To those with dental work experience

[niv3k]

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So if everything goes well, I hope to graduate this December. I am going to send in my application as early as I can around June or so. If I were to get accepted to matriculate in 2015 I would have a whole year gap (along with the next Spring semester) where I plan on working to save.

To those who have been able to work at dental offices/labs, how did that come about to you? I plan on getting a CV written up (I have a personal statement ready also), stop by offices/labs, ask if they are hiring, and if they are may I apply.

How did you do it? Did you know them personally, family friend, etc. I believe most places now a days really prefer people with experience so walking in and saying you're a pre dent may not work, especially if they know you won't be there long enough for them to put in the effort to train and such.

 

[doc toothache]

Unless you have a non marketable degree, shouldn't that be the route to go?

 

[ddsjyoti]

So if everything goes well, I hope to graduate this December. I am going to send in my application as early as I can around June or so. If I were to get accepted to matriculate in 2015 I would have a whole year gap (along with the next Spring semester) where I plan on working to save.

To those who have been able to work at dental offices/labs, how did that come about to you? I plan on getting a CV written up (I have a personal statement ready also), stop by offices/labs, ask if they are hiring, and if they are may I apply.

How did you do it? Did you know them personally, family friend, etc. I believe most places now a days really prefer people with experience so walking in and saying you're a pre dent may not work, especially if they know you won't be there long enough for them to put in the effort to train and such.

I wrote up a cover letter and resume and sent it to dental offices looking for assistants and willing to train on site. I mentioned shadowing experience and that I was getting Teague yp apply to dental school. luckily I got hired at an endodontic office. the experience came up at every interview so it was 100% worth it.

 

[niv3k]

Did you call around beforehand and ask if they were hiring and willing to offer on the job training?

 

[ddsjyoti]

Did you call around beforehand and ask if they were hiring and willing to offer on the job training?

I found like dozens of job postings on craigslist actually

 

[SES0112]

Craigslist... Look for front desk or sterilization positions

 

[niv3k]

Great thanks guys for the info!

 

[Digitalangel]

I was shadowing a dentist for a few months and one day they asked me to work for them 😀 now i have been able to occasionally assist the dentist during procedures, and i work in the lab, as well as clean the room/sterilize the tools ect.

 

[M1K3AA]

4 years experience, should bid me well on interviews

experience is a secondary separator, you need the numbers (dat, gpa) first IMO..

 

[yggdrasila]

Shadow for a new and growing office pick up all the info you can on sterilization, disinfection and assisting, pull lots of hours, and help whenever you can. Ask for a job when they expand.

Actually I had training in assisting in high school, we had a vocational program. I was lucky with my office and I had to pay to get some licensing but some offices will pay that for you. Not many tho, 1 girl I know had her's paid for but she's also paid less per hour than me, so.

My predent advisor finds jobs for people sometimes. I dunno if that's normal tho.

 

[slm266]

Family friends ortho office, assisted 6 months before D1 started, have worked holidays since.

My bro in law had a whole year off and taught high school biology = more than $12/hr.

Learning to do plaster models and sterilize is not really gonna help you in dental school. Having a solid undergrad education is the only thing that really does. Anybody can learn lab techniques from upperclassmen.

 

[SM555]

I began working for a family friend. Based off what I saw while working at the dental office, the best thing to do would be go to the dentists office, introduce yourself, explain you're pre dental and would like to work for him sterilizing instruments, cleaning rooms after patients etc. most dentists would love to help out a pre dental student because they understand what you're going through.

 

[slm266]

You'll have a 1.5 yrs off between school and DS. Go teach high school bio in some underserved community. Better $ than dental assisting, looks good on DS app.