What were your shadowing experiences like?

[ryche22]

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hey hey,

i started shadowing today for a couple hours, and i assume that this is the first time the dentist had someone shadowing them. he did not know what he should be doing, or what i should be doing. so i just followed him from room to room, and sat in a chair in the corner.

i couldnt really see any of the action inside the mouth as he and his assistant were doing fillings and a temporary crown prep...i was just in the corner. the only way i could see what was really going on was to lean over the patients face, and i didnt want to make them feel uncomfortable.

he explained procedures as he was doing them, and that was about it. all and all a good experience.

i was wondering what your experiences were like, and if there are certain points i should bring up during my stay there.

thanks

 

[Sprgrover]

Shadowing is just that - you give your doctor's shadow a break and follow him around in its place. All of my experiences shadowing were great. The dentists had great patient and clinical skills, they would introduce me to the patients to make sure they were comfortable with me observing them, they would explain what they were doing and would often step aside so I could get a better look, and so on. While they were working I would remain silent unless spoken to (afterall, blurting out "Wow! Look at the smoke coming from that drill!" isn't the best thing to do around a nervous patient). Usually between patients and during breaks the dentist and I would chat and I would ask questions and he'd give advice. I also tried to talk to some of the dental assistants that I liked. I would inquire as to what they thought went into being both a good practitioner and a boss and so on.

In regards to questions to ask, I would ask him about his dental school experience, your list of schools, what makes for a successful practice, future trends in dentistry that you may want to consider (e.g. implants), and anything else that you may want an opinion on. Every one of the dentists that I shadowed had a lot to say on these topics and many of them were brought up by the dentists themselves. If you are having trouble formulating some questions then go ahead and make a list ahead of time and remember to bring them up at an appropriate time. Afterall, you'll be talking to someone that has been through the process and is a tremendous resource. Best of luck in continuing your shadowing!