For my SGC Scholars practicum, I chose to shadow in the dental office of Paul R Niesen. His practice was established in 1996 and his office is located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. I found this site and my site supervisor as Dr. Niesen is my whole family’s dentist. In terms of giving advice to future SGC Scholars on identifying a practicum site, I would suggest thinking about the people you already know. You probably know a lot more people than you may think and even if you do not know someone that well like your doctor, your professor, or even a friend’s parent, I would suggest reaching out to them because most people would love to help, especially when it comes to something they are passionate about like their career or research. That being said, I would suggest making sure that you are leaving a good impression on the people you meet because one day you may just need their help.
At my site, I shadowed Dr. Niesen and was also able to assist in many different dental procedures. Some of the dental procedures I witnessed were hygiene cleanings, extractions, the making and delivery of a dental crown and dental bridge (aka fake teeth), and limited oral examinations. In terms of assisting, I worked with Dr. Niesen to do something called four-handed dentistry in which basically acted as an extension of his arms, handing him necessary tools, gauze, bonding agents, and anything else he needed so that the procedure went smoother. I used tools such as a lower and higher power suction to ensure the patient stayed comfortable during the procedure. Additionally, I learned how to clean up the patient rooms and how to sterilize all the tools we used on the patient. Infection control is very important in Dr. Niesen’s practice, and he does a lot to make sure that all his patients stay safe. Behind the scenes, I also learned how to write patient notes and what it means to own your own practice as not only is Dr. Niesen a dentist, but he is also a boss and a small business owner.
Dentistry actually has a lot of science in it. Perhaps the biggest thing I learned about the science behind dentistry was how the curing of a dental crown works. A dental crown is almost like a cap that goes over a tooth that has been drilled down (usually because of a cavity) to restore it to its original appearance and function. A dental drown is dual cured, which means it chemically cured when the composite resin is mixed and then cured again upon contact with light. Aside from the science, I gained a lot of appreciation for how science, especially in dentistry, has improved the lives of so many people. I personally saw the great difference that Dr. Niesen has and is continuing to make in the lives of so many people. I mean for some patients, Dr. Niesen literally gave them back their ability to smile with confidence. I think this project only confirmed to me how much I want to be a dentist in the future. I did not grow up knowing exactly what I wanted to do in life, but I always knew I wanted to work with people and directly impact their lives and after my practicum experience, I know that being a dentist would allow me to do just this. Many patients had problems with their teeth because of bad dental hygiene as they did not realize how important it is or they had other health problems they were focusing on or even due to the stressful and isolating times that came with the COVID pandemic. But I strongly believe that this mistake should not rob someone of their ability to smile for the rest of their lives and rob them of all the joy that comes with smiling. I hope that in the future I can make sure that everyone feels confident smiling even if they have made some mistakes in the past because let’s face it, we all make mistakes.