Dental Brigade

[ppflow]

Hello

I graduated in 2012 with a 3.1 oGPA, and had interviews but no acceptance. I am currently in a masters and this first semester I got a 3.56 GPA and will do much better next semester, given that I took both of the hardest classes in the program already, at once. To make my application more competitive and also for enjoyment, I want to go to a dental brigade , but I am lost. I haven't found many threads regarding this, and online in the main health brigades website , you can join other schools. I am not sure how this works, or if this is legit. Or how much money you have to pay or anything. Any ideas or any websites or programs that I can go through ?

Thank you

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[MedDevil]

Chances are there are people in your own backyard that could use your help; why do you need to cough up thousands of dollars for a brigade trip where at best, you'll hand out some toothbrushes and teach people how to floss? IMO, most of these "voluntourism" programs are largely a waste of time and money, especially given that the money you pay for them could be put to better use as far as helping people is concerned and the ethics behind foreign aid trips are often suspect. As always, I'm only one opinion, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I recommend you question the real reason why you want to go on one of these trips. If it's just for the sake of "looking good to adcoms", don't bother, these trips are by no means unique and are more likely to hurt recipient countries than help them.

Here are a couple threads for reference:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...oseph-kony-and-why-you-shouldnt-do-it.994079/

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/medical-mission-trips-and-their-validity.939427/

 

[Papasmurf1234]

Chances are there are people in your own backyard that could use your help; why do you need to cough up thousands of dollars for a brigade trip where at best, you'll hand out some toothbrushes and teach people how to floss? IMO, most of these "voluntourism" programs are largely a waste of time and money, especially given that the money you pay for them could be put to better use as far as helping people is concerned and the ethics behind foreign aid trips are often suspect. As always, I'm only one opinion, so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I recommend you question the real reason why you want to go on one of these trips. If it's just for the sake of "looking good to adcoms", don't bother, these trips are by no means unique and are more likely to hurt recipient countries than help them.

Here are a couple threads for reference:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...oseph-kony-and-why-you-shouldnt-do-it.994079/

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/medical-mission-trips-and-their-validity.939427/

I agree that they are somewhat of a waste of a time. When you go on these brigades, considering they follow proper regulations, all you will be doing is handing out toothbrush/floss and teaching children how to brush their teeth. You might even get to shadow....ooooooooo.....

I went to Honduras with Global Dental Brigades with my school group. More than anything, I think it was an amazing eye opening experience. At the end of the trip you will feel so grounded and humbled and will be very grateful for all of the basic amenities you have access to in the U.S..... for a couple days that is.

For me, the trip really helped me by allowing me to find a "story" for my personal statement. I took a small notebook and wrote my feelings/thoughts/experience at the end of every night. If what you are lacking is a story or personal experience for your personal statement, then I would use it as a tool. Then again...you can always make something up. As long as it sounds believable who's to stop you?

 

[doc toothache]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/mission-trips-the-good-the-bad-the-ugly.945694/

 

[Glimmer1991]

My mission trip was mentioned favorably in ALL of my interviews--particularly at UNC. If you have the money, do it. It was an awesome experience, and I definitely don't think it hurt my application (even though SDN had me worried it would!).

 

[Papasmurf1234]

My mission trip was mentioned favorably in ALL of my interviews--particularly at UNC. If you have the money, do it. It was an awesome experience, and I definitely don't think it hurt my application (even though SDN had me worried it would!).

Lol what?! What ***** said it would hurt your application?

People are soooo paranoid on this board...

 

[tbond5]

The only school that was concerned about my dental clinic trip to Guatemala was UNLV. They just wanted to make sure I didn't do any extractions or anything.

 

[jeffity]

Nothing like seeing a pre-dent going from pride in his international work to peeing in his suit when asked, "Why is it that everyone wants to go abroad when we have people who can use the help right here in our own backyards?" Basically, what MedDevil said. I know not every admissions person would feel that way, but I laughed a little on the inside when it happened. He recovered well. Speaking of peeing, what's with the ppflow username?

If you're doing these for the right reasons and you're not an idiot, I see no harm. It's your dollars and time. But those are very broad terms. I've come across a couple of pre-dents who actually thought that because they had experienced a couple of extractions that it would be looked up favorably. Scan some old threads and witness people who see no harm in doing this. They just don't get it. You know out of 12,000+ applicants there's at least one clown out there who actually wrote about it in their personal statement. You know, they worked so hard on the creative writing to make it so vivid to lead up to, "it was at that moment, that my dreams of becoming a dentist were solidified." That's kind of the extreme to the idiot category. As for the "right reasons", I think most of us have been caught up in doing things to improve our app for the sake of filling in the blanks rather than doing it because we had a legit interest. Some take it to an extreme and pay thousands to basically go shadow. Otheres end up doing some lame "research" that is almost insulting to call it that. How many people became knitters or ceramicists for six months before applying? It happens. Pre-dents get crazy like that. But when it comes to any volunteering, there's potential for it to be life-changing. Especially in these settings. I don't want to offend, but getting out of the gated-community and seeing the world a little bit can be eye-opening and a worthwhile thing to see when we're entering the healthcare field (whether that's at the soup kitchen down the street or in remote areas of Guatemala). Maybe it's just me, but my judgmental, hypocritical pointer finger is a little soft in this regard.

Back to the OP...don't bring on the brigade or any other ECs unless you will definitely be able to concurrently perform academically. What did I just say? You know the old saying, "If you're getting Bs, say bye to the brigade".

 

[y3nd0]

To answer your question, OP, have you looked at your own school? Sounds like a stupid question, but that's the first place I would look. Most schools have their own chapter that you can become active in. If not, I honestly don't know where to find a legitimate source.

On another note, I agree with MedDevil, and with Jaesango. xD Going on these trips costs a lot of money. You only get to help a handful of people at the cost of thousands of dollars. You want to help people learn how to floss and brush? After all, teach a man to fish, and he never goes hungry, right? Well, news flash, there are tons of people (more experienced people, at that) that are already doing what you want to do. The thousands of dollars you use towards this trip can be used to buy buckets of floss/toothbrushes for those that need it. And if you try to take some "hands on experience" home while you're over there, be ready to explain your breach of ethics as an unlicensed practitioner to your interviewers.

On the other hand, you could be using these thousands of dollars to gain some life changing/eye opening experiences. I went to India for a school program (not a mission trip, etc., an actual class) and got to job shadow dentists from all different types of specialties. Seriously a life changing experience for me. And I got to see some cool things I didn't get the opportunity to see during my time in the US (open flap surgery, oral cancer, and placing an implant post!). And I met amazing people and learned a life lesson I'll never forget. I actually spoke of these impacts during my interview at my #1 school, and I believe that I really touched the interviewer.

So, OP, I'm sure you got a lot more than you wanted when you created this thread, but my advice would be to do the trips abroad for the right reasons and to gain something valuable while you're over there (more than extra fluff for your PS. As jeffity mentioned, some PS's are overly dramatic). If you can find a dental brigade to participate in, that is.

 

[doc toothache]

Lol what?! What ***** said it would hurt your application?

People are soooo paranoid on this board...

The *****s in this case would be the ADA and the ADEA.