First shadowing experience coming up!!!!

[beatnik10884]

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Well, After talking to 23 dental offices in my area i finally found one that will let me shadow.....I am sooooooo excited..as cheesy as it may sound i feel like i just won the lottery!

Anyway, what kind of questions did you ask the doctor during your shadowing , what things should i really try to get out of it, besides the daily routine of a dentist.....did you ask to know the different tools and such...please if anyone has asked really interesting questions or found out answers to some you didn't expect let me know, I've worked so hard trying to find this shadowing opportunity and i wanna make the most of it. =)

 

[DrTacoElf]

I would say its important to get a general idea of the protocols, but more important to see how the dentist interacts with staff and with patients. How does the dentist handle "touchy" sitiuations how does he/she reccomend treatments. Are these methods effective or could he/she do better in some way? What type of business model does this dentist run under [high volume, big $ cases, underserved?]. Also generally its best to ask questions about procedures after the patient has left -- your dentist will appreciate this 🙂

 

[Biogirl361]

whatever you do, don't say: "what's wrong?" in front of the patient, if the dentist or assistant messes something up 🙂 my friend got thrown out of the operatory when he was shadowing an oral surgeon and they did the anesthetic wrong and he said that while the pt was still awake 😱 and if you feel the need to make disgusted faces, make sure the pt can't see you 🙂

isn't it funny that it seems like lots of dentist won't let you shadow. i mean i have to believe they had to do something like shadowing when they were a student, but none of them seem to remember that!

 

[jdcinza13]

I would advise you to go in and ask general questions the first time around. Find out what the Dr. is going to do, and many times they will explain it as they go along. One rule of thumb: Ask questions specific to the procedure, what the instruments are used for etc, but ask the "Why" questions when the patient is gone, or if you are away from patients. The more you ask, the more you learn. You'd be surprised how much you can learn just by asking about what local anesthetic the Dr. is using instead of another. Just be polite, curious and you will have a great time.

 

[cmj2]

keep in mind the "appropriate attire" at a dental setting
for me, i think that is just as impt as asking the right questions
my recommendations:

1. no opened-toe shoes
2. if girls, please no red or really bright nail polish. think about red nails under gloves... eeck

3. bring a clean lab coat (if this is your first time, or if you're not sure if the clinic provides you one)

4. look clean (for girls and boys, no messy hair, no jewelry+

some ppl dress up ( in suits), but i just wear rubber shoes, long pants and a shirt.
its up to you.

 

[boogaking]

You have to remember the purpose of shadowing... to get in tune with the dental office environment... from the interractions eg doctor-patient... doctor- DA/DH... doctor-office manager... all the observation can be done with little questions... like someone stated ...don't ask too many questions during procedures... that can get annoying for the doctor... just observe... if you get lucky enough... try and move into a more proactive role... eg suctioning... but don't anticipate it... you make your internship what it is... it can be extremely boring... or can be a very enriching experience... take the time to talk with all the players of the office... on a personal level... don't be afraid to find out that dentistry is not for you... go into it... to learn if this is the true route to take for yourself... and the best advice is... make sure you get plenty of sleep... the few hours of observing can become pretty long with lack of sleep... or a hang over *trust me!!!!!!!!! Good Luck and have fun!

 

[atw24]

isn't it funny that it seems like lots of dentist won't let you shadow. i mean i have to believe they had to do something like shadowing when they were a student, but none of them seem to remember that!

Yeah, My dad is a dentist and he was telling me that back in "his day" all he had to do was apply, they didn't expect shadowing or anything extra. He was surprised when I told him that UMKC wanted 80-100 hours of shadowing experience.

 

[Biogirl361]

keep in mind the "appropriate attire" at a dental setting
for me, i think that is just as impt as asking the right questions
my recommendations:

1. no opened-toe shoes
2. if girls, please no red or really bright nail polish. think about red nails under gloves... eeck

3. bring a clean lab coat (if this is your first time, or if you're not sure if the clinic provides you one)

4. look clean (for girls and boys, no messy hair, no jewelry+

some ppl dress up ( in suits), but i just wear rubber shoes, long pants and a shirt.
its up to you.

i agree with the spirit of this post, but i think bringing a lab coat would be kind of wierd. they will give you a spare uniform if they want you to wear it. myself and friends who have shadowed just wore khaki pants and a collar shirt of some kind and some nice shoes and of course had neat hair and nails, and it was appropriate.

 

[boogaking]

ditto on the lab coat too... thats a tad bit too much... just dress decent... ask the doctor what he/she prefers... its ok to ask...

 

[Hildergard]

You're so lucky to be able to shadow a dentist 🙂 . I think it is really hard to find one that allows you to do that. Anyway, good luck!

 

[jdcinza13]

I've never had a problem finding a dentist to shadow. I've had many dentists OFFER to have me shadow. Why is it that people are saying they are having a hard time shadowing? Why don't you just ask your own dentist? That is a great place to start!

 

[jdcinza13]

The lab coat is kind of weird. I've shadowed quite a bit and I've never been asked to wear a lab coat.

 

[Sprgrover]

After I had shadowed my dentist for a while I developed a good rapport with his staff and I would pepper them with questions, such as "what makes a good boss, in your opinion" etc. There is so much more to observe and adsorb than just procedures and how he/she is holding a drill.

 

[Darksunshine]

Shadowing is a great way for you to see the dental office in full swing. I would say go several times so you can get familar with protocal, basic procedures, and watch all the jobs in the office. Sprgrover is right, you should ask lot's of questions. Not just about dentistry but about office dynamics ect. There are really many important people in the dental office, besided the dentist that is. It is truly a team environment. (Also, this means that you will see many styles of personalities and coping styles, especially with patients who "love" to be there)

 

[TX Hopeful]

Did any of you keep notebooks or journals based on your experiences in shadowing? If so, what kind of information did you keep in it? Recommendations....

 

[bpenly]

The lab coat is kind of weird. I've shadowed quite a bit and I've never been asked to wear a lab coat.

My dentist always made me wear a lab coat. It makes the patients feels less like some total vagrant is watching them.

 

[drtoothfairy]

The lab coat is kind of weird. I've shadowed quite a bit and I've never been asked to wear a lab coat.

The lab coat is part of PPE (personal protective equipment) of which the employer (dentist) must provide for you under the OSHA rules. There is lots debris in the operatory while a procedure is under way that it is bound to land on your clothes. So if you are observing, pay attention to all the things that fly in the air. It is not weird to wear one just get used to it, and also you don't want to look like just anybody from the street watching in on someone. 😀

 

[boogaking]

the idea of wearing a lab coat is not the 'weird' thing..... just don't go out and buy one and bring it to your first day... if the doc wants you to wear one he will either give you a disposable gown or a lab coat... yeah the above person is right... when you observe some of them procedures... wow watch out for them flying aerosole junks... yuk!! PPE is the way to go! Before you lean over a doctor with a drill... make sure you have goggles on... it sucks when you get an eye dinked!!!! But no worries... im very sure that the doc will have everything for you... just show up ... in a very presentable manner. And don't forget to smile 🙂 !

 

[Dentist 2 be]

In reply to someone's post about people being lucky to find a dentist that they can shadow...

The reason some dentists might not allow it is not because they are trying to be mean or nasty but due to the HIPAA laws which basically give the patient rights as to who oversees their medical records and or treatments. Also, a bunch of other terminology and privacy acts are involved.

 

[luder98]

Well, After talking to 23 dental offices in my area i finally found one that will let me shadow.....

I know I'm lucky, but didn't know I was that lucky. This dentist walks me through everything he does, shows me what to look for and what not. He even says that he will send patients to me when I'm in school and about to graduate. I guess I'm really lucky!

 

[drat]

I know I'm lucky, but didn't know I was that lucky. This dentist walks me through everything he does, shows me what to look for and what not. He even says that he will send patients to me when I'm in school and about to graduate. I guess I'm really lucky!

👍 That's great! The dentist that I shadow took impressions of my teeth today and volunteered to bleach them! 😀 I was like, "Sure!" I have pretty white teeth as it is, I just hope I don't look too "fake" when it's all said and done. But I'm excited!

 

[pacejohn]

Definitely keep a journal of what you observe. Be as specific as possible. I did this and it came in very handy. I had a really good relationship with a dentist who let me shadow 2x a week for about 8 months. I would write down everything I saw, even during the procedure (standing out of the way of course). Sometimes the dentist would have time to talk, sometimes he wouldn't. I could go home, read over what I had seen, and develop questions. I would go back and then ask the questions. I also observed with 2 perios, 2 endos, and 1 pedo. I did the same at all of the those observations (after asking permission). During my interview at dental school, they asked me about what procedures I had seen and I pulled out the journal. The interviewer seemed impressed. Hope this helps.