Dental Faculty writing a LOR?
Started by MrBeans
I would say no.
I actually asked a dentist for a LOR and he said he was on the selection committee at a school I was applying to so he said he wouldn't do that for me because that wouldn't be fair. He said in the past he would write letters as long as they didn't end up in the student's file where he was on the committee, but one year he wrote a letter for a kid and it showed up at all his schools, including where the dentist specifically asked it not to be used. With AADSAS, I don't see how you could restrict a letter from a school... maybe that's still possible?
Ironically enough, that dentist ended up as one of my interviewers so it all worked out!
I actually asked a dentist for a LOR and he said he was on the selection committee at a school I was applying to so he said he wouldn't do that for me because that wouldn't be fair. He said in the past he would write letters as long as they didn't end up in the student's file where he was on the committee, but one year he wrote a letter for a kid and it showed up at all his schools, including where the dentist specifically asked it not to be used. With AADSAS, I don't see how you could restrict a letter from a school... maybe that's still possible?
Ironically enough, that dentist ended up as one of my interviewers so it all worked out!
Although he's a professor, he's not on the selection committee.
What are your thoughts on this?
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Have you asked yet? I mean, if he is uncomfortable writing you one, then he won't. I still think it would be a little odd, but if he seems to think it's fine then I'd go for it. If he has no final say in who does or doesn't get in, then I would say it's ok.
I personally would feel weird doing it but if you think it'll give you an upper hand, give it a shot!
I personally would feel weird doing it but if you think it'll give you an upper hand, give it a shot!
I don't think it's an issue. If he agrees to it without any preconditions, it shouldn't matter. I'm vying for a letter from the biochem professor at umdnj who's also on the board. I figure, nothing looks better than if you can get a recommendation from someone on the board. He's basically vouching for you saying, I believe he can do well in dental school. What more can you ask for haha
Why don't you simply contact the dean of admissions and ask if it is ethical or not. However, the ethical decision is the professors and not yours.
Do it why not.
Unless he writes that he thinks your unqualified. Oh, the lovely nature of giving up your rights to know what's in the letter.
No offense but I don't think a teacher would agree to write you a letter and then write in it that he thinks you are not a good candidate for dental school. That would be a pretty ****ty thing to do. Most professors would instead just tell you that they won't write you a letter if they don't think you're good enough.
That would seriously be the lowest thing anyone could ever do for a student.
I would hate to think that actually happens. 🙁
If you ever hear dental admissions people give a presentation they always say that you'd be surprised at how bad some of the letters are. One of the dentists I shadowed said that when he was applying he got to his interview and they showed him his LOR and asked him to explain it because it was saying that they thought he was completely unqualified to be a dentist, he was shocked. He's been a successful dentist for 20 years. So basically be careful.
Why? 😱
Why wouldn't the LOR writer just refuse to write the letter? That's upsetting.
It's reassuring to know that the person got an interview at least (despite being 20 years ago). I guess it demonstrates that adcoms don't necessarily weight the LORs with utmost importance (I just hope this still applies today).
That's really the exception and not so much the rule. Back in the day faculty weren't friendly, especially in dental school. Nowadays most professors would kindly turn you down rather than spending the time to actually badmouth you. They are busy people after all.
