Shadowing a Prosthodontist

[averageasian]

Hi All,

Since the summer after my freshman year, I have been shadowing my general dentist but technically he is a prosthodontist. He works in his family practice where he and his wife MOSTLY do general dentistry. Nearly 90% of the procedures i have shadowed him under have been restorations etc.

Is the fact he is a prosthodontist and i have done all of my shadowing under him going to cause a problem since he is a specialist? I know dental schools want X hours under a namesake generalist. Again, he mostly does general dentistry work.

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[dshen92129]

I don't think it matters... your shadowing a dentist and that's the req. I don't think the school cares if its a prostho or general.. I am not sure what you are asking.. I am also confused why a prosthodontist is doing gen den work.. there may be not a lot of bridges and crowns patients to do.. so he may be taking whatever comes through the door. Is this the owner of the practice or is he an associate? isn't there other gen dens in the building and he can take all the crowns, bridges, RPDs, FPDs, Implants? ?

 

[Toothout]

Hi All,

Since the summer after my freshman year, I have been shadowing my general dentist but technically he is a prosthodontist. He works in his family practice where he and his wife MOSTLY do general dentistry. Nearly 90% of the procedures i have shadowed him under have been restorations etc.

Is the fact he is a prosthodontist and i have done all of my shadowing under him going to cause a problem since he is a specialist? I know dental schools want X hours under a namesake generalist. Again, he mostly does general dentistry work.

I don't think it matters... your shadowing a dentist and that's the req. I don't think the school cares if its a prostho or general.. I am not sure what you are asking.. I am also confused why a prosthodontist is doing gen den work.. there may be not a lot of bridges and crowns patients to do.. so he may be taking whatever comes through the door. Is this the owner of the practice or is he an associate? isn't there other gen dens in the building and he can take all the crowns, bridges, RPDs, FPDs, Implants? ?

It actually depends on the school you are applying to. Some schools do require you to have at least 50 hours shadowing a general dentist along with 5+ different offices.

 

[Screwtape]

I don't think it matters... your shadowing a dentist and that's the req. I don't think the school cares if its a prostho or general.. I am not sure what you are asking.. I am also confused why a prosthodontist is doing gen den work.. there may be not a lot of bridges and crowns patients to do.. so he may be taking whatever comes through the door. Is this the owner of the practice or is he an associate? isn't there other gen dens in the building and he can take all the crowns, bridges, RPDs, FPDs, Implants? ?

Not that uncommon for a prosthodontist trained dentist to practice as a general dentist or as a "super general dentist". Keep the hygiene income and keep all pros in house, and do all of the pros at a high level-- keeping patients happy. Can even take referrals still. In certain markets it's a challenge to have a pros only specialty clinic. Sometimes the referral base just isn't there.

 

[averageasian]

I don't think it matters... your shadowing a dentist and that's the req. I don't think the school cares if its a prostho or general.. I am not sure what you are asking.. I am also confused why a prosthodontist is doing gen den work.. there may be not a lot of bridges and crowns patients to do.. so he may be taking whatever comes through the door. Is this the owner of the practice or is he an associate? isn't there other gen dens in the building and he can take all the crowns, bridges, RPDs, FPDs, Implants? ?

He and his wife are the attending dentists. they get a lot of patients so a lot of general dentistry work comes his way. im concerned bc dental schools want a general dentist but he is specialist. a majority of the work i have seen him do is mostly general dentistry.

 

[averageasian]

he will be the one writing my dentist's recommendation next cycle. I am concerned bc technically he is a specialist but he does a lot of general dentistry work. Some schools want a letter from a "general dentist"

 

[dshen92129]

he will be the one writing my dentist's recommendation next cycle. I am concerned bc technically he is a specialist but he does a lot of general dentistry work. Some schools want a letter from a "general dentist"

Did you express this concern to him? can you go to another office that an actual general dentist is practicing?

 

[ncide]

Most of my shadowing was working with specialists and I had no trouble, just make sure you satisfy the specific requirements of a school and you'll be fine. All of my letters were from specialists as well.