Two Separate Dental LOR's or a Combined One

[CarolinaCrown]

Hey all,


As we approach the new cycle, my bosses (periodontists) inquired about the procedures of writing letters of recommendations. I'm sure I already know the answer to this, but I just want to clarify:

If I have two dentists, from the same practice, willing to write me a letter of recommendation, should they combine their letters into one unit or have them write two separate letters to upload?

I imagine the obvious answer is having one singular letter, but I just want to clarify. Thanks.


-CC

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[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

Hey all,


As we approach the new cycle, my bosses (periodontists) inquired about the procedures of writing letters of recommendations. I'm sure I already know the answer to this, but I just want to clarify:

If I have two dentists, from the same practice, willing to write me a letter of recommendation, should they combine their letters into one unit or have them write two separate letters to upload?

I imagine the obvious answer is having one singular letter, but I just want to clarify. Thanks.


-CC

Yeaaaahhh definitely do two separate letters.

Edit: Let me clarify.

If you are doing a committee, then they will let you submit more than one dentist letter as a part of the committee packet. You would just have to work with your pre-health committee and the dentists.

If you are not doing a committee, then you should be able to submit the second dentist's letter in the "extra letter" option.

As far as which is better, i definitely think having two separate letters is much better, simply because you now have two sources of praise as opposed to one, that simple in my opinion. I see no benefit to mushing it into one letter UNLESS you have a better letter to fill that extra slot with from someone else. If you're using a committee it would still make more sense to keep them separate since you can attach as many letters as possible.

 

[Typical Average Student]

Hey all,


As we approach the new cycle, my bosses (periodontists) inquired about the procedures of writing letters of recommendations. I'm sure I already know the answer to this, but I just want to clarify:

If I have two dentists, from the same practice, willing to write me a letter of recommendation, should they combine their letters into one unit or have them write two separate letters to upload?

I imagine the obvious answer is having one singular letter, but I just want to clarify. Thanks.


-CC

Combined into one.
The reason being is that the dentist letter needs to have an official letterhead or business card and most schools only want one dentist letter and 2 science professors so having 2 dentist letters from the same place seems redundant but I would definitely do it if you were having trouble finding people to write supplemental LORs for you. Just look into each schools website for what they require.

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

Combined into one.
The reason being is that the dentist letter needs to have an official letterhead or business card and most schools only want one dentist letter and 2 science professors so having 2 dentist letters from the same place seems redundant but I would definitely do it if you were having trouble finding people to write supplemental LORs for you. Just look into each schools website for what they require.

So if they don't have a supplemental letter set up, would you still stand by your advice to merge them into one?

I see no benefit honestly, unless they do have a supplemental letter. If they submit one, it's either less personal, or just as redundant as if they submitted two. With the separate letters it is possible to have unique opinions on the student and add in more information that could help him more than just combining would, right?

 

[Typical Average Student]

So if they don't have a supplemental letter set up, would you still stand by your advice to merge them into one?

I see no benefit honestly, unless they do have a supplemental letter. If they submit one, it's either less personal, or just as redundant as if they submitted two. With the separate letters it is possible to have unique opinions on the student and add in more information that could help him more than just combining would, right?

I would maybe suggest to have both of them collaborate and write it together and both sign it idunno. Maybe have your favorite dentist write it lol.

 

[CarolinaCrown]

So if they don't have a supplemental letter set up, would you still stand by your advice to merge them into one?

I see no benefit honestly, unless they do have a supplemental letter. If they submit one, it's either less personal, or just as redundant as if they submitted two. With the separate letters it is possible to have unique opinions on the student and add in more information that could help him more than just combining would, right?

I do have a committee letter set up for one of the dental schools I was applying to, so I assume they can just be used for others as well. By that, I would have the extra slots open for letters

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

I do have a committee letter set up for one of the dental schools I was applying to, so I assume they can just be used for others as well. By that, I would have the extra slots open for letters

Yeah, you can add as many letters as you want to the committee packet, assuming your committee allows you to.

Do you have different relationships with the two dentists? and do you know both of them well?

 

[DOC YANKEM]

Two is better than one, depending on your circumstances. I shadowed two general dentists and are husband and wife. Since the wife owned the practice and the husband barely helped out the wife with 10 procedures a week, I asked for the wife to write my recommendation letter. At the end of the recommendation letter she added his name because he taught at many dental schools for 20+ years so that the letter could have more credibility.

If the two periodontists are not married, then it would give you more reason to have two separate letters written. Like what @stoopidmonkeycatdog said, you can have as many letters in a committee packet.

 

[CarolinaCrown]

Yeah, you can add as many letters as you want to the committee packet, assuming your committee allows you to.

Do you have different relationships with the two dentists? and do you know both of them well?

Both of them are my bosses. They do know me fairly well.

The potential issue I foresee is that both letters, if they write individual ones, are from the same practice. They've had me interact with other practices via shadowing, but truly the both of them are the most comfortable dentists I feel writing me one, as they are my bosses.

Two is better than one, depending on your circumstances. I shadowed two general dentists and are husband and wife. Since the wife owned the practice and the husband barely helped out the wife with 10 procedures a week, I asked for the wife to write my recommendation letter. At the end of the recommendation letter she added his name because he taught at many dental schools for 20+ years so that the letter could have more credibility.

If the two periodontists are not married, then it would give you more reason to have two separate letters written. Like what @stoopidmonkeycatdog said, you can have as many letters in a committee packet.

Alright sounds good! Thanks for the input 🙂

 

[DOC YANKEM]

Both of them are my bosses. They do know me fairly well.

The potential issue I foresee is that both letters, if they write individual ones, are from the same practice. They've had me interact with other practices via shadowing, but truly the both of them are the most comfortable dentists I feel writing me one, as they are my bosses.

There is nothing wrong with having two letters from the same dental practice. Most if not all dental practices have multiple specialties and more than one general dentist.

I'm sure you know, but just make sure you shadow a general dentist. Good Luck. 😉

 

[tlnjd117]

If you believe they can both write different letters about you & emphasize different points in two separate letters, then yes go for two. If they will say essentially the same things then just have ONE of the doctors do just one letter - or a collaborative one. It's really quality over quantity. And you can save that extra letter for a professor or another mentor.

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

Both of them are my bosses. They do know me fairly well.

The potential issue I foresee is that both letters, if they write individual ones, are from the same practice. They've had me interact with other practices via shadowing, but truly the both of them are the most comfortable dentists I feel writing me one, as they are my bosses.



Alright sounds good! Thanks for the input 🙂

It doesn't matter that they are from the same practice, they are two separate individuals.

the quality of a professors letter of recommendation isn't diminished because they work at the same institutions as the other people writing letters ( I know it's a different scenario, but still.)