Refresher Course

There are some things that we tend overlook as we are always busy seeing our patients. Especially, given the number of choices of materials to choose from these days. Going for a quick refresher/update course is definitely a good idea.

Just a quick summary for my friends who missed it today.
Please email me for a more complete notes if you want.

Indications of choice of crown materials

PFM (Nobel Metal only)	Crowns, FPDs, Bruxers, Extensive loss of tooth structure.
IPS- EMAX	Single unit Anterior teeth in patients with high aesthetic expectations
LAVA (Alumina/ Zircornia core)	Single unit Incisor to Bicuspids. Molars for patients with high esthetic expectations

Choice of Luting Agents with different types of prosthesis

Type of Prosthesis	Choice of Luting Agents
Metal Restorations and high Strength Ceramic Restorations	Zinc phosphate RM GIC (Rely-X Luting)
Porcelain Veneers	Light Cure only resin cement (Rely-X Veneer)
Maryland Bridges	Chemical Cure only resin cement (Panavia)
Porcelain crowns that can be etched (eg IPS-EMAX)	Dual Cure Resin Cement (Rely-X Unicem)
Metal Posts	Zinc Phosphate Panavia Rely-X Unicem
Carbon Fiber Post	Panavia Rely-X Unicem

*GI/ RMGI Cements should NOT be used for cementing dowels in endodontically treated teeth due to slow setting reaction and risks of expansion causing root fractures.

The above indications are the opinions of the lecturer.

But he has probably convinced me to convert some of my clinical decisions.

Welcome to 2010

Spent the last day of 2009 with a nice homecook meal with Lulin at home. Went down to DS place for a small gathering and countdown together with the class. And once again Texas Holdem.
Time to pen down my list of new year resolutions.

1. Europe tour
2. Exercise more, eat healthier
3. Strengthen relationships
4. Career Stuffs

Sounds like a really vague list.. But i guess no point in trying to fix how to live a new year. Rather, I should just live it. At least some things are within control like buying an air ticket and fly to Europe sometime this year.

Merry Xmas

Merry Xmas to Everyone.

Took this photo on Xmas Eve at Orchard. Guess who is this fantastic street dancer.

Been having quite a bit of fun with my new toy. I'm still quite a noob when it comes to photography.

But its really handy during this festive season.

Class Xmas Party this year is once again at Kenneth place. Really got to thank Kenneth for being such a great host. Lets hope that we can keep this yearly party gg on. Just wondering who will be the 1st to start bringing their kids to the party. Haha.

Anyways 2009 has been quite a smooth sailing year for me. No complains for that. Feels that 2009 is simply a period of preparation for me for the upcoming events. Kind of like building a foundation. Might feel that it has gone by without much significant. But when i think about it. I feel that stronger relationships has been build upon throughout this year. Be it Love, Family or Friendship. I guess these are the things that are dear to me. Career has been pretty good. Refining my skills, making career changing (perhaps life-changing) decisions. I must say now I'm no longer lost in transition.

Dinner Conversations

Just came back from dinner with my college friends. Funny how we ended up in totally different line of work.
Something came up during dinner conversation that strucks me. Wenyi kind of mentioned that drs (that include dentists i guess) somehow will always talk about money.

Shouldn't healthcare be a self-sacrificing job? You do it for the passion, for the compassion you have for the sick and needy. But somehow things ain't gg that way. I am guilty of that as well. The desire for success, money and materialistic gains sometimes do get the better of me. But I guess that's what everybody work hard for. The very reason you get out of ur bed every morning to work is because you know that everyday u work hard is a day closer to achieving your aims (whatever that aim might be).

I guess I am kind of lucky in a way. I do have passion for my work. I dun go to work because I have to (most of the times), rather I do enjoy the craft of dentistry, the close relationship with patients. True that work can be really mundane and repetitive at times. But I just need a good case to shake me back to life. I guess I have no complaints. True that dentistry will not make me the next Bill Gates, but I guess I am probably contented with just being able to fulfil my "Singaporean Dream".

27 Years

Okay yet another birthday.
Everytime when I celebrate yet another birthday. I always have this mixed feeling.
On one hand I am happy for everything that I have. More often than not I feel that I'm quite a blessed person.

Yet on the other hand, when i desperately try to list my achievements from my years of being. I realised I can hardly name one. Anyways enough of negative thoughts. At least things are slowly falling into place. I just have to fit the pieces together. One step at a time, I'm so sure I'm going to make it right. Yet again only time will tell.

Fishing is a Cruel Sport

As much as i would like to highlight that I still think fishing is a cruel sport. I got to say i did had some fun today doing some prawn fishing.

Went to this place called the Bottle Tree Park with Lulin after work today. (For pictures of that place please refer to Bran's Blog). That's the problem with working in SAF, No camera and no camera phones.

Anyways with 2.5hr and a single rod. 15 prawns ended up in the net. Most of the catches are of course contributed by Lulin think i got only 3 or 4 catch. Perhaps I'm simply too impatient. Hence, I rely more on luck than skills.

Anyways, while we were at it. I was just thinking what are we supposed to do with the prawns. Then I realised most ppl will just cook it on the spot. BBQ it while its still alive. Just seems a bit weird to kill ur catch like that. I'm more used to cooking things that are already dead like those i buy from supermarket. Just seems a bit cruel.

Nevertheless, in the end we just cooked 1 giant prawn (MY CATCH) Seeing it turn from grey to orange, from violent struggle to motionless death. Tasted quite good though. Guess thats how fresh prawn is supposed to be like.

You must be wondering what's gonna happen to the other 14 prawns. Nope I did not set them free, although I am supposed to be a Buddhist. Realised that they will just be caught again if i put them back into the pond. So right now they are frozen in my freezer. Maybe tmr I'll cook them just like the normal prawns I buy back from supermarket.

Living as if I am going to live forever

Sometimes i wonder what am i doing my life.
Living as if I am going to live forever.
I have dreams. I have aims. I have plans. Everyday I am taking a small step towards them.
Yet I feel sorry for myself for not living for the moment.
Delayed gratification is my way of living. But I guess i will regret if i die and never lived the life i wanted.

Its Alive!

Decided to revive my blog after 2 years.
Step 1: Add a Cbox to my blog
Step 2: Put up a new post

Well.. now its officially alive. I hope.

Was thinking of getting lulin to contribute to writing in here also. And since I dun have any camera (not even a camera phone), she can post the photos we took as well.
For now this blog is similar to someone who just regained consciousness after remaining in comatose for 2 years plus. Which means it can die on me anytime.

Ding Dong No More

Finally everything is over.
The end of this journey marks the beginning of another.
The plan for my next 10 years has begun. The most exciting stage of life.
So many stuffs that i wanna do.
Where do i start?

The End is Near

Its coming to an end pretty soon.
Was having dinner with ws & ds, somehow our topics were never far off from dentistry. Thinking about how we went thru the past few years. All the times we spent in the lab etc etc.
Perhaps things will end so fast that we wun even realised. Before I know it 1 month has already passed. 33 more days to go. Who will make it? Only then we will know.

Well, we thought that perhaps when we look back, we probably will miss the times we work hard together in our lab4, the 2CD machine and all the nonsense we talk about. We probably wun be able to see each other that often and most will drift apart and probably lost touch with each other. Just like JC and sec school. Ppl will be too busy with their own life to remember to keep in touch. Lets hope that we could try.

Where will we be in 5 yr time? Where do we go from here? Who's wedding invitation will I be getting 1st? Interesting thought huh.

Getting out of school shd still be our prime focus now. As much as possible, help one another to get out. Class of 2007, I'm proud that I'm part of it.

First Post Of 2007

2007 is finally here.
Dental Class of 2007. Are you all ready? Final term is here. Make it or Break it.

Work aside. I believed 2007 is gonna be a great year. Saw a complete rainbow on the very 1st day of this year. Too bad i didnt take the opportunity to stop my car and take a better look at it. The anticipation of graduating is killing me. I have dreamt of becoming a university graduate since as young as a 4 yr old kid. I always wanna make my parents proud. Take a photo with them wearing the gown which i wore when i graduated from kindergarten. Lets call it a childhood dream.

My life have been a strange one. I'm just an average student from a neighbourhood school, going to the university is not as straightforward as many of my friends. Ending up in dentistry is really through sheer luck. Though I have also put in a lot of effort to get thru all these years of education. I am by no means the smartest amongst my peers, bright minds like wenyi and eugene always impress me even till this day. According to peanut, we will expect great things from Wenyi in years to come.

Back to myself. Now one part of my journey is gonna end. Another is gonna begin. The question is where do i go from here? Graduation is one peak of my life. But I wanna make sure I will hit a higher peak. Still the question I asked earlier, what I wanna do with my life. I got to set goals sooner, otherwise I'll still be thinking about it when its time to start working on it. These new destinations on life will begin shortly after graduation.

Of course for now, still the focus should be on getting out of school. This is gonna be the most impt exam. I'm not gonna just take the exam. I want my lecturers to know that I am ready. A bit like those martial arts films, where the disciples are only allowed down the mountain when they are ready. Kind of weird to think of it that way. But i guess that's how it goes.

Well, 2006 has been quite a smooth sailing year for me. Gonna thank god for that. But I guess, I'm the kind of person who wanna be extraordinary, smooth sailing is good but great achievements is more of my kind.

New Year resolution: Control my temper, so my loved ones dun suffer me.

Break Time

The long awaited hols finally started.
Oh well.. The 1st week is already kind of over. So we are practically left with 3 more weeks to enjoy before the final term.

Well, nothing can stop us from having fun I guess. Though we gonna start school on 26th Dec which is like right after Christmas. I wonder who else besides us get this kind of arrangement from school? Well, since its the final term, we just got to make full use of it.

This hols will be a good time to meet up with my old frds i guess. Met an old schoolmate on my way home today. Reminds me that how long has it been since we last met. Perhaps we shd plan a class gathering again with the Christmas season round the corner.

Anyways Lulin's Bday is coming soon, just in case i dun blog on that day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to u in advance.

Gonna sleep.. Enjoy the break dental ppl.

ISTJ???

You Are An ISTJ

The Duty Fulfiller You are responsible, reliable, and hardworking - you get the job done.You prefer productive hobbies, like woodworking or knittings.Quiet and serious, you are well prepared for whatever life hands you.Conservative and down-to-earth, you hardly ever do anything crazy. You would make a great business executive, accountant, or lawyer.

What's" Your Personality Type?

Dear Professors

Feeling kind of weird that we have to be chased out of the lab by 6.30pm. In school of dentistry, U get penalised for being hardworking. But honestly, I swear to god I prefer to be anywhere else except the lab. But damnit I have to be there to do those labwork so that i can be ready for clinics etc etc which will eventually help me graduate.

I really dun understand their rationale. Why makes life more difficult for us. We are just students trying to graduate on time with all sorts of obstacles and obstructions already. Why take away our precious lab time?

Dear professors I just wanna know why? Why not help us, instead why do u all have this preconcieved idea that students are people who breaks and bends rules? I can easily accept whatever punishment u imposed on me out of pure fear of getting marked. Please let me respect u all. Tell me why? What's ur reason behind your actions?

Even you all tell us that you guys have to bring labwork back home to do during your time as a student. Since now u have the ability to make a difference, why make us go through what bad memories u had.

Throughout my years as a student. All my teachers work with me, help and guide me. But now i feel oppressed, suppressed and above all fear of you.

Somehow I feel that you guys think that we are having an easier time compared to what you went through when you were a student. But trust me, its still not easy. Believe me, you. Practice as a dental student for 1 month. Book chair for instructors, find patients on your own, and ensure that the timing matches, book your instruments ahead, read up before clinics, write down a damn freaking long list of this that you will do prior your session to the finest details of putting vaseline on patient lips, use a 0.8 chamfer bur for wat margins, wait for instructors to check your work, prepare your own lab works (and use the lab only from 530-630pm), find instructors to sign notes, double entry with exact, lotsa and lotsa forms to fill up, fufil specific requirements to book for competencies, total patient management, etc, etc.

Trust me you wun say its easy. Its just like me saying that 'A' Levels or even 'O' Levels is easy. Coz if I were to go and take the exams now. I gonna do so freaking bad that you wun believed I was a straight As student.

As a matter of fact, in order to earn my respect. Practice what you preach. Show me that it is possible by bringing yourself down to my level. Be a dental student for 1 month. In fact its easier for you as you have so many more years of experience than us. At the end of the day, you will have my respect. BUT DO YOU EVEN CARE?

Seeing The Light

Got through the 1st week of school pretty well. Ended well with the steamboat dinner with the guys on Friday Nite. As usual, guys talk is always FON yet light-hearted. We are all glad that things are finally closing to an end. 2 more terms we will be able to get out of this shit hole. But before that we just have to keep going.

Enough about school. I am actually already thinking of where we should go after graduation already. Eastern Europe, Egypt, China, New Zealand?? So many places. Yet we still can't decide where to go.

To me its really not the place, rather the company that matters. So I guess I'll just let ppl decide and I'll just follow. This term is so gonna be a magical term for everyone I wish.

What I Want??

Just came back from Japan 2 days ago
Met up with Eugene and Peanut yesterday.
I love to meet my frds where we can share whats going on with our life so we do not lose touch.
Today "class gathering" to book chair etc.

But these are just the things that i does.
I've been thinking about what i want in my life.
What kind of life i wanna live, which kind of woman i wanna spend the rest of my life with or do i even wanna marry anyone at all (marriage just seems too fragile to me), which path should should I direct my career.... Lotsa and lotsa major issues in life.

Feel very heavy at heart.

Dun Disappear From My Life

Met my JC guys last nite. Though its just a short dinner. I always like to meet my friends. Good too see that everyone is doing fine. I guess thats how friendship works, got to put in a bit of effort to maintain. Its quite hard to keep up with whats going on in their life. Perhaps they dunno much about wats going on for me too. But I guess, keeping in touch is the bare minimal that we can do.

Even though we rarely meet, things are still quite the same. Perhaps its just that we are still stuck at the times when we were in JC when we meet. Its just like how different I am when i meet my other frds. Anyways, they are all doing fine, and that's all that matters.

It just occurred to me that, we all came from different secondary school, met in college and now are all going into different careers. So without VJC we probably could never have met.

Actually to me those 2 years in VJ really meant a lot to me. My life could have been so so different. Its kind of like the turning point of my life. I met all these amazing people whom I truly hold dear to. How I wished we've never moved on. Running to Benjamin Shears, walking along ECP (the expressway not in the park), play chupteh everywhere, anywhere we go, coffee-club's muddy mud pie, playing RISK and killing pinakin. We should do it someday.

I hope they wun disappear from my life.

My Line

I wasn't entirely sure of the history of my line until the recent All-Night-Long. So here it goes.
Ken-->Allan?(Never see b4)-->Wei Yan-->Zawoo-->Me-->Jean-->Wai Seng-->Deborah.

This year the all-nite-long wasnt as exciting. They took out the confidence walk and i think all have toned down. But still many came to see this new batch. Its really kinda fast when i start to think back. It wasnt too long ago that i was a freshie, then the senior organising the FOC. Suddenly, I'm into my final year(hopefully).

Although i am always complaining how life sucks in Dental School. Its not all that bad afterall.. Things like FOC makes our fac unique from the rest. Our FOC is way way different from the rest of NUS I bet.

Anyways, good luck to the juniors.

Dearth Of Labwork

I am going through the time of no labwork... Many may say thats good. To me its a sign of unproductivity. I am desperate to get back on track. To see my patients and get started with doing all the labworks and issuing all the stuffs I have targetted myself to by the end of this term.

My pace is slow, I feel that I am going to lose the race. So many screw-up this term. Every week I will get at least 1 just to screw my week. I am getting so short-tempered that I think many around me are getting irritated as well.

Dentistry bring out the best and worst in me. It forced me to plan till the very best that i could given the current situation which i still advocate to book all 9 weeks at 1 shot. The worst is apparent, my temper. Like the active volcano in indonesia, anytime can erupt.

Anyways a sidenote from Eugene, time is infinitely divisible. Quite an interesting concept. Hard to explain my thoughts about the concept, but basically it will mean infinitely work can be done within approx zero time.

I am afraid.

I feel afraid. School is gonna start tomolo and I am very afraid of the unknown. Not being able to plan for the full 9 weeks has given me a lot of uneasiness. I probably will end up tackle each day as it comes rather than the concise planning i had the previous term.

I really hope that things can go my way. Moreover to go thru the booking of the sessions again and again is really way too troublesome and effort for just 3 weeks... Why not just do it once and get over and done with it. Anything u wanna change go do internal swap.

Perhaps, I am biased coz this way has worked so well for me. Others may says booking 3 weeks allow more flexiblity. To me i think its a limitation for me to plan till the end of week 9.

Whatever la. Think the situation is fixed liao. Nothing more i say will change the situation. Just hope for the best la. But I firmly believed I'll be able to achieve much more if i am given the bookings for all 9 weeks.