Today marks the last day of the 2014 Best Blogs of Mouthing Off week. We have seen the best of the best, and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as we have. We wish we could feature all of our authors. If it weren’t for the members who volunteer to blog, we would not have Mouthing Off. This blog has published 160 posts in 2014. In total we have featured more than 263 bloggers from across the United States. Our authors include dentists, specialists, dental students, predental students and ASDA staff.
Mouthing Off is run by two electronic editors. We’re ASDA members who applied and were appointed to the position by ASDA’s Board of Trustees. This year, Jay Banez, Marquette ’16, and I were appointed to the positions. (Want our job? You can apply for the electronic editor position by clicking here. But hurry! The deadline is Jan. 5.) ASDA Publications Manager Kim Kelly works closely with us to publish three times every week. In recognition of this team, we chose today as the editors’ choice of their favorite blogs in 2014.
The Best of Mouthing Off – Editors’ choice
Dental therapy dogs: a doggone great idea, by Alyson Ilustre
Patient anxiety is a long-standing challenge that every dentist will have to grapple with at some point in their careers. Different tactics to combat patient anxiety have surfaced over the years, but today the latest trend is that of the dental therapy animal. These trained and certified animals, usually dogs, are being featured at an increasing number of dental practices across the country, providing a sense of ease and comfort to the anxious dental patient, children and adults alike…
Alcohol and networking: mix with caution, by Colleen Greene
I moved to Wisconsin for residency last summer. As a native Midwesterner, I’ve enjoyed reconnecting with the culture, values and cheese curds of Middle America. License plates may label this state as America’s Dairyland, but it seems to me a different indulgence is its most famous export. Beer. Don’t take my word for it. Our Pulitzer Prize winning local newspaper covered this in-depth in “Wasted in Wisconsin” and the local public radio station just ran “On the Rocks: A Look at Alcohol Culture in Wisconsin.” My own apartment is basically an award-winning brewery, thanks to my better half…
8 ways to spend your time [but not your money] outside of dental school, by Megan Mathers (Hille)
Welcome to Life-Hack Week! All week we’re posting about ways to hack your back-to-dental school experience. Whether it’s saving money, fitting in fitness or making your daily life more tech-savvy, Mouthing Off has you covered. As a special treat, we’re posting all 5 days this week. Be sure to subscribe so that you don’t miss a single post! Now, here’s your first Life-Hack Week post: Dental school is expensive. So when you finally have a few hours to take a break, or maybe even a week off of school, the last thing you want to do is spend more loan money on recreation. Below are some ideas on how to relax and spend your free time without spending all your money…
I’m so techie, you already know, by Daryn Lu
I’m Daryn Lu, and this is how I work.
Position: Vice-President
School: University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry
Year: 4th year dental student
Computer: MacBook Air 11”
Mobile Device: Android Nexus 5
I am a self-professed tech-geek at heart. I love tinkering, I love updating and I love learning. My phone is attached to my hip (yes, I’m one of those). I’m the type to tweak my LinkedIn profile for fun (yes, it’s that bad).
5 ways to get your workout on even though you’re in dental school, by Cassie Hale
After sitting through lecture after lecture from 8-5, I’m sure all of you are ready to take off and hit the gym for a long workout, right? Wrong! Sitting through hours of lecture or a long day in clinic can make you want to do everything but work out. The benefits of breaking a sweat go beyond a fit body. Your body will get a great endorphin boost, and it can be a great way to get rid of the stress that dental school can bring. Beyond the basics of hitting the road for a run, I’d like to share a few fun and unique ways to fit in exercise…
5 golden nuggets of D3 advice that are worth sharing, by Jay Banez
School is back in session! You know what that means? Another year of late night studying, junk food binges, red-eye lab sessions and caffeine runs to Starbucks. Each year of dental school presents its own challenges, and it never gets easier. But that doesn’t mean you should be discouraged or stressed over it. Just starting my D3 year, I do not consider myself to be a seasoned dental student. However, I do feel there are a few nuggets of wisdom I’ve acquired over the past two years of dental school that are worth sharing. These nuggets of wisdom have proven to be of benefit not only to me, but also to a majority of my classmates. Here are Jay’s 5 Keys to Success in Dental School…
What is your ultimate favorite blog of 2014? Let us know in the comment section below!
Don’t miss a single post in this series! Click here to see all the Best Blogs of Mouthing Off.
~Neek LaMantia, San Francisco ’16, electronic editor
Thanks for compiling this and including my post. Love the other ones!