How many hours of Shadowing?

[justdandi]

Hi.

I'm just wondering how many hours of shadowing are enough to be considered all right? I realize that this varies from school to school, but on average, how many hours would that be?

I've shadowed, but if they aren't enough, I'm hoping to do some more before applying this cycle.

Thank you!

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[dentalWorks]

50 is good. 100 is great. 150 is most ideal.

This is just my definition and not based on facts

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

Generally 100 hours is the point of diminishing returns. Once you go past that, its nice but not necessary.

+1 if you can shadow more then one specialty or something else besides general dentistry.

 

[Muggsy Bogues]

People on SDN will say "100+ and multiple specialties if possible".

The correct number of hours is the largest number among "whatever the schools you're applying to require" and "the number of hours necessary to determine you could see yourself in a dental career".

 

[Muggsy Bogues]

^^ Oh nice. My prediction was fulfilled while I was typing a response.

 

[OneThree]

Generally 100 hours is the point of diminishing returns. Once you go past that, its nice but not necessary.

+1 if you can shadow more then one specialty or something else besides general dentistry.

100 hours of shadowing a general dentist PLUS any hours shadowing specialty, or 100 hours total of any kind of shadowing?

 

[AwesomeTeeth]

100 hours of shadowing a general dentist PLUS any hours shadowing specialty, or 100 hours total of any kind of shadowing?

100 hours of any kind of shadowing should be fine as long as you don't have 10 hours at 10 different offices. I think that would look kind of strange.

 

[xtractor]

I only had 40 hour of shadowing, I would consider that the bare minimum...But I also did volunteer hours at a university dental clinic.

 

[dantemac]

~100. I think the most strict schools require this at most, or at least recommend it.

 

[doc toothache]

~100. I think the most strict schools require this at most, or at least recommend it.

There must not be very many "strict schools" around.

100 hours of any kind of shadowing should be fine as long as you don't have 10 hours at 10 different offices. I think that would look kind of strange.

You got this backwards. Ten different offices would certainly give one a better picture of what dentistry is all about than one office.
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It shouldn't take 100 hours to figure out whether dentistry is for you. That's probably why very few schools require/recommend 100 or > hours of shadowing.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=527523

 

[flapaTron]

i shadowed only 20 hrs. as a result, i only got into a marginal school

 

[ccm5166]

Remember!! shawoding its only one area on the application...I have over 9999 hours and did not help ..So its not as important as it sounds. so I will say try to do at least 150 hours in differenct specialties ( pediatric dentistry, endo, perio, ortho and general)...

 

[justdandi]

Thank you, everybody, for your responses! I have ~40-50 hrs, currently, but they are all with one dentist. I will definitely try to shadow some more after my DAT and before the applying, shooting for 100 hrs.

Thanks!

 

[dantemac]

There must not be very many "strict schools" around.



Howard, Midwestern, Illinois, Missouri Kansas City, NYU, Oklahoma, VCU, and Wash all recommend over 100. Some require it.

 

[kitejunky27]

shadowing 100 hrs seems crazy to me. i guess if some schools truly require it theres not much to be done, but i dont remember ever seeing a school say you needed 100+ hours when I was applying. Only requirement I saw was tufts saying 30+.

i shadowed 25 hrs, but i think they were of high quality as the dentist went above and beyond and really let me see behind the scenes. Do what you need in order to feel you have a good idea of the profession.

tbh i dont think the difference between 40-50 hrs and 100hrs is worth the effort considering the amount of effort thats going to take.

 

[dantemac]

Here is what I am going by:

 

[yappy]

When a school says that they require 100 dental shadowing hours... are they very specific about it being "shadowing"? I have volunteered at a dental clinic as an assistant for two years and have about 200hrs so far. I only have 25 hrs shadowing at a GP office. So my total hours in a dental setting is 225; but you can see how I would be in trouble if they didnt value the assisting hours as shadowing.

Does anyone have any insight into this?

 

[dantemac]

I factored internships and research into shadowing. Not sure a/b volunteering...?

 

[dentalWorks]

When a school says that they require 100 dental shadowing hours... are they very specific about it being "shadowing"? I have volunteered at a dental clinic as an assistant for two years and have about 200hrs so far. I only have 25 hrs shadowing at a GP office. So my total hours in a dental setting is 225; but you can see how I would be in trouble if they didnt value the assisting hours as shadowing.

Does anyone have any insight into this?

Yappy,

Shadowing is a form of work-experience. So whether you ACTUALLY worked as an assistant or just stood there watching, its shadowing/observing/working and either 3 should satisfy the requirement of you having exposed yourself to this profession.

 

[chippy]

I have 1000+ hours shadowing my parents, who are both dentists, because I worked for them for 3 summers. Other than that I have about 35 hours with 5 other dentists, including an orthodontist, peds, and prosth. Will that be ok?

 

[dentalWorks]

I have 1000+ hours shadowing my parents, who are both dentists, because I worked for them for 3 summers. Other than that I have about 35 hours with 5 other dentists, including an orthodontist, peds, and prosth. Will that be ok?

well you should get LOR from a non-family dentist. Are the 35 hrs (split between 5 dentists) enough for LOR from one of them?

 

[amdrocks]

I would say 100+ in general