Ec's

[maverick88]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Do you really need stuff like volunteer work, or shadowing to be accepted?

 

[Regmata]

No, schools prefer students with no dental experience what so ever and not an altruistic bone in their body

 

[mtbikeman]

nice

 

[ajam]

Outstanding GPA and DAT numbers cover up a multitude of omissions on the "softer" extra curricular activities like dexterity experience, etc. However, if you want to have something to talk about in an interview setting, and if you want to understand why dentistry is a good fit for you, then observing in multiple dental practices (ortho, oral surgery, general) is nothing short of essential. On the scale of importance to your application, extra curricular activities like volunteering/clubs fall somewhere in between dexterity and observations. Additionally, if you had awards like Dean's list and departmental accolades, you could consider slacking off in club membership. Don't forget, however, that leadership is important, too - if you're looking to stand out, don't just be a member of something, lead that something!

In short, high stats are the primary component in determining your competitive edge, but presenting yourself as well-rounded is increasingly important in the days of grade inflation and DAT study courses.

(Oh, and my own personal grammar nazi says "accepted." 🙂 )

 

[maverick88]

so how do you go abiout getting dental experience? For pharm, you can be a phamacy tech what about dentistry?

 

[QuackDentist]

so how do you go abiout getting dental experience? For pharm, you can be a phamacy tech what about dentistry?

Hey Mav. You could always ask your dentist or a local dentist if you could come in weekly at a scheduled time to shadow them. Or, if you have a free clinic, you can ask if you can work for them as a dental assistant. Our school had a free clinic nearby and many of my friends worked there as a dental assistant even though they weren't RDAs. I'm not sure about the extent of their work though.

 

[StayinNCali]

All good advice, but don't forget that there is a minumum of 40 hours observing a dentist for most schools. Loma Linda will require signatures for 20 of those. Great private schools who don't place excessive importance on GPA will hold your "application with amazing stats" until the end of the cycle to see if they get a similar app but with leadership and dedication to the field, and more experience.