Pre-dental students should note that competitive UMBC pre-dental applicants have been averaging 300 shadowing hours prior to applying to dental school. Shadowing experience provides students with the opportunity to learn about the role of the dentist, observe the dentist-patient relationship, and learn about working in a clinical environment. By the time of application, pre-dental students should have a nuanced understanding of their motivation for pursuing the field of dentistry and why they want to be a dentist rather than another member of the dental healthcare team. If possible, students are encouraged to gain experience in assisting dentists via training from a dentist or through a formal dental assisting program.
A Note on Volunteer Service or Dental Shadowing Opportunities Abroad
Within the United States and Baltimore, there are endless opportunities for observing health practices and shadowing licensed professionals. Although, if a student is interested in global volunteerism, there are serious ethical issues to consider as detailed in the following links:
- The Risks and Benefits of Medical Volunteerism
- How to Volunteer Abroad Ethically and Avoid Scams
- Dental Volunteering Abroad and Medical Mission Trips
If you go abroad, make sure your experience does not exploit people in other countries, does not undermine the infrastructure of other countries, and does not perpetuate the myth of “any help is better than none.”
How to Document Clinical-related Hours
Documenting shadowing or other types of clinical-related experiences is very informal. There is no official paperwork to complete, nor is there official paperwork to obtain from the clinic or hospital. Our office provides an activity tracking template, which may be downloaded and completed. Alternatively, students may choose to track their clinical/shadowing hours in a personal notebook. For each experience, it is suggested that students log the date, number of hours spent observing, the name of the professional(s) they shadowed, the name of the dental office or clinic where the experience took place, and what they learned and observed (in general, what procedures or surgeries did the student observe, what career advice was given by the professional, patient-dentist relationship observations, unusual diagnoses or patients, etc.)
ADEA Dental Shadowing articles
- What is shadowing and how do you get started?
- Shadowing opportunities
- Tips from current D.D.S. and Dental Hygiene students
Special Dentistry Programs That Include a Clinical Experience Component
- Rutgers School of Dental Medicine’s Gateway to Dentistry Program
- University of Pennsylvania’s Introduction to Dentistry Course
Students Can Use These Sites to Find Dentists to Shadow
Dental offices Where UMBC Students Have Completed Clinical Experience
A student’s family dentist, a dentist-friend of the family, or dentists listed within a student’s health insurance directory are some other potential mentors to shadow.
Laurel Bush Family Dentistry (Bel Air, MD) 443-512-8703
Matthew Dow Family Dentistry (Taneytown, MD) 410-751-1770
Abdul K. Jadun, DDS (Washington, DC) 202-269-3387
Arthur E. Vail, DDS, PA (Arbutus, MD) 410-242-5111
Elite Family Dental (Ellicott City, MD) 410-461-1166
Harold E. Landis, DDS (Silver Spring, MD) 301-681-7061
H.R. Janloo, DDS, PhD, Family and Cosmetic Dentistry (Eldersburg, MD) 410-795-8878
Jun Y. Park, DDS (Eldersburg, MD) 410-781-7188
K & C Family Dentistry (Baltimore, MD) 410-525-0100
- All Smiles Dental Care (Westminster, MD)
- Dental One Associates (various locations)
- Grace Dental Clinic (Columbia, MD)
- Katkow Dentistry, LLC (Columbia, MD)
- McDonough Dental Associates (Owings Mills, MD)
- Papillon Dental Care (Largo, MD)
- Pearlfection Dentistry-Urbana (Urbana, MD)
- Smiley Dental Care (Rockville, MD) 301-984-1095
- University of Maryland Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates (Baltimore, MD)
Summer Opportunities for Pre-Health Students
The UMBC PreMedical & PreDental Advising Office does not officially promote, sponsor or recommend any company or organization. Information is gathered for students and made available to them.