Experience before starting Dental School

[SAban]

I am starting Dental school next fall. How important is it to have prior hands-on experience? So far, I have 80+ hours of shadowing in various dental settings. However, I only have limited actual hands on experience. Will the lab portions of 1st year dental classes require me to be able to use drills, instruments, etc. from day one? Thanks

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[diagnodent]

yes, you need to be a competent dentist before you start dental school.

 

[Beta Blocker]

You'll learn everything you need to know in school, but it helps / saves time if you already have an idea of how to do things like take alginate impressions and pour up study casts or even how to use the mirror.

 

[rocknightmare]

i would practice playing with wax. trying ot see if you can control in different ways.. dont' worry if you learn imperfect techniques, cause really in dental school they only care about the finished product in the end.. --- this will allow you to catch an eye for details quicker.

 

[12YearOldKid]

I am starting Dental school next fall. How important is it to have prior hands-on experience? So far, I have 80+ hours of shadowing in various dental settings. However, I only have limited actual hands on experience. Will the lab portions of 1st year dental classes require me to be able to use drills, instruments, etc. from day one? Thanks

Don't sweat it. We have people in my class with TONS of dental experience: Hygienists, lab techs, dental assistants, children of dentists. After the first month or two they were as clueless as the rest of us.

 

[FreshBreath]

I think previous experience is valuable in the fact it exposes you to dentistry, so you can make an informed descion if you like it enough to do for most of your life. However, seeing and doing are different, and with practice in dental school your skills will improve and you will become competent. Don't sweat the small stuff.