If you are a Dental Student, I was wondering if there is anything you did not know or wish you knew about your school before you started? You do not have to mention your school, I am just curious. Things can range from academics, being in the clinic, etc.
Biggest thing I wish I knew were seats/chairs/clinic patients. As a young pre-dent, I had no idea what these really meant. I thought that as long as I get in, I'll be good to go. Wrong.
But I got LUCKY.
My school has a simulator that is dedicated to you and yourself ONLY. In addition, I'm assigned patients/chairs in second/third/fourth year GUARANTEED.
But isn't that the norm at other schools?
NO.
Other schools have to sometimes SIGN up for Simulators, and or SHARE Simulators. In addition, people have to SIGN/Fight for patients/chairs in the clinic.
What does this mean???
Simulation Lab is going to be where you LIVE, because your handskills will literally be terrible. You will have to practice over and over and over again to become somewhat proficient. If I didn't have a dedicated sim lab station, and I had to sign up for space, I KNOW I would be worried about getting held back. I spend days/nights/ 5-6+ hours AFTERSCHOOL EVERYDAY doing sim lab work. If I could only sign up for a space/block for 1-2 hours MAX, while trying to get ONE day spot, I would be extremely worried of failing.
Patient/chairs means that you will see various cases, and have the opportunity to practice. What does this mean? You need to see various cases and become proficient in order to graduate. If you don't have a dedicated patient base/chair, then guess what? You're going to have to fight for it. In addition, if you get behind, and can't see the cases...you're going to have to repeat.
I got lucky, because I didn't know any of this really mattered, until I got here. I thank my lucky stars that my school has a sim lab station/patients/chairs just dedicated to one person. If not, I would probably be a 5th year Dental Student, and or extremely stressed dental student.