Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many shadowing hours do you recommend?
Most schools require a minimum of 40 hours of shadowing in order to apply. However, the average amount of hours for students accepted into dental school usually lies at around 100 hours. Overall, the more hours you shadow, the better.
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2. How many dentists should I shadow?
Ideally, you should shadow one dentist, and establish a good relationship with him/her in order to ensure that you will receive a promising letter of recommendation. Nevertheless, shadowing at other offices, or dentists of different specialties, definitely won’t hurt you; it will provide you with different perspectives, and enrich your knowledge of the dental field.
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3. Should I shadow a specialist?
As stated by an interviewer: it is preferable that an applicant shadow a general dentist, because that is what you must become first, before moving on to any specialties. If you wish to shadow a specialist, it would be preferable that you also plan to shadow a general dentist as well.
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4. How important is manual dexterity?
Manual dexterity is a fundamental aspect of dentistry. It is necessary for a student to have good dexterity with their hands, and interviewers will always ask for some sort of proof that the applicant possesses it. This is much easier to prove than most people think though. Some examples commonly used include playing an instrument, building model airplanes/cars/boats, sketching, sculpturing, etc. Just about anything that requires extensive use of the hands and fingers can be used to demonstrate manual dexterity.
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5. What is the difference between a DMD and DDS?
DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) are equivalent degrees and are both dental diplomas. Some schools choose to award a DDS while others award DMD. The education is exactly the same.
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6. How do I apply to dental school?
The ADSAAS dental school application is in standardized format, and must only be completed once on the ADEA website (www.adea.org). You must also submit an official transcript, along with your letters of evaluation/recommendation, and DAT score, before being interviewed and admitted into any dental school.
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7. How many words in my personal statement?
1000 words.
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8. How soon should I ask for my recommendation letters?
ASAP. With most professors and dentists, it helps to notify them as soon as you can, that you’ll need a letter. In this manner, they can have time to write your letter, and you have opportunities to remind them, without seeming hasty about it.
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No, research is not necessary to get into dental school, but it definitely helps.
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10. What major is needed to enter into dental school?
Dental schools do not require a specific major. Therefore, you may major in almost anything. In fact, it is possible to get into dental school without completing your major. What is required is that you complete the pre-requisite courses for the dental school you wish to apply to.
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11. What might they ask me in the interview?
Commonly asked questions include:
Why do you want to become a dentist?
What kind of dentistry might interest you?
What experiences stirred your interest in dentistry?
Why are you applying to this school?
Is it your first choice?
Are any of your relatives dentists? If so, where did they go to school?
How would you rate your ability with your hands on a scale of 1-10?
Have you had any practical experience in dentistry?
What other work experience have you had?
To which other schools are you applying?
How do you plan to pay for dental school and living expenses?
Why dental, rather than medical school?
What if you had a patient who did not pay?
What are your weaknesses?
Basically, the best advice is to be ready for just about anything, and always answer truthfully and assertively.
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12. What do I wear to my interview?
Professional attire is a must.
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13. What is considered community service?
Any unpaid service for the benefit of the public is considered community service. It helps if you stick to health-related community service (such as helping in a hospital or teaching children about oral health), in order to expand your “health” knowledge and patient relations experience in preparation for the dental field, but any form of community service will do.
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