how to ask a dentist if you may shadow them
Most dentists take a pre-dental student asking to shadow them as a high compliment. Essentially, you’re acknowledging how awesome their job is and subtly telling them that you admire them as a person and provider. You’re asking to learn from them.
If you have a close family friend or feel comfortable with your personal dentist, asking to shadow should be no problem for you. No need for any sort of introduction about where you went to school or what classes you’re taking--they (probably) already know that. However, if you’re looking to explore the professional lives of more dentists, read on.
First things first, decide who to shadow. Make sure you check out Who Should You Shadow post to determine the best choice(s) for you.
In this post I’ll address the following topics:
If you have a close family friend or feel comfortable with your personal dentist, asking to shadow should be no problem for you. No need for any sort of introduction about where you went to school or what classes you’re taking--they (probably) already know that. However, if you’re looking to explore the professional lives of more dentists, read on.
First things first, decide who to shadow. Make sure you check out Who Should You Shadow post to determine the best choice(s) for you.
In this post I’ll address the following topics:
- Cold-calling vs. Asking in person
- How to politely ask to shadow both in person and over the phone
- Tips to setting up a good shadowing day
Should you ask in person or
cold-call the office ?
My personal suggestion...ask in person
This one should be based on the logistics of your situation. If you think that the best person to shadow is a far drive from you, calling and arranging the schedule would probably be the most logical. BUT, if you are able, I would suggest going to the office and speaking to the office staff to arrange the opportunity.
Visiting the office helps you form a good impression in two ways:
-It shows your commitment to this opportunity and your desire to learn from the dentist. Keep in mind that the dentist will be spending time explaining procedures and answering your questions. Best to form a good impression off the bat.
-Gives you the chance to show the office your professional side. Before heading out, put on business casual attire and bring your resume (make sure to update your contact info so that the office receptionist can schedule your shadowing days!).
-Regardless of if you meet the dentist or not, you’ll leave an impression on someone. If you get to meet the dentist, AWESOME. If not, you’ll impress the office staff and show them that you’re serious about getting this opportunity (believe me, the office staff talks and the dentist will hear about you).
-Face it, it’s harder to say no to someone in person. This applies to all kinds of interactions, and asking for a shadowing opportunity is no exception.
Visiting the office helps you form a good impression in two ways:
-It shows your commitment to this opportunity and your desire to learn from the dentist. Keep in mind that the dentist will be spending time explaining procedures and answering your questions. Best to form a good impression off the bat.
-Gives you the chance to show the office your professional side. Before heading out, put on business casual attire and bring your resume (make sure to update your contact info so that the office receptionist can schedule your shadowing days!).
-Regardless of if you meet the dentist or not, you’ll leave an impression on someone. If you get to meet the dentist, AWESOME. If not, you’ll impress the office staff and show them that you’re serious about getting this opportunity (believe me, the office staff talks and the dentist will hear about you).
-Face it, it’s harder to say no to someone in person. This applies to all kinds of interactions, and asking for a shadowing opportunity is no exception.
SCENARIO 1: asking in person
Let’s get things started. First, you’ll walk into the office and put your best foot forward. Then, Scenario A, B, or C will happen. Here’s a guide on how to deal with any of them with ease and grace.
Greet the receptionist in a pleasant manner. You want him or her on your side. He/She is relaying your message, so be confident and professional. A simple introduction of who you are and why you’re here is great. Here’s an example:
“Good morning, my name is Lindsey Lazarchick. I’m a pre-dental student hoping to gain some shadowing experience with Dr. Enamel as I’m thinking about becoming a dentist. I was hoping that I could schedule a day or two to shadow him if possible.”
Scenario A: The receptionist says the dentist is busy with patients: This is the most likely scenario, even if the dentist really isn’t with patients. Give the receptionist your resume and point out your contact information. Tell him/her what days work best for you, but that you will be happy to shift your schedule according to when the dentist is avaliable.
“Ms. Crown, thank you so much for informing me--I really appreciate it. Would you mind if I give you my resume with my contact information at the top? This way, Dr. Enamel can contact me whenever is convenient for him. I’m typically available on Mondays and Wednesdays, but I would be more than happy to shift my schedule around if those days work best for Dr. Enamel. Should I look for a call from this office in the next few days?”
Scenario B: The dentist comes out and talks to you
IT’S YOUR LUCKY DAY! Aren’t you glad that you’re dressed professionally, armed with your resume? Here’s a quick review of the elevator speech you’ll want make sure you’ve rehearsed.
“Hello, how are you? My name is Lindsey Lazarchick. I’m an alumna of Wake Forest University where I majored in Biology and minored in Psychology. Currently I’m working as a tooth fairy saving the world. Today, I’m here to ask you for the opportunity of shadowing you. I’m hoping to one day attend dental school, and I’d really like to learn from you what is means to practice dentistry.”
In this speech short little introduction (AKA the Elevator Speech), you’ve successfully introduced yourself, explained your presence in the office, and paid him a compliment.
Scenario C: The receptionist informs you that Dr. Enamel does not allow people to shadow him
This is okay, and it’s why you want to keep your options open. It’s nothing against you. Maybe the dentist had a bad experience shadowing, or maybe shadowing detracts from his ability to practice. Whatever the case, here’s how to handle it.
“Oh, I see. Well, thank you for taking the time to explain that to me. Would it be alright if I still left my resume for him just in case?”
With this, you’ve been polite, told her/him that you understand, and still left your resume just in case the dentist changes his/her mind. Just wish the receptionist a good day and leave.
Greet the receptionist in a pleasant manner. You want him or her on your side. He/She is relaying your message, so be confident and professional. A simple introduction of who you are and why you’re here is great. Here’s an example:
“Good morning, my name is Lindsey Lazarchick. I’m a pre-dental student hoping to gain some shadowing experience with Dr. Enamel as I’m thinking about becoming a dentist. I was hoping that I could schedule a day or two to shadow him if possible.”
Scenario A: The receptionist says the dentist is busy with patients: This is the most likely scenario, even if the dentist really isn’t with patients. Give the receptionist your resume and point out your contact information. Tell him/her what days work best for you, but that you will be happy to shift your schedule according to when the dentist is avaliable.
“Ms. Crown, thank you so much for informing me--I really appreciate it. Would you mind if I give you my resume with my contact information at the top? This way, Dr. Enamel can contact me whenever is convenient for him. I’m typically available on Mondays and Wednesdays, but I would be more than happy to shift my schedule around if those days work best for Dr. Enamel. Should I look for a call from this office in the next few days?”
Scenario B: The dentist comes out and talks to you
IT’S YOUR LUCKY DAY! Aren’t you glad that you’re dressed professionally, armed with your resume? Here’s a quick review of the elevator speech you’ll want make sure you’ve rehearsed.
- Your name (first and last)
- What college you’re from and what you’re majoring in
- What you are currently doing (if you’re out of school)
- Why you’re here today → ask for the shadowing opportunity
“Hello, how are you? My name is Lindsey Lazarchick. I’m an alumna of Wake Forest University where I majored in Biology and minored in Psychology. Currently I’m working as a tooth fairy saving the world. Today, I’m here to ask you for the opportunity of shadowing you. I’m hoping to one day attend dental school, and I’d really like to learn from you what is means to practice dentistry.”
In this speech short little introduction (AKA the Elevator Speech), you’ve successfully introduced yourself, explained your presence in the office, and paid him a compliment.
Scenario C: The receptionist informs you that Dr. Enamel does not allow people to shadow him
This is okay, and it’s why you want to keep your options open. It’s nothing against you. Maybe the dentist had a bad experience shadowing, or maybe shadowing detracts from his ability to practice. Whatever the case, here’s how to handle it.
“Oh, I see. Well, thank you for taking the time to explain that to me. Would it be alright if I still left my resume for him just in case?”
With this, you’ve been polite, told her/him that you understand, and still left your resume just in case the dentist changes his/her mind. Just wish the receptionist a good day and leave.
SCENARIO 2: cold-calling the office
If this is the most logical way for you to get in touch with the dental office, then let’s go for it. You’ll just modify your presentation a bit to create the same impression over the phone as you would have if you had appeared in person. Let’s get started with asking the dentist if you can shadow them.
As you could guess, when you call the dental office, you’ll reach the receptionist. Unfortunately for the pre-dental student, there is little to no chance of you actually speaking to the dentist unless you are royalty or experiencing excruciating pain.
So, here’s how to get what you want.
Introduction: This will follow the same format as above, but shorter.
“Hi there. My name is Lindsey Lazarchick. How are you?”
Clarify that you are NOT calling to make a dental appointment.
“I’m actually calling to inquire about a shadowing opportunity with Dr. Enamel. I’m a pre-dental student from Wake Forest University hoping to gain admission into dental school one day. Do you know, by chance, if he allows pre-dental students to shadow him?”
Offer to send over your resume.
“Had I lived closer to your office, I would give you my resume so that Dr. Enamel can have it for his records. Should I send over a copy for Dr. Enamel prior to the shadowing date?”
Asking for a follow up when the dentist notifies his staff of his availability.
“Would you kindly mind contacting me whenever you hear from Dr. Enamel about his availability?”
And that’s it.
As you could guess, when you call the dental office, you’ll reach the receptionist. Unfortunately for the pre-dental student, there is little to no chance of you actually speaking to the dentist unless you are royalty or experiencing excruciating pain.
So, here’s how to get what you want.
Introduction: This will follow the same format as above, but shorter.
“Hi there. My name is Lindsey Lazarchick. How are you?”
Clarify that you are NOT calling to make a dental appointment.
“I’m actually calling to inquire about a shadowing opportunity with Dr. Enamel. I’m a pre-dental student from Wake Forest University hoping to gain admission into dental school one day. Do you know, by chance, if he allows pre-dental students to shadow him?”
Offer to send over your resume.
“Had I lived closer to your office, I would give you my resume so that Dr. Enamel can have it for his records. Should I send over a copy for Dr. Enamel prior to the shadowing date?”
Asking for a follow up when the dentist notifies his staff of his availability.
“Would you kindly mind contacting me whenever you hear from Dr. Enamel about his availability?”
And that’s it.
tips i learned about
scheduling shadow days
After shadowing for over 100 hours with more than 6 dentists, here are a few hints I picked up along the way for asking a dentist if you can shadow:
I hope this was helpful. Asking a dentist if you can shadow can certainly be stressful, but practice it a few times and you'll get more comfortable with it. Try to shadow a few dentists, that way you can add some diversity to your application (and increase the chance that someone interviewing you knows someone you shadowed--NETWORKING!) Remember, dentist are real people who have been in your shoes before. They’ll be flattered that a pre-dental student wants to learn from them.
- Practice your elevator speech. Most likely you’ll have to use it in person or over the phone when first introducing yourself. Practice makes perfect.
- Try calling at times when the office usually isn’t busy. You want to avoid times when there is high patient call volume or when the staff is heading out to lunch or leaving work. Check the office’s website for the latter information. Generally, I would suggest calling in the mid-morning (10AM-11AM) would be your best bet. That said, make is polite but snappy as the receptionist is cognizant of other patients that might be calling in.
- Know your availability. The last thing you want to do is call the office to reschedule. Doing this shows your poor attention to detail and comes across as unprofessional.
- Be flexible with your schedule. Unless there is an event that you absolutely cannot miss, put the shadowing above everything else. The dentist is helping you out, so remember that he/she comes first.
- Start out with half a day, then work up to a full day. Shadowing can be mentally and physically tough. In my experiences, you are having to be on your A game constantly, and this can be draining. There’s nothing wrong with telling the receptionist that you have to leave when the dentist takes lunch, but that you’d like to schedule a few days if possible.
- Once you’ve landed the shadow day, ask the receptionist for the “inside scoop” about the office as it pertains to the pre-dental student. What I mean by this is: ask what to wear (scrubs or professional attire, tennis shoes or nice heels/shined shoes), if there is a place for you to put your lunch (should you be staying the whole day), and if the dentist seems to prefer students to stay half days or full days.
I hope this was helpful. Asking a dentist if you can shadow can certainly be stressful, but practice it a few times and you'll get more comfortable with it. Try to shadow a few dentists, that way you can add some diversity to your application (and increase the chance that someone interviewing you knows someone you shadowed--NETWORKING!) Remember, dentist are real people who have been in your shoes before. They’ll be flattered that a pre-dental student wants to learn from them.
Successfully got your first shadowing opportunity?!?! Go YOU! Check out my article
What to Wear on Shadowing Days to get prepared for your first one or read my personal shadowing experiences in my article My Two Most Memorable Shadowing Experiences!
What to Wear on Shadowing Days to get prepared for your first one or read my personal shadowing experiences in my article My Two Most Memorable Shadowing Experiences!