how much could this hurt me?

[Kneecoal]

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i'm having a really hard time finding a gp to shadow just for an afternoon. i have tons of experience working with/shadowing orthodontists, and i mentioned some of those experiences in my ps. i've never actually shadowed a gp, though i did watch my pedo fill a 22 year old's cavity once. thus, i'm afraid they'll think i don't really know what i want/don't know what i'm getting myself into. what do you think?

 

[4thMolar]

i'm having a really hard time finding a gp to shadow just for an afternoon. i have tons of experience working with/shadowing orthodontists, and i mentioned some of those experiences in my ps. i've never actually shadowed a gp, though i did watch my pedo fill a 22 year old's cavity once. thus, i'm afraid they'll think i don't really know what i want/don't know what i'm getting myself into. what do you think?

If you can try searching some more general dentists, I'm sure you'll find one to shadow, even if it's for a week. I would want to have some shadowing experience from a general dentist, as their daily routines can be different from specialists. But since you have experience shadowing a specialist, I don't think it would be a make or break deal as far as your application goes. I guess it depends on the school as well. I'm guessing for schools that don't require a recommendation from a dentist, they wouldn't care as much if you shadowed a specialist vs. a general dentist.

 

[dentista123]

i'm having a really hard time finding a gp to shadow just for an afternoon. i have tons of experience working with/shadowing orthodontists, and i mentioned some of those experiences in my ps. i've never actually shadowed a gp, though i did watch my pedo fill a 22 year old's cavity once. thus, i'm afraid they'll think i don't really know what i want/don't know what i'm getting myself into. what do you think?

Don't you at least need 50 hrs of shadowing? I know it's not written in stone, but it seems recommended (based on websites). I think you need someone for more than one afternoon.

 

[Kneecoal]

Don't you at least need 50 hrs of shadowing? I know it's not written in stone, but it seems recommended (based on websites). I think you need someone for more than one afternoon.

well, i worked as a lab assistant in an ortho office for 2.5 years during high school, and i did about 80 hours worth of interning/shadowing an orthodontist for a semester in college. i would think that that should suffice, but i know that they consider it important to shadow a gp too. that's why i'm trying to find someone.

 

[dentista123]

well, i worked as a lab assistant in an ortho office for 2.5 years during high school, and i did about 80 hours worth of interning/shadowing an orthodontist for a semester in college. i would think that that should suffice, but i know that they consider it important to shadow a gp too. that's why i'm trying to find someone.

That is great experience. If I were you, I would still shadow a GP at least a week or two. At the end of the day, you are going to dental school to be a general dentist with hopes of entering a competitive ortho specialty. I called several dentists. Just do a google search of 30 dentists near you and call everyone of them, leave messages, and if you have the opportunity go in.

 

[MALOKINMARTIN]

Unless you're living somewhere on the Alaska tundra, there should be a ridiculous amount of dentists in a 20 mile radius. My guess you’re not asking right