LOR from a dentist

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KristenD77

Predent
10+ Year Member
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I have over 1,000 hours working as a Dental Assistant but I left in 2013. I haven't talked to the dentists since I left and don't feel comfortable asking them for a letter because of that. Would it be a red flag if I don't have a letter from any of the . Or if I don't have a letter from a dentist in general?
 
Many schools require a LOR from a dentist so yes, it would be a red flag that you don't have one. If you haven't done any recent shadowing, it would probably raise another flag that you didn't get a letter from the dentist for whom you worked. 1000 hours is only 1/2 year or part-time work for a year, that would also raise flags. Unless you left on bad terms, I would ask the dentist. It's only been 2 years. If not, find someone to shadow, get in 100 hours, ask that dentist---or better yet, find 3 dentists to shadow for those hours and ask one of them.
 
Many schools require a LOR from a dentist so yes, it would be a red flag that you don't have one. If you haven't done any recent shadowing, it would probably raise another flag that you didn't get a letter from the dentist for whom you worked. 1000 hours is only 1/2 year or part-time work for a year, that would also raise flags. Unless you left on bad terms, I would ask the dentist. It's only been 2 years. If not, find someone to shadow, get in 100 hours, ask that dentist---or better yet, find 3 dentists to shadow for those hours and ask one of them.
Hey, thanks for the response. Idk how many hours it was exactly because I didn't calculate it yet but it was def over a 1,000 because I worked there for 2 years. I have done international shadowing and I have a couple of leads on some dentists who will let me shadow them this summer. I just figured a more recent shadowing experience will be better but I'm worried about how long it will take one to submit the letter and when I should ask