Volunteering as a dental student- Can you practice under a licensed dentist

[midazolams]

Hello all,

Can dental students volunteer and perform dentistry at a US clinic under the supervision of a licensed dentist that is non-school affiliated?

Can dental students volunteer and perform dentistry outside of US under supervision of licensed dentist that is non-school affiliated?

Thanks in advance to anyone who has clarification.

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[dp93]

i wanna say no. not positive.

 

[Marmalade]

Again, not 100%, but no. That would make essentially a mini-dental school.

It could also be very profitable with a few 'students '.

 

[Bubbaman]

Yes you can. ASDOH and MOSDOH students spend their fourth year volunteering in community clinics working under licensed dentists.

 

[jwan14]

True, but I would imagine that these clinics must be affiliated or "approved" by the school before a student could just go practice there. But I'm also not positive. I've thought about this before. My uncle practices and I would love to go and work with him during my third and fourth year.

 

[Saddleshoes]

Hello all,

Can dental students volunteer and perform dentistry at a US clinic under the supervision of a licensed dentist that is non-school affiliated.

The answer to this question is controlled by the Dental Practice Act in a given State.
For example in Illinois the answer NO! The only way a student can perform dental treatment is at the direction of a certified faculty member. (Other states may differ.)

Can dental students volunteer and perform dentistry outside of US under supervision of licensed dentist that is non-school affiliated?.

The answer to this question is controlled by the laws of the host country.
For example in Haiti they have a health delivery system that is so dependent on outside humanitarian aid that they let anybody come in and work the public. I am guessing that you would be hard pressed to find any "developed country" that would allow a given dental student to waltz in and start treating public without full licensure.

 

[jeffity]

Yes you can. ASDOH and MOSDOH students spend their fourth year volunteering in community clinics working under licensed dentists.

I thought all of those sites had adjunct faculty? And by that, I mean they bring in the director or one of the dentists at those sites for annual calibration. Whatever that means.

 

[Marmalade]

Yes you can. ASDOH and MOSDOH students spend their fourth year volunteering in community clinics working under licensed dentists.

True also in Illinois. But they are affiliated with the dental school. Not a typical circumstance.

 

[THS]

We just discussed this in a clinic orientation today. It may be state-specific, but:

No. We can practice dentistry and write prescriptions at the dental school under the licenses of the faculty. OUTSIDE of school, without supervision of or permission from school faculty, we can only legally volunteer as assistants, not even EDDAs. We can not drill, fill, polish, scale, etc.

Many schools will do rotations at HIV clinics, special needs clinics, rural practices, etc. This is an established relationship between the school and that clinic, with the student's education in mind.

If you want to volunteer at a clinic during the summer or something, you can only be an assistant, even if the dentist you are working under wants you to do more.