Back in February, I took the Expanded Functions - Restorative II class down in Springfield. It is a two day course, but prior to that, I practiced at work for about eight weeks. Dr. Silva and I worked every night and also on the weekends to practice placing the fillings. I felt ready for the test. Friday was a classroom portion and candidates also had time to practice and ask the dentists questions.
On Saturday, was the test. We had a set amount of time (I think it was 2 hours) to complete the three assigned fillings, then turn them in for grading by three separate calibrated dentists across the state.
I felt good about my fillings. I knew I was going to get dinged on a few things,but nothing was so fucked that it should be automatic failure.
Anyway, they said to allow about twelve weeks for the results.
When I got home from work yesterday, Jason and I had some errands to run. As we left, I noticed a packaged had been delivered and was on the porch. I figured it was some bulbs I had ordered a week ago, so I grabbed the box off the porch, jumped in the car, and off we went.
We got down the street, and I see it is from the school, and inside was the box with my typodont with the test teeth. At first, I was devastated because I thought they only sent the box back to you if you failed. But then, in the bottom of the box, was a letter of congratulations, the grading rubric, and a certificate of completion. I had passed! I was super excited because this test has something like a 70% pass rate. So I join just a small percentage of dental auxillaries in the state who are allowed to place Class II, III, IV fillings under the orders of the dentist!
Work official, with THE typodont:
