What is "manual dexterity"?
ADEA, the American Dental Education Association, defines it as:
“The ability to use your hands in a skillful, coordinated way to grasp and manipulate objects and demonstrate small, precise movements.”
Why is it important?
Helps you learn if dentistry is the right fit for you
Dentists must work on tiny, precise details every day
Improves your hand-eye coordination
Helps with Perceptual Ability part of the DAT
How can you improve your skills?
Arts & Crafts
Playing an instrument
Making friendship bracelets
Woodworking
Sculpture/Pottery
Drawing/Painting
Knitting/Crocheting/Sewing
Home & Outdoors
Doing makeup
Playing video games
Cooking
Playing a sport
Building Legos
Gardening
Knot-tying
Things to Keep in Mind
There are tons of activities that are not listed! You can do anything, and as many or as few as you want. You should just be able to talk about it in casual conversations, applications, and/or interviews. Most importantly, do something you enjoy! If you do it just for the sake of applying, you may not enjoy dentistry. I hope you got some new ideas from this post and that it helps you on your dental journey!
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