RECORDS, REPORTS, AND SURVEYS
For record keeping, you can divide the mouth into 4 parts:
- Upper Right (UR)
- Upper Left (UL)
- Lower Left (LL)
- Lower Right (LR)
In each part there are 8 teeth (fewer in children).
You can call each tooth by its short name, for example, UR3.
Keep a record of each person you see. Write some brief information about the person and the problem. This way, if the person returns, you remember what you did to help.
When a person needs to come more than once to take care of a problem, it is better to keep a special record for that person. With all the treatments on one page, you can follow that person's progress more easily.
Below is an example for a person named Yupere. Yupere has a bad tooth that has hurt from time to time for 2 months. One day when he woke up, his face was swollen. Yupere decided to wait a day to see if the swelling would go away. The next day it was worse, so he went to the medical post for treatment.
Reports
You need to write a report whenever you send a person for medical help. Give as much information as possible so that your treatment can continue and new treatment starts as quickly as possible. If you cannot go along, always send a report with a sick person.
The siory of Naime: After drinking for several hours, Naime's husband returned home asking for money. She had none and told him so. He did not believe Naime, so he beat her with his hands and then a knife. Naime's friends carried her, unconscious and bleeding, to the aid post. The front part of her lower jaw was hanging out of position.
Surveys
It is a good idea to know how many persons in your community have cavities and gum disease. Look in the mouths of children and adults and make a record of what you see.
