Often, the rubber dam tears when I try to place it. Do you have any suggestions?

There are several tips for placing rubber dams to help prevent tearing. First, try placing a lubricant on the tissue side of the dam so that it slips over the teeth more readily. A very thin coat of petroleum jelly or a glycerin-based lubricant works very well. You can also try using a thicker rubber dam material. For example, SafeTouch Dental Dam (MEDICOM, Inc.), comes in thin, medium, and thick gauges. The thin dams are easier to manipulate, especially through the interproximal spaces, but tear more easily than the thicker materials.