatomy, move on to the lower yield topics, and finish with dental anatomy and general anatomy—this will give you double exposure to the high yield topics, while still making you familiar with the low yield topics.

A day in the life:

Below you will find a play-by-play of a typical day of boards studying:

7:00: Wake up, drink coffee

7:30-10:00—STUDY. Go through the Dental Boards Mastery App, reading thoroughly each card

10:00-12:00—Class

12:00-1:00—Lunch

1:00-3:00—Class

3:00-5:00—Workout or do something active

5:00-6:00—Eat Dinner

6:00-9:00—STUDY. Repeat the same cards from the morning, or use an alternate source as quick flash cards

ACTS… those four letters—that one word—marking light at the end of a very long tunnel we all know as dental school. I never thought I’d ever make it through all of the PowerPoints, Scantron exams, lab practicals, and perio lab cleanings before the school would trust me enough to send me off to get a taste of real world dentistry. For my first rotation, I was sent to Grand Junction—on Colorado’s western slope—where I spent three weeks working at the Marillac Clinic.

ACTS stands for Advanced Clinical Training and Service Program. Each student spends approximately 2-3 weeks in a dental clinic or practice (usually in areas that are considered underserved) in a location in just about every corner of the state of Colorado. The student then returns to the school clinics for 2 weeks, and then another 2-3 weeks in a different location. This cycle continues for the summer and fall of the fourth year of dental school.

There are a few things I learned about ACTS while I was away from school. First, there is a life beyond axiUm (the dreaded patient software) and the endless amount of faculty approvals needed to complete a new patient exam or even a simple restoration. Appointments weren’t spent stalking faculty for a “quick” check or swipe. There was so much freedom! The second thing I learned while on ACTS was that having an assistant is ah-mazing. To be truthful, my clinic didn’t have assistants dedicated to us students. But, there were days when one of the doctors wasn’t in and those assistants were all ours. Fourhanded dentistry, as Dr. DeLapp describes it, is a real thing and it’s something to look forward to. I found myself not having to de-glove every 10 minutes to get up and grab something. These small perks seem to make the strongest impressions. Lastly, we really are well prepared for life after dental school. Being that I was in the first group in my class to go on rotation, I thought I might be at a disadvantage because I was less experienced. For the first couple of days, I was a little unsure of my abilities and myself. As time went on, I gained more confidence and was able to get a patient in and out of the chair in an hour or less. That’s right, dental appointments don’t last two and a half hours on ACTS like they do at the dental school. Sure, we will never know everything there is to know about dentistry. Just know that you won’t be completely lost—even though some people try to tell you otherwise! Just make the most of the experience, and you’ll learn a lot!

Here are some tips to make the most of your ACTS experience:

1. Be confident, but not cocky. Realize that you have some skills! You’ve been seeing patients since fall of second year. You’re a DS3.5 now, you know a little something. Just don’t try to be a hero, know your limits and when to stop and ask for help; that’s why these clinics have preceptors.
2. Don’t just sit around. Some clinics give students their own columns with their own patients and some don’t. If you have an opening in your schedule, look at the other doctor’s schedule and ask if you can see his or her patient for that appointment.
3. The doctors aren’t the only ones providing you with some education. Work with your assistant. They’ll teach you how to do dentistry with another person other than your patient. We get so used to working alone at school or using our patients as assistants to hold the suction. Take advantage of the fact that you have an extra set of hands.
4. Remember, you’re not in Aurora anymore. If you get sent to a distance site, don’t whine about how far you are from home. Instead, adventure out and see what your new town has to offer. Go hiking, fishing, camping, tour a microbrewery, eat at a new restaurant, or something else super Colorado-y.

Good luck!

Up to this point in dental school, I have had the perfect patient for every crown and restoration I’ve ever done. They’ve stayed perfectly still, let me put them in any number of ridiculous positions in order to get direct vision, and let me stretch their cheeks out over their ears if that’s what I needed. Their teeth all had perfect anatomy, their tongue never got in the way, and even if I sent a bur through their cheek, they never complained.

That’s because until this summer, I have only ever done restorative dentistry on a rubber mannequin I refer to as Plaquesico Burress. That all changes now that I have a few class II restorations planned on a living, biting, enamel-wielding patient. The transition into the real clinic is an extremely intimidating and stressful experience for all of us DS2’s, even though we know we’ll get the hang of it. Our class has been told time and time again that we are leaps ahead of where the graduating class was at this point in their second year, but we can’t help feeling like we really have no idea what’s going on.

This short article will give you all of the tips you need to seamlessly transition to the second floor clinic in the second week of May during your second year of dental school. Except that it won’t. (I am just as lost as the rest of you). What it might do is help us realize that even though we don’t know how to do everything yet, we do know how to talk to the right people to help us figure it out. After all, Dr. Woolum hates to see us cry.

So, use the faculty. Even though we’ve all seen some of them sneaking around the school as 5 o’clock approaches, avoiding eye contact so they can sneak out undisturbed to the life they apparently have outside the school, for the most part they just want to help. Remember that they had to jump through all of the same hoops at some point in their lives and I think it’s fair to say most of them want to make it easier on us. You may even surprise yourself and do everything correctly, leading to that awkward moment when all the faculty says to your question is “looks good,” so you leave even more afraid than when you came in.

Next, talk to your coordinator. Frequently. They are all very good at their jobs, but we need to realize they are in charge of managing dozens of students and hundreds of patients. If we need a patient or have an issue with a patient, it is up to us to ask them for help. They can’t make everyone happy all the time, but if you talk to them face to face you’ll usually get what you're looking for.

My third tip is to learn Axium. Thoroughly. That’s about all I can say about it. Hopefully when I reread this article I’ll find it convincing enough that I'll actually sit down for an hour or two myself and make sure I can do everything we need to on that lovely program. After all, it holds the key to us graduating on time.

Finally, practice what you’ve learned in the sim clinic. We all like to think that since we passed our direct restorative lab last summer we’ll be able to fill anything our coordinator throws our way. But maybe we need to go back and see if we even remember how to tighten down a Tofflemire retainer first. The truth is, many of us haven’t practiced those restorations much since then because we’ve been searching for the mythical undercut or figuring out if acrylic provisionals are just a joke the faculty is playing on us. We all love ISTR by the way. So yeah, practice. All parties involved will be very glad you did. Go into your appointments with more confidence, and both your patient and faculty will be more relaxed and cooperative.

So take it from me, someone who has literally no more experience or knowledge on the subject than you do, the transition to the clinic will go smoothly and will actually be fun. After all, this is what we’re really here for right?

You know that dream where you’re cutting a crown prep on those dorky little plastic teeth, and all the faculty are gathered around saying, “Wow, that’s amazing!” and, “You were born to be a dentist!”…?

No? Well then I’m sure you’re familiar with the dream where you’re cutting a crown prep on those dorky plastic teeth and you slip and destroy your prep, and can’t quite remember what you were supposed to be prepping anyway, and it just happens to be a practical and Dr. Wollum is standing right by you in stone silence.

I can no longer recall how many of my dental student peers have shown up one morning and related one of these dreams to the rest of us. While this can be a sign that we are losing our minds, I think it is also indicative that we care a lot about our work here in school.

Dental school is an immersive experience; we live it, dream it, and spend most every waking moment thinking about how to become better at it. We become so focused on it, that I often hear or read statements about how we can find balance in our lives while we are in school. I’ve thought a lot about this over the past year and a half since beginning dental school, and I’ve come to a simple conclusion: we will not live a balanced life in dental school. In fact, we will probably never have an equal balance of time between work and leisure until we are nearing retirement. The key to feeling well-balanced, I believe, is to recognize that our situation is a good one, and to commit whole-heartedly to the work before us.

I had intended to write this article about family life while in dental school, and while there are a few additional responsibilities that go along with having a family, everyone still has to find a way to have a life while in dental school.

The first step in having fun while in school, is to actually do well in school. This means that we need to schedule and commit to a significant amount of time studying, practicing in the Sim Lab, or treatment planning for our patients. I have found that two to three late nights each week, along with a couple Saturdays each month work great for me. It gives me ample time to cover lecture material and to practice my drilling. You may need less time, or maybe even more.

This means that I should have two free evenings during the workweek, those nights I have committed to being with my family. My son, Rivers, knows that I will be home to put him to bed every Tuesday and Thursday night as well as the weekends. He knows that I will do nothing else on Sunday but spend time with him. That consistency means a lot to him, and it means a lot to me as well.

If you don’t have a kid, then schedule a couple evenings to spend time with friends.  If you don’t have friends, then spend some time with your dog. And if you don’t have a dog, maybe go workout or something.  Basically, what I am saying is that it is important to find something to do with yourself that is socially enriching.

I’ve found that when my family and friends know the schedule I’ve committed to, I get a lot of support from them. My wife and son are totally okay on the nights I stay at school until 8:00 or 10:00pm, because they expect it. It makes it so much easier for me to remain committed to my work because I get used to the consistency of my schedule.

I could continue to talk about this subject for quite some time, but I’ll sum it up here. Making a consistent routine out of your time commitments makes everything in dental school go so much smoother for you and for those who care about you and need to spend time with you. This may require you to say no to things that no longer fit into your routine, but that necessity to simplify will more than likely enrich your own personal dental school experience.

We are all so fortunate to be where we are right now. Stay committed to your work, and allow yourself consistent time to fulfill the responsibilities you have to your friends and family.

ex·tern

Webster definition:

:  a person connected with an institution but not living or boarding in it; specifically :  a nonresident doctor or medical student at a hospital

My definition:

Showing up to a different school and being that annoying person asking questions and stalking residents for a week

For those of you who may be interested in specializing, one way to sway you one way or the other is to participate in an externship at a program you may be interested in. (Keep in mind, not all specialties offer externships, and not every school does either). Spending a solid week following residents around can really let you know if it is something you can picture yourself doing.

So, how do you get started?

1. Check out programs online to find an externship you are interested in. I did a perio externship, and there is a list of them on Perio.org
2. When you find a school/program that you are interested in, contact the program director (their name should be listed with the school information) via email and introduce yourself, ask about dates and further information they may need from you. Try to get the dates nailed down.
3. In my case, the program director had three requests. #1 was a letter of intent (I wrote one, sent it to Faye and she printed it on CU letterhead, then I mailed it myself), #2 was a letter from an Associate Dean stating my academic eligibility (good standing, etc) had to be sent, and they also must approve your request if you are missing school. #3, proof of my health insurance (NOT malpractice, just normal health insurance so I scanned my card and emailed it).

Next, get yourself to the school. Book a hotel, stay with a friend if possible, etc.  In my case, I decided to turn an externship in Charleston, South Carolina into a 25-hour (each way) road trip. Maybe not something I would do again, but it was a great way to see a TON of the country- 4000 miles to be exact. And, since it was during spring break- there was time for stops to visit friends along the way, explore new cities (St. Louis, Nashville, Jacksonville…), and eat at some incredible restaurants.

Arrival: show up at the clinic, wherever the program director tells you to meet. Now- this initial day can be the more awkward, uncomfortable portion of the week- meeting the residents and following them around, meanwhile you feel utterly useless and annoying. But- be friendly, polite, and ask questions. Talk to the faculty members. Make friends with the assistants. Act as though you are being watched at all times- because you are. Assist however you can. Pick the brains of the residents because they are your absolute BEST resource on picking programs, learning anything online is seemingly impossible.

Also take time to explore the city you are visiting and see if it’s a place you would want to live! This is a big part of deciding on any residency.

After you leave, it’s a great idea to send thank you cards to everyone you met. Keep in touch with the residents. Remember- you want to stand out, make a memorable impression, and hope that they will invite you back for an interview!

Moral of the story- externships bring residencies to life. Life decisions don’t come easily, but you should know in your heart where your future goals lie after completing this experience.

With an array of things to do over spring break, a couple of us decided to help out with a continuing education course at the dental school. Fun, I know!

In actuality, it turned out to be a great experience.  We met Dr. André Ritter (one of the co-authors for our Operative book), had great free food, and had the opportunity to witness what exactly CE entailed.

The course titled “Achieving Excellence with Direct Composite,” incorporated a lecture on anterior and posterior case studies, followed by two hands-on activities in the sim lab. The educational session was short; we missed most of it due to the fact we had to prepare the sim lab. The sim lab was a mess but we were able to make it presentable for the 20 or so dentists and EDDA’s. That’s right EDDA’s (expanded duties dental assistant).

Dr. Ritter showed us how to restore class IV, class I, and class II restorations using 3M ESPE composites, including body and translucent types. The procedure included using a lingual stent, and building up different layers using the various types of composite. He outlined how to incorporate developmental grooves and mamelons using the translucent type of composite. It was actually quite comforting to know the process was similar to the method we were taught in Esthetic Dentistry, just using slightly altered techniques to make it look more esthetic and, of course, the use of better (more expensive) polishing instruments.

The best part was when the participants were practicing.  We were given the opportunity to pick Dr. Ritter’s brain. Not only was his work on plastic teeth amazing, he was also tremendously approachable and friendly.

For the most part, it was a great experience, and I walked away with some really great tips for using composite!

And since we all know dental students’ relationship with free food, the event was catered by Gourmet To Go, and it was quite tasty!

I-de-al (adj):  satisfying one's conception of what is perfect; most suitable.

Ideal is a word we think we understand. A word we often use to describe our goals and ambitions. A word we hope people use to describe us. Colorado ASDA recently won the Gold Crown Award for Ideal ASDA at the 2016 Annual Session in Dallas, Texas.  This means that our chapter, among the 65 ASDA chapters nationwide, exemplifies what is considered a perfect ASDA chapter.

Ideal ASDA means our chapter successfully completed items in multiple categories such as membership, communication, activities, pre-dental involvement, and advocacy. On a chapter level, membership, communication, and activities are the direct benefits a student has by being involved at the local level. This includes the how-to guides, TAD talks, lunch and learns, as well as leadership opportunities. Remember back to 2013 and imagine what ASDA looked like then: basically free pizza only 3 times a semester or so. A huge improvement in our chapter involved delegating fundraising, which resulted in students being served gourmet meals several times a week, and learning about our sponsors simply for being an ASDA member.

To the shock and dismay of the admissions committee, students do not seek out community outreach activities once accepted into dental school, yet many still want to be involved. Our ASDA chapter organizes community outreach opportunities for those individuals, and provides a variety of ways for students to give back to our community. These frequent events are some of the best opportunities for members to get involved in our chapter without committing to a leadership position.

Not only does our chapter provide for the students of our own dental school, but Colorado ASDA is a huge resource for pre-dental students in the state. One of the main goals of our chapter is to increase pre-dental involvement, and we have a committee designed to facilitate this. In the past year, our chapter has helped create pre-dental clubs at our local universities, as well as involving pre-dental students in dental school such as a leadership workshops.

Perhaps the most beautiful part of being Ideal ASDA, is that we give a home to everyone who wants to participate, whether it’s just attending lunch and learns or  obtaining a leadership position. ASDA is unique in that it is the only organization at our school that all students are members of. If it weren’t for the efforts of our leadership and the participation of our membership, our chapter could never have achieved the prestigious Ideal ASDA award. Thank you to all of our members for making this the best chapter ever!

If you want to become more involved in our chapter, please contact any Colorado ASDA Executive member.