best kind of dentist to shadow?

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jbravo12

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So for those of you who've had great shadowing experiences, what kind of dentists do you suggest I try to shadow?
As in, which ones would most likely allow me to do some more hands-on/assisting type stuff, as opposed to only standing and observing?

I realize this may all depend on luck, but do some factors come into play?
Is a big, high-end office in a nice area better? or just the opposite?
older/younger dentists? mmm.. and whatever else may matter.

Otherwise, I'll just randomly shadow a couple and stick with the one I like best. Thank you!
 
I got a little hands on with an older dentist. But I think your best bet is shadow a friend or some dentist that you know. My friend's allowed me to assist a little, but he's an oral surgeon so you can imagine that he was more limited in what he could allow. But if you're looking for some action and intense procedures, which fascinate me, then you should check our an oral/maxillofacial surgeon. awesome stuff.
 
When I was shadowing, the dentist told me it's a good idea to shadow in different areas of expertise. For example, this guy was a cosmetic dentist. He suggested getting a feel for the other specialties as well. Also, he didn't accept insurance at his place for various reasons and said that places that do accept it are run differently (he suggested I check them out as well to get a feel for the different ways they run the business).

Anyone shadow an oral surgeon yet? I am working with one in about a month and excited to see what that field is like :soexcited:
 
jbravo12 said:
So for those of you who've had great shadowing experiences, what kind of dentists do you suggest I try to shadow?
As in, which ones would most likely allow me to do some more hands-on/assisting type stuff, as opposed to only standing and observing?

I realize this may all depend on luck, but do some factors come into play?
Is a big, high-end office in a nice area better? or just the opposite?
older/younger dentists? mmm.. and whatever else may matter.

Otherwise, I'll just randomly shadow a couple and stick with the one I like best. Thank you!
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I have had the opportunity to shadaw an older and younger dentist, and will have to say that the younger dentist seemed to be more "aware" of what was going on. Some older dentists have been set in their ways for so long they aren't going to change. However, both of them were very intelligent, helpful individuals whom I learned much from.

Basically, you can't go wrong, but a broader prospective on the field couldn't hurt.
 
I think I remember reading somewhere that some schools prefer you to shadow in a clinc or hospital-like setting so that you get a chance to see the more disquieting cases rather than stuff you see at a quiet suburban private practice.
 
jbravo12 said:
So for those of you who've had great shadowing experiences, what kind of dentists do you suggest I try to shadow?
As in, which ones would most likely allow me to do some more hands-on/assisting type stuff, as opposed to only standing and observing?

I realize this may all depend on luck, but do some factors come into play?
Is a big, high-end office in a nice area better? or just the opposite?
older/younger dentists? mmm.. and whatever else may matter.

Otherwise, I'll just randomly shadow a couple and stick with the one I like best. Thank you!
Click to expand...

If you are near the dental school, ask if you can shadow in faculty practice or with dental students on the floor. If you are far way, it worth the driving. That is an excellent way to introduce yourself. That kind of introduction works wonder in many ways. DP
 
I think shadowing any dentist will do so long as you get the feel of what dentistry is like. Often times this means shadowing more than one dentist.
 
Once I received my surgical assisting license I was able to help with much more hands on procedures in my oral surgeon's practice.

I felt when I shadowed a cosmetic dentist I didn't get much hands on experience because most of the procedures were something you can't really do (i.e. invisalign). I was found left cleaning and filing most of the time and/or doing front office work.

I am currently getting the most hands on experience I could ever ask for working as a dental assistant for an older pediatric dentist. I get to see kids and learn to work with their parents, brush and floss teeth, be much more helpful in procedures, and take X-rays. I'd say shadowing is one thing, but if you have the time try dental assisting you'll learn way more than you can ever ask for!👍
 
Ones that are willing to let you shadow.
 
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So about shadowing, I've only been able to shadow a family member for approx. 20 hrs each visit, total of 3 visits over past year. I work full time, and between studying I haven't had time to shadow someone local. I did some "assisting" (office manager type stuff) several years ago, but I don't think that counts. Should I wait and try to get more shadowing in? How do I include that on the app? Can we have a family member write LOE?
 
petra23 said:
So about shadowing, I've only been able to shadow a family member for approx. 20 hrs each visit, total of 3 visits over past year. I work full time, and between studying I haven't had time to shadow someone local. I did some "assisting" (office manager type stuff) several years ago, but I don't think that counts. Should I wait and try to get more shadowing in? How do I include that on the app? Can we have a family member write LOE?
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I'm using my cousin as a letter. No one has really told me how it goes, but it seems like it can come off both bad and good depending on who's lookin at it. It can be seen that it's a relative so you can't really put too much weight on all the good things they say, but at the same time it's a relative so they should know you well and the quality of the experience you have with them should be good. I shadowed my cousin for a while at his old clinic, and when he opened up his new clinic I've been his office manager and got some hands on experience in the back. I doubt a stranger would've let me be so involved.
 
ChrisM07 said:
Anyone shadow an oral surgeon yet? I am working with one in about a month and excited to see what that field is like :soexcited:
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I shadowed one last year, wasn't that thrilling (for me at least) in his practice. He did A LOT of tooth extractions which got old after a while and a lot of consults for cranio-facial patients. The cool thing was that he literally had all types of people come in, young, old...ect. Maxillofacial problems happen to everyone (for me too, I almost needed surgery!).

Anyway, the best cases are at the ER/trauma in the hospital. That's where my OMFS did all of the cool surgeries like gun shots and battery to the face, def go check that out if the oral surgeon you shadow works in a practice and an ER.

As for the best dentist to shadow? You would probably be most comfortable with your general dentist as they know you the best. I don't know how many dentists allow to actually assist on procedures, you would have to have a dental assistant degree right? I know I wouldn't want an overly eager college student work on my mouth...maybe assist with office stuff. I think observing/asking questions is about as good as it will get. I just started shadowing a cosmetic/general dentist and she is soo nice! She used to teach at a dental school so goes above and beyond to teach me things, I learn a lot!
 
SugarNaCl said:
I observed a general dentist for a while who actually let me restore a 1st molar... then of course he double checked my work. He also let me extract a 2nd molar. When I went to observe the DDS that I got my LOR from, he didn't let me do as much though... just suction and shake amalgam... so I think it depends. The dentist that let me get my hands into it was in his mid to late 30s and was extremely easy going... but he swore me to secrecy 😉
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Nothing like starting a profession by breaking the ethical tenets even before you started dental school. What's next? Setting up an office in your basement where you can practice after (school) hours? BTW was the patient also sworn to secrecy?
 
I actually have just started to shadow an oral surgeon. He's younger, graduated in '01. My first time I had a lot of hands on experience. He understands that future dentist have to start somewhere because he was in the same spot just a few years ago. I think you just have to find the right dentist
 
WTH? An oral surgeon allowing student shadowers to assist in procedures? That is just wrong, it's not a question of "learning" or "starting somewhere" when you aren't even in dental school yet. That's what dental school, clinicals, and externships are for. 🙄 Sounds really shady especially when they ask you keep quiet about it. They're just begging for a lawsuit when a patient finds out.
 
ChrisM07 said:
Anyone shadow an oral surgeon yet?
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I am currently a surgical assistant for a group of six OMF surgeons and it is fascinating. If anyone has the chance to shadow this I would highly recommend it. There are many extractions of wisdom teeth and lots of implant cases which are all very neat to see!
 
doc toothache said:
Nothing like starting a profession by breaking the ethical tenets even before you started dental school. What's next? Setting up an office in your basement where you can practice after (school) hours? BTW was the patient also sworn to secrecy?
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Um... kidding? Full patient consent. No misleading. Thought that would be alright. It was the boyfriend of a co-worker (dental assistant) of his that he knew pretty well.
 
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ya thats kinda scary hes letting you do extractions already
 
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SugarNaCl said:
Um... kidding? Full patient consent. No misleading. Thought that would be alright. It was the boyfriend of a co-worker (dental assistant) of his that he knew pretty well.
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Why didn't you say so in the first place? To be on the safe side, maybe you should ask the ethics prof at VCU or better yet, call the Virginia Board of Dentistry. Va might have a "special" regulation allowing predents to start practicing early especially if there is verbal consent.
 
Someone extracted a tooth under full supervision and guidance before dental school???!?! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!!AHHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Someone get on the horn with the FBI, CIA, homeland security is going to want to know about this too. We should probably get the CDC involved as well as the state governements.

Seriously, are you people kidding me? Have any of you heard of a mission trip? This is not a big deal, and probably way more common then you think.
 
I had a good experience shadowing an older pediatric dentist recently, and and a younger GP who graded a few years back. I wouldn't say age makes too much of a difference. You can probably get a decent gauge of their willingness and patience by giving them a call - if they sound quick and dismissive, just move on.

I had one rather creepy dentist who was just hawking me because he wanted a free dental assistant at his dental office that relied off a bulk of Medicaid patients. He treated his office like a McDonald's - all business through a rotating door. It's not bad seeing this either - because there are a lot of them out there, running the spectrum of the good to downright shoddy. Might help you decide down the road what kind of practice or dentists you'd like to work for/with.
 
armorshell said:
Someone extracted a tooth under full supervision and guidance before dental school???!?! THE SKY IS FALLING!!!!!!AHHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Someone get on the horn with the FBI, CIA, homeland security is going to want to know about this too. We should probably get the CDC involved as well as the state governements.

Seriously, are you people kidding me? Have any of you heard of a mission trip? This is not a big deal, and probably way more common then you think.
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Are you kidding? A tooth extraction IS a big deal, you even said in another thread that it was a complicated procedure even some dentists couldn't do. Contradiction much? Mission trips give FREE dental care to poor people in third world countries, I participated in one and we just assisted the doctors/spoke with patients. How are you even comparing it to an OMFS in the U.S.?

I'm not knocking the poster, it's the oral surgeon/dentist that needs to retake a course in medical ethics.
 
The treatment was free, it is probably the only one they ever had, it was in a 3rd world country, and besides who cares if it was done by predents? If ds were a little more accommodating one could finish the requirements in a single summer and have a Costa Rican vacation to boot and that's before starting professional school. After graduation, in private practice one can start some creative billing (upcoding) and accounting since after all, no one will ever know, no one will ever care and the sky is not going to fall.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=530835
http://justice.gov/usao/vaw/press_releases/shelburne_06mar2008.html
http://www.medicaidruinsgooddentist.com/
 
doc toothache said:
Why didn't you say so in the first place? To be on the safe side, maybe you should ask the ethics prof at VCU or better yet, call the Virginia Board of Dentistry. Va might have a "special" regulation allowing predents to start practicing early especially if there is verbal consent.
Click to expand...

Doc, I don't get it. Are you blaming SugarNaCl for this? Shouldn't the dentist be blamed if anyone? Why is it unethical of the person that was a predent at the time?
 
Shadow a GP because some schools require hours from a GP. ( Like LLU )
 
OMFSWanna said:
Doc, I don't get it. Are you blaming SugarNaCl for this? Shouldn't the dentist be blamed if anyone? Why is it unethical of the person that was a predent at the time?
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OMFS... While I appreciate the response and agree with you, you will never get an arrogant individual with somewhat of a chip on their shoulder to admit a possible overreaction. Probably best just to let it go 😉
 
crazy4clana said:
Are you kidding? A tooth extraction IS a big deal, you even said in another thread that it was a complicated procedure even some dentists couldn't do. Contradiction much? Mission trips give FREE dental care to poor people in third world countries, I participated in one and we just assisted the doctors/spoke with patients. How are you even comparing it to an OMFS in the U.S.?

I'm not knocking the poster, it's the oral surgeon/dentist that needs to retake a course in medical ethics.
Click to expand...

I'm sure a super-hygienist could also do a simple extraction, probably on a perio involved tooth, under direct supervision and direction by and OMFS who is ready to jump in at any moment, on a patient who is completely aware of all the circumstances and consented.
 
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doc toothache said:
The treatment was free, it is probably the only one they ever had, it was in a 3rd world country, and besides who cares if it was done by predents? If ds were a little more accommodating one could finish the requirements in a single summer and have a Costa Rican vacation to boot and that's before starting professional school. After graduation, in private practice one can start some creative billing (upcoding) and accounting since after all, no one will ever know, no one will ever care and the sky is not going to fall.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=530835
http://justice.gov/usao/vaw/press_releases/shelburne_06mar2008.html
http://www.medicaidruinsgooddentist.com/
Click to expand...

Yeah that's right. Letting pre-dents what is potentially an incredibly easy procedure (Perio involved simple extraction, so easy if you're not careful you can do it on accident) under direct supervision leads to upcoding and medicaid fraud. And that as we all know leads to communism, murder and the decline of family values!

Any other slippery slopes today?
 
armorshell said:
Yeah that's right. Letting pre-dents what is potentially an incredibly easy procedure (Perio involved simple extraction, so easy if you're not careful you can do it on accident) under direct supervision leads to upcoding and medicaid fraud. And that as we all know leads to communism, murder and the decline of family values!

Any other slippery slopes today?
Click to expand...

:laugh: I love Armorshell!
 
SugarNaCl said:
OMFS... While I appreciate the response and agree with you, you will never get an arrogant individual with somewhat of a chip on their shoulder to admit a possible overreaction. Probably best just to let it go 😉
Click to expand...

Good advice. Ignore dissenting opinions and wherever possible....delete the evidence.

 
I was horribly unqualified to extract my own baby teeth as a child.
 
armorshell said:
I'm sure a super-hygienist could also do a simple extraction, probably on a perio involved tooth, under direct supervision and direction by and OMFS who is ready to jump in at any moment, on a patient who is completely aware of all the circumstances and consented.
Click to expand...

armorshell said:
Yeah that's right. Letting pre-dents what is potentially an incredibly easy procedure (Perio involved simple extraction, so easy if you're not careful you can do it on accident) under direct supervision leads to upcoding and medicaid fraud. And that as we all know leads to communism, murder and the decline of family values!
Any other slippery slopes today?
Click to expand...

The patient you describe doesn't need an OMFS, a super-hygenist or a pre dent. Simply dispense some dental floss and show the pt a door knob.
 
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Shadow an oral surgeon. That was my dream before I wasn't accepted 3 years in a row to dental school. My sister is a dentist though and she is thinking about OMFS. SHe jst graduated no long ago.
 
I have shadowed one general dentist, one orthodontist, and one pediatric dentist. The best ones were definetly the ortho😀 and the pedia🙂 (except for the kids puking!:scared:). I didn't like GP at all.
 
Since this thread is already a trainwreck -

It is typically a good idea to shadow dentists that dance to the song, "Carwash."
 
Montserrat said:
Since this thread is already a trainwreck -

It is typically a good idea to shadow dentists that dance to the song, "Carwash."
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Wasn't there really a dentist that did something like that?
 
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OMFSWanna said:
Doc, I don't get it. Are you blaming SugarNaCl for this? Shouldn't the dentist be blamed if anyone? Why is it unethical of the person that was a predent at the time?
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Like or not, the practice of dentistry is regulated by State Dental Boards and only those licensed by the state institution can practice it legally. While each state will have a list of procedures that can be performed by a non dentist, in general, irreversible procedures such as cutting on tooth structure and extractions are not in the realm of auxiliary personnel. Performing them is considered to be practicing dentistry without a license, a violation of the rules of regulation pertaining to dentistry. It is unlikely that there are any states that have a special provisions for predents performing dental procedures irrespective of the presence or absence of verbal or written consent of a mentor or patient. Mission trips provide exception for dentists and, in some cases, dental students but they do not provide an exception for predents. To claim ignorance of the law is somewhat disingenuous in view of the need to be sworn to secrecy. While the extraction itself may be rationalized as a youthful dental indiscretion by an overzealous predent, the cavalier attitude towards the unethical behavior, compounded with a litany of excuses from , “full patient consent, no misleading, thought it would be allright”, and …mission trip, no big deal and it is more common than you think”, is particularly disturbing. It is not exactly a reaction one would expect from a future dental professional. The degree of culpability is a judicial rather than a dental question and rests solely with the State Dental Boards. A sign of contrition would have retired the subject of this divergent opinion long ago. In any even, it is time to allow this issue to R.I.P.
 
SHC1984 said:
I have shadowed one general dentist, one orthodontist, and one pediatric dentist. The best ones were definetly the ortho😀 and the pedia🙂 (except for the kids puking!:scared:). I didn't like GP at all.
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Fortunately, at Columbia that shouldn't be a problem. 🙄
 
aphistis said:
Fortunately, at Columbia that shouldn't be a problem. 🙄
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That was quite rude and came out of nowhere. Shouldn't you be nicer since you're a mod, or do you like making snide comments to random members all the time?
 
crazy4clana said:
That was quite rude and came out of nowhere. Shouldn't you be nicer since you're a mod, or do you like making snide comments to random members all the time?
Click to expand...

wimp.png
 
If your opinion mattered, I would care.

This same mod has consistently called members names, insulted their intelligence and build themselves up by putting others down. Sorry if I don't agree with how power-tripping mods regulate forums.
 
This thread has gone off in so many unfortunate directions. Isn't it best to make peace and move on? Live and let live, stop passing the buck etc? To be honest... we should be able to handle some criticism. I think aphistis gives these forums some spice, btw.
 
^ Please far from it.

Spice, bitcha$$ness...call it what you want.

aphistis said:
Thanks for the input, but...hmm, how did you say it? I think it was...



Cheers, mate.
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I called him a noob, short for newbie, which he was. Completely different with the way you address members of this site. FYI, I posted that after that member blasted me for no reason.

You are a mod, start acting like one please. You are held to a higher standard than the members of this board.
 
And we'll let that be the last word. Incidentally, I'd remind you that calling other users profane names is a pretty cut-and-dry violation of the Terms of Service agreement. Please avoid it in the future.

Closing.
 
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