Volunteering in Dental Clinics

[coolslugs]

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Has anyone on here volunteered/ shadowed at a community or military dental clinic before? If so, how was your experience and how long did you do it for?

 

[virginiabeach]

Has anyone on here volunteered/ shadowed at a community or military dental clinic before? If so, how was your experience and how long did you do it for?

I volunteer as an assistant at a local Red Cross dental clinic and it has been a great experience. In my opinion, it has been much better than just shadowing because you have the opportunity to actually get your hands dirty instead of just looking over someones shoulder for a few hours. It has also helped because i have been able to familiarize myself with all the instruments and supplies which will come in handy next year at school. I have been doing it for about 4 months now and will continue to do it even though I have already been accepted.

 

[adr12]

I'm in the Navy, so I have shadowed the dentist at the clinic on my base. It's been a great experience, although just observing, not very hands on. The dentist is a fairly recent graduate of Tufts and he has been very enthusiastic to help me out and let me observe as much as possible. Good luck to you.

 

[Dutchboy]

I have assisted at my local free clinic even though I had no previous assisting experience. I was able to actually see what was going on in the procedures unlike when your observing. I definatly recomend looking into it.

 

[darkwing]

I volunteered at a community dental clinic for 3 months. Its amazing how different public vs private dental clinics are (ie.patients, cases, etc). And you get to shadow different dentist everyday.

 

[dr.buck]

mmm...where do yall live? there are no dental clinics in my area (southeast texas--beaumont area).

 

[darkwing]

I had to go to another town for the clinic i volunteered in( about 20 minutes away) , a small sacrifice but it was worth it..

 

[Advendentist]

I start volunteering at a military dental clinic in january, so lets see how that goes.

 

[coolslugs]

I volunteered at a community dental clinic for 3 months. Its amazing how different public vs private dental clinics are (ie.patients, cases, etc). And you get to shadow different dentist everyday.

does an unpaid internsip at a community dental clinic count as volunteering?

 

[loro627]

If you have some time (and lots of $$) you can actually perform extractions, fillings, etc with International Service Learning (ISL). I went to Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua last June for 2 weeks. It was an AMAZING experience that everyone should do!!! 😀

 

[tissy]

does an unpaid internsip at a community dental clinic count as volunteering?

Which military base are u applying...one in florida..Eglin, Tyndall, or Macdill...

 

[coolslugs]

Which military base are u applying...one in florida..Eglin, Tyndall, or Macdill...

I shadowed a couple of dentists at Travis over the summer, but now I am in this 4hrs/wk internship/volunteering thing at my local community dental clinic.

I am just trying to figure out if dental schools would view that as volunteer work.

 

[sumozmom]

Has anyone on here volunteered/ shadowed at a community or military dental clinic before? If so, how was your experience and how long did you do it for?

yes it's great - the clinic gives you FREE training while u earn your shadowing hours .