Comments on: Our First Convict Patient.

By: Life’s Context » Blog Archive » Dental Prisoner Update.

Life’s Context » Blog Archive » Dental Prisoner Update. — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 17:12:34 +0000

[...] saw the prisoner today for his consultation. He and his 2 guards were 35 minutes late for their appointment. He had [...]

By: Laney

Laney — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 10:05:06 +0000

they used a wooden block to prop that guys’s mouth open! anyways, that was quite disturbing for me and i’m glad i don’t have to do it anymore! my poor friend “A” who took over for me down there (you know her) has to deal with it now, poor thing!

By: Periapex

Periapex — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 10:50:15 +0000

Hi Laney. The two situations are quite different though. Jailhouse patients are likely not going to be combative like patients suffering dementia or other psychotic problems.

I know well how dangerous patients like that can be to work on. You need to use a scissors mouth prop cranked open fully and never, ever, get any of your fingers in between their teeth. Often you need 1-2 other people to help you hold their head steady and hands down.

By: Laney

Laney — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 08:34:21 +0000

well, i think it’s better the prisoner comes to you than you guys going into the prison! that would freak me right out and i would never do it, for no amount of money! i’ve gone to a home for the mentally challanged and “attempted” to clean their teeth there….and that was a disaster! one ended up punching me in the face sending my glasses flying out (didn’t break them luckily) but in any case that wasn’t an experience i like to remember!

By: Periapex

Periapex — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:57:36 +0000

That’s like that picture you posted of your patient in Belize…

Out here in Workland we lose power once or twice a year. Not a huge problem for me because I can throw Cavit into the tooth and recall the patient.

The periodontists next door have a portable battery backup so they can get some light into the mouth to suture things up. I guess Periopack wouldn’t be enough to temporize their patients.

By: Kamala

Kamala — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 21:19:53 +0000

When I started, I regularly saw emergency patients from the prison in the town nearby. One time the lights went out when I was about to take out a tooth and I thought my world was about to end! (We have no windows-it was really dark!) Anyway, once everybody settled down, I tried to reschedule the patient. He was already numb and didn’t want to go through the shots again. So, we improvised, set a folding chair outside, and proceeded with the extraction!

By: Periapex

Periapex — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:06:47 +0000

You are so right…

By: SexyOldBroad

SexyOldBroad — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:18:49 +0000

Reading all of this reminds me that regardless what these people have done that has put them in the orange suit and chains, they are still people with an occasional owie just like the rest of us.

By: Periapex

Periapex — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:00:52 +0000

We have a regular stream of soldiers in full camouflage coming into the office. We’ve also had a cop show up for an appointment during her lunch hour. Her partner was nice enough to wait in the reception room and look after her bullet proof vest and gun.

So our patients get their share of curious happenings in the office.

We’ve never had a take-down in the office though.

By: Lin

Lin — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:43:26 +0000

oops, I should have explained better. Actually the police had turned up at the parents home looking for him, and they told the police he was at our office getting his teeth cleaned. The police showed up and off he went in handcuffs. The police wouldn’t/didn’t tell us anything, but the parents explained later, apologizing profusely for “embarrassment”. We actually felt terrible for them, and didn’t even think about appearances at the office.