Include this or not??

[Hybridtavo]

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Ok so I went to a mission trip last summer to Costa Rica-Panama, and had hands on experience: cleanings, and mostly extractions under of course supervision of dentists that came w the group.
My simple question is good idea or bad idea to post this on the application. How will a committee look at this, if when u usually volunteer u r not allow (in my experience) to actually put ur hands on the patient.

👍 or 👎

Thank u ppl 😀

 

[BioMaxDDS]

put it on
ITS AWESOME!!!

 

[doc toothache]

Your Costa Rica/Panama connection may have had some special dispensation regarding practicing dentistry in their respective countries, but it is unlikely that it extended to anyone without a degree. In some countries that could be considered practicing dentistry without a license.

 

[doc3232]

Just say you cleaned teeth.
Don't say any more than that.
They will see you as a pre-dental student who thinks he/she is capable of doing what dentists train to do.

 

[Hybridtavo]

Just say you cleaned teeth.
Don't say any more than that.
They will see you as a pre-dental student who thinks he/she is capable of doing what dentists train to do.

Wouldn't that defeat the whole purpose of the trip (only cleanings) IMO, if usually u go to help the under-served and get some experience off the clinical environment (in the US) BUT I c ur point

 

[DrReo]

Don't lie about what you did. I'd say you had the opportunity to do extracts! They'll like it, I know I would
​

 

[Dentalishus]

I say 👍. Why would you have second thoughts about including this on your application? The exposure and the opportunity to help the underserved seems like a plus to me. I would include it, bold it, highlight it, italicize it, and underline it.

 

[Hybridtavo]

I say 👍. Why would you have second thoughts about including this on your application? The exposure and the opportunity to help the underserved seems like a plus to me. I would include it, bold it, highlight it, italicize it, and underline it.

Thank you mate, the thing as mention earlier is the fact of working of people "without a license" if u could say that under dentists supervision thats all I will talk to some dentist I know and c what they say.
Thank you all for the input
Cheers 👍

 

[doc toothache]

A trip to Central America is about volunteering in a foreign country, for a mission that was intended to serve the underprivileged and a mission which happens to be dentally related. The experience can be used to discuss the dental cases one witnessed, but not to try razzle-dazzle adcoms about the dental procedures one, without any training, performed on unwitting patients. And it should not serve to call attention to a mentor who appears to have been oblivious to the ethical and jurisprudence questions it raised by encouraging a non dentist to engage in the practice of dentistry.

 

[rollredroll]

i actually just inquired about this to a family member who happens to be a dentist. she stated that doing these procedures without a license is illegal and you probably shouldn't mention those details.

IMHO you should talk about the trip in your app but leave out that you actually performed extractions. You never know who is reading your app (they may or may not like that).

 

[Zerconia2921]

Ok so I went to a mission trip last summer to Costa Rica-Panama, and had hands on experience: cleanings, and mostly extractions under of course supervision of dentists that came w the group.
My simple question is good idea or bad idea to post this on the application. How will a committee look at this, if when u usually volunteer u r not allow (in my experience) to actually put ur hands on the patient.

👍 or 👎

Thank u ppl 😀

hey that was sweet you did dental work without a lic... i think you should add it 😎 and let me know where i can go get some hands on exp 2!!! peace homie

 

[CubbieDentist]

i've went to costa rica and nicaragua. I did cavity fillings, extractions and teeth cleanings. i didnt go into detail with this on the app, but i may include this in my personal statement. i won't go into too much detail because some people think this is alright and others do not. just incase somebody that doesnt like this reads your app, you don't want that risk. def include it, just dont go into great detail

 

[Hybridtavo]

A trip to Central America is about volunteering in a foreign country, for a mission that was intended to serve the underprivileged and a mission which happens to be dentally related. The experience can be used to discuss the dental cases one witnessed, but not to try razzle-dazzle adcoms about the dental procedures one, without any training, performed on unwitting patients. And it should not serve to call attention to a mentor who appears to have been oblivious to the ethical and jurisprudence questions it raised by encouraging a non dentist to engage in the practice of dentistry.

The mentor was my mother by the way and believe me I wasn't the only one who was allow to work (which it was cool IMO) 👍
There is not really a mystery to extraction of teeth, anesthesia + forceps and an elevator u just needed directions from a dentist.
I think that hands on is the one of the biggest purposes for most pre-dents to go overseas, since is strictly forbidden in the US. (Again I believe this is allow in such trips due to the conditions given, location and resources)
But back to the topic yeah I may just mention the trip but not go into detail, my mother told me the same on that area (u never know who might like it or not).

IN ANSWER TO THE MEMBER WHO WANTED TO KNOW THE ORGANIZATION THAT I WENT WITH www.gmtonline.org

 

[Hysteria24]

This is a touchy subject. I did the same thing for a six week stint in Central America. Got to inject anesthesia, extract teeth, etc. even though I was unlicensed. The dentist in charge told me flat out not to go telling d-schools about all of that. In my app I shortened it to chairside assisting.

As others have said, you app gains a lot just by showing international volunteering. You can show you can work in the mouth and have manual dexterity through assisting, but telling all the rest might not add that much more to you app, with the risk upsetting a few adcom people.

In the end its your app, so do what you think is best for you.

 

[Hybridtavo]

This is a touchy subject. I did the same thing for a six week stint in Central America. Got to inject anesthesia, extract teeth, etc. even though I was unlicensed. The dentist in charge told me flat out not to go telling d-schools about all of that. In my app I shortened it to chairside assisting.

As others have said, you app gains a lot just by showing international volunteering. You can show you can work in the mouth and have manual dexterity through assisting, but telling all the rest might not add that much more to you app, with the risk upsetting a few adcom people.

In the end its your app, so do what you think is best for you.

Kool man thanks for the post, Kind of sucks after such a great experience not be able to share it w the committee dont u think. But ohh well rules are rules

 

[Hysteria24]

Kool man thanks for the post, Kind of sucks after such a great experience not be able to share it w the committee dont u think. But ohh well rules are rules

I know what you mean! Just brag to all you predent friends. It will earn you some major street cred. 😀

 

[Hybridtavo]

I know what you mean! Just brag to all you predent friends. It will earn you some major street cred. 😀

jaajajjaajajajaja

 

[Dan3223]

I wouldnt mention the stuff you actually did on the trip. It raises some serious ethical questions... and you dont need that kind of stuff on your application.
Some might say that it was good experience... while others may see it as very unethical. If the person reading your application is the latter, your file may find its way in to a bad pile. It's just not worth the risk.

 

[doc toothache]

The mentor was my mother by the way and believe me I wasn't the only one who was allow to work (which it was cool IMO) 👍
There is not really a mystery to extraction of teeth, anesthesia + forceps and an elevator u just needed directions from a dentist.
I think that hands on is the one of the biggest purposes for most pre-dents to go overseas, since is strictly forbidden in the US. (Again I believe this is allow in such trips due to the conditions given, location and resources)
But back to the topic yeah I may just mention the trip but not go into detail, my mother told me the same on that area (u never know who might like it or not).
www.gmtonline.org

There are some tricks only an experienced mentor can teach us, like how to circumvent the system. Without surveys it may be difficult to decide on the motives predents have for volunteering, but one suspects that adcoms are probably looking for more altruistic reasons, such as helping the less fortunate rather than a chance to practice dentistry. DS should be informed about the conclusion reached regarding the lack of mystery on extractions. After all, think of all the time they could eliminate from the curriculum. Why with no head and neck anatomy, histo, micro, local anesthesia technique, not to mention oral surgical considerations. In fact, a trip outside the country would be so much more productive. Ignorance of the law has never been a good defense strategy.

 

[Mattgk50]

i went to costa rica/panama w/ http://www.islonline.org/

i had the same reservations about putting the details on the application (anesthetic injections, extractions, filling packing, etc.). I dont want an adcom to think that i believe i am already qualified to do that sort of work at all, or that i have a "know-it-all" mentality. but at the same time, i think the exposure was a great experience that I think an adcom might like in an applicant. anyway, im planning on keeping it vague on the application (under dental experience), incase someone does happen to have a problem with it. But if i get asked about the trip in an interview, im going to give details.

 

[Hybridtavo]

i went to costa rica/panama w/ http://www.islonline.org/

i had the same reservations about putting the details on the application (anesthetic injections, extractions, filling packing, etc.). I dont want an adcom to think that i believe i am already qualified to do that sort of work at all, or that i have a "know-it-all" mentality. but at the same time, i think the exposure was a great experience that I think an adcom might like in an applicant. anyway, im planning on keeping it vague on the application (under dental experience), incase someone does happen to have a problem with it. But if i get asked about the trip in an interview, im going to give details.

👍

 

[Hybridtavo]

There are some tricks only an experienced mentor can teach us, like how to circumvent the system. Without surveys it may be difficult to decide on the motives predents have for volunteering, but one suspects that adcoms are probably looking for more altruistic reasons, such as helping the less fortunate rather than a chance to practice dentistry. DS should be informed about the conclusion reached regarding the lack of mystery on extractions. After all, think of all the time they could eliminate from the curriculum. Why with no head and neck anatomy, histo, micro, local anesthesia technique, not to mention oral surgical considerations. In fact, a trip outside the country would be so much more productive. Ignorance of the law has never been a good defense strategy.

Mate Thank you for ur comment. Really constructive. I apologize if it seemed as if I sounded as an smartaXX. I know there is so much more to dentistry, as u said why not then just kill the curriculum an just send DS to practice right away. Ridiculous ehhh
I just made simple comments (superficial), but u know none can make everyone happy 👍
Thank u mate again for ur insight