Apply now... or next year?

[cmroberts]

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Hi everyone!

So I am really on the fence of whether I am ready or not to apply to dental school this year.

I have a good GPA and good DAT scores that I am confident in; however, I am worried that the rest of my application isn't ready yet. I only have about 60 hours of volunteering in a dental clinic, no shadowing hours.

I am wondering that if I can get my shadowing hours up to atleast 50 by June, and maybe increase my clinic hours to 100, if this would give me a good chance at getting accepted this year.

OOOOR, I can take one more year off, increasing my volunteer hours and shadowing hours as much as I can in a year, travel, volunteer in Mexico, etc. Do you think it would be better to just apply next cycle, with a stronger application?

If anyone has had experience with this situation, I would love to hear your story and your advice! If anyone wants to know more details about what I've got goin for me at this point, I would be happy to send you a private message. 🙂

Any help is appreciated,thank you!

 

[TourdeTeeth]

If you have no shadowing hours then you need to start shadowing pronto, which it seems like you are doing. You might meet the minimum criteria for schools by the time you apply. I'd suggest buying the ADEA Dental School book that comes out in March. It has admissions stats for this past year for every single school. It has tables with DAT scores, GPA, shadowing hours, volunteer hours, in-state versus out-of-state, etc. If you want to give yourself the best chance to succeed then taking a year off probably won't be a bad idea as long as you don't forget too much science in the process.

It's honestly all up to you. Do you want to be accepted and start dental school in the Fall of 2016 or the Fall of 2017? Maybe you need a break and a year off will help you be even more motivated once you get to dental school.

 

[cmroberts]

If you have no shadowing hours then you need to start shadowing pronto, which it seems like you are doing. You might meet the minimum criteria for schools by the time you apply. I'd suggest buying the ADEA Dental School book that comes out in March. It has admissions stats for this past year for every single school. It has tables with DAT scores, GPA, shadowing hours, volunteer hours, in-state versus out-of-state, etc. If you want to give yourself the best chance to succeed then taking a year off probably won't be a bad idea as long as you don't forget too much science in the process.

It's honestly all up to you. Do you want to be accepted and start dental school in the Fall of 2016 or the Fall of 2017? Maybe you need a break and a year off will help you be even more motivated once you get to dental school.

Thanks so much for the reply! I will definitely look out for the ADEA Dental School book. I just don't want to end up spending thousands of dollars and not get accepted to schools because I needed more volunteer hours, or anything like that. I'm financially tied down right now :/

 

[TourdeTeeth]

You're welcome. It's nice to have someone "thank you" on their thread. Not everyone is so nice.

Here's the link to last year's book. https://access.adea.org/adeassa/ecs...ns_ty=&p_order_serno=&p_promo_cd=&p_price_cd=

Once they release next years edition just search ADEA on google, then click on the store link, choose 2016 edition, choose either print edition or online edition, then buy.

 

[cmroberts]

You're welcome. It's nice to have someone "thank you" on their thread. Not everyone is so nice.

Here's the link to last year's book. https://access.adea.org/adeassa/ecs...ns_ty=&p_order_serno=&p_promo_cd=&p_price_cd=

Once they release next years edition just search ADEA on google, then click on the store link, choose 2016 edition, choose either print edition or online edition, then buy.

Do you think it really matters if I wait for the next edition, or is there a likelihood that the stats are very similar between these past two years?

 

[enghia]

i would just apply this year. Extra volunteering is nice and may strengthen your application, but not as much as improving your GPA and DAT would, which you are already satisfied with.

 

[cmroberts]

Okay, I'm also slightly freaking out about LORs. I haven't been in school for almost a year now, and am worried that I won't be able to get good enough LORs from professors. Would it be silly of me to just email them, hoping they remember who I am (they promised me LORs before when I was in their class...) and asking for some letters? Also, both of these professors happen to be Organic Chemistry professors. So I'm assuming I need to branch out and try to get some bio professors? Aahhhhhh

 

[TourdeTeeth]

Do you think it really matters if I wait for the next edition, or is there a likelihood that the stats are very similar between these past two years?

The books are probably very similar between last year and this year. I doubt much will have changed at all.

You want quality LOR's. It doesn't necessarily matter what classes they taught. I had two biology professors who knew me really well write my LOR's. So I assume having two organic professors writing them won't hurt too much.

Don't just email to ask them to write a letter of recommendation though. If at all possible, try to set up a meeting with the professor and reacquaint yourself with them. Say you want to meet with them about a potential letter of recommendation. Even if they are professors you know really well, it comes across much more professionally if you meet with them in person. Plus that way they'll feel more obligated to say yes and write the letter. Bring your resume or CV so they can review it. Also touch on why you want to be a dentist and other things about you as a student that they could write about, during your meeting.

 

[rev_rend]

Get your shadowing done, preferably in at least two different types of clinical settings, and apply. I wouldn't worry about waiting in order to spam your application with volunteering hours. I've gotten the sense that for most schools, volunteering is just a hurdle. You don't get points for doing extra most of the time.

 

[cmroberts]

Get your shadowing done, preferably in at least two different types of clinical settings, and apply. I wouldn't worry about waiting in order to spam your application with volunteering hours. I've gotten the sense that for most schools, volunteering is just a hurdle. You don't get points for doing extra most of the time.

I think I'm considering applying more and more now.
As far as shadowing goes... does getting a job as a dental assistant qualify? Because I will still be getting to know the general dentistry practice as much as I would as shadowing, but this way I get paid and more hands on experience.

So far, I have 75 hours of volunteering, a 3.875 GPA, a 24 overall DAT score, and am going to continue volunteering and gotta nail down those LOR and my personal statement. But I just want to make sure that my chances of getting in somewhere are good so I'm not wasting money :/

 

[fayevalentine]

Assisting absolutely qualifies. I honestly think it's even a bit better than regular shadowing. I honestly felt like I didn't learn a great deal by just watching on the wall and hardly being able to see anything. Once I got to put my hands in a patient's mouth, I began learning what the dentist actually does in there. Make sure if you assist, you let your dentist know that you are interested in becoming a dentist. Mine goes the extra mile explaining what they are doing, letting me be more hands on, and giving me tips and tricks for the future. Plus it's a fun job as long as your dentist is nice! 🙂

Best of luck to you!

*This is not to discredit regular shadowing. Some of you may have learned plenty shadowing the normal way. I just personally got more out of assisting.

 

[lnngu]

I think I'm considering applying more and more now.
As far as shadowing goes... does getting a job as a dental assistant qualify? Because I will still be getting to know the general dentistry practice as much as I would as shadowing, but this way I get paid and more hands on experience.

So far, I have 75 hours of volunteering, a 3.875 GPA, a 24 overall DAT score, and am going to continue volunteering and gotta nail down those LOR and my personal statement. But I just want to make sure that my chances of getting in somewhere are good so I'm not wasting money :/

Eh... Apply now and start practicing your interview skills. Your lack of confidence might be what hurts you more than low volunteering hours 😛

 

[cmroberts]

Eh... Apply now and start practicing your interview skills. Your lack of confidence might be what hurts you more than low volunteering hours 😛

Very very true... Okay, I'm just gonna go for it and do the best I can. Any suggestions for practicing interviewing skills??

 

[cmroberts]

Assisting absolutely qualifies. I honestly think it's even a bit better than regular shadowing. I honestly felt like I didn't learn a great deal by just watching on the wall and hardly being able to see anything. Once I got to put my hands in a patient's mouth, I began learning what the dentist actually does in there. Make sure if you assist, you let your dentist know that you are interested in becoming a dentist. Mine goes the extra mile explaining what they are doing, letting me be more hands on, and giving me tips and tricks for the future. Plus it's a fun job as long as your dentist is nice! 🙂

Best of luck to you!

*This is not to discredit regular shadowing. Some of you may have learned plenty shadowing the normal way. I just personally got more out of assisting.

Awesome, just what I needed to hear! Thank you!