Volunteering for a museum can be a very gratifying experience. It is an excellent way to get a foothold in the museum field if you are considering a career in the history, museum or related professions.

General Information
Museum volunteers must log in their hours and be willing to sign an agreement regarding their work with the Museum, including the School of Dentistry's agreements related to patient privacy. Volunteers must agree to follow the direction of the curator. Computer workspace is limited in the Museum workroom so some of the work may need to take place elsewhere. All volunteers are expected to be skilled, respectful, thorough, careful, and resourceful and once trained or oriented to the Museum's work they must be willing to work independently and meet with or report frequently to the curator. The curator encourages retired dental professionals, or retired dental school faculty or staff to consider a volunteer opportunity in the Museum.

The Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry would like to develop volunteers in the following areas:

Long-term positions
Tour Guide. Must be willing to learn the Museum exhibits, read additional sources and answer visitor questions. Weekday availability required. Hours may be few and coordinated with the Museum's schedule and appointment time of the visiting group. Prefer someone with a strong interest or experience in the dental profession. Must be willing to stay "on-board" with the Museum for at least two semesters.
Dental Specialist. Work with the curator on an ad hoc basis to research specific dentistry artifacts or historical topics. Must have a strong interest or experience related to the research topic, person or thing. Also must be willing to document and write up their work for possible use in training museum assistants or for exhibit text. Two semester commitment required.

Short-term positions
Museum Specialist. Work with Curator to create a collections procedures manual for reference and training. This would be a suitable project for a graduate student with a strong interest in working in the museum field. Must have excellent writing skills and prior experience working for a museum. 
Museum Visitor Evaluator. Under the guidance of the Curator, tally and document visitor movement within the Museum so the Museum may learn more about visitor preferences.  Must commit to at least one month, but times may be arranged to be mutually suitable.

For more information, please contact Shannon O'Dell, Curator