Boston University Dental and thoughts

[teething16]

I attended BU as an undergraduate, and although i did think the courses were easy or very fair, i still thought it was a relatively good school and i learned a lot in my years. However, I was looking at older threads, and this one especially freaked me out:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=821983

i don't really know what to think about this. This is actually the first thread i've encountered that has spoken so harshly over a dental school. If anyone's interviewed there already, or has anything to add or discuss about this school, i'd love to get some feedback.

I have an interview there, and was very excited at first. I knew there was already a reputation of being relatively weak compared to Tufts, but the comments in that thread make it sound like its the last place you would ever want to go to.

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[mtinamer]

Wow. That was some intense arguments with quite eye-opening facts.

 

[tomhrxbfg]

...I just received an interview from BU today...Don't ruin my day

 

[thewingman]

BU is quite possibly the worst offender when it comes to selling out the profession. I think they graduate about 100 international dentist/year and charge an ungodly amount in tuition. They are more interested in generating revenue for themselves than anything else.

 

[mtinamer]

...I just received an interview from BU today...Don't ruin my day

Consider the trip your two-day vacation to check out Boston, if you haven't.

 

[NDPitch]

Consider the trip your two-day vacation to check out Boston, if you haven't.

It's that bad, huh?

 

[pinpoint212]

i heard bu and nyu literally bring hell on earth for you.

 

[mtinamer]

It's that bad, huh?

I think the fact that BU former students demonstrated not a single positive thing about the school in the other thread speaks for itself, which is a bummer, because I was kinda liking Boston University and the city when I applied there. Now that all of these secrets about the school have been exposed, I think it is best to have second thoughts, to say the least.

 

[ddsmission]

crossing BU off my list. they website looks so professional, but i was deceived by the money they put into developing a nice facade.

 

[isittoolate]

I am sure that some of these students are voicing their honest opinions and experiences about BU's program, but can all of these things really be true? You can graduate after only placing 6 crowns...I just have a hard time believing that when other aspects of their program seemed so geared towards preparation for clinical work.

From my limited knowledge of their APEX program, it seems to me that they emphasize the importance of spending time with a dentist and in a practice in order to receive real world applications of classroom knowledge.

Are there any BU grads who have good things to say about their program?

 

[LuckyTangerines]

When I was interviewing at one school, another interviewee told me about her interview experience at BU and how the interviewer was telling her how BU isn't doing so great. Stuff like having to pay for patients' treatment and the like.

 

[ballyhoo]

Is this true? Maybe it's changed a bit now? I have an interview invite from BU and would love to stay in the Boston area, but since I haven't heard from Tufts or Harvard yet, I had only heard from BU!

 

[dantemac]

At my Tufts and Harvard interview, both dentist interviewers were BU grads who said their institutions were far better. I think Boston-bound people should take the hint

 

[thewingman]

At my Tufts and Harvard interview, both dentist interviewers were BU grads who said their institutions were far better. I think Boston-bound people should take the hint

BU is a joke of a dental school. I would put them in par with the Devry - seem to care more about money coming into the institution than the education that they provide.

 

[predentmah]

okay can somebody tell us some positive things about BU

 

[Menthol]

When I was interviewing at one school, another interviewee told me about her interview experience at BU and how the interviewer was telling her how BU isn't doing so great. Stuff like having to pay for patients' treatment and the like.

seriously? this can't be true

 

[alxspider]

Don't go. BU is a place you go to buy a degree and not an education.

 

[xbite]

okay can somebody tell us some positive things about BU

It's in a fun city, and their Business School is great.

 

[cleary21191]

This is unacceptable! How can so many people bash a school with such legitimacy? I honestly cannot, for the life of me, understand where this is coming from?!?!

I'm from the Boston area and I come from an undergrad institution that has many BU Dental students/alumni who have nothing but good things to say about the school. That particular thread is sickening! BU has a great program and will provide a motivated student with the proper education; as with any dental school... Dental school is what you make of it; if you decide to not be proactive, it will haunt you. It's very simple, do the work and put the effort in and you'll graduate with a degree that holds weight. Personally, I was accepted to BU this cycle and turned it down for a cheaper, better school, but if BU had been my only choice, I would have proudly attended BU. My advice, read everything on SDN with a grain of salt. People trash schools for whatever reason, but as long as you recognize why you are at XXX institution, you will be fine. If you work hard, everything will work out. Hope this helps and makes you feel more confident about your potential decision. In the end, it's your choice and I wish you the best of luck!

 

[UCLAzy]

I was accepted to BU this cycle and turned it down for a cheaper, better school...

if BU had been my only choice, I would have proudly attended BU

not sure if you realize but you basically said what everybody else said (in terms of there being better schools) but in a nicer way.

many of the people "bashing" this school said to attend if it's the only option, which is essentially what you said you would have done.. just sayin. not tryina start something

 

[NDPitch]

seriously? this can't be true

True. Verified at the interview by faculty and staff. The person I interviewed with was very honest with me.

 

[aznboi89x]

better school[/SIZE], but if BU had been my only choice, I would have proudly attended BU. My advice, read everything on SDN with a grain of salt. People trash schools for whatever reason, but as long as you recognize why you are at XXX institution, you will be fine. If you work hard, everything will work out.

you made your point, lol!

anyways, if many people on SDN post how BU is bad, something is wrong there. People that apply for dental school and get accepted are usually pro-active. Sometimes a school can get in the way no matter how pro-active you are. There are people that will try to screw with you. When I interviewed there students didnt seem that happy and they went because it was their only choice.

Disclaimer: I never attened BU

 

[Silent Cool]

True. Verified at the interview by faculty and staff. The person I interviewed with was very honest with me.

Yup, true. I know several grads and all had to pay for patients' treatment. Ridiculous, especially considering the obscene tuition and cost of living there.

 

[Bottle]

okay can somebody tell us some positive things about BU

going to terrible dental school is much better than reapplying again and again and again

add it as your back-up school

 

[PocketRocket]

Things are different now though right?

 

[nonociceptors]

BU is quite possibly the worst offender when it comes to selling out the profession. I think they graduate about 100 international dentist/year and charge an ungodly amount in tuition. They are more interested in generating revenue for themselves than anything else.

I know this comment is old, but I'd say NYU is the worst offender when it comes to stuff like this. Is there any possible reason to have 360+ graduates per yer?? New York being densely populated isn't a good reason either. They had a class of 384 in 2014 according to the ADEA guide. NY has a population of 20 million and roughly 596 graduates per year (using the 2014 adea guide for all this). The most populated state CA has about 39 million people and 627 graduates. So NY has 1 grad per 33.5k residents and CA has 1 per 62k.

 

[yoyoyoyangyang]

scary

 

[A Pre-dent]

.

 

[nonociceptors]

So if all NY grads were general dentists, dentists worked for 33.5 years before retiring, and state borders were closed, there would be 1 dentist per 1,000 residents. A sizeable portion of the population are not dental patients, so the average patient base per dentist would be less than 1,000. These are very broad assumptions, but this does indicate that the regional dental healthcare market is probably saturated as the Dentaltown whiners testify.

Factoring in specialization rates, and the fact that NYU and Columbia grads do spread out across the country, the real state of the regional market is probably closer to sustainable. But it's probably not good enough.

Exactly. I just don't see the need for a class size pushing 400 lol. Seems ****ing crazy.

 

[Incis0r]

You know, initially, I wrote BU off based on its reputation, but I am now giving it a closer look based on what I hear from BU students.

 

[dentjo]

You know, initially, I wrote BU off based on its reputation, but I am now giving it a closer look based on what I hear from BU students.

what did you hear?

 

[PocketRocket]

what did you hear?

Decent things actually.. Doesn't seem like anyone's complaining anymore

 

[shaniz]

wow !!! i jut read this forum and confused,
i applied in a specialty residency program and was very excited that i got in, can anyone please share their experience about specialty clinics in BU. My program is covered by BU and i don't pay any tuition...

 

[FanOfCostco]

BU is quite possibly the worst offender when it comes to selling out the profession. I think they graduate about 100 international dentist/year and charge an ungodly amount in tuition. They are more interested in generating revenue for themselves than anything else.

this is true. and they only have 80 clinical chairs for around 400 d3/d4. have fun fighting for clinic time

 

[FanOfCostco]

I am sure that some of these students are voicing their honest opinions and experiences about BU's program, but can all of these things really be true? You can graduate after only placing 6 crowns...I just have a hard time believing that when other aspects of their program seemed so geared towards preparation for clinical work.

From my limited knowledge of their APEX program, it seems to me that they emphasize the importance of spending time with a dentist and in a practice in order to receive real world applications of classroom knowledge.

Are there any BU grads who have good things to say about their program?

APEX program is basically you shadowing again. I don't understand why everyone thinks the APEX program is what sets the school apart. You go out and find your a dentist to hangout with for the summer. YOU ALREADY SHADOWED WHY DO IT AGAIN.

And yes, you do graduate with 6 crowns. If you have a good classmate maybe they will share, but most likely not. People mostly get held back for crowns and dentures.

 

[FanOfCostco]

Is this true? Maybe it's changed a bit now? I have an interview invite from BU and would love to stay in the Boston area, but since I haven't heard from Tufts or Harvard yet, I had only heard from BU!

As far as paying patients to come in...I only heard about them doing it for NERB/WREB. Patients are on mass health and clinic is from 9-7:30 M-F and Sat for half day. So at least the patients can come in and get some work done for free and during non work hours.

 

[FanOfCostco]

BU is a joke of a dental school. I would put them in par with the Devry - seem to care more about money coming into the institution than the education that they provide.

no way they only care about money!! they only accept 120 students for 80k a year, 80 AS students for 80k, charge people for a month long "internship", ~10 specialty residents per year for each specialty. (sarcasm)

 

[FanOfCostco]

okay can somebody tell us some positive things about BU

pretty easy to get in?

 

[FanOfCostco]

wow !!! i jut read this forum and confused,
i applied in a specialty residency program and was very excited that i got in, can anyone please share their experience about specialty clinics in BU. My program is covered by BU and i don't pay any tuition...

which program?

 

[Alpha Centauri]

APEX program is basically you shadowing again. I don't understand why everyone thinks the APEX program is what sets the school apart. You go out and find your a dentist to hangout with for the summer. YOU ALREADY SHADOWED WHY DO IT AGAIN.

And yes, you do graduate with 6 crowns. If you have a good classmate maybe they will share, but most likely not. People mostly get held back for crowns and dentures.

Yep, part of the reason why I wasn't a fan of the school. May sound petty but was a big turn off for me
Edit- However with that being said, something more unappealing to me besides the APEX program was the high cost of living in Boston, just to put things into perspective

 

[FanOfCostco]

Yep, part of the reason why I wasn't a fan of the school. May sound petty but was a big turn off for me
Edit- However with that being said, something more unappealing to me besides the APEX program was the high cost of living in Boston, just to put things into perspective

true that. and thats just the stuff they tell you at the interview.

 

[577455]

At my interview one of the students told us how she can schedule herself time off by not scheduling herself any patients for a week. It was a significant difference in the attitudes of the other schools I visited. Most of the other schools seemed to push their students to do as much as possible and take advantage of their dental school experience. BU was just way too relaxed. I wasn't confident in their clinical curriculum. Also adding 80 international students to your class sounded ridiculous to me. Add in the high cost of living and tuition. The only thing I liked about BU was the city.

 

[shaniz]

which program?

I got accepted in Perio with stipend , can some one give me a review about their specialty programs?