2021 Dentistry applicants, how to maximise time at home!
The buzzword at the moment is “unprecedented” and it’s easy to see why. School is out the window, the work experience you spent weeks organising may be cancelled, and it might be seeming like your chances of getting into dental school are slipping away. However, I promise this is not the case, and you can actually use this time to your advantage, and boost your application
1.Volunteer
In the current climate, it’s looking unlikely that dental practices will be opening their doors to students within the next couple of months. However, this doesn’t mean that work experience is completely out of the picture. The main takeaway is often the interpersonal skills learnt, but you don’t need to be in a dental setting to gain this. Look around in your local area and see how you can help in this time. Are care homes looking for voluntary help? Are foodbanks looking for more hands, or soup kitchens needing someone to step in? You might even be able to set up a local initiative providing support for the elderly and vulnerable. All of these things will demonstrate that you are a proactive, compassionate individual and willing to help – and all require excellent communication skills.
2. Reach out to current dentists and dental students
Just because you aren’t able to watch what they’re doing, this doesn’t mean you can’t still learn from them. Get in contact and ask questions about what it is like being a dentist, the pros and cons, what a normal day or week would look like. Also use this opportunity to learn from their experiences – perhaps what would they have done differently, or what in their journey made them successful.
3.Take some online courses
You may not be able to learn directly from the dental surgery itself, but there are hundreds, if not thousands of resources online to help you learn a little bit more about dentistry. Lots of universities run free online courses, which will provide you with a foundation of knowledge to discuss at interviews. A couple that I would recommend are:
Discover Dentistry – The University of Sheffield
https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/discover-dentistry
Introduction to Dental Medicine – The University of Pennsylvania
https://www.coursera.org/learn/dental-medicine-penn
I want to be a dentist also have the ‘ Dentistry Experience’ course giving great insight into the career.
4.Take up a new hobby
Dentistry is all about manual dexterity – one of the key things setting it apart from most medical specialities – and what better time to learn a new skill? Knitting, painting, musical instruments, woodwork, sewing, crochet, origami, model-making, cross-stitch, ceramics – the list is endless. Pick something you enjoy, find a few YouTube videos, and practice! When you discuss this skill in your personal statement reflect on it, show that you have worked hard at it, and seen an improvement as a result.
5.Carry out your own mini research project
Many students will undertake an extended project qualification, but if you haven’t, this doesn’t mean you can’t tackle a project under your own steam. This doesn’t have to be a huge essay, instead you could research a topic and present it when back at school. At school we used to have half an hour each morning with our form, which would have been an ideal time to present something like this. This doesn’t have to be complicated – pick a simple topic you are interested in, and will be able to then discuss at interview. You could debate a controversial topic such as water fluoridation, or explain the link between oral health and whole-body conditions. Not only will this emphasise your enthusiasm, but presenting is a key communication skill, and something all of us can struggle with!
Hopefully this gives you some ideas on how to maximise this time and make your application shine – good luck!
Article written by Kathryn Eccles
Follow her on instagram: astudentsflossophy