Living with infective endocarditis

Living with IEWhen dentists hear the words infective endocarditis (IE), they often reflexively think of the same precaution: prophylactic antibiotics before dental treatment, 2g Amoxicillin or 500mg Clindamycin. IE is one of the few diseases our patients may develop following bacteremia from invasive dental procedures, but thankfully, its incidence is relatively rare. Some health conditions place patients at a higher risk for IE, such as an artificial heart valve, a cardiac transplant prone to developing valvulopathy or a congenital heart defect. Men over the age of 50 are also predisposed to developing IE. When we consider this fact, you might wonder: what are the chances that a 25 year old, healthy female could contract IE?

What I learned from trying yoga for the first time

Yoga poseFor me, ASDA’s Wellness Initiative came at a perfect time. The introduction of Wellness Challenges happened to coincided with my newfound desire to take better care of myself by eating well and exercising more regularly. I wanted to be as healthy as I could so that I could set a good example for my patients as a dentist.

The June Wellness Challenge encouraged participants to “take on a new physical challenge,” and the opportunity presented itself when I was invited to join two friends for a yoga class. I had always been interested in trying out yoga, so I excitedly joined them for the class, borrowed mat in hand.

Cooking on a budget – jambalaya pasta

Lee_3One of the ways I maintain personal wellness is by cooking food for friends. Both the health benefits of eating a home-cooked meal and the social aspect of breaking bread with friends help me relax and de-stress.
With summer slowly coming to an end, I find that more and more friends ask to come over for dinner parties. Although jambalaya pasta may sound a bit intimidating, creating this dish is definitely easier than it seems and very quick to prepare. Read on for instructions on how to make this quick and satisfying pasta dish!

How my part time job helped me find wellness

Dawson_featured“Little boys know everything about dinosaurs and cars until they discover girls, and then they forget it all.” I heard this quote once, and I can tell you that the former half of that statement isn’t far off. However, after working at a natural history museum for the past two years, I would say that I’ve met almost as many girls fascinated by dinosaurs as boys. Let’s face it: dinosaurs are cool! Whether it’s “The Land Before Time,” “We’re Back” or for younger generations “The Good Dinosaur,” the prehistoric beasts simply captivate children. So why does it stop when we get older?

Coping with loss in dental school

Dad-SonIt was a cold, blustery winter day in the city of Buffalo. I had just completed my first RCT on an extracted maxillary incisor as part of a pre-clinical endodontics course when I received an unexpected phone call. My normally calm brother spoke with a tremor: “Dad has liver and kidney failure.” Shaking and with tears in my eyes, I rushed home to Pittsburgh. Two days later, my dad passed away.

Where to begin? What do I do? I was a typical type-A dental student accustomed to having my life neatly planned out, but at that moment, I felt the exact opposite. For anyone who is going through or has been in a similar situation during dental school, I hope the following lessons I learned through the process of healing are ones you can connect with.

The psychology of gratitude

thank you messageThe daily life of a dental student is often about as jam packed as a crowded subway. Trying to juggle our academic, clinical and personal obligations is no easy task and at times, it can be overwhelming. However, to provide our patients with the best possible care, we must care for ourselves first. Believe it or not, one of the best ways to achieve this is by consciously practicing gratitude.

Keep reading to find out how…

Running to stay sane in dental school

carolinemoore While interviewing for dental school, one of the questions that I asked enrolled students was: “Is there any time for extracurricular activities?” The question was one that I asked because I wanted to continue my commitment to running. Before arriving at dental school in August 2015, I had completed three full marathons and almost twenty half marathons. For many years, running was my outlet. Running gave me time each day to tune out my worries and release stress. It was my time to disconnect from the world and clear my head.