The first contact you have with a student may be the child of a friend , a patient you have cared for since their first visit , or possibly a “ cold call .” Former PDA president Dr . Nancy Rosenthal recounts her experience with an aspiring student that had no prior experience working or shadowing in a dental office . The student said she chose to call her office because of the positive online reviews from patients – they gave her the feeling Dr . Rosenthal would be a really good mentor .
Another aspiring dentist Marina Duka , now a D4 student at Temple , also spent time in Dr . Rosenthal ’ s office . Their connection was precipitated by a chance conversation her father had with his endodontist . He knew Dr . Rosenthal was looking for some help navigating the challenges of room turnover and patient flow that we suddenly faced with COVID . Marina estimates the combined time she spent shadowing in an office while attending the University of Pittsburgh as an undergrad and Dr . Rosenthal ’ s office easily exceed 200 hours . She appreciated the opportunity to get a feeling for her strengths and preferences and was surprised to find out how much non-clinical knowledge is needed to run a practice – insurance , scheduling and patient management skills . Marina encourages dentists to pay it forward .
“ Chances are there was someone who helped and mentored you .”
Should you agree to host a student , be prepared for the student to ask you a lot of questions and to write a letter of recommendation . Take note of their professionalism , regard for patient privacy , promptness , inquisitiveness and compassion .
Unless the student has a family member in the profession , they will have questions such as :
• Would you still pursue dentistry if you could go back in time ?
• How do you balance work and family life ?
• What gets you excited about coming to work every day ?
If they are considering particular dental schools , they may be particularly interested in what you thought about your dental school experience .
In his Abington office , PDA member Dr . Jay Freedman has been a passionate mentor not only for residents , but for more than 20 students interested in learning more about dentistry as a career choice . He encourages them to explore other practice modalities and other health-related careers too .
“ We can help students get a taste of the profession before they commit ,”
Dr . Freedman said . Being able to “ try before you buy ” is important when making a career choice that comes with such an enormous financial commitment , he added . One of Dr . Freedman ’ s first mentees was a high school student who didn ’ t even know he wanted to be a dentist at the time .
Both Dr . Rosenthal and Dr . Freedman agree that their patients react very positively when introduced to students shadowing in their offices . The patients appreciate their provider is thinking about the future of the profession . On occasion , there will be someone in the schedule they anticipate is uncomfortable being observed , but that time provides an opportunity for the student to learn other aspects of a dental practice , such as systems used for scheduling , inventory and equipment maintenance . It will also give them the chance to see why it is important to have a good rapport with your entire dental team .
“ For the most part all patients are very encouraging and never have had a negative reaction . They all know it is important to me to do this ,” Dr . Freedman said .
For an additional perspective , both Dr . Rosenthal and Dr . Freedman strongly encourage their students to participate with MOM-n-PA events . The positive energy and patient encounters showcase the best of our profession caring for the community and why many of us became dentists .
If you plan to host a student in your office , be specific about your expectations . Consider having an orientation handbook or an onboarding session similar to what you do for a new employee . Stress that patient privacy must be practiced , consider a background check and inquire about Hepatitis vaccination status if you anticipate any chairside contact or instrument contact . If you prefer the student to only observe , allow them to take notes and set aside time to discuss their experiences and answer their questions in a private area when patients are not being seen .
Hosting a pre-dental student is a rewarding experience and may be the beginning of a relationship that mutually benefits both the dentist and student . The next time an aspiring student approaches you and asks if they can shadow with you , embrace the opportunity .
As Dr . Rosenthal said , “ Think about what YOU could learn !”
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2024 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 21