Is Dentist’s LOR a MUST?

[frenzysword]

Hello guys, I really concern that will without a letter of recommendation from my shadow dentist automatically reject from any schools or put me at a huge disadvantaged?

I submitted my application recently,however, my school does not allow me to get a letter packet (not committee letter) uploaded if I don’t have a dentist LOR even though I had 80 hours shadowing experience. So now my application is still on hold.

currently, I have letters from my:

1) research PI (300hours)
2) physics professor
3) medical service volunteer (300hours)
4)American Red Cross volunteer (100hours)
5) 2 English and philosophy professors

Right now I have two options:
1) look for other dentists and get a dentist letter later but it might take 1 or 2 months or even more cuz no one knows due to corovirus-19

2) let my pre-health office upload those letters as individual letters first so that my application can be reviewed. I will continue to look for a letter and upload it in the future as a new individual letter, but dental schools will review my application without a dentist letter.

what do you guys suggest?

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[frenzysword]

For the option 2: I will choose to abandon my letter packet, is it a good idea?

 

[artist2022]

So you can't get a committee letter without a dentist LOR? If so, then you're asking if you can forgo the committee letter and have them be uploaded as single letters? You can do this but you should know that there are only four spots on AADSAS.... and you have way too many letters. A combo of 3 science + 1 dentist or 2 science + 1 supervisor/employer/PI + 1 dentist are usually the go-tos.

In regard to getting/not getting a letter from a dentist, it really depends on the schools you're applying to. If they require one, I would consider you out of the running if you apply without one. If they don't specify, then you might be okay without one. Look at their websites for their requirements and make your decision based on that.

 

[frenzysword]

So you can't get a committee letter without a dentist LOR? If so, then you're asking if you can forgo the committee letter and have them be uploaded as single letters? You can do this but you should know that there are only four spots on AADSAS.... and you have way too many letters. A combo of 3 science + 1 dentist or 2 science + 1 supervisor/employer/PI + 1 dentist are usually the go-tos.

In regard to getting/not getting a letter from a dentist, it really depends on the schools you're applying to. If they require one, I would consider you out of the running if you apply without one. If they don't specify, then you might be okay without one. Look at their websites for their requirements and make your decision based on that.

Thank you! I will try to get one more science letter just in case that I do not have a dentist letter.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

You need to find out which schools on your list require dentist letters. It's possible none of them require (just prefer).

 

[frenzysword]

You need to find out which schools on your list require dentist letters. It's possible none of them require (just prefer).

Thank you! Do you know that whether the research PI letter counted as one science letter usually?

 

[frenzysword]

So you can't get a committee letter without a dentist LOR? If so, then you're asking if you can forgo the committee letter and have them be uploaded as single letters? You can do this but you should know that there are only four spots on AADSAS.... and you have way too many letters. A combo of 3 science + 1 dentist or 2 science + 1 supervisor/employer/PI + 1 dentist are usually the go-tos.

In regard to getting/not getting a letter from a dentist, it really depends on the schools you're applying to. If they require one, I would consider you out of the running if you apply without one. If they don't specify, then you might be okay without one. Look at their websites for their requirements and make your decision based on that.

Do you know whether the research PI letter counted as one science letter usually?

 

[artist2022]

Do you know whether the research PI letter counted as one science letter usually?

I think that would be up to each individual school... in my opinion, no. From what I've seen, schools want letters from science professors that have taught you in a lecture. The PI letter falls under a supervisor type letter imo.

 

[frenzysword]

I think that would be up to each individual school... in my opinion, no. From what I've seen, schools want letters from science professors that have taught you in a lecture. The PI letter falls under a supervisor type letter imo.

Thank you! It is really helpful!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Do you know whether the research PI letter counted as one science letter usually?

As @artist2022 noted, it may depend on the school. In contrast, I would accept a research PI letter as a science letter (presuming it's in a proper science field) because to me that's part of a professor's job duties (teaching, research, mentoring, service) and the chances are the professor knows you better than if you were just a face in the lecture hall/Zoom room.

 

[frenzysword]

As @artist2022 noted, it may depend on the school. In contrast, I would accept a research PI letter as a science letter (presuming it's in a proper science field) because to me that's part of a professor's job duties (teaching, research, mentoring, service) and the chances are the professor knows you better than if you were just a face in the lecture hall/Zoom room.

Thank you so much for the inputs. I believe I will apply to dental schools with individual letters (2 science with 1 research letter) without a dentist's letter since all schools that I applied do not require the dentist's letter as a requirement.

 

[frenzysword]

You need to find out which schools on your list require dentist letters. It's possible none of them require (just prefer).

Thank you so much for the inputs. I believe I will apply to dental schools with individual letters (2 science with 1 research letter) without a dentist's letter since all schools that I applied do not require the dentist's letter as a requirement.

 

[frenzysword]

I think that would be up to each individual school... in my opinion, no. From what I've seen, schools want letters from science professors that have taught you in a lecture. The PI letter falls under a supervisor type letter imo.

I will try to get 2 science letters with 1 research letter, and 1 non-science letter from my philosophy class!

Thank you!