Who is more competitive for a GPR?

[canine2five]

As a future GPR applicant who does not want to specialize, who is more desirable to a GPR program?

1) Someone who wants to specialize and doesn't get into a specialty program, or
2) A person who may have lower stats (but not bad stats), but is only applying to GPRs?

Can GPR programs see if an applicant applied to specialty programs as well?

Just Curious what people out there have experienced...

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[charlestweed]

I know my GPR program prefers the #1…the candidate who wants to specialize and has high stats. At my GPR program, the residents do dentistry in the OR, do IV sedation, and treat mostly medically compromised patients (pre and post transplant, cancer, heart diseases, diabetes, liver failure etc). We see the kind of patients that most private dentists don’t want to see because of their medical problems. And this is the reason why the GPR director wants to accept the candidates who have strong didactic background. If you want to learn more dentistry (ie complicated full mouth cases, dental implants etc) after dental school, this GPR program is definitely not for you.

 

[MDMD11]

charlestweed,
is the GPR program you are at UCLA by any chance? if not which school are you at?

 

[senpai]

As a future GPR applicant who does not want to specialize, who is more desirable to a GPR program?

1) Someone who wants to specialize and doesn't get into a specialty program, or
2) A person who may have lower stats (but not bad stats), but is only applying to GPRs?

Can GPR programs see if an applicant applied to specialty programs as well?

Just Curious what people out there have experienced...

I think Charles Saint Weed said it best. GPR directors, for the most part, want the very best applicants they can get, just like any other dental residency. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think what you're trying to get at is if GPR directors will be biased against applicants who are specialty rejects and figure might as well do a GPR and re-apply or bag a specialty all together as oppose to an individual who either has no desire to do a specialty residency or isn't competitive enough to get into one. All I can say is that most GPR directors are passed the stage of "oh, you think you're cooler than me because you applied to ortho when I'm just a GP? Trying to 1 up me biotch? I'll accept the dorky freckle-faced kid with glasses who got a 78 on his boards but got a 'GPR' tatoo on his butt to try and impress me...He's faithful to general dentistry. I'll go with him..."
GPR's can be fairly intense and capable/motivated students with a well-rounded background and a strong didactic history are most likely to be succesful, to benefit from as will as give to the program...

 

[ltb]

During my GPR interviews, not once did I get the impression that one of the directors looked down upon those who were also applying to specialties/planned to apply to a specialty during their PGY-1 year. Some programs stress the "general dentistry" aspect more than others, but I think most seem to be looking for the best candidates, regardless of their future plans.

I don't believe any programs have the ability to see other programs you're applying to (whether it be a specialty or another GPR), but many will ask if you're concurrently applying for a specialty.