2012 Dental school dropout who wants to reapply!

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Hey guys
So I am in a dilemma. I had completed a few quarters at a dental school but because of my hand skills they asked that I leave the program to work on my hand skills before I apply back to dental schools. I mean I have a baseline of skills but since the program moves really fast I just need time to catch up. Any suggestions? I really want to be a dentist and I want to apply to other dental schools. Is there hope for me? Thanks!

Hire a lawyer.

But seriously. Your school does this?

seems like you got shafted. Did they offer for you to take additional time in labs to work on hand motor skills or just flat out ask you to leave? Seems ridiculous...

yikes...why couldn't they just ask you to do hand exercises or something for homework? One dentist I shadowed told me that she got these hand exercises from her dentist to strengthen her hands and she did them every day in dental school...my dentist got this weird yo-yo like thing and he used to use it all the time. He told me I should take ceramics classes in undergrad.
Why don't you ask the people who asked you to leave what you should do? That way it shows that you are being sincere and really do care (which you obviously do). It bugs me that they asked you to leave...did they say they would save a seat for you when you came back?? Are they even allowed to ask you to leave??

.

But yet we hear so many people (dentists and dental students) tell us that you really can't do much to improve that stuff before school. That's what school is for. Seems like they'd have to screen for baseline abilities before acceptance if they think they move too fast for anyone who might need a little extra work.

I understand if you don't want to share, but how extreme was this? Like dropping hand pieces and catching stuff on fire?

Originally Posted by John Durian

Hire a lawyer.

But seriously.Your school does this?

Yes. Apparently, they have done this before but rarely. Usually people who are asked to leave the program are failing more than one classes, or have performed a misconduct. I have done neither. I have only failed one pre-clinical course.

Originally Posted by ChuckDAT

seems like you got shafted. Did they offer for you to take additional time in labs to work on hand motor skills or just flat out ask you to leave? Seems ridiculous...

Flat out told me I should get dismissed and reapply after a few years. No guarantee I'll get in again.

Originally Posted by jeffity

But yet we hear so many people (dentists and dental students) tell us that you really can't do much to improve that stuff before school. That's what school is for. Seems like they'd have to screen for baseline abilities before acceptance if they think they move too fast for anyone who might need a little extra work.

I understand if you don't want to share, but how extreme was this? Like dropping hand pieces and catching stuff on fire?

..

Dude, I would hire a lawyer ASAP. Who cares about the school's reputation when you're about to get kicked out. I mean, you pretty much owe them $100k already...

At UCLA, we have this program where you can talk to UCLA Law Students and have them work on cases for you at a discounted rate. Maybe check into McGeorge to see if they have the same program.

Everyone fails practicals now and then. But to kick you out... that's a bit extreme. Especially when you pass your daily projects.

I mean, worst scenario should be to repeat first year. Pretty sure your odds of getting into another dental school after getting kicked out of one... is low (imo)

.

Were your classmates afraid of getting partnered with you?

Originally Posted by lululime

Were your classmates afraid of getting partnered with you?

Partner for what? We don't have partners in dental school. Practicals are on an individual basis.

Originally Posted by John Durian

I mean, worst scenario should be to repeat first year. Pretty sure your odds of getting into another dental school after getting kicked out of one... is low (imo)

Why repeat first again if they don't think shinyteeth has the motor skills? They are doing the best thing for him/her at this point. D school is hard and frustrating. Why would you put some one through another year of torture if you believe they will not be able to develop the necessary motor skills. I had worked with a student that was in D school for 6 years and she finally gave up - she couldn't come close to passing her boards, and she would have had to sit out another year and try again. Is that the kind thing to do?

Shinyteeth, aren't you looking at carribean med school now?

Originally Posted by AwesomeTeeth

Shinyteeth, aren't you looking at carribean med school now?

Well, obviously dentistry is my first option and I am going to try my best to gear towards it.

I'm not surprised pacific does this. How many practicals did you fail? Also, did you stay in lab trying to work on your skills. This would at least show that your putting in effort. Were you in the accelerated 3 year program? I think your best bet would be to talk to Pacific's dean and board of trustees. If that fails, apply to your state school and explain the situation.

I am not too sure about this stuff but since you already completed 3 quarters and there is no evidence to prove that you were doing inadequate at the school, you will have a huge advantage over 99% of dental school applicants if you include your experience, provided you give the dental school a non-bs explanation of why they told you to go.

You could also get a lawyer and force your way back in but will the faculty even appreciate your presence? Who's to say they will give you your degree? Who's to say that they won't give you grades that are unsatisfactory and make you fail the courses? For a school that doesn't even want you there for failing one course and having inadequate hand skills, I am not sure I would want to be there.

Samoe makes a really good point. Once your on bad terms with a professor life can become extremely hard and unfair. Dent school has a lot of politics. Sometimes it is better to keep your head down and ask kindly to be let back in or reapply before you go into lawsuit mode.

Originally Posted by samoe31

I am not too sure about this stuff but since you already completed 3 quarters and there is no evidence to prove that you were doing inadequate at the school, you will have a huge advantage over 99% of dental school applicants if you include your experience, provided you give the dental school a non-bs explanation of why they told you to go.

You could also get a lawyer and force your way back in but will the faculty even appreciate your presence? Who's to say they will give you your degree? Who's to say that they won't give you grades that are unsatisfactory and make you fail the courses? For a school that doesn't even want you there for failing one course and having inadequate hand skills, I am not sure I would want to be there.

Yup this was def. a stage of development for me. Thanks. Lets see what life brings me next!

Originally Posted by theleatherwalle

I'm not surprised pacific does this. How many practicals did you fail? Also, did you stay in lab trying to work on your skills. This would at least show that your putting in effort. Were you in the accelerated 3 year program? I think your best bet would be to talk to Pacific's dean and board of trustees. If that fails, apply to your state school and explain the situation.

I understand that you're trying to be helpful but it's almost laughable how you cast judgements about other schools without having the slightest bit of knowledge as to this specific situation or how that program operates as an entirety. As you can surmise I'm a first year student at Pacific and I know the student that started this thread and she seems to have left a few things out so here are the facts.

1. This year, two students were asked to leave school and reapply, one of which (not this student) failed to show up to a vast majority of mandatory classes and clinic practice sessions.
2. Both students had multiple failing grades in both didactic and lab (hand skills) classes....not just a failing a few practicals here or there.
3. Both students were given remedial instruction which provided them instructors and extra mandatory lab time as well as tutoring for 2 terms.
4. The school loses money and it looks poorly on them to have students not complete the program....that's 2 spots that are not in our class (over 400K), so why would they so "frivolously" send students packing.

I'm not saying that Pacific is perfect or that I haven't had a few clashes with row-instructors or professors but that type of stuff happens everywhere. What I can say is that at Pacific, I've been given every opportunity to not only succeed but to excel and that every time I've fallen short it has been me and not the faculty that was to blame. Does it suck that this student is no longer with us? Yes. But ask any patient on the clinic floor if they would want someone who has failed multiple classes (especially operative or fixed) to work on them and see what their reaction would be. This program is fast paced and not for everyone but by all means is manageable. I do like this student a lot and I wish her the best in the future but at the end of the day we have to own our situations.

Originally Posted by Class Clown

I understand that you're trying to be helpful but it's almost laughable how you cast judgements about other schools without having the slightest bit of knowledge as to this specific situation or how that program operates as an entirety. As you can surmise I'm a first year student at Pacific and I know the student that started this thread and she seems to have left a few things out so here are the facts.

1. This year, two students were asked to leave school and reapply, one of which (not this student) failed to show up to a vast majority of mandatory classes and clinic practice sessions.
2. Both students had multiple failing grades in both didactic and lab (hand skills) classes....not just a failing a few practicals here or there.
3. Both students were given remedial instruction which provided them instructors and extra mandatory lab time as well as tutoring for 2 terms.
4. The school loses money and it looks poorly on them to have students not complete the program....that's 2 spots that are not in our class (over 400K), so why would they so "frivolously" send students packing.

I'm not saying that Pacific is perfect or that I haven't had a few clashes with row-instructors or professors but that type of stuff happens everywhere. What I can say is that at Pacific, I've been given every opportunity to not only succeed but to excel and that every time I've fallen short it has been me and not the faculty that was to blame. Does it suck that this student is no longer with us? Yes. But ask any patient on the clinic floor if they would want someone who has failed multiple classes (especially operative or fixed) to work on them and see what their reaction would be. This program is fast paced and not for everyone but by all means is manageable. I do like this student a lot and I wish her the best in the future but at the end of the day we have to own our situations.

Thank you for clarifying but even you dont know my situation. The reason I put up this post in the first place is to ask for ways i can develop handskills. however it turned into a judgmental dilemma. That was not my intention. Never did I mention pacific in my post. If it came out as a harsh rant then so be it. I will always love this school. It was the best thing that could happen to me. Thanks for the wishes. I hope to see you guys around.

Hey I didn't mean to make fun of or belittle pacific. I actually know someone who is going there next year. Thanks for clarifying the situation.

Originally Posted by shinyteethforme

Hey guys
So I am in a dilemma. I had completed a few quarters at a dental school but because of my hand skills they asked that I leave the program to work on my hand skills before I apply back to dental schools. I mean I have a baseline of skills but since the program moves really fast I just need time to catch up. Any suggestions? I really want to be a dentist and I want to apply to other dental schools. Is there hope for me? Thanks!

Hey Shiny,

Would you change your account settings so that I can PM you?

Thanks
SC