December Post

During my winter vacation I have spent working at both clinics. At the Claremont clinic, I was able to get hands on experience as well as know the layout of how the workers are. I was able to learn from the nurses how they setup and process the dental equipment as well as helping them in getting their equipment while they were treating the patient. I also met new interns during my work days and the nurses gave them advice and guidelines for them when working in the clinic. In my mentor's clinic in Pomona, I helped them out as well as know how a lot of people were coming to the clinic more happy because of how they were offered organic snacks for them as they wait for their appointment.

November Blog

My mentor was asking me what I should add onto her dental clinic's facebook page, and I suggested making a flyer about their monthly offers. I wanted to keep on doing these monthly offers which can lead to attracting other clients as well as suggesting to decorate the clinic for monthly holidays such as December and February. This will result in having clients see how much we care about providing them with latest deals and offers since some families are having financial problems while treating them as if the clinic was their second home. I also was trying to find my second mentor for the first component project, and the clinic I went to is called Smile Design. I am still waiting on their approval for me to come in as a shadow since it is a high demographic area.

EQ

1.   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.  Review the following EQs and

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

It doesn't meet the rule of three, because this question has a weak stance on arguing since there are a lot of factors that are required to have a healthily weight loss.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

Yes it meets the requirements, because it shows a specific category when talking about the topic. 

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

No it doesn't meet the requirements because it needs a specific audience when addressing the question and it doesn't really make sense by being so broad.

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?


It doesn't meet the rule of three because its very broad of the topic itself.


3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.

•    What is the best way to run a dental clinic?

Lesson 1 Reflection

Content:

1. Positive Statement

What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?
I was able to provide enough evidence in my presentation from the amount of time I've had.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       I would grade my lesson one presentation as a moderate "P".        

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.

• I managed to make it to ten minutes while providing my resources from articles, as well as from my mentorship.
• I interacted with the audience by having a little discussion on the importance of brushing your teeth and the health benefits of it.
• I explained about my prop in my presentation, which was about having a holiday special in my mentor's dental clinic this christmas and as well as my job on keeping her facebook business page stays updated while trying to get her name out to the community.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?
The powerpoint helped me by only having certain keywords in my presentation, which made me remember my main points of my resources.

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

• I would have spoken more firmly and clearly.
• Try not to be so nervous and relax while speaking.
• I would try not to repeat the same phrases during the presentation.

October Blog

 For my mentorship, I created a Facebook business page for my mentor's clinic. In order to get it approved, I have to run it by everyone including the nurses as well. I will soon talk to my mentor more about doing upcoming offers or specials for months to come.

Blog 8 - Research and Working EQ

1)      My working EQ so far is: How can a dentist manage their own dental clinic effectively?

2)      For my two answers, it would be:

       a)By placing their clinic in certain demographics and advertising their work to attract patients.

       b)By connecting with their local patients and teaching them the overall health issues that are brought up by many common cases.

3)       One of my sources is a book titled "Business Basics for Dentists", there was one specific chapter that talked about the different options a beginning dentists could do when starting their own clinic or working in one.

4)       I have two mentors but one is the main doctor (dentist), while my other mentor is the main dental assistant manager. The clinic that I go to is in Pomona called, Trance and Dental Spa. They both showed me that not everything is what it seems when going to the dentist, because of how relaxing the environment is around my mentor's clinic. The patients always have personal conversations with the assistants, and they can easily talk to them about their health issues and the dentist would give them helpful advice, as well as advising them to go see their doctors on more information.

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

From seeing how I can only observe in my topic, which is dentistry, I wanted to make an observation of seeing the difference of how many dental clinics operate and how each one advertises comparing and contrasting with low-income verses high-income patients. From what I already know coming from one of the dentists who works at my mentor’s clinic, explains that he works in another dental clinic in Las Vegas. He says that for him working at a low income area is much more relaxing than a high income patient based area. It depends on what the demographics are of each area and where the patients are at; which can also relate to the location of the clinics there as well. I will contact a clinic that has more of a higher demographics and compare and contrast of what my mentor’s clinic versus the well- known dental clinics has to offer to their patients. To also get the view point from a patient of the different advertising that these two clinics have to present.

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

By taking notes on what the dentists do for the patients, how much time they spend with each one, the payments for the procedures, and also taking photos from the different clinics. Also seeing how the staff is with each other and how they present themselves to the patients professionally.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

I wanted to go more into depth and focus my topic on dentistry business because seeing how it takes much more knowledge than knowing the basics or advancements in dentistry major. But it takes more effort in becoming well known if the dentist who has so many degrees and certificates in dentistry and other majors yet has no clue on where or how to start their own business. For example I looked up a dental clinic that is in Beverly Hills and one dental clinic called “The Smile Transformation Expert”; the main dentist there named Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, who was in many popular news media coverage such as Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, and Good Day LA. Just by seeing this and seeing how many dentists who are well known who have written their own books and magazine covers.

4.  Update your Senior Project Hours log.

I have already updated my senior project hours log to the summer mentorship, mentorship hours, independent components one and two format.

Connecting with Patients

Yesterday I went to my mentor's clinic and she wasn't there but one of the other dentists named Dr. Chi who was working on particular patient, which was the beginning process of creating dentures for the patient. As he was doing that, the patient was letting me talk to her about how and why she has chosen to stay as a patient at my mentor's clinic. She explained that how they always talk to her like a normal human being instead from her personal past experiences from other clinics. She explained how she didn't feel like she was being treated well and being seen as a number from the past dental clinics. With my mentor's clinic she explained how the dentists were talking to her the way she wants them to. After the procedure was done the patient and I were talking to one another to get to know each a bit better. She explained about her personal past and it made me see how much she has been through. When the patient was leaving the dentists and my second mentor was talking to me that it was good how I was easily connecting with the patient because they explained to me that you must adapt yourself to how the patient is when coming to their clinics.

Blog 6 - Second Interview Preperation

1. Who is your mentor and where do they work at?

• My mentor is the main dentist who owns two dental clinics and her name is Dr. Larissa Gushansky. One of her dental clinics are located in pomona and the other location is in south gate.

     2. What are the five will you ask them about their background?

• How much practice did you have to take in order to receive your degree in dentistry?
• Are there any specific types of majors where you have to have a certain amount of years to finish in order to get your degree?
• Have you went to different schools or universities to continue your major?
• How would you describe your knowledge of current technology and procedures?
• What would you say be your dental philosophy?
  

Blog 5: Mentorship and Research Reflection

1. When I was looking for my first topic which was nursing it was very difficult looking for nurses that would let students in the hospitals and the only thing that I could be able to find was a program but it wasn't for individuals. It was only a summertime program and I would have to pay to get into it. So I decided the next best thing was dentistry and my mother told me to call my local dentist clinic. I have always been their patient since I was little kid. I called them and they were fine with being my  mentors and I was glad that I got turned down by the hospitals because I wouldn't have had much fun being there than at my dentistry clinic.
2. For choosing my most important information so far was from a book called “Esthetics in Dentistry” by Ronald E. Goldstein.  The one chapter I focused on was chapter three which was marketing. It went into depth on what types of different marketing there is for starting a dentistry business.  It talks about seeing the atmosphere from a patient’s perspective; to also show and guide how fellow employees should act around patients and also with each other. It went well since I want to base my topic on dentistry business and see how it works starting from the beginning.

Extra Blog: August

Mentorship:

During my first week of school I had a show and tell for my senior project. What the show and tell was to bring an object or idea that represents your senior topic. When I went to go see my mentor and I told them I wanted to take pictures of the workplace. As I was taking the photos, my mentor gave me her business card to present it in class. It was a good thing since the computer was down but I wanted to explain more on my mentor's clinic. In her clinic she goes with her atmosphere sort of like a spa. She has these wallpapers of nature landscapes for the patients to make them feel relaxed and on the side of the wall there is a radio playing soothing music. What I also didn't know about the workplace is that whenever patients are too stressed out or they are really nervous about going to the dentist is that the chairs have built in massager. This really amazed me on how much they put a lot of thought into the workspace atmosphere. Even my mentor has a room to pray in for whoever is really religious and want to pray before going to do the procedures. Even my mentor prays or just meditate during the day to relax herself. The way how my mentor and her main nurse assistant keep the place in order is by putting the patients with the right dentist. Each dentist has their own personality when it comes to working with patients. One dentist works well with children and another works well with adults and teens.

Blog 4: Interview Preperation

1. I plan to interview one of mentors and her name is Dr. Larissa Gushansky. She is the owner of the dental clinic I go to and I plan to have her as my first interview because I want to know how she build up her businesses than other dentists. She does things differently than other dentists I have met before and I want to know more about her and her personality because she makes everyone feel safe and happy to be at her clinic.

These are my questions I want to ask for my interview.

• How do you apply guidelines for yourself when working with your fellow employees?
• The employees that you have hired, are they more of old colleagues? If not, how do you get to know your employees a bit better during work hours?
• What was your first thought when creating the work atmosphere in your clinics?
• What are certain rules that employees must follow on how they should be around patients?
• What kind of actions or advice do you give to your existing patients that makes them always come back to you as their dentist?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1. My final topic: My final topic choice i want to stick with Dentistry.
2. Write a question that focuses on my research this month.

• How can a dentist manage their own dentistry business?

    

Summer Mentorship Component

1.      Mentorship Log

2.     Contact Information:

The dental office is called Trance and Dental Spa. The phone number the business is: (909) 865-8595. The owner of the office is Dr. Larissa Gushansky and my supervisor is Diana who is the assistant manager of the dental office.

3.     Questions I have asked:     

           How does one work in the dental office?

          Is there a schedule of certain types of tasks?

         What’s the difference between counting children's teeth and Adult's teeth?

         What types of drugs and materials do the doctors use when working on the patients?

          Do dentist work only one office?     

          What did you do when you were in dental school?

          What is the daily routine for preparing the dental office?

Interpretive

4.     What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

What I have learned is that communication is the most important key into having a successful business and also a better connection with the patients. From seeing how the dentists and assistants got along with one another and they work so smoothly while making the patients feel at ease and talking to them as a friend. This makes the patients feel more comfortable and makes them want to get more advice from the dentists and assistants about anything they should do for their dental health.

5.     What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

My senior project is going to be on dental care. I wanted to understand more on how the dentists and assistants work and how can a dental business go smoothly. The dentists gain your trust by first getting to know you and what you have been doing that affects your overall health. That shows they care about you and will not treat you like another case. The dentists where I volunteer at will put the patients first than themselves. I like to be a part of that since I always put my family and friends first. That makes me feel like I'm a part of their group whenever I go and work with them.

2- Hour Presentations

1.       What presentations did you see?

Ø  Pharmacy-  Dilan Desai

Ø  Cosmetology- Emily Vysma

Ø  Photography Galleries- Viviana Bravo

Ø  Forensic  Science- Arianna Castellanos

Ø  Photography- Symphony Moreno

Ø  Architecture- Bryan Uribe

Ø  Beauty Salon- Brianna Osorio

Ø  Microbiology- Vanessa Machuca

Ø  Clinical Pharmacy- Christian Demesa

Ø  Bakery-Beladona Ontiveros

Ø  Culinary Arts- Madisyn Delgado

Ø  Marketing Management- Vanessa Pacheco

Ø  Advertising – Gabriela Murillo

Ø  Internal Medicine- Alfonso Esquivel

Ø  Cake Decorating- Luz Cervantes

Ø  Marine Biology- Felicia Stears

2.       What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said. 

Ø  How many components do you have to do in total for the senior project?

Ø  What are the requirements for the activity that is included in the senior project?

Ø  What are the restrictions from bringing in a few materials as a showcase during my senior presentation?

Ø  Will my college classes affect my service hours for my topic?

3. What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

From every presentation I have seen, they have mostly explained how they got their three choices for their EQ. They provide a lot of information that explains why they chose these answers and chose the best one. As the chosen their best answer for their EQ, they explain why it is the best choice as they recall back to the research information.

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

I’m considering doing my topic in the medical field which would be in nursing. I chose this because ever since I was little I have seen my family needing medical attention and they are required to go to the doctors to seek help. I want to be a nurse in the future so I could help others who are in the same situation as I am and help them get the medical attention they need.

5. What are you doing for your summer mentorship?

I want to apply for my mentorship in the Molina health care office where it is located in Pomona. I have been going there since I was a little girl and my mom has been real close friends with the nurses ever since. I have felt comfortable being with the nurses, so it will be easier for me as I will begin to collect as much research as I can for my topic.