How many hours of Volunteer work/dental experience is needed

[Nio87]

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Does anyone know how many hours of dental clinic experience you need?
As of now I have 60 hours, and im planning to only do a total of 70 hours, will that be enough?

 

[SuperTank]

Does anyone know how many hours of dental clinic experience you need?
As of now I have 60 hours, and im planning to only do a total of 70 hours, will that be enough?

It depends on the schools that you're applying to. Some schools require 40 hours, some require 100 (OHSU for example). Do some research and figure out what you need, and go at least to that point.

 

[DrReese]

I know my school requires at least 80 hours from 5 different dentists. The best advice is to check with the schools you are applying to.👍

 

[476515678234896]

Do some research and figure out what you need, and go at least to that point.

this counts as doing research (even though it's not really an effective way of doing it)

 

[hausee]

I know my school requires at least 80 hours from 5 different dentists. The best advice is to check with the schools you are applying to.👍

This is too much...not hours but 5 different dentists?

 

[rav4182]

I've volunteered at the same dental clinic for 3 semesters and have about 170 hours from there. I've seen a whole range of procedures and have actually sat chairside and helped out too. Your saying that isnt as good as having multiple different dentists?

 

[SeattleRDH]

I've volunteered at the same dental clinic for 3 semesters and have about 170 hours from there. I've seen a whole range of procedures and have actually sat chairside and helped out too. Your saying that isnt as good as having multiple different dentists?

It's better to shadow multiple dentists to get a sense of the differences between practices. Shadowing specialists is a good idea. You only have to go for a day or so to get an idea of how the practice is different.

There is a lot of variety out there. This is probably why some schools require multiple dentists.

 

[Nio87]

I know my school requires at least 80 hours from 5 different dentists. The best advice is to check with the schools you are applying to.👍

Well im volunteering at an organization that has a free dental clinic for poor people. The dentists that come in everyday are all different people that are doing work for free. I actually get to sit next to them and assist them and to the job of a dental assistant.
However im only getting one letter of recomendation from this organization, im not getting separate ones from different doctors. Hopefully this will be enought!

 

[DrReese]

Yeah, a couple years back I had visited the school and they mentioned that they want you to shadow at least five different dentists. Its on their website as well. I thought this was much as well because I had worked as an assistant already for two dentists (they were husband and wife) between two offices, which I thought would be ample exposure. She then listed some names of dentists in town that I should ask. She told me that different dentists will run their offices differently...I went ahead and applied without the additional 3 dentists thinking that i would be ok, I still got the interview, but after the interview I got an email from the admissions coordinator saying I needed to get those additional dentists on my application. I got the other dentists to let me shadow for maybe 4 hours each, but the bulk of my exposure was from being an assistant. I would still check with the schools that you are applying to.