How to
Recruiting & Engaging
Pre-Dental Members
David Lindsey & Alex McMahon
U C L A S c h o o l o f D e n t i s t r y, C l a s s o f 2 0 1 5
Background
About Us
• Current Chapter President and Vice President
• 2012–13 Pre-Dental Committee Chairs
• 2nd Place 2013 Golden Crown Award: Pre-Dental
Incentive
– Recruited 78 Pre-Dental ASDA members
• Represented UCLA at the ADEA Virtual Dental School
Fair
• Alex serves as a voting member of UCLA School of
Dentistry’s Admissions Committee
How Does Pre-Dental Recruitment
Affect Your Chapter?
• Provide mentorship to undergraduate students
• Increases educational opportunities
• Service to the profession
– Increasing the knowledge of Pre-Dental students  more informed
future dental students
• Future Leaders of you chapter
– Onboarding
• Rewarding
• Strengthen relationship with Administration
• Enhance your chapter and school’s reputation
“
I attended a presentation at UC Irvine by Dr. Carol A. Bibb, the Associate Dean
of Student Affairs, and two D2 students, Alex McMahon and David Lindsey.
They explained to my fellow Pre-Dental Society peers and I what it means to be
a student at UCLA, what core values the school believes in, and the trials we
would face in the program. I knew that my dream of becoming a dentist would
be possible if I were accepted into the UCLA dental program.
UCLA Structure
• Part of a large undergraduate university
– Relationship with UCLA’s Pre-Dental Society
• UCLA ASDA Pre-Dental Committee Structure
Pre-Dental Committee Chairs
(2)
Lecture
Series
Coordinators
(3)
Big Sib/Lil Sib
Coordinators
(3)
Shadow Day
Coordinators
(3)
Recruitment and Engaging PreDental Students
• Most important aspect of recruitment:
– Provide Pre-Dental students with CLEAR tangible
benefits of becoming an ASDA member
• National ASDA benefits
• Chapter level benefits
National ASDA Pre-Dental Benefits
National ASDA Pre-Dental Benefits
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10% Kaplan Discount
Bank of America- no annual fee credit card and reward points
GEICO – up to 8% off auto, homeowners, and renters insurance
T-Mobile- up to 10% off plan
Copy of “Getting into Dental School”
ASDA Publications
Access to ASDA website
ASDA social media: Facebook, YouTube, Flickr
National Leadership Positions: Pre-Dental Consultant and Pre-Dental Advisory
Committee
National Meetings
Networking opportunities
Separation from other applicants
Chapter Pre-Dental Incentives
• Provides a direct connection to your ASDA chapter
• Motivates Pre-Dentals to sign up with your chapter
Chapter-level Benefits
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Shadow Days
Pre-Dental Workshops
Mentorship
Vendor Fair
Positions within your Chapter
Discount Cards
Core Build-Up Day
Shadow Days
shadow
D
A
Y
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Invited Local Clubs | Tour | Dental Lecture | Network | Presentation | Administration Talk | Join ASDA
pre-dental
w o r k s h o p s
Wax ‘n’ Relax | Impressions | Basic Dental Principles Course
Mentorship
• Big Sib/Lil’ Sib Program
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Pairs D1 student with Pre-Dental student
Big Sib/Lil’ Sib Dinner
Trivia Night
BBQ
Application Night
Vendor Fair
• Allow Pre-Dental ASDA members to attend your
Vendor Fair
– Everyone loves free stuff!
– Can easily make up return on investment of the $58
ASDA membership
Pre-Dental Positions within your
Chapter
• Ask committee chairs if they would like to
incorporate some Pre-Dentals
– Examples:
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Newsletter
Dental Olympics
Community Service
Philanthropy Events
Discount Cards
• Contact local business to see if they will provide
discounts for ASDA members
• Many businesses already provide discounts for
your university.
– Most will gladly allow that discount to be applied for
your ASDA chapter
Core Build-Up Day
• Held during Spring prior to AADSAS application opening
• Pre-Dental symposium for Pre-Dental students applying
in upcoming cycle
• Our Focus:
– Preparing Pre-Dental student to become the best applicants they
could be
– Goal was to provide guidance and advice for the application
process
• NOT to recruit for our school
Core Build-Up Day
W r i t i n g S a m p l e | P e r s o n a l S t a t e m e n t W o r k s h o p | H o t To p i c s L e c t u r e
Core Build-Up Day
I n t e r v i e w Te c h n i q u e s | M o c k I n t e r v i e w s | N e t w o r k i n g L u n c h e o n
Core Build-Up Day
• Timed Essay:
– Writing Sample
– Used a retired topic from UCLA
• “Describe how you would contribute to the Class of 2017”
– Writing sample was given to interviewer during Mock
Interviews
Personal Statement Workshop
• Pre-Dental students brought copy of their own personal
statement
– Should be close to final draft
• Presented quick lecture on Do’s and Don’ts of Personal
Statement Writing
• Pre-Dental students broken up in groups of 2 -3 predents and
1 dental student
– All members of group read each personal statement
– All members asked to provide feedback
– Great way to have 2-3 nonbiased reviewers
Choosing the Right School
• Used ADEA’s Guide to Dental School book
• Chose dental schools with high numbers of
Californian applicants that matriculated
– Researched those dental schools
– Provided key unique topic points highlighting benefits
of each school
Hot Topics
• Provided information on key issues facing
dentistry
– Mid-level providers
– Student Debt
– Licensure
Mock Interviews
• Introduced interview styles that Pre-Dental
students may encounter
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Speed dating
Group Interview
Student Interview
Committee Interview
One-on-One Interview
Mock Interviews
• Each Pre-Dental student participated in two
mock interviews
• Debriefed and provided helpful interview
strategies
– Non verbal communication (posture, eye contact,
etc.), having prepared questions, reviewing personal
statement and application.
Networking Lunch
• Paired Pre-Dental and dental students together
w/ a 2:1 ratio
• Encouraged Pre-Dental students to ask any
questions
• Provided contact information and continued
correspondence
August September
June - July
April - May
October December
January March
August September
June - July
April - May
October December
January March
• Begin contacting pre-dental societies
• Introduce yourself to Student Affairs
and get permission to schedule predental visits
• Select committee members
August September
June - July
April - May
October December
January March
• Host pre-dental visits
• Begin drafting proposal for a PreDental Day (“Core Build-Up Day”)
August September
June - July
April - May
October December
January March
• Continue hosting pre-dental societies
• Meet with Administration to get approval for a Pre-Dental Day
• Ask Faculty/Administration if they are willing to come to your
Pre-Dental Day
• Begin contacting pre-dental societies to recruit for the PreDental Day
• Reserve space on campus to host the Pre-Dental Day
August September
June - July
April - May
October December
January March
• Finalize your schedule for the Pre-Dental
Day
• Recruit dental student volunteers to help
with Pre-Dental Day
• Host your Pre-Dental Day
August September
June - July
April - May
October December
January March
• Debrief and reflect
• Help select chairs for next year
Future Plans
• Add dedicated Pre-Dental Portal to chapter website
• Visit universities to increase ASDA exposure
• Lengthen Core Build-Up Day to a full day
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Charge deposit to discourage no shows
Provide handouts and gifts
Extend Interviews
Tour
Follow up
Questions?
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Alex McMahon
[email protected]
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David Lindsey
[email protected]