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Tips for Shadowing

It is very important to shadow in a dentist office. If you can work as a dental assistant, that is even better. In Florida, you do not have to be licensed to be a dental assistant. You can be hired to recieve on-the-job training.

I had no dental experience. I had no friends or family that owned or worked in any dental offices. However, by the end of the summer, I was able to shadow over 8 different offices. I called a couple of schools and they said they like to see a minimum of 30-40 hours in a dental office.

It is good to stay in one office and build a good relationship with that dentist. You may need a letter of recommendation from her/him later.

I chose to shadow all different offices in order to see the different practicing styles. I shadowed rich high rises with multiple dentists to small offices with only one dentist to a public clinic.

It wasn't easy getting all those appointments, but here are some great tips:

1 - Start with your own dentist. They will almost certaninty say yes.

2 - If you need more hours, ask your dentist to refer you to someone else. Try, "Dr. D, I'm also interested in learning more about orthodontics, do you know any one I should shadow?" Of course they know someone. Get his/her name and when you call the ortho, explain that you're applying to school and that "Dr. D mentioned shadowing Dr. Ortho would be a great learning opportunity."

3 - If you still need more hours, ask your friends who their dentists are. When you call, drop your friend's name. That is very important. Cold calls seldom work. It is important to associate yourself with a known patient to establish trust.

4 - Offer to volunteer at a clinic. It can be a rewarding experience.

Once you get an appointment, make sure to be on time and wear professional attire! No jeans or open-toes shoes! Pay attention to the dentist, aks questions when appropriate, and just learn as much as possible. You may never get another chance like this to watch people practice.