ok, here's what I did...
First, I got in touch w/a dentist who had placed an ad in the paper looking for a dental asst. From there, I told her that I'm not a certified DA, just a pre-dent looking for some office experience...the dentist was very open to this and she let me come in for 5-6 visits and observe and also help out around the place (developing x-rays, cleaning & prepping exam rooms, sterilizing instruments (learning the names helps!!) and basic assisting work like suctioning and stuff). I didn't get paid for any of this and spent a total of 20-25 hrs. there over a couple months. This family dentist then put me in touch w/several other specialty dentists in the area since I'd told her I planned on specializing....I ended up going to work for an orthodontist, endo, and OMS. One of them also told me about a free dental clinic downtown where I've been working as an assistant. Next, I decided to try and get some research experience, so I just randomly called up the local dental school (UNC), told them I want to get research experience and am applying to dental school, and from there got referred to several diff. individuals whom I touched base w/via e-mail about diff. projects and how I could go about getting involved. It wasn't easy and took some perseverance, but worked....you just gotta be very friendly, provide a copy of your resume as an attachment on e-mails you send around, and let them know how much it means to you. I ended up landing a potential gig but then declined b/c I got a diff., behavioral medicine job offer I'd been pursuing.
As for how to 'record' your hours....I never kept any formal 'log sheet' or had the docs fill anything out for me. On applications I just gave my best estimate of how many hours I'd spend at each office and with whom I'd worked. I really don't think the schools try to verify your hours by calling up the dentists and matching their estimate of how much time you spent there w/yours! They trust that as a potential professional-level student you have some integrity and won't make some outlandish claim of having spent 100 hours w/a doc you worked w/for all of 5!
Hope this helps and let me know if I can give any further insight....
46 days 'till 12/1st... 😎
