Does it matter how long ago you shadowed?

[LJGDDSII]

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Just wondering what your opinions are on shadowing a dentist quite a few years back, but it was the best experience possible. Does it matter when your shadowing took place? Isn't the point of shadowing to make sure that dentistry is really what you want to do?

 

[TheWiredNerv]

No. I did most my shadowing pre-undergrad and some during.

 

[ibeflossin]

Yes. If you've shown interest in dentistry since you were a Freshman, they probably will believe you have more passion than someone who started late junior year. In fact, I have spoken to a dean about that personally, and he said they do look when you start volunteering/shadowing. (To avoid the people that switch from med to dent because they think dent is less competitive... which is really LAME because dentistry is waaaaayyyyy cooler.)

 

[LJGDDSII]

What about shadowing before college? I worked with my grandfather before he died. I spent every Satrday in his office for two years and whenever family came in I actually assisted him. I also worked in his lab with him and he taught me so much. But I was really young. Had he not died I would have worked there for many more years.

 

[Dentalicous1234]

Yes. If you've shown interest in dentistry since you were a Freshman, they probably will believe you have more passion than someone who started late junior year. In fact, I have spoken to a dean about that personally, and he said they do look when you start volunteering/shadowing. (To avoid the people that switch from med to dent because they think dent is less competitive... which is really LAME because dentistry is waaaaayyyyy cooler.)

what school was this is dean of?

 

[berg1373]

You may want to check with your specific school, but Minnesota requires that you shadow in someone other than a family member's practice.

 

[Lopyswine]

its much better to actually work in an office than to just shadow.

by working you can show the adcoms that you can use your hands. So instead of just saying you like the profession, you can also say that you are confident youhave the necessary dexterity.

 

[doc toothache]

its much better to actually work in an office than to just shadow.

by working you can show the adcoms that you can use your hands. So instead of just saying you like the profession, you can also say that you are confident youhave the necessary dexterity.

Not to rain on your parade, but working as a dental assistant is about as likely to improve the fine motor skills required for dentistry as doing ice or wood carving with a chain saw. The requisite for shadowing is designed to ensure that an applicant understands the atmosphere one is likely to encounter as a dental practitioner. For some, the sight of blood during oral/perio surgery and other less invasive procedures or that of a mouth that has not seen a toothbrush in a quarter century may be sufficient to make one make a u-turn in terms of a career choice. It has little to do with understanding the procedures done on a daily basis and even less to do with manual dexterity.

 

[Lopyswine]

Not to rain on your parade, but working as a dental assistant is about as likely to improve the fine motor skills required for dentistry as doing ice or wood carving with a chain saw. The requisite for shadowing is designed to ensure that an applicant understands the atmosphere one is likely to encounter as a dental practitioner. For some, the sight of blood during oral/perio surgery and other less invasive procedures or that of a mouth that has not seen a toothbrush in a quarter century may be sufficient to make one make a u-turn in terms of a career choice. It has little to do with understanding the procedures done on a daily basis and even less to do with manual dexterity.

While I definitely agree with most of what you are saying, you cannot discount assisting.

I have worked as a dental assistant for a few years now and believe me, my hands are much better now than they were when I began. Also at my interviews I was asked about different restorations I have done. I was able to confidently say that so far my hands have not let me down. It DOES take dexterity to correctly place a Class IV with proper contact and the anatomy carved in.

Of course you already know this, but my point, is that assisting lets you get all the exposure of shadowing, but with the added bonus of using your hands. I was told by more than one adcom that my assisting experience was HUGE.

 

[aradent]

I have worked as a dental assistant for a few years now and believe me, my hands are much better now than they were when I began. Also at my interviews I was asked about different restorations I have done. I was able to confidently say that so far my hands have not let me down. It DOES take dexterity to correctly place a Class IV with proper contact and the anatomy carved in.

Wait... Dental Assistants can place Class IV composites? I thought they could only do polishing and stuff like that...

 

[Lopyswine]

depends on the state. in many states, the DA can do a ton of stuff. We can do just about anything that in doesn't involve prepping natural tooth structure.

so some the stuff I do

1) class I-V restorations
2) making temps
3) taking impressions (primary, secondary, and for crowns)
4) denture adjustments
5) crown adjustments
6) placing SSCs after pulpotomies
7) of course, sterilization and radiographs

actually DA cannot polish. Only dentists and DHs can polish.

 

[t man]

more important is the number of dentists you shadow, but i got in just shadowing one for 50 hours. I had other shadowing experiences though, win medicine and physical therapy. They just want to make sure you know what youre getting yourself into and that you like it.