Connecting Mentees with Mentors
The Mentorship Pod Program is designed to support early-career dentists as they navigate their careers. Mentorship pods, comprising two mentors and six to eight mentees, meet informally both in person and virtually throughout the year for support and guidance. The program runs from January 1 to December 31 annually. If you have questions about the program, email membership@massdental.org.
“I appreciate how I am able to ask my mentors for clinical advice and questions related to dentistry. It is refreshing to receive honest, unbiased perspectives from my mentors and peers.”
—Mentee participant
Mentor Selection & Qualities
The key to an effective mentorship program is the careful selection of mentors. A mentor needs to listen actively, provide constructive feedback, and offer valuable insights based on their own experiences.
These skills also involve fostering positive and open communication, building trust, and tailoring guidance to the unique needs of each mentee. Because the role is so crucial to the program’s success, MDS staff members identified MDS members to invite to serve in this important role. Twenty-five candidates currently serve in this capacity.
Mentee Qualities
The ideal mentee candidate is one to ten years out of dental school and interested in sharing and learning with seasoned dentists and peers. This program offers a structured environment that pairs those newer to the profession with more experienced dentists to share knowledge and provide guidance. The goal is to foster relationships among the mentor, mentee, and pod members, supporting both personal and professional growth.
Mentee Selection
Mentees will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis. After being accepted into the program, mentees will complete a brief questionnaire, which will be used to pair them into groups.
Program Timeline
Information on pods will be shared in the first week of January. Pods will meet once a month (date and time to be determined by the individual pods) to discuss real-life situations and/or issues that pod team members are experiencing. Mentors can also request a meeting stipend from the MDS to cover in-person pod get-togethers.