Vcu lor

[alexamasan]

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Aww man, this has made me stressed out. VCU requires a letter from a "dental practioner," does that necessarily mean dentist ? The reason I ask is because I've been volunteering at a dental clinic for a long time and the director of the dental clinic is writing me a letter, but now that I think about it more, I don't know if she would be considered a dental practioner. What do you guys think?

 

[srb711]

So the director of the clinic is not a dentist (no DDS or DMD after her name)?

 

[alexamasan]

Sadly no, she's just been working in the health field for several years and supervises the dental operations of the clinic. This will not be so good if VCU doesn't consider her as dental practioner since this clinic I volunteer for is highly advertised by the pre-dental club and advisors at my university and the pre-dental department at my school says that letters don't necessarily have to be from dentist.

 

[scottyhoop]

I think you do need a letter from a dentist. You have to have shadowing hours, so just use the dentist that you shadow for your letter. Good luck!

Scotty

 

[alexamasan]

Well this is a little discouraging. But yes, at the clinic I did assist the dentist with the procedures a little by suctioning the blood and saliva during the procedures. And we also talked a lot about dental related things when we weren't doing a procedure. Though it's been a while since I've been assigned to days where she wasn't working. But I'm sure she remembers me and I have to ask a dentist it seems.

This whole time I was under the impression that the letter from the clinic director would be sufficient, but I guess my advisers were telling me how things would work generally. I should have looked more closely at the schools I was planning to apply to. I'm gonna call the school up to make sure I understand everything they need. But just out of curiosity, was anyone able to get into dental schools without a LOR from a dentist specifically?

 

[scottyhoop]

Just so you know...I'm pretty sure VCU wants to see at least 100 hours of shadowing a dentist. Sounds like a lot, but it's really not. Once you get your 100 hours in, a letter from a dentist shouldn't be an issue. I'm not sure about getting in anywhere without a letter from a dentist, but I would bet not having a letter from a dentist wouldn't help your cause at all. Do the shadowing and get the letter. Better safe than sorry!

Scotty

 

[Master Pain]

Just so you know...I'm pretty sure VCU wants to see at least 100 hours of shadowing a dentist. Sounds like a lot, but it's really not. Once you get your 100 hours in, a letter from a dentist shouldn't be an issue. I'm not sure about getting in anywhere without a letter from a dentist, but I would bet not having a letter from a dentist wouldn't help your cause at all. Do the shadowing and get the letter. Better safe than sorry!

Scotty

Agreed!