A big part of being a great provider to your patients is arriving to the clinic prepared. My clinic bag has all the things I need to ensure a successful appointment.
What you should know about the ADAT in 2018
The ADA launched the Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) in April 2016 targeting third- and fourth-year dental students as well as practicing dentists who are interested in postgraduate training. The exam provides advanced dental education programs with a means to assess applicants’ potential for success in a postgraduate program. With the third year of the ADAT test cycle approaching, let’s take a look at the 2017 ADAT results and some changes that are taking place for 2018.
Playing it smart with social media
This generation of dental students will be the first to use social media as a tool for marketing and engaging with patients and dental colleagues. From AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) to MySpace, then Facebook and now Instagram and Snapchat, we have grown along with the wave of social media platforms. Unfortunately, so has our digital footprint. As we continue to move forward in our careers, we must consider our professional image and the content we shared online before dental school.
Remember your ‘why’
When I was applying to dental school, I was full of hope, dreams and aspirations. My personal statement was chock-full of determination, resilience and steadfastness. Absolutely nothing was going to stop me from accomplishing my dream of getting into dental school.
Avoiding the fourth-year burnout
As a fourth-year student approaching graduation, it can be hard to stay motivated. Over the past four years, you have worked hard, and now you feel “senioritis” looming. Although coasting to the finish line seems appealing, it may not be the best option. If you have completed your competencies, you may find yourself with a lot of free time. Use that time to expand your education. Here are some ideas to build on your educational foundation during your final semester.
The Chairside Instructor: a valuable resource
Explaining dental procedures in an understandable way to patients can be trying at times. During treatment planning appointments I often find myself talking to a patient that appears completely lost. I try to search Google to find the perfect image to depict what I am talking about. Many times I am unable to find that image. Searching the internet can be time-consuming and fruitless. Discussing treatment options with patients can be increasingly difficult for dental students entering the clinic. The difficulty lies in the details. As students, we spend years learning fancy vocabulary that oral health professionals understand. Simplifying treatment to aid in patient understanding can be challenging for even the most experienced dentists. However, there are resources available that can aid in conversations with patients about common dental procedures.
The Wikipedia collaboration of dental schools
Over a year ago, the Wikipedia Editing Project was launched by Dundee Dental School, situated in Scotland, United Kingdom (UK). This student-led project is aimed at improving dental content on Wikipedia. Students were first made aware of the deficiency and inaccuracy of dental articles on the website by the Cochrane Collaboration. This did not come as a surprise to most students. They knew Wikipedia was not the most helpful when looking up course material.