Do you have to have a Dentist recommendation when applying?

[Slash]

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My shadowing experience has been limited because I have been doing undergraduate research and have had to work in order to pay the bills, and while my shadowing has been limited I feel strongly that I would enjoy a dental career. Anyways, is it common for a dental school to require a dentists' recommendation? I don't have a great relationship with any one dentist that I would feel comfortable asking for a recommendation at this time. My professor recommendations will be solid, especially the professor that I do research under, but the dentists' recommendation has me a bit uneasy.

 

[SuperTrooper]

My shadowing experience has been limited because I have been doing undergraduate research and have had to work in order to pay the bills, and while my shadowing has been limited I feel strongly that I would enjoy a dental career. Anyways, is it common for a dental school to require a dentists' recommendation? I don't have a great relationship with any one dentist that I would feel comfortable asking for a recommendation at this time. My professor recommendations will be solid, especially the professor that I do research under, but the dentists' recommendation has me a bit uneasy.

You might be surprised by the postive response you get if you go ahead and ask one of those dentists!! Even if you don't know them that well. What's the worst that could happen - they write you a not-so-detailed letter?! Who cares? As long as you get that pre-req. completed.

I only remember two schools that needed a letter from a dentist - Tufts, and Detroit Mercy. But I applied last year. In first year d-school now. Good luck! 👍

 

[wammmy]

Some schools require a letter from a Dentist, while it would seem that most do not. You willl have to look at each school's prereqs. and see if they require one. I applied to 9 schools, and was originally looking at 13, none of which required a letter from a dentist.

 

[JakeMUSC]

No, but it helps a lot! Go shadow a dentist, and get a letter of rec from him. Good luck 👍