Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get involved with PDS?
Our team is committed to helping those engaging in a Pre-Dental track to get plugged into PDS. Please feel free to email us (ukypredentalsociety@gmail.com), and we will be glad to help you uncover your place in our society and help you discover your passion on your journey towards dental school. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
How many shadowing/volunteer hours should I get?
There are various numerical answers to this question across the internet ranging from 50-500, however, there is no magic number or answer that will for certain get you into school. Generally speaking, more is more in terms of shadowing because it allows you to experience the field from many perspectives and come in with foundational knowledge of many common procedures. With that being said, however, the amount of hours you should get in either shadowing or volunteering depends heavily on your involvement as a whole. For example, if you are more interested in holding leadership positions in campus organizations, playing a sport, or even having a job; these things can easily make you a great applicant with fewer hours. Another thing worth mentioning is that dedication is very important. Rather than focusing on the number of hours, it is more important to show dedication to certain organizations throughout your undergrad career. An applicant who has spent 300 hours volunteering with one or two organizations that they care deeply about and have significantly contributed to is much more favorable than one who has volunteered 600 hours all over the place.
So, in short, for shadowing, set a goal for yourself that is attainable and considers your overall involvement, and then for volunteering take some time to evaluate what things you want to dedicate your time to so that you can make an impact with your volunteer work.
What are the best resources to use to study for the DAT?
The best and most commonly recommended comprehensive resource for the DAT is DAT Bootcamp. The subscription to Bootcamp provides 10 full-length practice tests and 10 tests in each of the 6 subject areas. There are also dozens of other resources through Bootcamp including biology notes, organic and general chemistry videos, PAT generators, and a 9-week study schedule.
Other common resources include booster and destroyer. If you find yourself wanting to study from a physical book or if you just want to try some questions outside of those provided by bootcamp these may be a good option.
Our discount code for DAT Bootcamp is: ukypds23
When should I take the DAT?
When you take the DAT is ultimately up to you and your needs as a student, however, the general answer is after you take organic chemistry. The most common time to take the DAT is the summer following your junior year just after you finish applying to dental school, if you are taking the traditional route. This, however, may not be the best time for everyone because it can provide a lot of pressure and is very time-sensitive. Some people take the test the summer following sophomore year, a full year before applying to school to have a full 12 weeks to study and be able to take the test again if needed while still applying in the same cycle. This may not work for everyone though, for example, if you're not able to take organic 2 until junior year. Ultimately when it comes to taking the DAT, just make the best decision for you that will allow the amount of time you need to study and perform well. Generally, people take about 7-10 weeks to study for the test outside of regular classes.
What is the best major for Pre-Dental students?
The best major for pre-dental is whatever you WANT to major in. There is no right or wrong answer. The most common pre-dental majors here at UK are Biology and Human Health Science. These are good options for ensuring that you will complete all of your dental school prereqs. However, prereqs can be completed no matter what you major in. While most people major in life sciences, the most highly sought-after applicants include those in physical sciences and math, however, this is not the route to take if you do not have a genuine interest in it. So, the best answer is to major in what you’re interested in and you will not regret it.
How do I find a doctor to shadow?
If you are planning on shadowing over the breaks, which I would highly recommend, and do not live in the Lexington area, the best way to find doctors to shadow at home is to first, ask your dentist to come in and shadow, and if that doesn’t work out a call around to all the dentists in your area until you get a yes. When calling dentist’s offices make sure you have something prepared to say. Let them know your name, year in school, the school you go to, what prior shadowing experience you have, how you found out about their office, how many hours you want to shadow them, and what days work best for your schedule. Also, make sure that you research the practice beforehand and know their hours and the name of the doctor/doctors.
As for specialties things can sometimes be a bit different. Many orthodontists do not have shadowers due to the very busy environment of their offices, however, you may be able to shadow an orthodontic assistant, which is usually a lot more interesting anyway because they are the ones who do procedures. So, if you are interested in shadowing ortho I would call and ask to shadow an assistant and briefly interview the doctor. For OMS make sure you research the practice beforehand to find out if they operate inpatient or outpatient. If they operate outpatient then you can call and say the same things as for general but if they operate inpatient meaning at the hospital, the chances of shadowing them are very low. If you are interested in shadowing a pediatric dentist make sure that you let them know you are interested in pediatrics and have experience with children because they will often ask this.
If you do live in the Lexington area or are trying to get hours during the semester check out our shadowing and volunteering tab or reach out to one of our current officers to ask about good places to shadow.
Where should I volunteer?
Check out our get involved tab to find more information about events we have through PDS specifically. A few common places people in PDS volunteer include Mission Lexington, Mission Frankfort, and Campus Kitchen. Reach out to any of our officers, or our volunteer chairs specifically for more information about how to sign up for these places. The best answer to this question, however, is to volunteer somewhere that you can stay committed to and make an impact. A few examples include peer tutoring, working with the homeless, working with immigrants, and more.
What is the CASPER test and how do I prepare?
The CASPER test is a situational judgment test used to assess problem-solving skills and characteristics such as compassion, empathy, professionalism, and others. You are provided with 15 hypothetical situations followed by questions for which you will either type or record a response. The test takes approximately 1.5-2 hours and is completed on your personal laptop. Not all schools use this assessment, so be sure to check with each program as you begin the admissions process.
There is very little you can do to prepare for this test, as it is not something you can study for. The CASPER website, Altus Suite, has a practice test that is great to get a feel for the format and timing of the test. The two websites below are also good resources.
https://www.savvypremed.com/blog/surefire-tips-for-improving-your-casper-score-with-examples