#28 The Golden Probe Awards--Junior Year

The tradition continued.  Looking at my notes from my "year in review speech", (Yeah, I kept 'everything'), this was quite a year. Lots of clinic time, classes were tougher, and we expected more of our teachers.  And.....a few bumps in the road.  Namely the Christian Ethics class where almost all of us walked out during a test.  (As mentioned last week).

Romo and Zingler were the Masters-of-Ceremony, Dean Klooster gave the open address, we honored one teacher and did a "Byrd Roast" of another.  I got no details here. Then the Awards.  A few highlights:

• LLU Vice Award
• Hey Look Me Over Award
• Projectile Award: Inflictee and Inflictor
• Can You Beat This Award
• Sherlock Holmes Award
• Most Ridiculous Question Award
• Deepest Trout Award
• Lab Scab Award
• I Got Mine Award
• Hose Me Down Award
• We're Not Taking It Anymore Award
• Gutta Percha Grand Prix Award

Another great "Chooie".  Was this guy a prophet or what???

OK, if you are still with me, I think I will take the time to retype a scenario I developed in my speech at the 3rd Golden Probes.  Perhaps typical of our time at LLUSD.......

--patient is really happy with old dentures, only needs a few teeth to be replaced

--patient is convinced by that new dentures are needed

--patient says he is a gagger.....patient is right

--teeth are selected and mounted in lingualized occlusion according to teacher A

--teacher B disagrees, teeth are thrown away and new rational teeth are mounted in flat plane occlusion

--denture is delivered, teacher C (who has seen denture and patient on three previous visits) discovers retromolar pads aren't covered.....reline

--patient returns, can't tolerate retromolar pads being covered....acrylic is removed

--4 days before 2 week check, student discovers patient hasn't worn denture for 10 days

--one week into second 14 day trial period, patient complains that upper denture falls.  New post dam is added, no help, it is determined denture was warped during processing

--new denture made

--one week into 3rd 14 day trial period, patient returns with upper midline 4mm to the left

--teacher D determines that CR record taken with teacher C and checked by teacher B was not accurate

--Eighty'6er goes to a CO record and removes and realigns 11 of 14 teeth

--patient returns for wax tryin of new alignment.  CR/CO changed (again) now midline is too far the other direction, 11 of 14 teeth are moved back

--student takes dentures to lab to have them processed and lab tech drops lower denture and breaks it in half

--patient returns for his repaired/relined/ remade dentures and is told if he has any complaints to wait till after June 14 to discuss them.....(we are on vacation)

#26 Christian Ethics "Situation"

Unfortunately, I have not been blessed with a great long term memory.  Short term, fine. (I did survive dental school, after all).  BUT, a vivid memory from dental school is the Christian Ethic "Situation".  

You may recall, it was felt that the test was a set up to make our class fail, so a walk-out ensued.  After the walk-out, I ended up walking-in to Dean Klooster's office to have a mä-nō-ä-ˈmä-nō with Judd, Ron, and the two instructors, (Gemini).  Actually, a "highlight" of my dental career.

The few times I have hooked up with Ron Dailey over the last 29 years he has brought up the "situation".  I do have some clear recollection of the walk-out, (and the aftermath), and so does Ron!

Now, Dean Dailey will be speaking at the 30th Golden Probe Awards, AND he mentioned to me that he will be addressing said "situation".  I told him I reserved the option to counter-point his memory "real-time".  We'll see.

#25 Our Class/Clinic Schedule for our Junior Year

Other than my oldest son, Alex, other famous people were born in 1985 as well.  Micheal Phelps for one.  Yeah, #10 has been bugging me for years too.

Number #10 hasn't been near the problem for me with Keira Knightley.  In fact, her rather wonky smile has been a nice refreshing exception to the "lumineer" look of so many actors.........

Photoshop or dental work, you decide.

#24 Andy Gooney

How can we forget?!  Andy was always there for The Golden Probe Awards, and he would write an "editorial" every now and then.  Here is a classic.  I didn't take the time to retype it.  This is Romo in his own words!

#23 What? Our Junior Year??

                                          Scarlett Johansson, famous actress born in 1984

                      Also born in 1984, Mark Zuckerberg, the 7th richest person in America,
and
the
son
of
a dentist!!!
Dr. Edward Zuckerger, DDS, FAGD in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

From News Caries:
“Yeah Class of 86.  You did the impossible!!  Thanks to some smooth dealing we got a fantastic deal on a pop machine from the 7-UP Corp.  If you are blind, we now have a pop machine in the lab instead of the refrigerator.  The machine features 7-UP, Like, Grape Soda and other favorites for the bargain price of only 40 cents.”

REAL TIME COMMENT:  One change, nowadays, is no more freshman, sophomore, junior, senior designations.  Now it is D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, D-etc.   No more “super-seniors” either.

Indeed, my partner and I interviewed a D4 this week.  He snickered at our designation of freshmen/sophomore…….  We snickered at his $400,000 dental school debt.  (later, at home, I cried).

#22 Baseball bloopers--1985

Jim Martins is the News Caries reporter here.  A game between Dent 86 II and Dent 86 III.  A few highlights:
                                
                                         Whaaaat? the dental hygiene class were cheerleaders??

--Curtis "collar bone" Chan dove for a foul ball and did two things: he broke his collar bone, and missed the ball completely.
--Mark "cast stone hands" committed five errors in the infield.  He blamed it on the gophers. (Jim, BTW, you spell it GOPHERS, not GOFFERS.)
--Ken "all or none" Skyberg, when up at bat, either strikes out or hits a home run.  No in between with him.
--One of the great home run hitters of Dent 86 is Mark "baby killer" Romanelli.  This happened the week before.  He was in the on-deck circle, when practicing his swing, lost the bat.  It nicked our reporters hat, then ended up in the stands barely missing two mothers and their babies, but damaging a baby carriage. (Martins recommended that Romanelli used rubber base adhesive to help with his grip).
--Gary "no longer immigrant" Kevorkian spent most of the season swinging at camel flies at one of America's favorite past times.  (Can we say that ?!)
--Gary "hot shot" Ackerman still hasn't figured out which team he's playing for.  He just shows up for both team's games.  But during one game Gary paid the price.  He ripped his pants while stretching to catch a wide throw to first.  Not only did he have central air conditioning, but he spent the rest of the game "mooning" his opponents as they came to bat.  (Good strategy Gary)
--A few weeks back, Dancin' Jim was a spectator at one of our class's games.  While viewing the game from the left field line, Jim got this urge to break-dance!  As he began, a foul ball was hit towards him.  Jim performed the most incredible act ever.  He caught the ball while break dancing!

                                          This is a candid picture of Dancin' Jim just before
                                                     he caught the ball........with his feet!!