Recommendations & Requirements

[hkelly0907]

I have two questions:

I have recommendations from my science professors and an advisor I worked for (who is non-dentist). Is a recommendation from a dentist absolutely necessary?

I have taken both organic chemistry I & II but not the lab, and I have graduated. What to do now? Some schools require you to take organic with labs ... In addition, I have not taken biochem ...

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[MrBeans]

I have two questions:

I have recommendations from my science professors and an advisor I worked for (who is non-dentist). Is a recommendation from a dentist absolutely necessary?

I have taken both organic chemistry I & II but not the lab, and I have graduated. What to do now? Some schools require you to take organic with labs ... In addition, I have not taken biochem ...

Some schools require a letter of evaluation from a dentist, be sure to check with your schools of interest to see what their requirements are.

Although you have not taken some of the normal pre-requisites (organic chemistry lab, and biochemistry), you could still be considered by the admissions committee; you would only have to take the courses before matriculation. While not having these courses under your belt yet, you may encounter some "snubby" admissions people, but I think this is not likely.

 

[Denteeth]

I have two questions:

I have recommendations from my science professors and an advisor I worked for (who is non-dentist). Is a recommendation from a dentist absolutely necessary?

I have taken both organic chemistry I & II but not the lab, and I have graduated. What to do now? Some schools require you to take organic with labs ... In addition, I have not taken biochem ...

It is necessary if you want to increase your chances of getting in a ds. If you are shadowing a dentist, let him/her write a simple letter based on the facts what you accomplished/learned/observed etc in their clinic.

If you have shadowed a dentist, you are going to write about it in your PS anyway. So, my advice to you is to write that paragraph about your experience about shadowing and give it to your dentist so he or she can write based on what you learned just in case he/she doesn't knwo what to write
good luck

 

[hkelly0907]

Thanks for your reply.
However, my passion really lies more toward public health rather than the practice itself ... Having said that I was going to ask an advisor, whom I worked for half a year at a volunteering agency in Thailand, to write a recommendation for me even though the job I have completed has really nothing to do with the dentistry.

 

[doc toothache]

Thanks for your reply.
However, my passion really lies more toward public health rather than the practice itself ... Having said that I was going to ask an advisor, whom I worked for half a year at a volunteering agency in Thailand, to write a recommendation for me even though the job I have completed has really nothing to do with the dentistry.

You can also get a letter of recommendation from a supervisor at McD.

 

[MrBeans]

You can also get a letter of recommendation from a supervisor at McD.

The blunt words of doc, he is correct.

Your supervisor letter will certainly not take the place of a dentist letter.

If the dental schools you are applying to require a dentist letter of evaluation, then you have to have it to be considered. It doesn't matter if you're more interested in public health or not, you need to meet the requirements.