Dental Convention

Brittany, Heidi, Janelle, Amy, Kris

The Annual Dental Convention was today and will continue tomorrow at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake. All the students at our school are required to go every year. The Dental Convention brings in all sorts of different speakers, and you can choose what classes you want to go to at what times. Some of my friends decided to carpool to the convention, which is a lot better than going by yourself!

We went to a continuing education class called, "Are you numb yet? The Anatomy of Local Anesthesia." I think it's ironic that we are going to continuing education classes even though we are already in and continuing our education at my school, haha, oh well. The teacher was very good and knowledgable, but it was funny because as us five girls were sitting there listening, we realized we weren't hearing anything new. Everything the teacher said, we had already learned because our awesome instrutor Dr. Allan had gone over it so many times. So it's always fun to feel smart, haha. The classroom ended up getting packed. We got there early, but by the end it was full to capacity, 350 people! That was just one class, there were many others to choose from.

At the dental conventions, they always have the Exhibit Hall, which is one of my favorite parts. A ton of different dental or dental related companies comes to try to sell you on their merchandise, service, etc. I wanted everything there, I think that's what they want haha. One particular item they had was particularily awesome. It was this amazing clinician chair, the lumbar support would glide and follow you, keeping you perfectly supported and comfortable the whole time you were sitting in it. It was like $700 something dollars, I told Truman that if a dentist I worked for really loved me, they would buy me this chair, haha.

Something that I did buy though, was 2 instruments which I'm really really excited about! I got them for an awesome deal, only $7 dollars for each! Since all 5 gals I carpooled with wanted them too, we were able to get a great deal, and also because we were students. One is called the Montana Jack and the other is the 204 SD, I can't wait to use them! I know it means nothing to anyone reading this, but I guess you have to be a dental hygienist/student to be excited about dental hygiene instruments ;).

Something even more fun about the Exhibits is the FREE stuff! ...Floss, toothpaste, Opalescence teeth bleach, paper pads, water bottles, magenents, pens, ear phones, candy (yes, candy at a dental convention), and different product samples: Xylitol gum, mints, and nasal spray, & these new orthodontic flossers. And who doesn't love free stuff? I'm going to return tomorrow and double my loot.

Tomorrow will be more classes and then my friend Heidi, Jill, & me will be a part of the exhibit as all the groups from my school and other schools present their Community Health or Research Projects. Until then...I'll be playing with my new trinkets.