How to go about shadowing?

[golfmontpoker]

Im hopeing to get in a good 50+ hours of shadowing in before I submit my application in May (I know its kinda late to get some shadowing in... im a procrastinator sometimes ) Anyways, how did you accomplish going about to get some shadowing in?? Just call dental offices and ask them if you can shadow a couple days a week? thanx for any advice!

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[Jaba]

Im hopeing to get in a good 50+ hours of shadowing in before I submit my application in May (I know its kinda late to get some shadowing in... im a procrastinator sometimes ) Anyways, how did you accomplish going about to get some shadowing in?? Just call dental offices and ask them if you can shadow a couple days a week? thanx for any advice!

Hi. I would recommend shadowing at the dental office that you currantly go to. I had to switch dental offices and let me tell you it was harder than you think to 'just shadow'. I submitted a resume and then a week later they said it would be no problem. Make sure that you also write somewhere "do not plan on practicing in this region", as many are worried that you will steel their patients. Also, the whole privacy/safety issue.....this took awhile to get resolved as you have to fill out several forums. I was lucky that the first place allowed me to shadow... but if I were you i'd visit the dental office, ask if the doctor has a few minutes (go around lunch time) and introduce yourself and your goals. Make sure you have a resume to give the doctor, and if not give it to the receptionist. Wait a week, and if nothing happens call them and ask.

thants about all the advice I can give you right now. I asked to volunteer/shadow... make sure you tell your doctor what goals you have and what you intend on doing in his work place.... etc etc..

good luck

 

[toothealer12]

Im hopeing to get in a good 50+ hours of shadowing in before I submit my application in May (I know its kinda late to get some shadowing in... im a procrastinator sometimes ) Anyways, how did you accomplish going about to get some shadowing in?? Just call dental offices and ask them if you can shadow a couple days a week? thanx for any advice!

I just got a hold of my dentist. I had about 50 hours too...and one of the schools i interviewed at didn't think that was enough...so try to get even more after you apply...so if they ask you...you can say that you continued after submitting your appl...and tell them how many you have at that point. also, sometimes they like it if you shadow specialists...esp. if you are looking into specializing after dental school.

 

[howui3]

as many have already said, ask the dentist you or your family goes to, this way they already know you. Otherwise stop by some of the offices near by and talk to the doctor or office staff about your desire to shadow. many of the dentists have had people shadow in the past. also a good idea to have a resume with you when you visit the office.

don't worry you are not late, i did not start to shadow until late july/august. so you have plenty of time to get quite a few hours in. Start with a general dentist but then I suggest looking at a few other specialties to get a better idea of the different areas of dentistry. Plus some of the gum or oral surgeries are much more interesting then a root canal.

good luck.

 

[drhobie7]

you must become a shadow grasshopper! be the dark cloak that follows your target! silently stalk him from the safety of the shrouded corridor!

 

[Dying2beDDS]

I agree with previous posts; shadow your current dentist or your family dentist OR a family friend who happens to be a dentist. Either way, it has to be someone who somewhat knows you or your family. I tried calling dozens of offices around town and noone called me back. The sad truth is they won't give a rip about you unless they have some connection to you. I currently work for my dentist. It has been a GREAT experience. It was easy for me: I was in for a cleaning and explaining my situation to the hygenist and she was like "you should work here!" She mentioned it to my dentist when he came in the room for the check-up, and he said we could discuss it. Lucky for me, they were looking for someone to replace their current college kid who was about to leave for dental school. I was hired the next week w/o an interview!
However, I do strongly caution you not to devote too much time to this position. My mistake was that I took on too many hours working in the office and, as a result, I didn't have enough time to study for the DAT and got average scores. I took it again, but 25 hrs/wk of work plus taking a class and studying for the DAT don't mix!!! Don't be afraid to ask for time off to study! The sad truth is D schools care MUCH more about DAT scores than shadowing for some reason. There are many more who got in w/high DATs and minimal shadowing than the other way around. It seems wacko to me, but it's just the way it works! Good luck to you!!

you must become a shadow grasshopper! be the dark cloak that follows your target! silently stalk him from the safety of the shrouded corridor!

 

[lgreen_aci]

Im hopeing to get in a good 50+ hours of shadowing in before I submit my application in May (I know its kinda late to get some shadowing in... im a procrastinator sometimes ) Anyways, how did you accomplish going about to get some shadowing in?? Just call dental offices and ask them if you can shadow a couple days a week? thanx for any advice!

Golfmontpoker,

I just started shadowing last week. It is one of the coolest experiences I have ever had.

Here is what I did to get started. Choose a dentist or specialist you would like to shadow. You can pick a dentist you are a patient of, ask your pre-dent advisor for a recommendation of a dentist, or just ask pretty much any dentist.

Once you choose your dentist, call the office. Tell the receptionist/assistant that you are interested in dentistry and would like to know if you can come in and talk to the dentist sometime about dentistry and dental school. The receptionist will glady look at the schedule and and schedule you 10-20 min to talk to the dentist sometime when he/she is not busy.

Then go to that appointment, be early, and polite. Introduce yourself to the doctor and tell him why you are there. You will find the dentist will usually be pretty interested, excited, and willing to talk with you and answer any questions. Then, tell them you are looking to get some shadowing experience and ask the dentist if he/she would be interested in letting you come in and observe for a few hours. Nine times out of ten, if not 100% of the time they will probably say yes.

They will either set a time up w/ you, or have you setup a time with the receptionist.

And then your set. Make sure and ask the doctor what he/she wants you to wear to your jobshadow.

Then at the end of your jobshadow, thank them for the experience, and schedule your next job shadow.

Currently I am oberving w/ an orthodontist 2 hours per week on mondays, and then w/ a gen dent 2 hours per week on fridays.

It is a lot of fun. Make sure and try to find a dentist though that is very excited to have you their and will really provide you a good learning experience. It's not just about getting the hours done for the app (if you ask me), but more about getting familiar w/ dentistry and seeing if it is really for you.

I have spent probably 50 hours as a patient w/ the orthodontist, and done another 4 hours total of official shadowing, and I have to say I have never been so motivated and excited in my life.

Good luck!

lgreen

 

[golfmontpoker]

Awsome, thanx for the advice all! I have currently moved to a new area so i do not have a dentist currently, so I will have to ask dentists i dont know... Think this would be a problem at all? Igreen, i think i will be the same way once i start shadowing, it will probably give me a boost of motivation cause thats how i am to... thanx all!

 

[lgreen_aci]

Shouldn't be a problem at all.

Perhaps ask other students, professors, etc for a recommendation of a good dentist.

If you ask the pre-health/pre-dent advisor they may even be able to hook you up w/ someone that graduated from your undergrad school.

gl!

 

[Copacetic52]

lgreen_aci, does being a patient count towards shadowing hours?

 

[lgreen_aci]

lgreen_aci, does being a patient count towards shadowing hours?

I don't know for sure. I would assume not.

 

[drhobie7]

lgreen_aci, does being a patient count towards shadowing hours?

yes but only if you were a full mouth reconstruction case

 

[lgreen_aci]

I don't know for sure. I would assume not.

Not to say being a patient is not a very valuable experiene, as it was for me, but obervation hours are like 600x more fun and interesting than patient hours. Therefore I wouldn't even consider trying to pass off patient hours as offical jobshadowing hours.

 

[Jaba]

Not to say being a patient is not a very valuable experiene, as it was for me, but obervation hours are like 600x more fun and interesting than patient hours. Therefore I wouldn't even consider trying to pass off patient hours as offical jobshadowing hours.

unless of course your dentist uses the Intra Oral Cam and explains to you exactly what he is seeing LOL... such a great tool, I will use this for all my patients.