Shadowing and Volunteer hours

[jeejeejiji]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Does anybody know how many hours is considered as the average??
I've got 50 hours of shadowing and 30 of volunteer.
Would 50 hours of volunteer be enough? or would I need way more than that?

and I'm wondering how you can actually prove to the dental schools that you've actually filled those hours? Do you just get a signature from the dentist and send it to the school with everything else?

And is a report on observations (explaining what you've learned) required from the schools after the shadowing?

 

[Sprgrover]

Does anybody know how many hours is considered as the average??
I've got 50 hours of shadowing and 30 of volunteer.
Would 50 hours of volunteer be enough? or would I need way more than that?

and I'm wondering how you can actually prove to the dental schools that you've actually filled those hours? Do you just get a signature from the dentist and send it to the school with everything else?

And is a report on observations (explaining what you've learned) required from the schools after the shadowing?

50 hours of shadowing is great! Personally, I think the more the better. Some schools do have a minimum for number of hours, such as OSU, that you must fulfill in order to complete your application while others are very happy if you can bring that to the table. If a school wants documentation confirming your shadowing experience usually they will supply you with a letter which the shadowed dentists must fill out, attach a business card, and so on. I haven't heard of a school requiring any sort of report, but my shadowing and volunteering experience did surface in a couple of interviews and I was asked to comment of some procedures. Best of luck! 👍

 

[jeejeejiji]

thanks for the reply!!^^

for volunteer..would 50 hours be enough?

 

[Sprgrover]

thanks for the reply!!^^

for volunteer..would 50 hours be enough?

Oh, yes - but like I said the more the better! 😀

 

[jeejeejiji]

not the sort of volunteer at a dental clinic
but just normal social work.. like helping out at a nursing home
or rehab center..
(only the shadowing hours were for the dental clinic)

Is that required for dental too like med schools??
50 hours for that is ok?? although the more the better like you said 🙂

 

[Sprgrover]

Volunteering in a healthcare field is also a real plus (in addition to volunteering in a dental field). Some schools, such as Arizona, prize such experience and I would imagine so would the other schools. In my opinion the more you can demonstrate the you are community minded, a 'team player,' and healthcare oriented the better.

 

[ItsGavinC]

and I'm wondering how you can actually prove to the dental schools that you've actually filled those hours? Do you just get a signature from the dentist and send it to the school with everything else?

You can do that, but many schools don't require any documentation and simply take your word for it.

They've got so many applications to sort through and so much stuff to look at, that verifying observation hours doesn't fall very high on the list. To top it off, observing is the norm for pre-dental students, so it isn't anythng extraordinary that would case adcoms to think that they ought to verify it. Just my 2 cents.
🙂

 

[JakeMUSC]

and I'm wondering how you can actually prove to the dental schools that you've actually filled those hours? Do you just get a signature from the dentist and send it to the school with everything else?

And is a report on observations (explaining what you've learned) required from the schools after the shadowing?

Make sure you include what you did, when, and how and include it in your AADSAS application under "Do you have any experience in a dental office or experience in a dental, clinical, hospital, or laboratory setting?" Get as specifc as you want to let them know you actually didnt just sit there, sort of like a clock in/clock out deal. An example line from my application, "....I observed tooth fillings, crown seatings, temporary crown mold production and placement, tooth extractions........" Tell them everything you want them to know, b/c they wont know unless you tell them. Good luck! 👍