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Oklahoma Univ. or Univ. of Kentucky Dental School ?
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Good point. Do you want a more exciting fall semester (Oklahoma Football) or spring semester (Kentucky Basketball)?
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oh snap
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I hate to be blunt, but there is no such thing as 'little hassle' in dental school. It's all about your attitude, no matter where you attend. I have a good attitude everyday and I honestly enjoy dental school. No, not the tests, exams, quizzes, etc., but my friends, what I'm learning, yes. You have to keep it all in perspective. Go where YOU think it will be easier for you to be happy every day because dental school is dental school. I seriously doubt there is much deviation in how difficult or hassle-free a particular school is compared to another.
Look at things like class size, city the school is located, friends going to either school, cost, etc. and see where you would fit best.
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I'm a DS1 at OU and Im pretty sure that OU averages about 1 failure on Part 1 and 1 failure on Part 2 per year. That is out of a class of about 56, so i guess it would be above 95%...
Current students might not be the best people to contact for info about board pass rates and graduation rates because much of what we know is anecdotal whereas if you were to contact admissions they could give you some hard numbers.
I'm pretty happy being at OU but like BoomerSooner said, dental school is a hassle no matter where you are, its all about the attitude you approach it with. If you have any specific questions let us know and we will try to answer them! Good luck!
Current students might not be the best people to contact for info about board pass rates and graduation rates because much of what we know is anecdotal whereas if you were to contact admissions they could give you some hard numbers.
I'm pretty happy being at OU but like BoomerSooner said, dental school is a hassle no matter where you are, its all about the attitude you approach it with. If you have any specific questions let us know and we will try to answer them! Good luck!
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Compared to undergrad? Take your hardest semester and times it by 3, maybe 4. That's for the first semester at least. This semester is a bit harder than undergrad, but not by much. We are really front loaded at OU. However, the curriculum is getting reworked a bit (cutting out some 'fluff' and introducing test blocks) so it may be slightly different for the incoming class, and certainly different by the next cycle.
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I believe that we took 11 classes this fall.... so yeah, its pretty close to 3x what a typical undergrad load would have been. I think it is 26 or so credit hours. The material is NOT harder than what you experience in undergrad, you are just sitting down day after day and studying/attempting to memorize 100s of slides for an exam for a class that may be only 1 credit hour. I felt like last semester was not terrible on a week by week basis (though we did have some pretty miserable weeks) but rather the fact that we had week after week of 3-5 exams that it just grinds you down. I don't know how many exams and quizzes we took the first semester... I bet BoomerSooner10 has that info in a spreadsheet somewhere because he is just that much of a baller
Anyway, sorry for the rambling....
Summary: I think any student from any school would agree that its the volume of material and testing schedule that makes things hard the first year.
Also, first year is probably the hardest academically, but I know DS2s have a ton of lab requirements as well, making it hard in a different way I'm sure. Just my 2 cents...
Sounds very familiar to ours. I am pretty sure we had to take the same amount of classes as a matter of fact. Yes it was hell! However, I believe anywhere you go the first two years are going to be a struggle. There is not much time to do anything. But all-in-all, I am sure UK is just as hard as OU. You may want to ask yourself where you think the best quality of life would be for your situation. Another thing you may want to look at is a comparison of the base tuition. When do you need to decide? Is this for the class of 2016?
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Originally Posted by kpi
If you could answer these questions for Oklahoma & Kentucky as it is true as of now, that would be very appreciated. Thanks!
1) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Right now it is multiple exams per week but they are switching to a block schedule currently. They claim the changes should all be in place about 1 year from now. Test blocks are where you have 3-4 weeks of lecture in all of your classes, then exams in those classes, then 3-4 weeks of lecture in those same classes, then another round of exams in those class etc.
2) How much time off do you get during 1 calendar year, ie. summer/spring/xmas/holiday vacations?
Starting this summer you get 3, 3 week breaks throughout the year. (christmas, end of may, beginning of august) You will also get a week for thanksgiving and a week for spring break.
3) When do u start clinicals? Is it better to start clinicals earlier or later & why? Is there a lot less memorization w/ clinicals compared to basic sciences, hencing it's easier than the basic sciences?
You start working on prophy technique your first semester and I believe we will see our first real patients for exams/prophy this summer. As far as which is easier, it depends on how strong of a science background you come in with. Dental/clinical classes are by no means easy and since it is pretty much all material you have never heard before, it can be challenging and dont get me started on operative pre-clinic at the moment.... I would think that the earlier you start seeing patients in clinic, the more comfortable and adjusted you get to the whole process by the time you graduate, I'm sure students at schools that start later will be just fine however.
4) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Generally, everyone is pretty helpful within the class, people share notes frequently for different classes. Just surround yourself with people willing to help each other out.
5) What is a passing mark in a class?
70% for a C is the lowest passing grade for all classes
6) How easy is it to be dismissed? How many are dismissed each year, & is it easier to be dismissed in DS1 than DS2, DS3, or DS4?
It is not that easy to be dismissed and I think the admin does alot to help you out if you are upfront and attempt to get help. I think if you fail boards multiple times or fail multiple classes it can happen though. We do have 2 people in our class that are repeating the first year but I think that is because they received multiple Ds or Fs in their 1st year classes
7) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
There is not an official note taking service but for the basic science courses the lectures are recorded
8) Is class attendance mandatory?
You are required to attend all of your dental classes but basic science classes usually don't have an attendance policy. Watch out though for science profs who get their feelings hurt when only 5 people show up for one of their lectures
, they will not be sympathetic if some people do not do well on the exams if attendance is poor
9) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
There is a range of personalities, some more approachable than others, but most of them are really good about answering questions and making sure everyone is on the same page
10) Do you get a block of time off before boards to study? If so, how long? If not, do you have to study simultaneously with classes?
In the past we got our first summer off and people studied some then, with the new schedule changes, I'm not sure how this will work, I guess over thanksgiving and christmas break?
11) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Haha, I have no idea, I'm pretty sure they are above what would be the national averages because OU takes pride in having "a strong clinical foundation"
If you could answer these questions for Oklahoma & Kentucky as it is true as of now, that would be very appreciated. Thanks!
1) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Right now it is multiple exams per week but they are switching to a block schedule currently. They claim the changes should all be in place about 1 year from now. Test blocks are where you have 3-4 weeks of lecture in all of your classes, then exams in those classes, then 3-4 weeks of lecture in those same classes, then another round of exams in those class etc.
2) How much time off do you get during 1 calendar year, ie. summer/spring/xmas/holiday vacations?
Starting this summer you get 3, 3 week breaks throughout the year. (christmas, end of may, beginning of august) You will also get a week for thanksgiving and a week for spring break.
3) When do u start clinicals? Is it better to start clinicals earlier or later & why? Is there a lot less memorization w/ clinicals compared to basic sciences, hencing it's easier than the basic sciences?
You start working on prophy technique your first semester and I believe we will see our first real patients for exams/prophy this summer. As far as which is easier, it depends on how strong of a science background you come in with. Dental/clinical classes are by no means easy and since it is pretty much all material you have never heard before, it can be challenging and dont get me started on operative pre-clinic at the moment.... I would think that the earlier you start seeing patients in clinic, the more comfortable and adjusted you get to the whole process by the time you graduate, I'm sure students at schools that start later will be just fine however.
4) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Generally, everyone is pretty helpful within the class, people share notes frequently for different classes. Just surround yourself with people willing to help each other out.
5) What is a passing mark in a class?
70% for a C is the lowest passing grade for all classes
6) How easy is it to be dismissed? How many are dismissed each year, & is it easier to be dismissed in DS1 than DS2, DS3, or DS4?
It is not that easy to be dismissed and I think the admin does alot to help you out if you are upfront and attempt to get help. I think if you fail boards multiple times or fail multiple classes it can happen though. We do have 2 people in our class that are repeating the first year but I think that is because they received multiple Ds or Fs in their 1st year classes
7) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
There is not an official note taking service but for the basic science courses the lectures are recorded
8) Is class attendance mandatory?
You are required to attend all of your dental classes but basic science classes usually don't have an attendance policy. Watch out though for science profs who get their feelings hurt when only 5 people show up for one of their lectures
, they will not be sympathetic if some people do not do well on the exams if attendance is poor9) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
There is a range of personalities, some more approachable than others, but most of them are really good about answering questions and making sure everyone is on the same page
10) Do you get a block of time off before boards to study? If so, how long? If not, do you have to study simultaneously with classes?
In the past we got our first summer off and people studied some then, with the new schedule changes, I'm not sure how this will work, I guess over thanksgiving and christmas break?
11) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Haha, I have no idea, I'm pretty sure they are above what would be the national averages because OU takes pride in having "a strong clinical foundation"
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It takes a little work to totally redo the academic calendar while not interrupting peoples education too much. Next year is a "transition" year and some of the changes will be in place for the class of 2015. For example, we are having our first summer term this summer starting on June 6 or 7. I was just saying that ALL of the changes (including all the changes they are making to the way clinic works) while be in full swing by the time the class of 2016 matriculates.
Yes, instead of 10-11 classes at a time your first year, you will have more like 7 classes because some are being moved to the summer.
Yes, straight Cs will let you pass and get your degree no problems provided you pass boards.
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Yes, I give you my personal guarantee that any/all of the things I have said will happen exactly how I described them....
but really, nothing is "For Sure" and if you are making a decision based on all of the little details I think you are missing the point. There are some great people at OU (and Kentucky as well I am sure) and I think that will matter more in "getting through" dental school much more than if you have have block scheduling your first semester of dental school. However, I will humor you and give you what little I know....1) I dont know specifically which classes will be moved but they said they are aiming to reduce the courseload of the 1st year by moving some classes to the summer.
2) The class of 2015 will be taking just anatomy this summer probably, so yeah, I guess its like a test block when you only have one class...you have a couple weeks of class, then an exam.
3) DS1 Fall - really hard
DS1 Spring - more down time between the hard weeks
DS2 - i hear its pretty hard w/ boards and labwork
DS2 - pretty hard with lots of lab work
DS3 and DS4 - hard because you are in clinic alot and have to manage patients and other stuff that I dont know about yet because I'm a DS1
4) They are moving clinics to a group practice model where 1-4 years are assigned to and work out of a specific clinic. More interaction with upperclassmen in clinic via assisting and observing maybe....
5) I love this question.... all Cs = 2.0 gpa , you have to get a least a C in EVERY CLASS
6-8) Exams are pretty much memorization, the professors slides are really the only thing most people study, taking notes helps but you dont need to do a great job of this in most classes to do fine. As for the test blocks, we have not started that yet (see above post) so I dont know if they are cumulative or not. I got the feeling they will not be but who knows.
