shadowing newbie

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i'm going to be shadowing for the first time, what are things that i should definitely not do?

also, i was told to wear scrubs if i have them. i don't, but i want to buy a pair since they're giving me this great opportunity and i dont want to be a problem in any way. what kind/color do i buy? really have no idea. how are they supposed to fit? am i supposed to wear clothes under them?

is there previous knowledge about dentistry that i should have? any terms? i virtually know nothing, and have only really seen dentistry from the patient side

shadowing seems really burdensome for the entire dental office, if you are a dentist or have worked in a dental office did/do you feel this way? what are some things pre-dents can do to be less of an nuisance?

thanks!

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[Incis0r]

It's going to be a good time.

Ok, so you can buy a really cheap pair of scrubs on Amazon. That's what I did. I think it cost me $7 for both top and pants. I bought dark blue ones, and they were fine. You wear them over your shirt. Not over pants though.

You don't need to have previous knowledge about dentistry, although researching common procedures and having questions in mind shows your interest. I asked questions about amalgam vs. composite, root canal vs. extraction, clinical diagnosis vs. X-ray diagnosis, and that got a lot of good convos started.

But beyond that, ask the dentist about his/her background. How did they like dental school? Are they involved in organized dentistry? What do they think about the profession as a whole? (Mine said he was glad he was near retirement rather than starting his profession because of all the mid-levels, corporate, etc. LOL)

Don't just stick with the dentist. Talk to the office manager. Hang out with the assistant. This way, you don't waste anyone's time, and you get an idea for the functioning of the entire office.

If a patient initiates contact with you, don't be awkward - be human and just chat with them. They're nervous at a dentist appointment. I'm not saying talk treatment or anything, but I got a lot of good conversations about football, travel, etc. while waiting for the dentist to come and numb the patient.

Ask the dentist beforehand if s/he is ok with you asking questions during the procedure or after. My mentor was very relaxed and told me to ask whatever I wanted, whenever.

Good luck!