Attention pre-dental students applying to dental school this summer!
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Need help brainstorming or proofreading?
I've decided to dedicate my summer vacation to helping you!
Click here to learn more!
writing a thank you note
after shadowing a dentist
We all know it’s the polite thing to do: say “thank you” after someone gives or does something for you. So why wouldn’t you do that after a professional takes the time to write a letter that could help you get into school?
Answer: You wouldn’t. You should ALWAYS write a thank you note.
This applies to each dentist you shadowed, whether it was for one day or one hundred days. You are thanking them for allowing you a behind-the-scenes look at their profession. So, be classy and do the right thing: write them a thank you note.
What goes into the thank you note, when do you send it, and who do you send it to?
Answer: You wouldn’t. You should ALWAYS write a thank you note.
This applies to each dentist you shadowed, whether it was for one day or one hundred days. You are thanking them for allowing you a behind-the-scenes look at their profession. So, be classy and do the right thing: write them a thank you note.
What goes into the thank you note, when do you send it, and who do you send it to?
how to say "thank you"
to the dentist
I get anxious about writing thank you notes to anyone. I worry about my handwriting and the eloquence of my words. I can’t help you with the penmanship, but I can outline what to say in the letter addressed to the dentist that became your mentor:
Dear Dr. S,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to shadow you. I appreciate the time you took out of your busy schedule to teach me about dentistry, in regards to both the medical and business. I have known for some time that I wished to pursue dentistry, and you have further motivated me to pursue my passion to my fullest potential. Thank you for the countless procedures you explained to me, taking the time to get to know me personally, and letter of recommendation you wrote on behalf of me. I hope to someday join your field, and I will always keep in mind the important lessons I learned from my time shadowing you.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Lazarchick
Note: For the dentist that you shadowed once or twice but didn’t become the “long-term dentist,” omit the 4th sentence.
Dear Dr. S,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to shadow you. I appreciate the time you took out of your busy schedule to teach me about dentistry, in regards to both the medical and business. I have known for some time that I wished to pursue dentistry, and you have further motivated me to pursue my passion to my fullest potential. Thank you for the countless procedures you explained to me, taking the time to get to know me personally, and letter of recommendation you wrote on behalf of me. I hope to someday join your field, and I will always keep in mind the important lessons I learned from my time shadowing you.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Lazarchick
Note: For the dentist that you shadowed once or twice but didn’t become the “long-term dentist,” omit the 4th sentence.
when do i send the thank you note?
The sooner the better. I wrote mine a couple of days after I shadowed Dr. S for the last time. Honestly, the sooner you send it out, the better. If you wait too long, it presents as an afterthought, or you might actually forget to send it all together.
who should i send a
thank you note to?
Definitely the dentist that you asked to write the letter of recommendation for you. If there are other dentists in the group that allowed you to watch a few procedures, write a quick one to them too.
The latter set don’t have to be as long as the primary note, but it’s polite to thank all the dentist that taught you. Remember, each dentist should get their own letter!
Additionally, if there was a specific hygienist or dental assistant that spent extra time teaching you, write a short one to them as well. You can never go wrong with writing too many thank you notes.
My tips: Use a blue pen for a little POP of color; always handwrite the notes (OMG, please do not print them off of the computer), and address each note individually.
That’s all for now! Practice your handwriting a few times, read the letter back to yourself, and send it off!
The latter set don’t have to be as long as the primary note, but it’s polite to thank all the dentist that taught you. Remember, each dentist should get their own letter!
Additionally, if there was a specific hygienist or dental assistant that spent extra time teaching you, write a short one to them as well. You can never go wrong with writing too many thank you notes.
My tips: Use a blue pen for a little POP of color; always handwrite the notes (OMG, please do not print them off of the computer), and address each note individually.
That’s all for now! Practice your handwriting a few times, read the letter back to yourself, and send it off!
Done with shadowing?!?! Yassss!!!! Now it's time to Ask for the Letter of Recommendation! Check out the article to get my advice!