Shadowing vs. Work Experience

[FreeFallin]

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Does working in the dental field count as shadowing? Reason I ask is that I've been a dental hygienist for 2.5 years now, and it will be 3 years by the time I apply to dental school. Does working as an RDH count towards shadowing? Thanks so much!

 

[Predoctalk]

I'm not sure that I would necessarily categorize your work experience as shadowing but the whole idea is that you have gotten plenty of exposure to the field. 👍

 

[dawgpack]

On AADSAS put this under work experience and dental experience.

 

[Tommy43087]

I highly doubt you would need to shadow when you have that much experience...Also the fact that you have so much experience will definitely make your app stand out!


Good Luck

 

[FreeFallin]

Thank you everyone for your input!! Again, this site is amazing with so many great people and resources. It's getting very exciting to begin this new journey.

 

[Emmie]

Does working in the dental field count as shadowing? Reason I ask is that I've been a dental hygienist for 2.5 years now, and it will be 3 years by the time I apply to dental school. Does working as an RDH count towards shadowing? Thanks so much!

don't think so, being a hygienist is different from being a dentist. They probably want you to see some fillings, extractions, root canals etc that kind of things.

 

[The Hammer]

Having an RDH is much much better than just shadowing a dentist. The important thing for you to impress upon whatever school you are trying to get into is that since you were an employee at a dental office you understand what being in private practice entails i.e. patient management, office management, staff management. The thing that most pre-dents who interview don't understand is that the clinical dentistry is only about 10% of what will occupy your time and mind in private practice. It is the management of a small business that will be the most challenging aspect of being a dentist. Emphasize your skills in the running of a practice and you will impress your interviewers.

 

[FreeFallin]

Having an RDH is much much better than just shadowing a dentist. The important thing for you to impress upon whatever school you are trying to get into is that since you were an employee at a dental office you understand what being in private practice entails i.e. patient management, office management, staff management. The thing that most pre-dents who interview don't understand is that the clinical dentistry is only about 10% of what will occupy your time and mind in private practice. It is the management of a small business that will be the most challenging aspect of being a dentist. Emphasize your skills in the running of a practice and you will impress your interviewers.

This is fantastic advice. I have definitely been able to get into all aspects of office dynamics. But I still do understand that perhaps the dental school would want to know that I've actually stood in with a dentist and observed actual procedures. Right now as an RDH, I am the one recommending the work and the dentist examines and confirms the recommendations and treatment plans. I'm just hoping that the almost 3 years experience as an RDH will help during my application process. Thanks everyone for advice!!

 

[Happy Taco Man]

I was advised that as an RDH I had more than enough dental experience. Don't all hygienists get pulled into ops when the doctor is desperate for another set of hands? I walked in from lunch as my former employer was just about to start a procedure on his one and only assistant with her trying to hold the suction! I was like, "ummm do you guys want some help in there?"

 

[FreeFallin]

I was advised that as an RDH I had more than enough dental experience. Don't all hygienists get pulled into ops when the doctor is desperate for another set of hands? I walked in from lunch as my former employer was just about to start a procedure on his one and only assistant with her trying to hold the suction! I was like, "ummm do you guys want some help in there?"

Definitely. I always try to help out extra around the office if I don't have a prophy patient in my chair.

 

[The Hammer]

This is fantastic advice. I have definitely been able to get into all aspects of office dynamics. But I still do understand that perhaps the dental school would want to know that I've actually stood in with a dentist and observed actual procedures. Right now as an RDH, I am the one recommending the work and the dentist examines and confirms the recommendations and treatment plans. I'm just hoping that the almost 3 years experience as an RDH will help during my application process. Thanks everyone for advice!!

The interviewers should understand that as a RDH you already know how to read radiographs, diagnosis dental problems and recommend tx (of course you aren't really diagnosising that would be illegal since you aren't the dentist 😉) The one thing that your DAT scores, grades and CV can't tell the interviews is what is your personality like. As dentist in private practice you are basically running a service industry small business. Do you have the type of personality that will attract and keep patients? Are you the type of personal that skilled dental workers will want to work for? If your personality is not conducive to attracting and motivating people then no matter what your scores and grades are you will have a very hard time making a living at dentistry.

 

[FreeFallin]

The interviewers should understand that as a RDH you already know how to read radiographs, diagnosis dental problems and recommend tx (of course you aren't really diagnosising that would be illegal since you aren't the dentist 😉) The one thing that your DAT scores, grades and CV can't tell the interviews is what is your personality like. As dentist in private practice you are basically running a service industry small business. Do you have the type of personality that will attract and keep patients? Are you the type of personal that skilled dental workers will want to work for? If your personality is not conducive to attracting and motivating people then no matter what your scores and grades are you will have a very hard time making a living at dentistry.

Very sound advice! I completely agree with personality being very important in this profession. I used to be incredibly shy, and then once I began seeing patients in RDH school, I was able to break out of that. It's tough to be shy in dentistry. Then, I realized how much fun it really is getting to know new people! Now, each time I see a new patient, I feel like I made a new friend by the end of the appointment. 😉