Proof of Shadowing/Volunteering????

[marina1285]

I'm just wondering what kind of documentation dental schools want as far as volunteering and shadowing go.

By the time I apply I will have been a dental assistant for a GP for almost 2 years, shadowed for about 20 hours (Oral surgeon) and done about 200 hours of volunteer work.

How do I send them proof, like in what form. The volunteer work is at a hospital and they have a record of my hours, should I send dental schools that record? As far as the dental assiting I'm having the dentist write me a LOR, so that will be documented, but what about the shadowing?

Thank you ahead of time for your responses.

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[SHC1984]

actually you don't have to send in any offical documentations...you just type in your hours on AADSAS...(I always thought thats werid b/c won't people just make up some hours???)
In your recommendation your dentist would properly talk about your shadowing for him.

 

[marina1285]

thanks for such a quick reply!! that is really wierd, so I just put the number of hours down, how would they know if I'm telling the truth or not, there has to be a way they found out, do you put the doctor's name on the application???

 

[SHC1984]

Your welcome, yes you just put down each dentist you shadow for and their name and the number of hours you did and thats it. (the application will be up on May 15) But you basically tell them what you did and how many hours and what doctor and you don't need to send them any proof of hours..
How do they know? I have NO idea. For all you know people can be lying... about all their shadowing experisences... THATS why I think its really unfair when someone with low stats gets accepted over someone with really high stats b/c STATS (DAT/GPA) are the ONLY THING on the application that you HAVE TO BE HONEST about...

thanks for such a quick reply!! that is really wierd, so I just put the number of hours down, how would they know if I'm telling the truth or not, there has to be a way they found out, do you put the doctor's name on the application???

 

[cdmOMR]

I asked the admissions director of UIC about this and she said that it can and will happen that people lie about shadowing/working hours. However she says that when it comes time to interviews, they will know if you lied and you presumably wont be gettin in.

 

[Dauber]

Ohio State actually makes you get the people you shadowed to fill out a form detailing how long you shadowed, when, etc. and has a place for their business card on it. As far as I know, that was the only time "proof" was needed for shadowing hours.

Yea, i never really thought about it much, but you could say you did all sorts of things as long as you had a good story and good poker face when you deliver it. Hopefully that doesn't happen.

 

[Nasem]

why would anyone lie or screw around the shadowing process....

The shadowing process is the EASIER process in the whole dental application. Just find yourself 2-4 different doctors and do about 40-50 hrs with each... Have them write you a sweet LOR and your all set.... No DAT examination required, no GPA, nothing.

 

[Fuji]

UF also requires a letter from those whom you shadow.

 

[xdianaax]

Moral of the story, don't risk lying about it, because you never know when they will ask, or which schools will ask

 

[Dr. Konfetka]

I believe Tufts requires documented proof of at least 30 hrs of shadowing. I just got the dentist I shadowed to write 2 sentances that I shadowed him for x amount of hours and that was that.

 

[john9192]

I believe Tufts requires documented proof of at least 30 hrs of shadowing. I just got the dentist I shadowed to write 2 sentances that I shadowed him for x amount of hours and that was that.

I always had this question about tufts.
It says in their website that we need 30 hours of volunteering/shadowing experience, but how to proove that.
I'm having one of the dentist write my letter, but I only did research with her (for about 1 year), no shadowing/volunteering. However, I did about 20 hours of shadowing general dentist/20 hours of shadowing a prosthodontist.
Do I just let them write a sentence or two saying that I shadowed them and send it to them along with the secondaries?

thanx, and congrats on ur acceptance to tufts. tufts is on my top three

 

[1992Corolla]

most schools don't require proof, but to get a couple of letters from people you shadowed/voluntered for just adds to your personal credibility.

 

[Dr. Konfetka]

I always had this question about tufts.
It says in their website that we need 30 hours of volunteering/shadowing experience, but how to proove that.
I'm having one of the dentist write my letter, but I only did research with her (for about 1 year), no shadowing/volunteering. However, I did about 20 hours of shadowing general dentist/20 hours of shadowing a prosthodontist.
Do I just let them write a sentence or two saying that I shadowed them and send it to them along with the secondaries?

thanx, and congrats on ur acceptance to tufts. tufts is on my top three

Thanks. Try to get those last 10 hrs in and have the one writing your LOR mention how long you worked with her. If you are unsure just give them a call, they were very nice to me about this stuff.

 

[RENNOZ]

most schools don't require proof, but to get a couple of letters from people you shadowed/voluntered for just adds to your personal credibility.

i think ohsu requires proof of the volunteering hours.. you might want to check

 

[CANGirl]

Hey All....unfortunately I have NO DENTAL experience...only because Canadian schools do not require you to have any for application..is it just me or is not shadowing a dentisty pointless? I mean you go to the dentist twice a year, realize what the setting is like.. and to shadow a dentist really is just filling a requirement on the checklist. I have volunteered at an Optometrist clinic becaues it is required here..and need i say POINTLESS once again. You can't do anything hands on or nothing!!

But besides the point... will it hurt my application? If anything, I have co-oped at an animal vet clinic and actually have helped do dentals on dogs..plucking teeth out and what not. BUT silly me I did not put this as a proper dental experience. (the reason being i had to rush my american application before the deadline after realizing getting into Ontario would be extremely hard)

Anyone get in without experience!!??

 

[dmd2011]

Hey All....unfortunately I have NO DENTAL experience...only because Canadian schools do not require you to have any for application..is it just me or is not shadowing a dentisty pointless? I mean you go to the dentist twice a year, realize what the setting is like.. and to shadow a dentist really is just filling a requirement on the checklist. I have volunteered at an Optometrist clinic becaues it is required here..and need i say POINTLESS once again. You can't do anything hands on or nothing!!

But besides the point... will it hurt my application? If anything, I have co-oped at an animal vet clinic and actually have helped do dentals on dogs..plucking teeth out and what not. BUT silly me I did not put this as a proper dental experience. (the reason being i had to rush my american application before the deadline after realizing getting into Ontario would be extremely hard)

Anyone get in without experience!!??

i disagree with your statement that shadowing is pointless. most schools want to see that you have explored the profession. also, the experience shadowing is very different than your experience as a patient. when shadowing you get to see dentistry from the perspective of the dentist, not the patient. i think it would be extremely difficult to get in without some dental experience. my shadowing experiences came up at all of my interviews, so it is obviously a very important part of the application.

 

[shamrock2006]

at one of my interviews.....one of the guys on the adcom told us that all the "extra" stuff people put on their app...clubs, shadowing, community service, etc. etc....they really only believe about half of everything you listed. Basically they assume we're all liars

 

[Mstoothlady2012]

i have only shadowed 1 dentist for ~70 hours....do i have to shadow more than 1 dentist?i mean is it going to look bad that i only shadowed 1 dentist?....i am sure that i want to be a general dentist than y do i need 2 go shadow surgeon, orthdodontic, etc...

 

[domonas]

i only shadowed 1 dentist. i didn't need any proof, but you do have to give AADSAS their phone number/email.. but i don't really think schools check into that. not that you should lie about it either

 

[messenger]

actually you don't have to send in any offical documentations...you just type in your hours on AADSAS...(I always thought thats werid b/c won't people just make up some hours???)
In your recommendation your dentist would properly talk about your shadowing for him.

yes, adcoms will never know exactly what you did or how many hours, unless you get a dentist LOR with proof hours.

in my case, i got my dentist LOR with only like 20 shadowing hours, but asked her to put 300 hours. no big deal, just looks "better."

in my interviews, i got asked what i do/did during volunteering/shadowing and the 20 hours was more than enough to talk about it.

 

[polf]

yes, adcoms will never know exactly what you did or how many hours, unless you get a dentist LOR with proof hours.

in my case, i got my dentist LOR with only like 20 shadowing hours, but asked her to put 300 hours. no big deal, just looks "better."

in my interviews, i got asked what i do/did during volunteering/shadowing and the 20 hours was more than enough to talk about it.

You and your dentist are both highly unethical.

 

[messenger]

You and your dentist are both highly unethical.

yeah, see that was then, and ive been with her for awhile now, so the 300 hours is like nothing now....(prob close to 1000 now) nothing unethical about that.