Who should write my LOR?

Started by MavsFanForLife
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MavsFanForLife

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5+ Year Member
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I am having trouble choosing between 2 dentist to write my LOR. I have heard that some schools want to know how many hours you have shadowed the dentist that writes your lor?

Dentist A: Has been a LONG time close family friend, and a very well known established dentist that attended the university I want to go to (UMKC) but I only was able to shadow him for 2 hours.

Dentist B: Dont know nearly as well and pretty fresh out of dental school, but I have shadowed him for 40+ hours.
 
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Neither are very good candidates. Dentist A is the best candidate. I’d only recommend using him after you’ve shadowed him much more. Dental schools don’t care as much about who writes the LOR as they do about what they have to say about your skills and abilities in that LOR. If anything using his LOR without any shadowing hours will hold you back because dental schools will see that you are just using him because you know him, not because you think he can vouch for your skills.
 
TheDentalDude said:
Neither are very good candidates. Dentist A is the best candidate. I’d only recommend using him after you’ve shadowed him much more. Dental schools don’t care as much about who writes the LOR as they do about what they have to say about your skills and abilities in that LOR. If anything using his LOR without any shadowing hours will hold you back because dental schools will see that you are just using him because you know him, not because you think he can vouch for your skills.
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What if I am unable to shadow dentist A again? He lives in my hometown (KC) and I am going to school in idaho and wont be home anytime soon. Should I ask the other dentist? I see him on a regular basis.
 
MavsFanForLife said:
What if I am unable to shadow dentist A again? He lives in my hometown (KC) and I am going to school in idaho and wont be home anytime soon. Should I ask the other dentist? I see him on a regular basis.
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I would ask the other guy. You are going to mention in your application how few hours you shadowed dentist A, so it won't make him look very credible.
 
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