How many dentists should you shadow?

[ha418]

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Hi,
I have around 200 hours shadowing the same general dentist. I know I need to start branching out and shadowing specialists now. I also have around 60 hrs volunteering with dental related activities (directly working with dentists)
I read somewhere that you should have at least 6 dentists that you shadowed on your application? Is that true? I'm applying this summer
Thanks

 

[BioForLife]

You have plenty general dentistry hours which is good because there are a couple of schools (I believe Tufts is one but not 100% sure) that require a minimum number of hours shadowing a GP. You already have alot, but it wouldn't hurt to shadow one or two more specialties. I shadowed a GP, prosth, and ortho and that seemed to be enough. You definitely don't need 6!

 

[DodobirdFiance]

I only had a chance to shadow one dentist but I still got into a good amount of schools. If specialties interest you, then you should go for it. But just like the comment above, you definitely don't need 6.

 

[JLT223]

Quality over quantity. Whoever said 6 knows nothing lol

 

[allantois]

Your time would be best spent elsewhere

 

[ha418]

Thanks for the replies! And for specialists, do I really need to go to them more than once?

 

[strep mutans]

Thanks for the replies! And for specialists, do I really need to go to them more than once?

You don't need to go to them at all.

However, if you imply in your PS or interview that you want to specialize, they will want to know how you know that. If you haven't shadowed any specialists for any reasonable length of time, things could get awkward.

 

[obscurlit]

Like others said, shadowing 6 is unnecessary. I would shadow at least 1-2 other dentists though, specialist or not. Shadowing a different general dentist will still broaden your scope of shadowing, since each practice is run differently and each dentist has his/her preference of how to do things and whatnot. As for specialists, I would personally probably shadow a couple days rather than just one.

 

[ajj70]

Quality over quantity. Whoever said 6 knows nothing lol

Missouri KC requires a minimum of 5 different dentists and one other school, GA?? requires 6.

 

[Advance]

Yeah UMKC "requires" 5. I only shadowed 2 dentists and got accepted there no questions asked.

Honestly I think the numbers of hours shadowed is more important than the number of dentists shadowed.

 

[JLT223]

Missouri KC requires a minimum of 5 different dentists and one other school, GA?? requires 6.

I personally think that is ridiculous.

 

[Bernie Sanders]

Do not ever say in a personal statement/ interview you want to specialize.
Shadow maybe 2 more dentists at the most. I'd shadow an oral surgeon and a perio because those 2 are probably most likely to let you shadow. Screw the schools that require 5 diff dentists, most schools do not.

 

[ajj70]

Yeah UMKC "requires" 5. I only shadowed 2 dentists and got accepted there no questions asked.

Honestly I think the numbers of hours shadowed is more important than the number of dentists shadowed.

Actually, I think seeing a variety of practice models is better than just putting in your hours to get your hours in. The idea is to see what it is like to be a dentist, which goes beyond what they do in the chair.

 

[Advance]

Actually, I think seeing a variety of practice models is better than just putting in your hours to get your hours in. The idea is to see what it is like to be a dentist, which goes beyond what they do in the chair.

Perhaps. When I did my shadowing I didn't learn much outside of seeing different dental procedures and learning patient interaction. I still feel like I don't know anything about running a dental practice.

 

[fogorvostan]

I only shadowed one - my brother, but I have been exposed to dentistry through him since I was very young (he would always get me teeth for my science fair projects when I was younger haha). I feel like trying to find someone from all of the major specialities is overkill. Maybe pick 2 more.

 

[ajj70]

Perhaps. When I did my shadowing I didn't learn much outside of seeing different dental procedures and learning patient interaction. I still feel like I don't know anything about running a dental practice.

Thus the reason to shadow at more than one dentist 🙂. I've had some really great shadowing experiences and some that were not so great....and a good eye opener how NOT to run a practice. It's all filed away for future use 🙂. Outside of the hours needed to apply, shadowing really should be about how to be a dentist, or not, not that you will be their office manager, but a couple of the dentists I shadowed had me sit with their office manager to see what that side of the business was like, they also had me spend time with every "job" in their clinic just to get a feel for all aspects of the practice. It's really what shadowing is about, I think. I had one dentist that pretty much told me to stand in the corner and not get in the way....and a OMFS that let me assist chairside . I have been very fortunate with most of the dentists I've shadowed.

 

[Dr. Dan]

Do not ever say in a personal statement/ interview you want to specialize.
Shadow maybe 2 more dentists at the most. I'd shadow an oral surgeon and a perio because those 2 are probably most likely to let you shadow. Screw the schools that require 5 diff dentists, most schools do not.

Why do you say that discussing specialization in an interview is a bad thing?

 

[JLT223]

Why do you say that discussing specialization in an interview is a bad thing?

You're going to dental school to become a competent dentist first and foremost, not an OMFS or orthodontist.

 

[Dr. Dan]

You're going to dental school to become a competent dentist first and foremost, not an OMFS or orthodontist.

Yes, that's understandable and a lot of what you say should be geared towards becoming a competent GP, but I was wondering how aspiring to become a specialist, or even the mere mention of this, looks bad if they ask you in an interview?

 

[ajj70]

Yes, that's understandable and a lot of what you say should be geared towards becoming a competent GP, but I was wondering how aspiring to become a specialist, or even the mere mention of this, looks bad if they ask you in an interview?

Because dental schools don't like it when someone comes into an interview talking about being a specialist. You most likely won't be asked and you shouldn't bring it up. It would be like interviewing for a customer service position at a company and only talking about how well you would do as the president of the company.

 

[nonociceptors]

Shadowing is one of most overrated aspects of the entire application, second only to the manual dexterity section. If you shadow a general dentist you really only need a few days to get a feel for how their practice is run. You'd be better off (for yourself, not the sake of the app) shadowing a few different dentists for short periods of time than one for a long period of time. I mean when you're pushing 50, 100, 200 hours with the same dentist what are you really doing anymore lol

 

[JLT223]

Tons of schools asked me about my plans after dental school. Keyword is after. You graduate dental school as a GP, not a specialist. Any talk of specializing should occur when you mention post-grad plans.