Volunteer vs. Shadowing

[Nemitode]

Hi guys,

I was wondering whether volunteering in a dental clinic is more important than shadowing a dentist. Should I have more hours for one or the other? So far, I have had 40 hours volunteering in a dental clinic, and I’m planning to shadow a few dentists for a total of 200 hours or so. I’m also planning on getting 300 hours volunteering in a hospital (not dental related). My question is — should I do more volunteering in a dental clinic? For me, I think shadowing would be much more helpful because I get to ask the dentist questions and watch procedures. While I’m volunteering, I don’t get to do that as much. I was hoping the 40 hours, which I got from a dental assisting program, was enough. Is it?

Also, does 300 hours in a hospital that is not dental related fishy? Like, I like offering my time to help the nurses out because they need all the help they can get. But I feel like it seems more than dental related things. Does that mean I should increase my dental shadowing hours instead?

Thanks so much in advance!!

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[HarvardStudent]

I would say do whatever you find more enjoyable and worthwhile.
The highest that schools require for shadowing is 100 hours, so 200 would be plenty. I wouldn't worry too much about getting any more hours than that, and you'll probably run out of interest and things to ask dentists by your 50th hour or so.
Volunteering definitely adds to your application, but there's nothing specific about it that schools are looking for. It's no biggie whether it's dental related or not, and the number of hours generally doesn't really mean much unless you're passionately committing like 500+ hours or something to something specific. Just make sure you're able to reflect on what you got out of your volunteering experiences.
As to whether or not 300 hours looks fishy, it'll definitely make those reading you applicants suspect that you were thinking about medicine at some point. But that's common and you'll just have to prepare to answer the "why dentistry but not medicine" question in your interviews.

 

[TheDentalSchoolCoach]

Hi guys,

I was wondering whether volunteering in a dental clinic is more important than shadowing a dentist. Should I have more hours for one or the other? So far, I have had 40 hours volunteering in a dental clinic, and I’m planning to shadow a few dentists for a total of 200 hours or so. I’m also planning on getting 300 hours volunteering in a hospital (not dental related). My question is — should I do more volunteering in a dental clinic? For me, I think shadowing would be much more helpful because I get to ask the dentist questions and watch procedures. While I’m volunteering, I don’t get to do that as much. I was hoping the 40 hours, which I got from a dental assisting program, was enough. Is it?

Also, does 300 hours in a hospital that is not dental related fishy? Like, I like offering my time to help the nurses out because they need all the help they can get. But I feel like it seems more than dental related things. Does that mean I should increase my dental shadowing hours instead?

Thanks so much in advance!!

They are both dental related activities. So, id do what you find more enjoyable. My preference would be volunteering.

 

[Faefly]

I think increasing volunteering hours at any place is more important than increasing shadowing hours.
Volunteering means that you care to give your valuable time to help others!
It is a noble and selfless act.

 

[Nemitode]

I would say do whatever you find more enjoyable and worthwhile.
The highest that schools require for shadowing is 100 hours, so 200 would be plenty. I wouldn't worry too much about getting any more hours than that, and you'll probably run out of interest and things to ask dentists by your 50th hour or so.
Volunteering definitely adds to your application, but there's nothing specific about it that schools are looking for. It's no biggie whether it's dental related or not, and the number of hours generally doesn't really mean much unless you're passionately committing like 500+ hours or something to something specific. Just make sure you're able to reflect on what you got out of your volunteering experiences.
As to whether or not 300 hours looks fishy, it'll definitely make those reading you applicants suspect that you were thinking about medicine at some point. But that's common and you'll just have to prepare to answer the "why dentistry but not medicine" question in your interviews.

They are both dental related activities. So, id do what you find more enjoyable. My preference would be volunteering.

I think increasing volunteering hours at any place is more important than increasing shadowing hours.
Volunteering means that you care to give your valuable time to help others!
It is a noble and selfless act.

Thanks for the quick responses! Just a follow up question — should I continue volunteering in the same dental clinic or get hours at another place. Just to get a feel for how other places work. Does it matter?

 

[TheDentalSchoolCoach]

I should not matter where you are volunteering. IF you are already volunteering somewhere, keep doing it.

 

[Cavity_Search]

If your hospital volunteering involves working with patients mention it somewhere on your application. Patient care, whether it's in a hospital or a dental clinic, is still patient care. In a dental office you take blood pressures, heart rates, ask about medical history, etc just like in the hospital. It's experience that'll benefit you in the future as a dental provider.