Should I become a temperature screener for COVID protection at a dental office?

[DrThanos]

I have the opportunity to become a temperature screener at a dental office for COVID safety. My volunteering in the hospital got cut off and I only accumulated 70 clinical experience hours. I was told hospital volunteering would probably be back but now they told me that it probably won't until next year. Applying this cycle and wondering if it would be worthwhile to pick this up even though it's at a dental clinic instead of a medical clinic. Thoughts?

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[deleted555445]

if you've got no other volunteering to do then yeah. i've been doing temperature screening for the red cross since the beginning, and i think its a good way to still be involved in the community and do something medical-adjacent. i think if its done at a dental clinic it will count as clinical, but it may depend on who you ask. either way, go for it!

 

[deleted1064759]

Isn't that really just a waste of time? All it will take is one asymptomatic patient to infect the dentist who will infect everyone else. Unless it's just some bureaucratic thing the dentist is doing to start up some cash flow again.

 

[DrThanos]

Isn't that really just a waste of time? All it will take is one asymptomatic patient to infect the dentist who will infect everyone else. Unless it's just some bureaucratic thing the dentist is doing to start up some cash flow again.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

I have the opportunity to become a temperature screener at a dental office for COVID safety. My volunteering in the hospital got cut off and I only accumulated 70 clinical experience hours. I was told hospital volunteering would probably be back but now they told me that it probably won't until next year. Applying this cycle and wondering if it would be worthwhile to pick this up even though it's at a dental clinic instead of a medical clinic. Thoughts?

Yeah, I would say it's worthwhile volunteering. I can't imagine anyone would look down at you for helping out at a dentists office during a pandemic.

On a more personal note, I would push back at those scolding dentists for practicing. Dental medicine is still healthcare and small problems become big problems. Think your uninsured patient can't afford a cavity, imagine them trying to pay for a root canal or having to go to the ER and get hospitalalized for a periapical abcess or God forbid extension into deeper tissues.

David D MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[LizzyM]

Isn't that really just a waste of time? All it will take is one asymptomatic patient to infect the dentist who will infect everyone else. Unless it's just some bureaucratic thing the dentist is doing to start up some cash flow again.

Dentists are pretty good at universal precautions. They've been dealing with HEP B, Hep C, HIV, etc for a long time. It might be useful or it might be pandemic theater but there is certainly no harm in it.

OP, it is as useful an activity as much of what volunteers do in the hospital so go ahead if it is of interest to you.