Internships are becoming much more common and vital in every sector. They complement your education and your future career. Usually, your coursework introduces you to what you should expect in your field. On the other hand, internships give you an insight into the real world. You interact first-hand with the various equipment and concepts covered in class.
Additionally, internships expose you to typical workplace duties and help you develop new skills to tackle them. That said, here are five reasons you should complete summer dental internships:
1. Summer Dental Internships Give You Considerable Exposure
One of the top benefits of completing summer dental internships is that you can get an opportunity to go outside the country. Generally, you can volunteer or apply for paid dental internships for college students. Ideally, an internship abroad is a marvelous adventure that offers you a broader worldview. It enables you to interact with fellow dentists from around the world. Likewise, it teaches you how to adapt to new circumstances not ordinary in your home country. Several organizations offer internships in countries in Africa and South America. Register with them in good time to stand a chance of interning abroad.
In general, summer dental internships abroad enable you to:
- Gain global experience
- Develop awareness of the state of global oral health
- Learn from professional dentists
- Understand how dental practices vary in developing countries and how dentists survive with insufficient resources
- Widen your international network
- Work in professional medical facilities like dental clinics
- Foster your personal growth by living in a new environment
2. You Gain Experience in Your Field
Coursework isn’t enough to make you a skilled dentist. You may have learned how to fill dental cavities or replace missing teeth theoretically, but seeing a professional dentist doing it practically reinforces the knowledge acquired in class. That’s why dental internships are recommended.
With the help of a professional dentist, you gain valuable exposure to the practice. What’s more, you learn different methods and techniques that you may not have learned in school.
By the end of your summer dental internship program, you’ll have observed the following procedures:
- Molding temporary crowns
- Cleaning and sterilizing a dental treatment room
- Setting up instruments for composite fillings and surgical extractions
- Placing matrix band on molars and premolars
- Placing sealants on both children and adults
- Cleaning dental equipment
3. Enables You to Gain Confidence
Confidence is crucial in dentistry. Summer dental internships should help you build the requisite confidence you need to succeed in the job market if you’re not assertive around your classmates. Once you’re invited to an interview, you can confidently prove to the panelist that you can handle the position advertised.
Aside from that, internships equip you with other essential skills you require as a dentist for your future career. For instance, you can gain leadership, collaboration, and exceptional time management skills, which are essential for a full-time job. This prepares you well for your future employment.
4. Increases Your Chances of Securing a Job
Recruiters no longer look at the grades you score in your college in isolation. They also need to see your experience in this field and what you can offer them. Completing dental internships for undergraduates boosts employers’ chances of hiring you. The knowledge you gain during this period sets you apart from other aspiring dentists. According to a study by professionals, applicants with internship experience have, on average, a 12.6% higher probability of being invited to a job interview.
Besides that, you may land a job at the clinic or hospital where you complete your internship. Once employers perceive you as a good team member and know your personality, they wouldn’t want to lose you.
5. Summer Dental Internships Make Your Resume Look Great
A resume is one thing that enables recruiters to make hiring decisions before meeting you. It’s where you convince them that you have the required skills and experience for a specific job. Summer dental internships give you tangible details to include in your resume. It gives you a competitive edge and prevents the scenarios wherein recruiters disregard your curriculum vitae upon applying for a job. A perfect resume:
- Impresses employers
- Captures the attention of recruiters
- Lands you a job interview
- Matches you to a suitable position
- Highlights the value you’ll offer an employer
- Displays your aspirations and accomplishments
Conclusion
Evidently, summer dental internships contribute much to your career. It’s a perfect way to gain experience and set yourself apart from your peers. So, don’t spend the whole of your next summer vacationing. Take the opportunity to gain first-hand job experience. If possible, get an internship abroad to expand your worldview.
