It seems like only yesterday that we were all sitting getting to know one another. I cant believe there are only a few weeks left, I have spent almost every day with the girls in this program and it is certainly going to be strange when we no longer spend our daily lives together. I look forward to graduating as much as anyone but I’ll miss all of the girls in this class whom I have come to know as friends and respect as collegues of a shared profession. I just want to say an early thank you to these girls for sharing some of the best and worst times of my life. 
Ok enough mushy sappiness, moving on with business.
This week the Deputy Registrar from the CDHO, Evelyn Waters came to speak to the class about jurisprudence. She was an interesting woman, she was well spoken and right from the start she made it clear that it was her job and that of the CDHO to protect the public and ensure that dental hygienists in Ontario are practicing safely.
It was a great refresher on the things that Linda discussed with us in the Professional Issues class. The topic of documentation is something that I have always thought was important. In first year we heard a presentation made by a student who had to defend herself based on records that didn’t have much documentation in them, after that I always tried to think from the clients perspective and what they might say or ask and always document exactly what happens during the appointment, especially what is said.
We discussed the importance of the professional portfolio and how to maintain it. As well we talked a bit about the audit and the process of how that goes. Evelyn also spoke with us about the process of become self-regulated, a topic I’m sure is an interest to all of us. As students we are able to take a course and then work under a mentor, and once it is decided that we have the knowledge skill and judgment to initiate client treatment that mentor will let the CDHO know.
As graduation comes closer and closer I have never felt more mixed feelings in my life. I feel that nervous excitement of starting a new chapter in life and that terrifying feeling that I might not be ready, but underneath all of that I know that we all have been prepared for this time in our lives, we all have been given the knowledge to proceed with our learning in the world outside of Georgian College.
