Shadowing vs. Volunteering/Assisting Hours?

[hh24]

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Hello,

I was wondering if I could get some clarification on my current volunteering position where I have collected about 90 hours so far. From what I have researched on different threads, AADSAS will have a section asking how many hours you shadowed AND how many you assisted. (Correct me if I am wrong).

If that is the case, what should I do when I go to enter those hours because I performed both assisting as well as shadowed (ie for the more complicated procedures).

Also, with only 90 hours are there any particular schools I should NOT apply to?

Thanks!

 

[I want to go to there]

Working as a dental assistant goes on the job section. Volunteers and shadowing goes to their respective sections. 100+ hours of shadowing is recommended unless you worked as a dental assistant. You do not double count hours.

I don't think so.

 

[BYU4you]

Shadowing means watching a dentist.

Volunteering means to volunteer, you know help old ladies cross the street, work at a food bank, give kids a smile, varnish for kids, any community service etc.

 

[hh24]

Working as a dental assistant goes on the job section. Volunteers and shadowing goes to their respective sections. 100+ hours of shadowing is recommended unless you worked as a dental assistant. You do not double count hours.

I don't think so.

Thank you for your reply! It was a volunteer position so I am a little confused because I wasn't paid, so I dont think it would be classified as a job. To be more specific I just performed suctioning, handed the dentist tools etc... not working as a certified dental assistant.

 

[I want to go to there]

Thank you for your reply! It was a volunteer position so I am a little confused because I wasn't paid, so I dont think it would be classified as a job. To be more specific I just performed suctioning, handed the dentist tools etc... not working as a certified dental assistant.

It's more close to shadowing than volunteering since you got to observe the dentist up close. Since you are short on shadowing, just list it as shadowing.

 

[ajj70]

Thank you for your reply! It was a volunteer position so I am a little confused because I wasn't paid, so I dont think it would be classified as a job. To be more specific I just performed suctioning, handed the dentist tools etc... not working as a certified dental assistant.

I'd list that as shadowing and not working or volunteering. If you were paid to be a chairside assistant, then it would be work and a dentist really isn't a needy organization so it wouldn't really qualify as volunteering. The dentist I shadowed last year I did just shadowing (observing him) most days I was there but he also had a Medicaid clinic once/week and on those days, I count for volunteer hours because I spent most of the time helping the families that were there, calming frightened patients (mostly children, but not always), maybe keeping an eye on the children of patients in the waiting room while their parents were getting a cleaning, etc.