Must a gap year include something involving dentistry?

[hellobruin]

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Hello my SDN brethren,

I would love your insight on this. I just finished up undergrad and e-submitted my apps, and now my attention has turned to what I can do during my gap year.

The main question is, must I do something dentistry-related? Is enrolling in a dental assistant program worth the time and money? Would working as a dental office receptionist increase my chances anywhere?

I have a decent job offer that's non dental related, and I'm sure I can find some shadowing/volunteering opportunities on the side. I'm just worried that admissions will wonder why I didn't do anything dental-related in my gap year. I'm also considering the possibility that I may NOT get into dental school and so I would need a steady job to fall back on in the meantime.

Any feedback is always, always welcome 🙂

 

[Troyvdg]

Go were the money is, if you're like me, you have loans to pay. As long as you're staying active within the dental field (through shadowing, volunteer work, etc) it won't matter.

 

[emorypredent]

It won't matter, but if you think you might have to reapply then it will. What would be different about your app?

 

[mid]

Try to land a job in a dental lab or go to lab tech school. It will make your first year much easier.

Edit: also what emory said.

 

[periopocket]

Take the good job offer non-dental related. Dental schools like diversity! This is your chance to get it. You will be doing dental the next 35+ years, get a diff type of experience that will help you in other scopes of practice.

 

[doc toothache]

Take the good job offer non-dental related. Dental schools like diversity! This is your chance to get it. You will be doing dental the next 35+ years, get a diff type of experience that will help you in other scopes of practice.

👍