Is shadowing important?

[Teletubby]

How important is it to shadow a dentist? Do schools even look at this when we apply?

[McMarauder]

you should shadow even if it's not required so that you have a better idea of what the job entails.  It's not just drilling, filling and billing.

[Mitochon]

On 4/19/2019 at 10:59 PM, McMarauder said:

you should shadow even if it's not required so that you have a better idea of what the job entails.  It's not just drilling, filling and billing.

lol imagine going through dental school only to find out later that it's not for you. Not a good situation to be in but it probably happens

[HopefulDDS]

I personally shadowed with the intent of putting in on my application, but ultimately found it to be incredibly valuable. I shadowed several dentists and having each unique experience highlighted different approaches to practicing dentistry and how much you can customize your career. It's also not just about watching dentists do procedures. It's about finding the dentists that are willing to be resources and provide insight to what a career in dentistry is like and what it takes to be a good dentist. If you can find a dentist that is willing to have you shadow and truly engage with you, then you have found an incredible resource and mentor.

[fluffybunnyyyyy]

how do you find opportunities to shadow dentists? 

9 hours ago, HopefulDDS said:

I personally shadowed with the intent of putting in on my application, but ultimately found it to be incredibly valuable. I shadowed several dentists and having each unique experience highlighted different approaches to practicing dentistry and how much you can customize your career. It's also not just about watching dentists do procedures. It's about finding the dentists that are willing to be resources and provide insight to what a career in dentistry is like and what it takes to be a good dentist. If you can find a dentist that is willing to have you shadow and truly engage with you, then you have found an incredible resource and mentor.

 

[bleuetDMD]

Adding to the above comment, shadowing dentists gives you a pretty good idea of what an actual dentist operates like, how each run their own practices and how they interact with patients. It's really important to get this experience as much as possible, because you can learn a lot from them, and many are eager to mentor you. Schools may not explicitly look at __hours shadowed (although I know they do this in the States), but your shadowing experiences are definitely where you can pull valuable lessons and things you may want to mention during the interviews. When you shadow, it's a lot more than just watching them operate, but watching how they work as a health professional, with their patients, with their staff. 

I personally asked my own dentist if they would let me shadow, and if they knew of any other GPs/specialists that would be open to students as well. 

[BlueFin]

On 4/22/2019 at 10:44 PM, fluffybunnyyyyy said:

how do you find opportunities to shadow dentists? 

 

I called a bunch of local dentist offices and one of them agreed to let me shadow her if I bring her coffee lol