Applying for dental school now requires many preparations throughout a student's undergraduate career, including 2 years of basic science course requirements aside from major coursework, taking the  DAT, as well as shadowing a practicing dentist. In order to stay competitive, many students are also participating in extra-curricular activities, volunteering, participating in dental mission trips, assisting, and doing undergraduate research. Different schools have different shadowing requirements, but most require 10-50 hours in a dental office in order to apply.  It can often be difficult to meet this requirement when most dental offices are already busy enough.  Having willing dentists available to mentor pre-dental students is a valuable asset and can benefit both student and dentist because the student gains valuable in-office experience and the dentist gains the help of an eager and willing student. 

I personally shadowed a dentist close to my college campus.  He offered me advice on applying for dental school as well as balancing my career and personal goals.  He shared his experiences with me, and wrote me a letter of recommendation for my application.  He has taken on the role of a mentor to me by inviting me to health fairs and continuing education courses. He is now collecting extracted teeth for me to use in dental school, and even emails me when a new pre-dental student comes along or when he wants to recommend a new movie he has seen.  I plan to turn to him for advice throughout dental school as well as when the time comes for me to find a job out of school or when I plan to open my own practice.  To return his kindness I have referred my friends to his practice, and I look forward to one day being his colleague.

~ Shannon Fatehi (1st year dental student at MCG, starting August 2008)