Dental Assistant before entering Dental School

[CCFutureDMD]

Hi, I'm currently doing my pre-dental post-bacc and I work full time as a Clinical Research Coordinator at a prestigious hospital. I was looking to do a part time internship or volunteer work at a dental office to get more experience under my belt before applying to dental schools. I still have about 2 1/2 years before I'm ready to take the DATs and apply to schools. I have not been able to find any part time dental assistant opportunities that fit my current work schedule but I've just been offered a full time dental assistant position that I would stick with until I get in to a school. I want to accept the position but I don't know if it's worth it! I have a good job right now and to leave it for a dental assistant position worries me. But if I don't take this DA position I may miss out on an opportunity to get dental experience under my belt. Currently I have no dental experience so working in this office would help me out big time! What should I do?! And has anyone left their job to become a dental assistant before being accepted into dental school?!

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[I-hate-alginate]

The one that pays more. If it's your current job, great, you don't have to leave. Since you got 2.5 years to start applying, I'm sure you can get 100 hours of shadowing somewhere in this period. If the DA job pays more, talk about killing all birds with one stone.

 

[Stanelz]

You will more than likely take a pay cut if you go DA. If you still have 2 years I say skip DA and just shadow instead.