It’s been a while since I’ve written, and even longer since I posted a technique / case presentation article. One of my long-time patients had a 3-unit bridge (#12 – 13 – 14) fail due to unrestorable recurrent caries under … Continue reading
How to get volunteer opportunities as a foreign-trained dentist
So you are a foreign-trained dentist who completed your Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) evaluation, received your DENTPIN, passed NBDE parts I and II, got a 100-plus score in TOEFL, and now you think you are all set for CAAPID. Before this part of the process, though, you need to get dental experience in the United States. Whether it’s working as a dental assistant, observing, shadowing or volunteering at a dental clinic, you need to be a competitive applicant for the advanced standing program for foreign-trained dentists. Dental schools value this experience as evidence of commitment to the profession, and a desire to learn and innovate. Here are some ways to get volunteer dental experience in the United States.
1. Community
health and not-for-profit clinics: Look up the community dental clinics near you and reach out to
them. This way, you not only learn about dentistry but also the “heart” aspect
of the profession. When I first moved to the United States, one of the first
opportunities I got was at CommunityHealth in Chicago, serving the uninsured
adults in the city.
2. Dental schools: You can look for preceptorship/observer opportunities at dental schools. These experiences are highly valued by universities, and it can help you become a better candidate for international dentist programs. You also can reach out to professors at dental schools of your interest to get involved in their research.
3. Private
dental clinics: Reach out to private dentists and ask them if you can observe or
assist them. Using this method, I was able to get many opportunities to shadow
general dentists and dental specialists as well.
4. AMOpportunities: This company partners with U.S. physicians, hospitals and institutions to create clinical rotations such as electives, clerkships, observerships and externships for international medical and dental students and graduates. Physicians take trainees wherever they see patients, including their affiliated hospitals, research sites and clinics. This could be a good opportunity for those who find it difficult to get observership opportunities.
5. Mission of Mercy: This is a great opportunity to get involved in a state-wide dental event and give back to the community. It could also be a good opportunity to network with dentists in your state and beyond. When I took part in the Michigan Mission of Mercy, I was overwhelmed to witness the large scale at which it operates. It’s a completely different experience to volunteer at such a large state dental event where hundreds of volunteers collaborate to deliver oral health care to more than 1,000 patients in just two days.
My volunteer, shadowing and research experiences in the United States helped me gain better insight on oral health care delivery specific to the country. These experiences also helped me become a well-informed candidate for dental school, which helped me submit a competitive application. I believe that the key to getting U.S. dental experience is to reach out and ask. More often than not, dentists will welcome you to shadow them.
~Dr. Ruchi Gupta, international dentist
Why dental students get better rates with CommonBond
How CommonBond beats the Federal Grad PLUS loan
At CommonBond, we’ve been supporting students with better student loans for years. We have deep experience working with investors to build programs that offer great rates to students based on their strong prospects. We started with refinance and MBA loans, and we’re thrilled to now offer a new in-school option for dental students.
We heard from ASDA, current dental students and their financial aid officers that there was a need for another option to cover the cost of dental school. We’ve also worked with thousands of doctors and dentists in our refinance business, so we knew the challenges they face in paying for school and wanted to help lower the cost.
A gap in the market
Many students are familiar with the Federal Grad PLUS loan. What most don’t realize, however, is that the federal government offers the same interest rate to all graduate students, regardless of the student’s course of study or future earning potential. The current Federal Grad PLUS loan carries a 7.6% interest rate and 4.25% origination fee. Dental students are not your average student – so a one-size-fits-all loan didn’t seem right.
Dental students are a high-achieving, accomplished group. We recognize how competitive it is to get into dental school, the high rates of graduation, employment and strong earning potential. A dental career is a smart investment for you, and we believe it’s a smart investment for us because we understand the great prospects dental students have.
How CommonBond is different
CommonBond is a new kind of student loan company. We look at each borrower as an individual and use technology to offer dynamic pricing that’s personalized to your unique situation. In addition, while we were creating this new product, we worked with ASDA to build our student loan specifically for dental students. We thought there should be a better option that reflects the great prospects dental students have.
CommonBond’s dental loan interest rates start at 5.56%, and only carry a 2% origination fee.* A student that takes a 10-year fully deferred loan with CommonBond could save thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.** We’re excited to partner with the next generation of dentists and help today’s dental students invest in their future.
Your CommonBond loan is ready: Get started today.
~ Pete Wylie, VP of Student Lending at CommonBond
*Interest rates are subject to change and origination fee is subject to state law restrictions.
**Based on a $50,000 loan amount
This content is sponsored and does not necessarily reflect the views of ASDA.
Use your smartphone for a smart financial start
Most dental students know what it’s like to live on a
budget. After graduation, money will stay tight when student loans come due. Before
long, a new dentist will want to buy a practice, buy a house or start a family.
As your dental career begins, your financial planning skills will be just as
critical as your treatment planning skills. Thankfully, you don’t have to go it
alone — your greatest ally is already in your pocket. Here are four financial resources
you can access from your smartphone:
The White Coat
Investor (Website)
While not dental-specific, this website covers an array
of relevant topics tailored to doctors. From smart investing to debt
management, insurance questions and more, The White Coat Investor is a
tremendous starting point on your financial journey. And it doesn’t end at the
website; check out the book and the podcast as well. The best wisdom I gained
from White Coat Investor was about healthy debt-to-income ratios and simple
approaches to retirement savings.
Credit Karma (App,
Website)
There’s no quicker way to sink your financial ship than trashing your credit. Know where you stand with Credit Karma. Federal law guarantees everyone a free annual credit report, but Credit Karma goes beyond with free score calculation in real time. What’s more, you’ll gain some credit wisdom. Do you really understand how your creditworthiness is calculated? Credit Karma explains the factors affecting your credit score and which factors matter most. Learn this sooner, not later.
Mint (App,
Website)
Mint is a powerful and popular tool for budgeting and
saving. You can’t achieve financial control if you don’t know where your money
goes. A few months of data is all it takes to quickly open your eyes to
spending habits. Set monthly spending goals and track every transaction, or
better yet, automate as much as you can by connecting your accounts and cards.
The Dave Ramsey
Show (Podcast, Website) and EveryDollar
(App, Website)
Dave Ramsey is a financial celebrity, known for multiple
books and the nationally syndicated “The Dave Ramsey Show.” People who call in to
the show receive a healthy dose of tough love in Dave’s signature fashion. While
some may not agree with all of his hard-line views, it’s easy to appreciate his
pep talks for attacking student debt with “gazelle-like intensity.” In the same
vein as Dave’s show and books is Dave’s budgeting app, EveryDollar. You might
find it to be a simpler, more welcoming alternative to Mint.
For the future
Robinhood (App,
Website): Fee-free stock trades on a user-friendly platform.
Personal Capital
(App, Website): A comprehensive dashboard for monitoring all aspects of
your personal finances, including spending and savings goals, net worth
tracking and investment analytics.
~ Dr. Ryan Dulde, Marquette ’11, General Dentist
Top 3 career needs for new dentists
There are many factors to consider when
determining how and where you’ll practice after graduation. No matter which
career path you chose, it is important that you find personal fulfillment and
professional growth. There are typically three things new clinicians will need
in order to be able to progress and succeed in their career.
1. Ability to advance clinical
skills. Dental school is a great launching pad for
discovering what type of dentist you would like to become. It’s where you find
what procedures you excel at and what you need to work on. After graduation,
new dentists are eager to learn beyond what was taught in dental school. They
have the drive to advance their skill set to take on more patients and perform
more complex and challenging procedures. To do that, having access to high-quality
continuing education is a must. New supported dentists at Heartland Dental who
take around 200 hours of CE within their first year after starting in an office
are more successful, have more confidence and can serve a broader patient base.
2. Clinical autonomy. New dentists have expressed to us that when there is no clinical
autonomy in an office, it makes it hard for them to feel passionate about
dentistry. Not being able to perform specific procedures to your patient base
can become frustrating and stifling for you as a dentist. As a doctor-led
organization, Heartland Dental-supported dentists have full control over their
treatment planning and patient care. This provides more opportunities to help
more patients and do the dentistry you love.
3. High and steady compensation. With the average dental student debt rounding about $400,000
these days, it’s vital for a new dentist to find a job that offers a lucrative
compensation package. This makes it easier not only to pay off student loans
but also to have a comfortable living. Understanding an employer’s compensation
model is vital to the future success you may have with them. Dentists who
embrace our model have more freedom and the ability to increase their earnings
potential during their career.
Heartland Dental continues to focus on these top three needs in order to offer excellent careers for thriving dentists. If you are interested in exploring career opportunities with us, visit jobs.heartland.com to view opportunities near you and to speak with a recruiter about your career needs today.
~Heartland Dental
This content is sponsored and does not necessarily reflect the views of ASDA.
My path to private practice after serving in the Army
Summer 2016 was a turning point in my dental career. I finished my fifth year in the Army and had one more year to serve on active duty to fulfill my commitment for dental school and my residency program. During dental school, I thought it would be simple to serve my time and leave the military, but as the day of decision approached, it was far from easy. I loved life in the Army and the great privilege it is to serve, but I knew that it would be difficult for my wife and five kids to constantly move every three to five years.
Practice ownership scared me. In my process of searching for
practice opportunities, I talked to many dentists who expressed the highs and
lows of private practice. A friend of mine told me, “Rich, things are going well
now, but a year ago, I felt like I just wanted to go out into a cold winter
night and never be seen again.” Conversations like this made me apprehensive to
take the plunge into practice ownership.
In September 2016, I made the decision to stay in the Army. Two
weeks later, my friend from dental school called me out of the blue and asked
what my plans were. I informed him of my decision to stay in the Army and
explained my reasons (security, retirement, health benefits). He encouraged me
to come out to Washington, meet with his business partner and explore the
potential of working with them.
My wife and I went to Seattle in mid-September and met with Dr. Adam Cramer, who owns multiple practices and is the CEO of Atlas Dental Group. Dr. Cramer explained his vision and purpose for creating Atlas Dental Group, which was to “[preserve] the integrity of private practice while leveraging the benefits of the cooperative group.” He explained that each practice within the group was unique. Each office is managed and owned by a different dentist, with Dr. Cramer being the only person having partial ownership in all offices. Also, each office has an assigned clinical director who oversees the daily operations within the practice.
This opportunity was appealing to me for several reasons. First,
it allowed me to have immediate ownership in an office. Second, I wouldn’t have
to run the day-to-day operations of the practice alone. The Atlas team has
staff that helps with HR, training office managers, IT support, analysis of the
practice finances, hygiene support and leadership development. Finally, it gave
me an opportunity to have the mentorship and support I would need on my path to
becoming a better clinician and practice owner.
Some may look at this model and automatically think it’s a DSO, and by a strict definition, they are probably right. However, I’m in charge of the daily operations of my practice (hiring, supply ordering, marketing, team training, etc.). When I get stuck with a clinical or staff problem, I contact Dr. Cramer, and he coaches me through it. If I ever have questions about how to resolve a front-desk problem, I contact Traci, who is in charge of training and supporting our front-office team. If there is an IT issue, I talk to Rich, who leads IT for Atlas. There is a support component, but at the end of the day, I am the one who decides how to implement the advice I get from it.
July 1, 2017, was my final day on active duty as an Army
dental officer, and our family moved to Port Angeles, Washington. There have
been bumps in the road such as delays in obtaining the practice loan, staff
turnover, etc. I have had to make some tough decisions since we took over the
practice, and it has been a blessing to have a great team to guide and
encourage me. My practice situation is not the typical route that most people
take, but it has helped me make the transition from military to private
practice, which I had always planned on since dental school.
~ Dr. Richard Carlile, Virginia ’11, Eleven Eleven Dental
8 tips for DAT success
There is no magic formula for getting a high score on the Dental
Admission Test (DAT), but there are things you can do to set yourself
up for success. The following tips are intended to help you fully prepare for
the DAT so that you can feel relaxed and confident on test day.
1. Review the test specifications.
The Candidate
Guide includes an in-depth breakdown of all the subjects covered on
the test. You should review the specifications to make sure that you know what
you will be expected to know when taking the test.
2. Identify your
areas of strength and weakness. Based on the test specification, decide
where you are strong and where you are weak. Doing so should help inform your
study plan.
3. Consult with
faculty and advisors. If you are in school, consult with faculty who know
you well and your prehealth advisor if your program has one. Ask them for
preparation advice and tips on finding helpful resources.
4. Make a plan. Based
on your review of the test specifications, your assessment of your strengths
and weaknesses, and your consultation with faculty and advisors, devise a study
plan. Students who have scored well on the DAT have shared that they studied
for 10-12 weeks prior to their exam for four to eight hours a day. Figure out
what you will study and in what order. This is where a third-party study course
can be helpful if you struggle to set or stick to a schedule.
5. Know the rules. As
you prepare for the test, be sure to familiarize yourself with the DAT website
and the DAT Guide. You will be expected to abide by the rules outlined in the guide.
If you violate a rule, even inadvertently, it could result in your scores being
voided and a retest penalty could be assessed.
6. Give yourself time.
Be honest with yourself about how much you will be able to study per day
and per week. Make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to prepare. If
you make a realistic plan and are meeting all of your study goals, it will help
you build confidence and reduce anxiety as your test date approaches. The
reverse also is true; if you are not meeting your study goals, you may begin to
feel overwhelmed and forced to cram. That could raise your anxiety level and
negatively impact your performance on the test.
7. Be prepared. Make
sure that you have studied all necessary subjects and familiarized yourself
with both the rules of the test and the procedures you will follow at the test
center. You want to do everything you can to make sure that you feel confident
and relaxed when you take the test.
8. Study differently if you retake the test. If you do not attain your desired score on your first attempt, unless you felt unprepared in one or more subject areas, studying in the same way is unlikely to change your score. Think of it this way: The DAT is designed to be an accurate measure of your ability level. In order to raise your score, you need to raise your ability level.
The ADA does not endorse any third-party study courses or materials. This is not to say that those courses or materials would not be helpful, but the information they provide has not been vetted by the ADA and may not be accurate. Be sure to read through the Candidate Guide available on www.ada.org/dat to familiarize yourself with the rules governing the DAT. Contact the Department of Testing Services (DTS) at datexam@ada.org or 800-232-1694 with any questions.
~American Dental Association
This content is sponsored and does not necessarily reflect the views of ASDA.
Using innovative marketing strategies in dentistry
Have you ever searched or shopped for a product online and then opened Instagram or Facebook? You probably saw an advertisement from that company after you did. How was it able to target you so quickly, and what does this have to do with your future dental practice? The answer is remarketing, a form of online advertising that allows you to place ads in front of people who recently visited your website.
According to Jordan Glickman, founder of North Carolina-based Impremis Marketing, in the past, most dentists did not market their practices. If they did, they would use traditional advertising tools such as phonebook entries, billboards or fliers. However, there has been a shift toward digital marketing practices for dentists, which can target specific populations and use minimal labor to acquire new prospects, qualify them and schedule them for their first appointment — all without interacting with a human.
Implementing these high-level marketing strategies does require a certain level of tech savvy, so if that’s an area in which you don’t have a skill set, there are a number of agencies that can help you. To get started, one of the first steps in using this type of marketing is to map out a customer journey funnel, which takes the “customer” — your patient — from being unaware of your business through the “journey” of becoming a long-term patient. You want to get in front of both warm and cold audiences that are your target market. Both audiences should be narrowed down by their age, location, income and occupation. According to Glickman, this is more effective than solely handing out fliers or using billboards because you’re putting your message right in front of the patient population you want to reach.
Finish reading this article in the April issue of Contour magazine.
~Annce Shah Kadri, Boston ’22
Did you know that you could sign up to receive an email whenever the digital issue of Contour is available? Log in to your profile, select “My ASDA” and update your publications preferences.
Saying ‘no’ as a path to time management
Whether you are a dental student, an experienced
practitioner or someone just entering practice, time management is an important
skill that can help alleviate stress. In a new episode of the Beyond the
Mouth podcast from the ADA Center for Professional Success, Dr.
Erinne Kennedy discusses her solutions to dealing with stress as a student and
a new dentist. Early in her educational career, she began to feel overwhelmed
by all the projects she was taking on.
“I was a senior in dental school, and I was on a flight back
to Ft. Lauderdale with my mom,” Dr. Kennedy says. “I remember just crying and
saying ‘I can’t do this; I can’t keep up.’ That’s when I first realized that 1)
I probably felt a little burnt out, 2) I probably needed some help and some
resources, and 3) I started to learn to say no.”
However, Dr. Kennedy advises that simply saying no may not
remain an effective approach for long. Although she was able to initially
reduce her workload and her stress levels, within just a few months, she had
increased her involvement in additional initiatives.
“Saying yes is probably my greatest strength and my greatest
weakness at the same time,” she explains. “But when you say yes all the time,
all of a sudden you realize you’re the president of three different
organizations, and you have to sit back and ask yourself: Am I making an impact
when my time is so divided? I’ve found that sometimes you can make the most
impact when you start pruning things.”
Over time, Dr. Kennedy found that she could most effectively
manage her time by thinking of her life in terms of “seasons.” In a particular
season, she may dedicate herself to research, in another she may dedicate her
time to travel and working with students.
“Balance is an illusion and if you’re striving for balance,
you’re always going to be frustrated,” she says. “Balance is all about being
faithful to that season of life, and you just have to learn to respect the
season that you’re in.”
She also finds that journaling and adhering to her schedule
have helped her maintain perspective and keep her from taking on too much.
“I have a five-year journal,” she explains. “I write six
lines each day about my mood, a book I read, a famous quote, anything. And I
can look back over the five years and see my progress. I see that things I
thought were a big deal were maybe not such a big deal, and things that seemed
insignificant built up over time and turned into a huge blessing.”
Dr. Kennedy also says that she keeps a planner. “If you
don’t learn to plan your day and assign time to things and be punctual, it’s
easy to not make time for exercise, eating right or other things that are important.
My planner helps me set my priorities in a good way.”
Dr. Kennedy’s comments were lightly edited and drawn from Beyond the Mouth, a new podcast series from the ADA Center for Professional Success. Beyond the Mouth is available at ADA.org/BeyondtheMouth and through most major podcast distribution channels.
~ADA Center for Professional Success
This content is sponsored and does not necessarily reflect the views of ASDA.
Why you should get involved in advocacy
I remember my first Advocacy Academy, hosted by the Arizona Dental Association (AzDA). I was nervous about participating in my first ASDA legislative event. I had never considered myself interested in politics before dental school; in fact, the topic made me uneasy. So why did I get up on a Saturday morning to come to this event?
As I sat there for an hour or so intently listening to our lobbyist explain several pieces of dental legislation, as well as the strategy behind AzDA’s stance for each one, I realized I was not the only one entranced by this process. I looked around the room and my fellow dental students from the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health and Midwestern-Arizona also were honed in on our speaker.
And that’s when I realized why I was here with my peers: because we are passionate and we care. It didn’t matter that this was my first time at a legislative event. There is a place for everyone in advocacy.
Attending Advocacy Academy during my D1 year provided answers to the questions I had about legislation related to our profession. These realizations have helped me form my own voice as a dental student and gave me hope that I can be a lifelong advocate for my profession. Here’s my take on three commonly asked questions around advocacy:
- What is an advocate? An advocate is anyone who supports a cause. Everyone has something they care about. If you can think of a time when you voiced your opinion about what you believe is right or fair, then you have the voice of an advocate.
- Why should I care about legislation? Politics may seem like the last thing on your mind while in dental school, but the truth is that laws govern everything we can do as dentists. So if there is legislation that we feel does not align with the values of dentistry, it is up to us to speak up about it to protect our profession and our patients.
- Can I really make a difference? Absolutely! One part of advocacy is connecting with others to find a compromise for the benefit of the greater community. You could be that one person who can relate to someone in Congress and explain how important an issue is. Try stepping out of your comfort zone to see how big of an impact you can make.
My advocacy experiences so far have encouraged me to attend the 2019 ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day. Legislation is just one way dental students can show their passion, but it also is one of the most effective ways to make positive change for our futures.
Still not sure where to get started with advocacy? Here are a few things you can do:
- Learn more from national ASDA: ASDA’s website has all the information you need to know about the issues for which we advocate, our legislative priorities and how to get involved at the chapter and national level.
- Reach out to your legislative coordinator: ASDA’s Council on Advocacy launches grassroots initiatives in support of dental students and the profession and works to establish a legacy of action-oriented advocacy on behalf of our members’ patients and the practice of dentistry.
- Sign up for Engage: Engage is ASDA’s action alert system that informs members about critical issues and allows you to participate in the discussion and processes that impact your life as a dental student and your future career as a dentist.
- Listen to Tooth Talk: This biweekly podcast is presented by the American Dental Political Action Committee (ADPAC) and includes interviews with ADA staff and other experts on dental legislation, organized dentistry and more.
~ Christine Nguyen, Arizona ’21, Chapter Legislative Liaison
Juan Finley 