May have a year before I can start prereqs...what can I do??

[thirk_dds]

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So I may or may not be able to go to school in Jan '17 due to residency issues with my school choice. Therefore, what can I do to get started to make myself look competitive for the future? I have already shadowed a gen practicioner, orthodontist, periodontist, and cosmetic dentist over the past few years (ill be 30 in a week 🙁 I volunteered a few years back for a couple weeks in a non profit dental clinic organization for the needy. I was a part of my school's dental club but that was back in 2011. I worked for a dentist for a while: handling all of her insurances (hmo and ppo's), taking pano's/bitewings/ct scans daily on patients. I also took invisalign pictures, yes I had to touch peoples' mouth to help them insert mirrors and clean the operatories. This was until I was let go for charging the dentist for a graphic design ad she told me to create with software in my home. She wanted it free.

Fast forward to 2016-17, if I have trouble getting into in-state tuition and can't afford school for another year, what can I do to be more competitive in the field?? I feel like shadowing does nothing for me anymore because I've seen every procedure from bone grafts and wisdom extractions, to root canals and simple fillings. I learned my teeth numbers and some anatomy (maxillofacial, mandible, occlusal, buckle, lingual, buckle plate, incisors, mesial, distal etc) from my previous dental job. I feel that at this point i just need to do well in my courses and dat. Any advice??

 

[schmoob]

Do you have your general education classes done yet? If not, can you take those at CC just so you don't lose time?

Also, can you tell us more about the graphic design incident? Just curious because it sounds like an interesting story. If not, no worries.

 

[fogorvostan]

Start volunteering to get your hours up and get the highest paying job you can.

 

[thirk_dds]

Do you have your general education classes done yet? If not, can you take those at CC just so you don't lose time?

Also, can you tell us more about the graphic design incident? Just curious because it sounds like an interesting story. If not, no worries.

Yeah no problem. I have a bachelor's already so I just have to do the prereqs. I used to do everything for this lady: pay for airplane tickets to different countries, fix her little son's toys, I went with her to a conference, I even had to show her husband, who is not from this country, how to pay their light bill online. I had her SSN, Date of birth including her family's as well for different reasons. Ive been to a party at her home for christmas, we were good as a team. She came to me and wanted to have a design done, since she knew i did some graphic design work, but she wanted it done in microsoft word. I told her it was far too challenging and I wouldn't mind doing it using Adobe software. She preferred me to do it at work with my laptop (this was already asking too much outside of my job duties). Not having the time to work on it I did it at home and spent a few hours doing it. I took it to work and a couple of the assistants told me I should charge something for that and not to do something free for her, as she makes a lot of money and can afford it. I felt nervous at first then realized that they were right, I spent good time at home working on it for her, I could charge her a little for it. I sent her an email with the charge. The following monday, she walked in, didnt say hi and let me work until after lunch. She called me in the office and told me she loved it and paid me twice as much and said I was fired because she didn't ask me to do it at home.... I knew it was because she wanted it for free. I told her I would never cheat her and she said she can't trust me now....which was bs

 

[thirk_dds]

Start volunteering to get your hours up and get the highest paying job you can.

Should hours be recorded somewhere or signed??

 

[fogorvostan]

Should hours be recorded somewhere or signed??

You keep track yourself.

 

[schmoob]

Yeah no problem. I have a bachelor's already so I just have to do the prereqs. I used to do everything for this lady: pay for airplane tickets to different countries, fix her little son's toys, I went with her to a conference, I even had to show her husband, who is not from this country, how to pay their light bill online. I had her SSN, Date of birth including her family's as well for different reasons. Ive been to a party at her home for christmas, we were good as a team. She came to me and wanted to have a design done, since she knew i did some graphic design work, but she wanted it done in microsoft word. I told her it was far too challenging and I wouldn't mind doing it using Adobe software. She preferred me to do it at work with my laptop (this was already asking too much outside of my job duties). Not having the time to work on it I did it at home and spent a few hours doing it. I took it to work and a couple of the assistants told me I should charge something for that and not to do something free for her, as she makes a lot of money and can afford it. I felt nervous at first then realized that they were right, I spent good time at home working on it for her, I could charge her a little for it. I sent her an email with the charge. The following monday, she walked in, didnt say hi and let me work until after lunch. She called me in the office and told me she loved it and paid me twice as much and said I was fired because she didn't ask me to do it at home.... I knew it was because she wanted it for free. I told her I would never cheat her and she said she can't trust me now....which was bs

Good riddance! Sounds like she's the untrustworthy one. If you would've worked any longer for her she would've kept taking advantage of you.
Crappy situation, but it worked out for the best.