Hey Laura! I was wandering if you could make a video on what you did in high school like clubs you did, classes you took, and any tips you have. By the way I am obsessed with you videos!!:)
Hey Av J! So what I did was go to my local dentist and asked the lady at the front and she said "sure, do you wanna come in tommorow?" So basically dont be afraid to just go in and ask, most of the time the dentist love to have students shadow and observe their craft! ( I know this is a late response but i figured it could help others that watched this video)
Sahil Jamal Did you use your resume at all? I was planning to ask, but am scared because I am typically the one who can’t start non-awkward conversations at all.
@@Tingling10 Funny you asked, my printer wasnt working so I just went in without a resume and the dental office didnt even want one! Also dont be nervous, if you have a resume bring it and give it to the office and just say that you are interested in shadowing the dentist and if you are a undergrad student say where you attend college at
Very helpful, as I am just starting my pre-dental journey now. Can't believe this was from 5 years ago but was still so helpful! Would love to shadow you if possible!
Just apply. You may not be qualified to do everything immediately. Also, offices have different personalities. Find a place you like and that they seem welcoming. There's always room for more help.
Thank you for all your tips Laura! I'm currently a senior in highschool and I was wondering how to go about shadowing. How did you manage to find and shadow different dentists and work as a receptionist? How could I keep track of my shadowing hours once I am able to find dentists that would allow me to shadow? Again thank you so much Laura (:
I asked my own dentist first if I could shadow him and then I asked other local dentists in the area! Most of them are more than happy to have students shadow (at least in my experience haha)! I was lucky and got the receptionist job because my mom is a hygienist and one of the dentists that she works for was looking for a part-time receptionist on the weekends. I kept track of my shadowing hours on an Excel sheet! I had columns for 1) Date 2) Number of hours shadowed 3) Which dentist I shadowed 4) Anything I learned that day (ex. if I observed a really anxious patient I would take mental notes on how the dentist worked with that patient to help calm him/her down)
Hey Laura. Love your videos. I'm a high school student and I finally got an internship it's been hard to find. I'm really excited I start in September. Thanks for your videos. I'm going to become a General practice dentist specialized in endodontics one day.
How did you approach shadowing dentists?? And also do you have to keep a paper track of all the shadowing hours like having them sign the paper as proof for your dental school or is it just all on you to remember the hours you've done??
I would first ask your own dentist to shadow! Just let him/her know that you're thinking of pursuing dentistry and want to learn more about it! I kept track just on an Excel file with dates and hours
Hey Laura!! I am a junior in high school and a RDA. I started going to dental class this school year and i can’t wait to start my preceptorship this summer. Your videos have helping me want to become a dentist
I love your videos, Laura. You've really helped put dental school into perspective for me! I'm in my final month of high school and tomorrow, I am contacting my college advisor and telling her that I am going to pursue pre-dental, starting this upcoming fall :) I can't wait for more videos!
Hi,, I dreamed to be a dental student. But I know I will lose the admission test. Because what ever I read during year,,, I forget almost everything. I don't know what should I do now... Should I die,,???
Hey, Laura I just love your videos and everything you are doing to help enrich pre-dental students and non pre-dental students. I was wondering if an individual has been working as a dental assistant for a couple of years and after getting all the prerequisites needed for dental school, would the dental school still need the pre-dental student to have some dental Shadowing hours as well eventhough they have a lot of experience by working in a dental setting for quite some time? What do you recommend and why? Thanks!😁
i love your videos! im currently a freshmen in college. I worked as a dental assistant my senior year of highschool and during the summer, does that count as shadowing or should i shadow during my undergrad years?
Hi Laura! To put a club down for an activity on dental school applications do you have to be a president, Vice President, treasure for the club? Or can you just say you were a member? Thank you!
Hey Laura! Thanks for making helpful pre-dental videos like this one!! Super useful & love your smile :) Quick question- can you include your extracurricular activities from high school in your dental school application if they are dental-related? (ex. being involved in a medical-oriented organization in high school and holding an officer position). Thanks for any feedback you can provide!!
Hi! I am so happy you're doing this! I want to become an Orthodontist and I am very passionate about it. I hope you continue to show your journey:) I was wondering, when did you start shadowing? I want to have an idea of the steps you took before getting into dental school and so on please! Thank you very much!!
Hey Laura! Love your videos :) I was wondering, how important are grades in college when you have well-rounded extracurriculars? What is the average undergrad gpa amongst you and your peers?
Hi Desiree! Thanks for watching! Grades are still very important, even with well-rounded extracurriculars. I don't have my class' stats on me, but aim for the best overall and science/pre-req grades you can get. Different dental schools differ in their incoming class' GPA but I believe an avg GPA would be around 3.6/3.7 (but don't quote me on that cause don't have the numbers)! For exact numbers I would look into the current year's ADEA Guide to Dental Schools ( www.adea.org/officialguide/ ) I used this when narrowing down which schools to apply for so I could see where I stood in relation to schools' acceptance GPAs. Hope that helps! :)
What about internships? Do you think internships are a key thing for pre health students? I've noticed that there aren't many pre health internships besides research ones thanks for this video it was super helpful and fun like all of your other ones!! (:
Hi Amber! Thanks for watching!! I haven't heard anything about pre-dental internships before so I have no knowledge about those! I would say it's definitely not essential, but would be helpful if available!
Hi Laura! I recently switched over from preMed to dental, and I have a hours in Hospice and in the Emergency Dep. Will these hours count for Dental school or I do I have to only dentistry-focused experiences? Thank you!
dental school requires shadowing hours from dentists but your experiences will definitely count towards overall experience. I suggest getting more dental experience though!
Hey Laura. I’m currently a highschool student who has a job at a dentist office have been shadowing about 6 hours a week since September!! It’s been awesome and your vlogs help with my drive towards dentistry. Will be starting college in the fall of this year!
Starting my freshman year of college & I am super excited! I’m majoring in Biology & I know that I am going to be doing something with Dentistry! Stumbled across your channel & all these videos & your experiences makes me super excited for dental school!! New Subscriber for sure! :-)
Would talking about building / fixing computers be a bad idea for non dental related extracurriculars? Applying in 6 months and that’s my only hobby / job D:
hey, I am still in grade 10 I am looking forward to going into dentistry school, but I am not sure which major I should take chemistry or biology between chemistry and biology, which will be more helpful to take as a major?
For most dental schools, they don't require a specific major. You can major in almost anything like underwater basket weaving. But the thing is that you have to complete the required coursework that the dental school want you to have.
I’ve just started watching your video, I got to UConn and my major is biology. I figured i might not be so good in BS so I’m doing BA . I love biology(the class) but it seems like it doesn’t like me lol .. is there any advice you’d give to a student struggling in a bio class..
Rotating methods of studying helped me retain the information..I used lots of flash cards and concept maps. Recording the lectures and going back to take more detailed notes helped me not miss any important info. RUclips was also a great resource. Tons of good vids that explain processes and concepts in more friendly way. Bio can be difficult but my best classes so far have been biology based. You got this!!
It varies by state! When some my classmates were pre-dental students, they got trained on the job as a dental assistant! There are specific trainings you need to complete (which the dentist should tell you about), but you don't necessarily need to go to school to become a dental assistant! Hope that helps! :)
I actually don't like this video because I didn't get any advice about extracurriculars that will help me improve my resume to get into dental school. Its fine hearing about your EC's but I think you should give more advice.
Good lord, it seems like you have enough experience that could get ten students into dental school.
I'm a senior in high school and watching your videos really inspire and push me to become an orthodontist thankyou so much you are very helpful.
This is is so stressful, idk how you managed all that with classes
Noor Tamim start early and create a fixed schedule.
Hey Laura! I was wandering if you could make a video on what you did in high school like clubs you did, classes you took, and any tips you have. By the way I am obsessed with you videos!!:)
Thanks so much for watching! Yes - I'll made a video about what I suggest doing in high school! :)
How did you approach dentists for shadowing? Did you just go up to their offices or call/email?
Hey Av J! So what I did was go to my local dentist and asked the lady at the front and she said "sure, do you wanna come in tommorow?" So basically dont be afraid to just go in and ask, most of the time the dentist love to have students shadow and observe their craft! ( I know this is a late response but i figured it could help others that watched this video)
Sahil Jamal Did you use your resume at all? I was planning to ask, but am scared because I am typically the one who can’t start non-awkward conversations at all.
@@Tingling10 Funny you asked, my printer wasnt working so I just went in without a resume and the dental office didnt even want one! Also dont be nervous, if you have a resume bring it and give it to the office and just say that you are interested in shadowing the dentist and if you are a undergrad student say where you attend college at
Not even a dental student but I just love your videos! you are so motivating and positive i love it!!! :)
Haha thanks for watching!! :)
Very helpful, as I am just starting my pre-dental journey now. Can't believe this was from 5 years ago but was still so helpful! Would love to shadow you if possible!
Hey Laura! I love your positivity❤️ this video is so helpful for me because I didnt know where to start with my extracurriculars. Thank youu💞
Hi! Thanks so much! Glad that you found it useful cause I wish that I had a video like this when I was a pre-dent! :)
Hi Laura! I was wondering how one can become a dental assistant or dental receptionist with no experience or certifications?
Just apply. You may not be qualified to do everything immediately. Also, offices have different personalities. Find a place you like and that they seem welcoming. There's always room for more help.
Thank you for all your tips Laura! I'm currently a senior in highschool and I was wondering how to go about shadowing. How did you manage to find and shadow different dentists and work as a receptionist? How could I keep track of my shadowing hours once I am able to find dentists that would allow me to shadow? Again thank you so much Laura (:
I asked my own dentist first if I could shadow him and then I asked other local dentists in the area! Most of them are more than happy to have students shadow (at least in my experience haha)! I was lucky and got the receptionist job because my mom is a hygienist and one of the dentists that she works for was looking for a part-time receptionist on the weekends.
I kept track of my shadowing hours on an Excel sheet! I had columns for 1) Date 2) Number of hours shadowed 3) Which dentist I shadowed 4) Anything I learned that day (ex. if I observed a really anxious patient I would take mental notes on how the dentist worked with that patient to help calm him/her down)
LauraSmiles Did you have to use resumes when asking to shadow dentist(s)?
Hey Laura. Love your videos. I'm a high school student and I finally got an internship it's been hard to find. I'm really excited I start in September. Thanks for your videos. I'm going to become a General practice dentist specialized in endodontics one day.
I finally got hired as a dental assistant . You inspire me to go higher . My goal for now is to become a RDA . Thank you ❤️😇
That's so great, congrats!!
How did you approach shadowing dentists?? And also do you have to keep a paper track of all the shadowing hours like having them sign the paper as proof for your dental school or is it just all on you to remember the hours you've done??
I would first ask your own dentist to shadow! Just let him/her know that you're thinking of pursuing dentistry and want to learn more about it! I kept track just on an Excel file with dates and hours
Hey Laura!! I am a junior in high school and a RDA. I started going to dental class this school year and i can’t wait to start my preceptorship this summer. Your videos have helping me want to become a dentist
Hi Edward! Great work!!! Sounds like you're super on track for the dental school path! Glad that my videos are helpful :)
I love your videos, Laura. You've really helped put dental school into perspective for me! I'm in my final month of high school and tomorrow, I am contacting my college advisor and telling her that I am going to pursue pre-dental, starting this upcoming fall :) I can't wait for more videos!
Early congrats to you on graduating! That's awesome - dentistry is such an awesome field to pursue! :)
Hi!! For shadowing, do you get signatures from the dentists as proof that you shadowed them for a certain amount of hours?
Hi,,
I dreamed to be a dental student. But I know I will lose the admission test. Because what ever I read during year,,, I forget almost everything. I don't know what should I do now...
Should I die,,???
How do I show to schools that I shadowed? What do I do for proving that I shadowed?
Hey, Laura I just love your videos and everything you are doing to help enrich pre-dental students and non pre-dental students. I was wondering if an individual has been working as a dental assistant for a couple of years and after getting all the prerequisites needed for dental school, would the dental school still need the pre-dental student to have some dental Shadowing hours as well eventhough they have a lot of experience by working in a dental setting for quite some time? What do you recommend and why? Thanks!😁
i love your videos! im currently a freshmen in college. I worked as a dental assistant my senior year of highschool and during the summer, does that count as shadowing or should i shadow during my undergrad years?
Hi Laura! To put a club down for an activity on dental school applications do you have to be a president, Vice President, treasure for the club? Or can you just say you were a member? Thank you!
You definitely don't have to be in a leadership position! YES, put that you were a member!! :)
Does shadowing a dentist at a free dental clinic count?
Yes. Dental care is dental care to a point. It's good to get a range of experiences.
Man this is so cool this videos makes me excited for college
woohoo!!!
Hey Laura! Thanks for making helpful pre-dental videos like this one!! Super useful & love your smile :) Quick question- can you include your extracurricular activities from high school in your dental school application if they are dental-related? (ex. being involved in a medical-oriented organization in high school and holding an officer position). Thanks for any feedback you can provide!!
Thanks for watching! I'll try to make a video about high school extracurriculars in the future!
LauraSmiles cpcpfcfcpxc🥀🥀🥀🚬☁️☁️🦔🤬🤬🤬
Hi! I am so happy you're doing this! I want to become an Orthodontist and I am very passionate about it. I hope you continue to show your journey:) I was wondering, when did you start shadowing? I want to have an idea of the steps you took before getting into dental school and so on please! Thank you very much!!
I started shadowing sophomore year!
your videos are so helpful! thank you!
Yay good! Thanks for watching! :)
Hey Laura! Love your videos :) I was wondering, how important are grades in college when you have well-rounded extracurriculars? What is the average undergrad gpa amongst you and your peers?
Hi Desiree! Thanks for watching! Grades are still very important, even with well-rounded extracurriculars. I don't have my class' stats on me, but aim for the best overall and science/pre-req grades you can get. Different dental schools differ in their incoming class' GPA but I believe an avg GPA would be around 3.6/3.7 (but don't quote me on that cause don't have the numbers)!
For exact numbers I would look into the current year's ADEA Guide to Dental Schools ( www.adea.org/officialguide/ ) I used this when narrowing down which schools to apply for so I could see where I stood in relation to schools' acceptance GPAs. Hope that helps! :)
Hey Laura! What did you use to help keep track your volunteer hours?
I just kept track on an Excel file!
What about internships? Do you think internships are a key thing for pre health students? I've noticed that there aren't many pre health internships besides research ones
thanks for this video it was super helpful and fun like all of your other ones!! (:
Hi Amber! Thanks for watching!!
I haven't heard anything about pre-dental internships before so I have no knowledge about those! I would say it's definitely not essential, but would be helpful if available!
Wow we have almost the same extracurriculars! And Indian vs Cambodian lol... I'm applying this cycle, awesome video!
Nice, twinsies! Best of luck!!
Hi Laura! I recently switched over from preMed to dental, and I have a hours in Hospice and in the Emergency Dep. Will these hours count for Dental school or I do I have to only dentistry-focused experiences? Thank you!
dental school requires shadowing hours from dentists but your experiences will definitely count towards overall experience. I suggest getting more dental experience though!
Why did u take a gap year?
Good question! I'm going to make a video all about this :)
Hey Laura. I’m currently a highschool student who has a job at a dentist office have been shadowing about 6 hours a week since September!! It’s been awesome and your vlogs help with my drive towards dentistry. Will be starting college in the fall of this year!
Dang, you're on top of it - that's awesome! Thanks for watching and good luck on your studies! :)
Question: if I start shadowing my senior year of high school, will that count?
YES!
Starting my freshman year of college & I am super excited! I’m majoring in Biology & I know that I am going to be doing something with Dentistry! Stumbled across your channel & all these videos & your experiences makes me super excited for dental school!! New Subscriber for sure! :-)
Woohoo congrats on starting college! Thanks for watching! :)
Would talking about building / fixing computers be a bad idea for non dental related extracurriculars? Applying in 6 months and that’s my only hobby / job D:
hey, I am still in grade 10
I am looking forward to going into dentistry school, but I am not sure which major I should take chemistry or biology
between chemistry and biology, which will be more helpful to take as a major?
For most dental schools, they don't require a specific major. You can major in almost anything like underwater basket weaving. But the thing is that you have to complete the required coursework that the dental school want you to have.
I’ve just started watching your video, I got to UConn and my major is biology. I figured i might not be so good in BS so I’m doing BA . I love biology(the class) but it seems like it doesn’t like me lol .. is there any advice you’d give to a student struggling in a bio class..
Rotating methods of studying helped me retain the information..I used lots of flash cards and concept maps. Recording the lectures and going back to take more detailed notes helped me not miss any important info. RUclips was also a great resource. Tons of good vids that explain processes and concepts in more friendly way. Bio can be difficult but my best classes so far have been biology based. You got this!!
Awesome video!
Thank you!
hmm... don't I need a license to be a dental assistant to get that experience before applying to dental school?
It varies by state! When some my classmates were pre-dental students, they got trained on the job as a dental assistant! There are specific trainings you need to complete (which the dentist should tell you about), but you don't necessarily need to go to school to become a dental assistant! Hope that helps! :)
do you need a BA degree in order to get into dental school?
yes
Where do you log your hours ?
make an excel sheet
How would get a dental assistant job
check the local job listings and ask your dentist if he/she knows anyone hiring! or look into a dental assistant program
lmao the intro was adorable
haha p e a c e
I want to be a dental assistant:)
That's awesome! Dental assistants do so much - r e s p e c t
Hey laura!!! Give us a peep in ur locker... If possible
Thanks for the suggestion!
I actually don't like this video because I didn't get any advice about extracurriculars that will help me improve my resume to get into dental school. Its fine hearing about your EC's but I think you should give more advice.