For applicants currently working in other fields

[Dentalicous1234]

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While still being honest in interviews, what do you do if you have not been working full time as a dental assistant or in anything science or health care related? I feel adcoms are more overlooking if you're older and supporting a fam but isn't saving up to buy a car and have some money to your name before hopefully starting dental school still important? esp. if you're still volunteering and shadowing on the weekends and some weeknights?

It's SO competitive and since i haven't heard any good news yet i'm just trying to get rid of any bad spots on my application and am re-evaluting my current job options. Any thoughts?

Has anyone that is working in another field still gotten accepted? how did you bring the focus to your dental experiences in your interviews? didn't they ask if you love dentistry so much why arent you doing it full time as much as you can?

 

[Blackjack21]

i think it looks good to have a dental related job, but im sure most adcoms know how difficult it is to get one without any experience or training. i worked for a non-profit so i used to to my advantage in interviews and said i plan to do some volunteer projects for the uninsured....i actually volunteered at one so it showed i wasnt just BSing. im sure there are some aspects of any job that can help show it will help you as a dentist....whether its communication/people skills, business skills, manual dexterity skills, etc.

 

[evernow28]

I worked as an engineer before getting accepted. I had only about a week or so of shadowing experience, which I truthfully wrote down in my application. I told them that even though I loved my job as an engineer, I always had my regrets/hopes about becoming a dentist somewhere in the back of my head. I simply mentioned that the week of shadowing solidified my decision. I think I made the right decision.

Good luck!

 

[Dr IWannaBe]

Being honest is the best way to go. I did not have many hours of shadowing, although I'm not so sure having logged 1000 vs. 100 hours is that much more of an indicator that one wants to be a dentist more than the other. I was a public school teacher when I applied and I still am. I have a family and I am an older applicant. I will be starting D-school this coming Fall and I'm excited! I do hope the best for you.

 

[Dentalicous1234]

yes i agree being honest is the best policy. I just am wondering if my logged hours during the summer and my continued weekend volunteering is enough to compete with people who work full time in the field. I haven't heard anything and am wondering if it's a big enough deal to quit an try to get a dental related job right now? I want to say that it's too early to get so drastic but I just hope d-schools realize that I am passionate about this field.

Did you guys, who did switch or hold jobs in other careers while applying to D-schools, say or explain anything in particular that you feel helped adcoms understand or see your side more? anything that you got praised on? basically any suggations please? 🙂

 

[Suzan]

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[Dentalicous1234]

thanks for the responses everyone!


yes i am currently volunteering but it's just once a week and is not always every weekend depending on their hours of operation. I have mailed a letter to update all my schools with this news hoping to spark some more bite from them seeing as I haven't gotten much yet.