Dental Now
What Dental Now does
Dental Now is a free tool for pre-dental, hygiene, and dental assistant students. You shadow a dentist you already have access to, log each session as you go, and that dentist confirms your hours using their NPI number. When the hours are verified, you download a signed PDF certificate for your application.
A planning resource, not a guarantee. Dental school shadowing requirements vary by program and change year to year. Always confirm current requirements directly with each school on your list, the admissions office is the final authority.
Dental Now EditorialPre-dental admissions research
How it works
HowLog each session as you go, then have your supervising dentist confirm it so the record is verified, not self-reported.
Sign up as a student
Create a free account and select your program. You bring your own supervising dentist, the dentist you already shadow.
Log and verify each session
Record the date, duration, and what you observed. Your supervising dentist confirms each session using their NPI number.
Download your certificate
A signed PDF with a unique verification ID, ready for AADSAS and your dental school application.
What you get
ValueEverything you need to document your shadowing, in one free place.
- Verified hour tracking: each session is confirmed by your supervising dentist's NPI number
- PDF certificates: professionally formatted, signed certificates with unique verification IDs
- Portfolio builder: showcase your shadowing experience in one shareable link
- School leaderboards: see how your hours compare within your program
- Advisor oversight: your program advisor can track your progress
- 100% free: no cost for students, ever
For a full overview of the tracker, see the dental shadowing hours tracker page.
Ready to start? Log your first session in under 30 seconds.
Your certificate is built automatically as you log, verified by the dentist you shadowed.
Free. Verified by your supervising dentist's NPI number. 75+ CODA schools covered.
Log your first session in under 30 seconds.
Browse shadowing by location
BrowseDocumenting hours in a major dental-school city? Start here.
Frequently asked questions
How many shadowing hours do dental schools require?
Most dental schools look for 40 to 100+ hours of shadowing, and around 100 is the competitive planning target. Requirements vary by school, so check with your target programs. Dental Now helps you track and verify every hour.
Are the certificates accepted by dental schools?
Dental Now certificates include the supervising dentist's name, NPI number, session dates, total verified hours, and a unique certificate ID. They provide the same documentation as a traditional letter of verification, and the record can be confirmed independently against the federal NPPES registry.
Is it really free?
Yes. Dental Now is free for students and always will be. The dentist you shadow confirms your hours at no cost to them.
Can I invite my own dentist?
Yes. You bring your own supervising dentist, the dentist you already shadow. If they are not already on Dental Now, you can send them an invite link, and they confirm your hours using their NPI number at no cost.