LOR from a dentist

[baronen26]

I have about 50 hours of shadowing currently and will easily get to 100+ by the opening of AADSAS, but most of those have been with my dad and he can't write me a LOR. I have a bunch of dentists and specialists to shadow and have been making appts, but don't have a solid idea for a LOR just yet...

Lets say I shadow someone (that I know previously) for 4 or 5 times in April and into May, is it bad etiquette to give 3 weeks to write it? Do they even need to finish it by June 1st. Or will they be able to upload the letter after I e-submit and while my GPAs are being verified, giving them like an extra month.

Edit: Also, can you update shadow and volunteer hours while waiting for GPAs to be verified?

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[sjv]

You can have letters uploaded anytime, even after you submit. They do not have to be in on June 1st and your application won't even be mailed out until the end of June anyway.

You cannot update shadowing or volunteer hours after you submit. You can update academic classes such as summer or fall grades during academic update.

I have about 50 hours of shadowing currently and will easily get to 100+ by the opening of AADSAS, but most of those have been with my dad and he can't write me a LOR. I have a bunch of dentists and specialists to shadow and have been making appts, but don't have a solid idea for a LOR just yet...

Lets say I shadow someone (that I know previously) for 4 or 5 times in April and into May, is it bad etiquette to give 3 weeks to write it? Do they even need to finish it by June 1st. Or will they be able to upload the letter after I e-submit and while my GPAs are being verified, giving them like an extra month.

Edit: Also, can you update shadow and volunteer hours while waiting for GPAs to be verified?

 

[ICUrunning]

I have about 50 hours of shadowing currently and will easily get to 100+ by the opening of AADSAS, but most of those have been with my dad and he can't write me a LOR. I have a bunch of dentists and specialists to shadow and have been making appts, but don't have a solid idea for a LOR just yet...

Lets say I shadow someone (that I know previously) for 4 or 5 times in April and into May, is it bad etiquette to give 3 weeks to write it? Do they even need to finish it by June 1st. Or will they be able to upload the letter after I e-submit and while my GPAs are being verified, giving them like an extra month.

Edit: Also, can you update shadow and volunteer hours while waiting for GPAs to be verified?

Find someone you know would give you a great LOR.

I really don't understand why many of you are starting to shadow literally a few months before the application opens. You are suppose to shadow much earlier, with multiple dentists, and non-family members.

LORs do not need to be sent immediately when you submit. They can be sent in later.

Once you submit, you CANNOT change anything on your application except grades for the academic update.

 

[baronen26]

Find someone you know would give you a great LOR.

I really don't understand why many of you are starting to shadow literally a few months before the application opens. You are suppose to shadow much earlier, with multiple dentists, and non-family members.

LORs do not need to be sent immediately when you submit. They can be sent in later.

Once you submit, you CANNOT change anything on your application except grades for the academic update.

You assumed a lot from that post. Ive shadowed my dad for about 8 months - I enjoyed shadowing with him because I can show up whenever and I don't feel like I am getting in the way. Probably have 200+ hrs in the office when you include assisting. Why would it matter if he is family?? If anything I am more comfortable than a non-family member and can ask whatever I want. I have also shadowed a perio guy and am starting with another general... Not saying this is extensive, but I can't change the fact that my interest in dentistry is relatively new.

Anyways, thanks for the response.

 

[ICUrunning]

You assumed a lot from that post. Ive shadowed my dad for about 8 months - I enjoyed shadowing with him because I can show up whenever and I don't feel like I am getting in the way. Probably have 200+ hrs in the office when you include assisting. Why would it matter if he is family?? If anything I am more comfortable than a non-family member and can ask whatever I want. I have also shadowed a perio guy and am starting with another general... Not saying this is extensive, but I can't change the fact that my interest in dentistry is relatively new.

Anyways, thanks for the response.

The reason why I wrote non-family members, as you already pointed out, family can't write you LORs. No one is going to frown if they see you shadow a family member. Nothing wrong with shadowing family.

But for applicants, it is best if they started shadowing extensively with a general dentist that is non family because then they get to know you better as a person as opposed to the "kid that is coming in to shadow for a few hours a week." That would lead to a better LOR, no?

Imagine yourself as a dentist. Some random student asks you to shadow a few times. Cool.
Then that student demands a letter. How much fluff can you put in for that student? Would you even write a letter for someone you hardly knew and only came into your practice a handful of times?

Just my 2 cents.

 

[baronen26]

^I agree with that. Though the dentists/ specialists I am considering are family friends, friends of my dad, or I was once a patient... No reason for them to give me a bad letter and there is no reason for me to be all up in there business for 100+ hrs

If i wasn't connected and I was cold calling dentists, then yeah I would want to build a solid relationship with the dentist