Theft amongst dental classmates

[StudentDentist]

I love dental school, and I love my classmates. But one thing is so glaringly annoying. I've heard of and have experienced various incidences of theft, and I don't think I trust my peers anymore. People'd leave their belongings in a room that only dental students have access to. They'd come back, and things are missing. One girl reported petty cash being taken from her wallet. I had a CD stolen, a CD where every student was given a copy. Seriously, why would they steal another copy of a CD? I go to a UC and am going to keep this school private eventhou I sometimes feel like revealing my classmates for the thieves they are. I've lost my wallet several times in undergrad (it's actually one of those rich private schools where the students tended to be rich themselves) and everytime it get's returned with all the cash still in it. I don't know if dental students are just poor or tend to come from poorer backgrounds, but I'm not feeling this.

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[desert rat]

It happened when I went to dental school 11 years ago. My loops were stolen twice and from a locked cabnet. My articulator was stolen as well as a text book.

After dental school I was even stalked by a former classmate.

I thought it was just my class that had the nut jobs and a--holes (not all my class just a select group).

 

[ldsmbhc]

A janitor once jacked my classmate’s jar of peanut butter and he caught her eating it in the lounge. Moral of the story…don’t always assume when things go missing its because of another dental student. No wonder why I only paid $40 for my articulator on eBay.

 

[Yellow Snow]

I love dental school, and I love my classmates. But one thing is so glaringly annoying. I've heard of and have experienced various incidences of theft, and I don't think I trust my peers anymore. People'd leave their belongings in a room that only dental students have access to. They'd come back, and things are missing. One girl reported petty cash being taken from her wallet. I had a CD stolen, a CD where every student was given a copy. Seriously, why would they steal another copy of a CD? I go to a UC and am going to keep this school private eventhou I sometimes feel like revealing my classmates for the thieves they are. I've lost my wallet several times in undergrad (it's actually one of those rich private schools where the students tended to be rich themselves) and everytime it get's returned with all the cash still in it. I don't know if dental students are just poor or tend to come from poorer backgrounds, but I'm not feeling this.

Dang, I now have a bit more respect for my class. We have had our share of incidents, but it wasn't even close to that brazen.

 

[tinker bell]

One time I got to the clinic at 11PM, I saw the janitor climbing out of window with a huge black large trash bag full of stuff. I was freaking scared and couldn't even run fast enough. My classmates and upper/lower school mates had numerous times return my slow speed, high speed, cassettes tray, etc....I lost only 1 item in dental school: iris scissor.
I expected to lose my loops & fiber optic light but somehow I still have them until today.

 

[StudentDentist]

A janitor once jacked my classmate’s jar of peanut butter and he caught her eating it in the lounge. Moral of the story…don’t always assume when things go missing its because of another dental student. No wonder why I only paid $40 for my articulator on eBay.

Try an instance where the class leaves the lab. I go back in because I left something there, and when I get there, it's already gone. So someone swiped it while we were exiting the room. People constantly tell me they don't trust dentists, because they tend to force extra procedures on them or for whatever reason. Now, I'm starting to distrust dentists. It's a position I'd rather not be in.

 

[armorshell]

I lose crap all the time and my classmates always get it back to me.

 

[Guy Smiley]

I think it must really depend on the class. I never felt worried about leaving my laptop in a room while I went to the bathroom or whatever. There weren't any problems in our class that I was aware of.

 

[HuyetKiem]

sh$$t... I lost my stuffs all the time in dental school. Didn't get anything back.

 

[Shunwei]

I lose crap all the time and my classmates always get it back to me.

I really think Dental schools should start instituting an Honor Code among its students and really make ethical standards high among its accepted class. Back at Rice we had an Honor Code in place so pretty much everything was open: you had take home exams, unproctored exams, take home assignments, privately-scheduled tests, etc. Only very, very few individuals chose to challenge the system, but they were like 1% of the class. Besides, they almost invariably suffered when it came time for standardized testing, and then it was time to pay the Piper.

I am a couple of weeks in dental school, and all the time I hear about professionalism, ethical conduct, and honesty. However, I don't believe that these traits can be taught in a classroom setting--you basically either have it or you don't. It really bothers me to hear all the time about how dental students cheat. What kind of professionals can we expect these students to be?

 

[UCSF2012]

I'm afraid need and economic background're the biggest factors in whether a person steals. Dental school just brings in students from all sorts of backgrounds, so some students come from more impoverished backgrounds. Honor code or not, people'll continue to steal when they feel they can get away with it. Lack of need and honor are the biggest factors preventing people from stealing.

 

[Shunwei]

I'm afraid need and economic background're the biggest factors in whether a person steals. Dental school just brings in students from all sorts of backgrounds, so some students come from more impoverished backgrounds. Honor code or not, people'll continue to steal when they feel they can get away with it. Lack of need and honor are the biggest factors preventing people from stealing.

Economic backgrounds does not necessarily equate with integrity. How many rich folks' kids have you seen are on the side of debauchery? From where I stand, quite a few (I have worked as private tutors to many affluent families).

I think ethics is more of an either-you-have-it-or-you-don't kind of thing. It's an engrained trait, one that I seriously doubt can be cultivated in a classroom setting. Sure, they may proctor every exam and watch every movement of yours, but what's the point when you go out and 80% of the dentists will be operating in their own little castles?

 

[UCSF2012]

Economic backgrounds does not necessarily equate with integrity. How many rich folks' kids have you seen are on the side of debauchery? From where I stand, quite a few (I have worked as private tutors to many affluent families).

I think ethics is more of an either-you-have-it-or-you-don't kind of thing. It's an engrained trait, one that I seriously doubt can be cultivated in a classroom setting. Sure, they may proctor every exam and watch every movement of yours, but what's the point when you go out and 80% of the dentists will be operating in their own little castles?

And I never suggested they were. People who steal do so because of many reasons. The biggest is need. Somewhere below that is lack of integrity.

"Ethics" should still be taught in the classroom, because sometimes if we knew it was against the law, we wouldn't have done it. The classroom is a place to inform students of the laws and regulations governing small businesses in healthcare. They also could use all sorts of scare tactics to prevent practitioners from breaking laws (the immense liability involved breaking small laws, etc.) Whether the practitioner would still commit unethical/unlawful acts is then entirely on them.

 

[Shunwei]

And I never suggested they were. People who steal do so because of many reasons. The biggest is need. Somewhere below that is lack of integrity.

"Ethics" should still be taught in the classroom, because sometimes if we knew it was against the law, we wouldn't have done it. The classroom is a place to inform students of the laws and regulations governing small businesses in healthcare. They also could use all sorts of scare tactics to prevent practitioners from breaking laws (the immense liability involved breaking small laws, etc.) Whether the practitioner would still commit unethical/unlawful acts is then entirely on them.

I interpreted your post before as saying that "need" was based mainly on economic basis. I do agree that people steal for a variety of reasons, but regardless of which it is a disturbing show of character. And I think most people would agree that you want a healthcare provider to have a solid character to build trust upon.

What you are suggesting about ethics is what I consider to be "hard" rules. While these hard rules are valuable to know, the most important thing is still the basic mindset of the student. If a student has a healthy personality to begin with, these rules will merely reinforce his/her beliefs. If they conflict, I will put my money that intrinsic tendencies will win. After all, you can't make good wine out of bad grapes.

It bothers me a lot that so many dental programs have been under fire for cheating, arguable behavior/standards, etc. (like our own ortho program last year, indiana/NJ students cheating, so forth). I mean, really, is it really that hard to screen students for their ethical beliefs, in addition to stats/EC's? If I were the dean of a program, I'd make sure that I sift through, very hard, for any breaches in professional standards on any applicants. And I'd make sure that I give a quick phone call to the main reference for each student I accept prior to making an official offer.

 

[Gunner McGee]

I lose crap all the time and my classmates always get it back to me.

This guy is the most notorious thief at Pacific, he once stole a condenser from me and I had to buy a new one.

 

[djeffreyt]

I steal. But I usually give what I steal back encased in jello.

 

[pmantz]

During the summer someone kept on stealing lunches from the lounge refrigerator. It happened to me twice. Nothing worse then finding out your lunch was stolen, after a hard morning in clinic/lab.