***Official: Can you answer these questions about your dental school?***

1) Name of Your Dental School
Temple
2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Random the first year any where from 3-6 tests per class (includes finals)
3) What is the hardest class? Why?
1st year...the usual toughies: Biochem, anatomy, preventive dentistry
4) What is the easiest class? Why?
behavioral science...no brainer and materials
5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
everyone seems friendly
6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
both but mostly powerpoints
7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
no, but most of our teachers also teach the MD's and foot docs and pharmacy guys
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
letter grades, no +'s, no -'s
9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
I think so
10) Is class attendance mandatory?
no, some required labs and shadowing hours but maybe a total of 10 hours D1 year
11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
yes, all are very nice when approached (just make sure YOU are not a jackass whn you approach them
12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
no, not needed
13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
good, not sure
14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
2nd year
15) 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?
whenever you want, Temple has no schedule 3-4th year so you take it ans study on your own time
16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Temples dental library sucks, no where else in the dental school to study. you can go use the med school library, which also sucks, but a new med school is being built...promising but by that time I won't need to study as much. I study at home when I can or find a smelly butt room to study in at school.
17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
It's temple...don't worry about it, but worry about it so you graduate on time. You have every opportunity
18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
I have heard - and + things about this. It is hard to get a chair, but if you are on top of it you can survive
19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
lots 12 dentures is all I know (either arch, full or partial) everyone who graduates seems to be able to go out into the real world.
20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
yes. in PA
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Haiti Jamaica, Operation Smile, DR, etc.
22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Whatever you want as long as you cover the family jewels and fun bags. Pants, scrubs, shorts and for some in my class the tightest clothing possible. (Lt. Dan)

1) Name of Your Dental School - Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health

2) What is your examination schedule like? Modular Curriculum = Tests every week, but no traditional "Finals" or "Mid-terms"

3) What is the hardest class? IMO - Biochem

4) What is the easiest class? IMO - Continuing Studies

5) It is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out.

6) Testable material is mainly based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? No

8) What is the grading system? Letter Grades

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? No

10) Is class attendance mandatory? Yes

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Reachable (no profs doing research here)

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you? Yes

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? Not sure what the current numbers are. What is the average score? Also not sure what the current numbers are.

14) When do you take the NDBE? Summer after 1st year

15) Do you get a block of time off before boards to study? Yes.
If so, how long? As long as you want in the Summer. You can schedule to take the exam on computer anytime that Summer (as I understand it)

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own? Everybody mainly studies alone or in small groups away from campus.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in? Lots of patients right now.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs? I've never not had a chair. Plenty here.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? Every student will do approximately 4-5 months of off-site work in the 4th year.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long? Yes, Costa Rica, Africa, Thailand (usually on breaks)

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer? I'm not sure I know of any schools that do this adequately, but we get just as much as anyone else. As far as career placement...not sure about that one.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Three shades of blue scrubs or business casual. No jeans, No flops, shirts should be tucked in. (all 4 years)

The Atmosphere at ASDOH really is something unique. Clinically, we get an amazing amount of experience. I love it here. Come and visit. I'll show you around personally. PM me if you're interested.

1) Name of Your Dental School: Tufts

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week? block schedule every month or so

3) What is the hardest class? Why? gross anatomy

4) What is the easiest class? Why? practice management..it's pass/fail, the exam's a joke, the lectures are interesting

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out? people were more competitive first year. every class is different, I think. for the most part, people help each other out. the upperclassmen are always happy to.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors? lecture powerpoints

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? no

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages? a few classes are p/f/h. they're mostly percentages.

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? not through the school but the class can set one up. we did for medicine.

10) Is class attendance mandatory? no

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? yes

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you? yeah

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score? ?

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year? second year

15) 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? we have to study simultaneously with classes and start getting into the clinic. I don't know why they set things up this way, it makes no sense.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own? library

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in? patients are available and students share with seniors who need to fulfill certain requirements.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs? we have enough

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult? I don't remember off the top of my head but most people graduate on time.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? there's a month externship 2nd or 3rd year, you tell them your preferences and they try to match you up.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long? not sure

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer? there are classes and optional seminars

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years? scrubs or business casual. no jeans, no hats, no open shoes, no short skirts, no shorts

I just joined and wanted to say this is GREAT resource for pre-dental students. These are all questions that I wanted to know about the various schools, and it's nice that they are all together in a post, so people don't have to ask them individually. Kudos on the great idea!


Hopefully we can get one representative from EACH school to answer the questionaire!

-Carrie

Standard Format:

1) Name of Your Dental School
Louisville

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Tests are spread out. Some weeks we have 3-4, some weeks none.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Pathomedicine, by far. This class is extremely difficult. No one made an A in my class this year.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
There are a number of bunny classes- usually one hour classes that require very little work. Preventive Dentistry is one that comes to mind.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
I'd say it is a mix. There are definitely gunners in my class, but they are quiet about it. For the most part, people are good about sharing information and helping each other out, but there are of course a few who are only out for themselves.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Mostly on lectures. Pretty much every class gives us a manual printed by the school. The majority of our tests come from those and from class notes. For most classes, in fact, no one even buys the books.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
No

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Some are pass fail (things like Intro to Clinical Dentistry, ect), the rest are letter grades. Some classes use a plus minus scale. The percentages required to attain certain grades are usually 10 point scales for basic science classes (90-100 is an A, ect) and 7 point scales for dental classes (93-100 is an A, ect.) In most of the dental classes, you have to make about a 70 to pass.

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
no

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Officially, but some of the professors don't care.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Most are approachable, but there are always a few that aren't.

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes, you are paired with a student in the sophomore class when you enter freshman year. This can be very helpful, or not helpful at all, depending on your match.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
not sure

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
summer between second and third year.

15) 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?
They mess with the schedule every year. But this year, during the months of May and June we have mornings off to study and afternoons in clinic, then two weeks off at the end of June, with the assumption that boards will be taken in that time. In July we have clinic mornings and afternoons. We are supposed to take boards by the beginning of August, I don't remember the exact date.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
A good number of people study at the library either on the campus where the dental school is located or at the main campus library. I personally do not, but I know many of my classmates do.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
We have a pretty good patient pool. Most people are able to fufill their requirements.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
Each student has their own chair. We don't have any kind of first come, first served system like I have heard students from other schools talk about.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
I don't know the exact numbers yet (haven't started clinic) but from what I can tell they are stringent enough to make you well prepared upon graduation but attainable enough that most people are able to graduate on time.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? Everyone does a 4-6 week rotation at a dental clinic (they prefer us to go to rural areas, but many people don't) between junior and senior year.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
There are trips to Belieze and another South American location (the exact place escapes me right now) during the spring. One of the trips is during spring break. They are a week long.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
We have a couple classes on practice management. I'm not at that point yet, so I don't know much about the quality.
23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
The school provides us with 5 sets of scrubs freshman year and an additional two sets the following years. (although they are notoriously slow in arriving- this year we didn't get our new sets until after Christmas) Most people wear the scrubs, but you do have the option to dress in business attire. Most people just do that occasionally and wear scrubs the rest of the time.
the dress code is the same for all years.

1) Name of Your Dental School
Kentucky

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Depends on the year...spread out (I guess)...2nd semester of DII through 1st semester of DIII is the roughest stretch (juggling path, pharm, etc. along with clinic)

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
If we are talking about fewest number of A's...micro (and it is the heaviest credit value at 11 credits)

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Ethics...Jeez, aren't we all ethical out of the womb. Who needs a class?

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
It appears that it is a mixture (as is probably everywhere). We had about a fourth of the class applying to specialty programs which does obviously contribute, but overall I would say that our class was a co-op. Although, each class develops its own personality and I am sure gunner proportions vary from class to class within the same school.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Depends on the class. I think that most students buy the textbooks for reference; however, most classes test from the powerpoints/handouts.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
Yes, when I was in d-school (just graduated), we shared micro and physio with the meds. Not sure if this is still the case.

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
No Pass/Fail although it was prior to my arrival (switched around 2000). Grading scale varies from class to class. B+'s are probably the most varied with scales like 87-91, 87-89, 84-89.5. Some courses give everyone the same grade regardless of percentage performance (competency-based I suppose) and give A's for writing a paper (Ethics, Clinical Pedo).

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
No

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Of course Depending on the course, there may be a roll sheet that gets passed around. Most of the basic science course professors do not take attendance. Almost all of the dental-related courses (especially restorative) take attendance.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Almost everyone within our college is approachable and usually not too busy to help you out if you need it. Many of the professors you will get to know and they will get to know you which helps. There are also several that I have hung out with outside of school in relaxed settings. For example, a few of my classmates and I have dinner with our opath director regularly (we have hit nearly every authentic mexican restaurant in Lexington ).

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Aside from our faculty advisors, no unless you pursue them yourself.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Not exactly sure, although I think there were only a few that retook Part I. I think that our average was around average (84?) although we did have one that got a 98 and several others that got 90+ (out of a class of 53).

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
We were designated three weeks at the end of DII to study or start an early summer break

15) 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?
The three extra weeks was awesome. I hung out by the pool with my decks for a major portion.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
We have a really nice library just a stone's throw away that many of my classmates would frequent. I think after DII, the numbers quickly diminished. I mainly studied at home.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
We have a pretty solid patient pool. In short, patients are pre-admitted by the college (and picked up through our Urgent Care Clinic), screened by available students, and you decide whether you want to take assignment based on your needs and interests. Overall, you can easily satisfy your clinical requirements; although, finding a good partial denture case and enough endo can be challenging.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
Not at all. Once you're a DIII, you get assigned a cubicle and can stow all of your goods there. You do share with a DIV and they get dibs on that cubicle if you both have a patient on the same day in the student clinic. However, the coordinators will find a place to put you regardless. I can't imagine having to deal with the headache of the first-come, first-serve monster.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Perio=at least 15 SRP's, a Mock Board SRP, and a final case competency which can be a pain in the arse if you do not have a patient in active perio therapy around the last semester of 4th year.
Pros=3 complete dentures, 2 partials, and a sixth bonus case (single denture, immediate denture, etc.)
Endo=7 cases (we don't go by number of canals)
Restorative=more competency-based; They do count restorative experiences (amalgam, composite, crowns) and for third year the threshold was 30. They dropped the numerical requirement for DSIV and now you have to complete Mock Boards and a PFM crown/provisional competency once you have completed at least 3 crowns. There is no numerical requirement for crowns after completing the competency. There are also a few dentoform competencies that we do as a class.
OMFS=complete the 3rd and 4th year rotations at 2 weeks a piece and the associated competencies that most students do on rotation.
Pedo=Pretty ambiguous. Some students are assigned to a pedo mobile that goes out to rural Kentucky every Monday while others (including myself) only saw a few kids in the pedo night clinic and completed a competency (Class II restoration). Its really weird because no matter if you saw one patient or 10, you get a B regardless. Although, the director recently instated an "A" option that requires you to write a 4-page paper on a pedo topic.
Ortho=Depending on what grade you want, you can do a box case for a B/B+ or treat a patient for an A along with a few other hoops to jump through.

Please feel free to PM me if you want further specs (as if this wasn't enough to put you into a slumber)

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Almost everyone does a 4-week stint at a site in rural Kentucky following DIII. This is somewhat flexible and we had some go to different states, Indian Health Service, or work in our Urgent Care Clinic slinging pulpotomies.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Absolutely. I am not sure about duration, but we had several of our classmates going to places like Haiti and Honduras. I'm sure there were other trips, but I can't recall offhand.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
We have a practice management/business course that runs most of DIV. You get a few nuggets here and there, but most of the time it is a vehicle for reps to come in and woo you into buying their insurance, using their practice management software, or allowing them to completely run your practice for you so you can just drop by and pick up the cash on your way to the links
We get numerous e-mails from our front office for job offerings and also have a website dedicated to fresh grad practice opportunities.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
No dress code before you start clinic. Hats and scruff are welcome. Once you start clinic, scrubs or business casual.

PM me if you care to know more...Its Saturday and I've got to find the nearest watering hole...Cheers!

1) Name of Your Dental School
University of the West Indies, School of Dentistry
2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
For the first 3 semesters, a block exam at the end of each blocK(you do 2 per semester), and a Final exam at the end of the year per block. From 4th semester, when you start actual dental classes, approximatly 1 exam each week.
3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Prosthodontics-- Cutting rests seats suck.
4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Oral Biology- Ten Cate Gives you everything you need
5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Theres always going to be one @sshole in each class, I got unlucky enough to have 2 in mines.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Lecture powerpoints, and references to books

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
6 blocks in the first 3 semesters-- Environment and Health, Basic Paraclinical Sciences, Digestion and Metabolism, Cardiovascular and Renal, Respiration, Nuerosciences and behavior, and 1 General medicine course in the 3rd year.
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages? Pass/fail/honors/distinction system.

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? Of course not.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Yes, and each lecturer has an attendance sheet with your face and name on it....no way you're hiding.
11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)? Approachable

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes , but it doesn't work
13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?

15) 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?

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
The people on Hall study in the library, and some scattered folks that for some reason don't like their home.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Shirt, tie, pants, labcoat. From clinical(from 3rd year), until the day you hangup your drill and probe.

hmmm, this seems like a very useful thread. does anyone from ucsf or ucla have anything to contribute to this?

Great idea! I'll post my responses for Buffalo tomorrow morning during our 4 hours of lecture starting at 8am (The rest of our schedule is much more fun though...not to worry)

It would be really cool if this information could be posted on the SDN Wiki also. Does any one know how to do that?

1) Name of Your Dental School

University at Buffalo SDM

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?

Each class will have 2-4 exams throughout a semester and some have several quizzes up to one a week. Each class schedules exams independently (and we can reschedule as a class if one isn't convenient), but it usually ends up happenig that we have two weeks of midterms and two weeks of finals since most classes end up giving exams at the same time. There is rarely a week without at least one exam, but they do happen throughout a semester.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

So far for me, gross anatomy because though I could memorize all the structures and feel that I knew it, the human body is just way too subjective and variable to have an exam on it. We only had practical exams for gross; not written.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?

Probably dental anatomy or the "dentistry in general classes" (the profession, community dentistry, etc.) But I just started my second year, so I may have to answer this again later.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?

Not at all. It's common to show and tell exam scores and GPA, but it's more to check how you are and to vent about one exam or another. Classmates are always getting together to study and are glad to answer each other's questions. I personally choose to study alone, but that's just how I do best. No one seems to fail out of school who honestly wants to give it his/her all. If you do more poorly than the administration wants to see, they're much more likely to let you repeat the year than to kick you out (there's even a therapist/social worker hired just for dental student needs)

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?

Almost all are based on powerpoints or other notes the profs write. There are probably only 2-3 classes a semester where it's helpful to read the books.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?

At the beginning of your first semester you take all gross anatomy lectures and half the semester of histo lectures with them.

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?

Letter grades with no +/-

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?

Not a formal one. Many lectures are recorded (audio or video), or you just get notes from a friend or read the powerpoints on your own.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?

Many, many students skip classes every so often. Some get into the bad habit of not going at all when we get into exams, but it ends up usually kicking you in the a$$. Officially attendance is required by the administration so you don't want to brag that you're skipping, but as long as you can catch up on your own, no one will know. Some profs do take attendance though, in which case exceeding the minimum number they allow will drop you a letter grade.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?

I have never been denied a question, though I tend to e-mail mine so that they can get to them at their leisure (usually within 24 hours.) Profs usually enjoy when you visit them in their offices since few students do! Some of the more spacey ones may require 2 e-mails, but even the unapproachable/grumpy ones will always answer your questions.

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?

Yup! You get your "big" during orientation.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?

No idea....sorry!

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?

Summer after second year

15) 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?

You take a board review course at the end of second year and can schedule when you want to take the boards.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?

Most of the class studies at the Health Sciences Library, but I always study at home. Some people also study in the dental student lounge and during lunch. The library has a really nice central reading room that was part of the original structure (maybe 150 years old?) that has a high ceiling, carved wood, reading lights, etc. There are also private carrels.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?

I haven't heard a problem with this from the upperclassmen, but you'd have to speak to a 3rd or 4th year to be sure.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?

Buffalo is one of few schools that gives ALL third and fourth year students their own operatories. It's your very own chair (with a name plate and everything) so you never are waiting in line with a patient!)

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

You'll have to ask an upperclassman about this.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?

I believe there are rotations at a local children's hospital as well as other hospitals in the area. You can choose a "minor" in your fourth year, so if you want to do pedo i think you're sent out more.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?

There is BOCA which sends out students anually mainly to central and south america. Also, you have to do an externship between third and fourth year, usually to an underdeveloped country or underserved US areas. Those are usually 2 weeks, I think.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

There are intro to the profession and community dentistry courses in the first year...not sure about later on, but I have heard that there are some offered in fourth year.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?

If you are in clinic, preclin, or gross lab you must wear either scrubs (color/scrubs of your choice) or dress clothes with a white lab coat. Understandably, most students wear scrubs. They only provide you with your gross scrubs, so all others you have to buy.

very cool... can anyone from Loma Linda share? Thanks!!!

1) Name of Your Dental School
Creighton (1st year experience)

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Usually several a week

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Academic class: histo, lots of little details, very dry subject, written tests the hardest of 1st yr. Clinical: Dental Anatomy Lab, I was too slow with my carvings...

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
History of Dentistry, although I'm not sure it qualifies as a real class

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
We have gunners, but by the end of the year it seemed like the class was helping each other out pretty well

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Lecture handouts...memorize them

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
Narp

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Letter grades

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? Narp

10) Is class attendance mandatory? Yarp

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)? Approachable

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes , but in my case it may as well not exist, depends on luck of the draw

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year? 2nd

15) 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? I think we have until early August to pass, so I guess we have the summer to study

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own? Lot study in library or even in classroom, I go home

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Shirt, tie, dress pants, dress shoes, stockings, labcoat. M-F no exceptions.

1) Name of Your Dental School

UCLA

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?

1 week of midterms and 1 week of finals per quarter.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

Depends who you ask. I'd go with complete dentures because it's such a mental obstacle.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?

Not sure. There were a lot of easy classes. Every perio class is easy.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?

Not many gunners in my class. We helped each other a ton.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?

Some classes have you read textbooks whereas others have you go just from powerpoint notes.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?

No.

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?

PASS FAIL HONORS

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?

No. We had one student who always took notes though and distributed them to all of us. We love her very much. Other classes occasionally had a class notetaker organized by our class council.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?

Some classes have a sign in sheet but this is not common.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?

Approachable.

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?

4th years do one operative and one fixed procedure with 2nd years. You can get varying levels of mentoring depending on who the 4th year is in your treatment team.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?

Dunno. What board exam are we talking about? Clinical? Part 1? Part 2? Everyone passes eventually.

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?

End of 2nd year. Some people took it end of 1st year and did just as well.

15) 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?

Spring quarter is chill during 2nd year so you get more time to study then. There is no special vacation for boards studying.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?

I never did but a lot of people do.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?

I had no problems. Basically finished a quarter early. My classmates seem to be in good shape.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?

Used to be. Not anymore. Removable can be tough to get chairs in, especially during the Spring quarter when the 4th years are under the crunch to finish dentures.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?


RESTORATIVE: 20 amalgams, 30 composites, 10 crowns (3 must be waxed and casted by student), 2 bridges, 3 partial coverage gold, 3 bonded ceramics, 6 buildups, and a bunch of competencies.

PERIO: 3 perio surgeries, 20 SRP (I think. Too many whatever it is), 4 perio surgery assists, 35 units that can be completed by phase 1 or phase 2 therapy, and a bunch of competencies.

ENDO: 6 cases and 2 recalls. Typodont cases count as 1/2 and 3 of the total cases must be on patients. So you can do 3 patient cases and 6 typodont cases or 4 patients and 4 typodonts, or 5 patients and 2 typdonts...get the idea?

PEDO: A bunch of competencies and 16 days of pediatric care.

NITROUS: 4 cases, including 1 competency.

REMOVABLE: 4 complete dentures, 4 removable partial dentures, 1 immediate denture, 1 reline, 1 elective arch (immediate, complete, or partial). With the exception of processing, you do all the labwork.

ORAL SURGERY: 1 week block during 3rd year. 3 week block during 4th year.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?

Venice Clinic, Inglewood Clinic, Cal State Northridge Clinic (new), Denture Block at VA Sepulveda, VA Wadsworth, LA Free Clinic, VA Long Beach, Oral Surgery Block at VA Sepulveda, King Drew, VA Wadsworth.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?

Cleft palate surgeries in Ensenada, Mexico (1 weekend). Restorative care in Africa (Not sure how many weeks). Mission trips to Central America, Caribbean (Usually done with religious organization outside of school. Some of my classmates went for 6 weeks I believe). Mobile Clinic to underserved areas of California (1 day) (USC's program that we participate in).

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

Had a bunch of classes but I doubt there's any dental school that will prepare you to open up a practice right out of dental school, given no prior business education or experience.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?

1st and 2nd years wear streetclothes unless they're trying to look cool...then they wear scrubs. 3rd and 4th years wear blue scrubs in clinic...unless they're trying to look cool...then they wear resident color scrubs.

Please feel free to add any other potentially helpful information about your dental school below!

"Party on Wayne."
"Party on Garth!"

However, please feel free to comment on any opinions you may have within the context of the standard format below. Please elaborate and be specific as much as possible. This thread will only be as good as those who are willing to contribute to it.


Standard Format:

1) Name of Your Dental School

Nova Southeastern University

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?

Several every week and many every week during finals and midterms

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

Biochem or maybe pharm, just tough non-interesting stuff

4) What is the easiest class? Why?

There a lot that repeat test questions, so those ones

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?

Our class helps eachother out, the class below me is a bunch of gunners

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?

Mainly powerpoints

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?

Some classes with medical students, some with optometry. Anatomy, pharmacology, head and neck, maybe others don't really remember

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?

Percentages

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?

No, one year someone always posted notes, now we pay a classmate to take notes

10) Is class attendance mandatory?

Yes, you have to scan in, but a lot don't care and don't check, so you can miss them if you want to.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?

Good, approachable teachers

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?

Nope, we have one through our dental fraternity

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?

don't know

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?

After first year.

15) 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?

We had class the summer after our first year (4 weeks off first), but it was only for like 15 hours a week, so there was plenty of time to study.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?

Many people study at the HPD - health proffesions division library, there is no dental library.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?

Patients are available, some just get more lucky than others in getting the types of procedures they need.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?

Yes, no.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

Would be reasonable if not for question 18

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?

Yes, starting this year 4th years will be rotating in north miami, some other rotations are off-site (peds, maybe others)

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?

Yes, there are a few different mission trips for a week or two.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

Not sure, not sure

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?

Scrubs, closed toe shoes, all years (different color for each year)

Please feel free to add any other potentially helpful information about your dental school below![/QUOTE]

anyone with case or pitt info?
Thanks

1) Name of Your Dental School
Case School of Dental Medicine

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Finals at the end of each course (100% of grade)
Comprehensive Competency Week (majority of exams at end of semester, again, worth 100% of grade)
1 Comprehensive Exam (each semester over all subjects taken that semester) needed to Pass to be promoted
(Exams that do not count, progress-type exams for your own feedback, are given throughout the semester in each course)

3) What is the hardest class? Why? (didactic)
Head, Neck, and Neuro b/c most important & lots going on in the head and neck from oral histology to sleep cycles, to gross anatomy of the head & neck

4) What is the easiest class? Why? (didactic)
Health, Science, and Society b/c it basically is an intro to dental school, dental public health, etc.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Each group of students that are close help each other out a lot (others may be reluctant). Definitely gunners out there which is interesting considering the Pass/No Pass grading system.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
PowerPoints, texts, lectures... depends on class (possibly case learning objectives, etc.). Class notes are posted for each lecture online which are taken by a student.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
No.

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Currently under review so may change. In general, a Pass/No Pass grading system. Again, the details are most likely going to be changed so not worth posting the current system. It is Pass/No Pass and that will remain the same.

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
One student per class takes lecture notes and the school posts on the eCurriculum website.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Lectures are not technically while labs are; however, they know everybody so going is pretty essential. All PBL/TBL is mandatory.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Very approachable

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Each first-year is paired with a third-year and this is the same person for second/fourth year pairings. Basically, you "take-over" this persons patient base and can observe them in clinic, find prophy patients from them, etc.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Not sure.

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
End of the 1st semester of the 2nd year (December of 2nd year).

15) 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?
Yes. Aside from the week-long Kaplan review course in October (no classes for 5 days, just NBDE I review), finals end the week before Thanksgiving and there is nothing to do until you take the boards at the time you select in December.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Depends on the student. Libraries are utilized often while some study on their own. Many people find groups to study with since getting through dental school alone can be rough.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
As far as I know, there are no problems here.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
Each student has their own chair, not a problem at all. For 1st and 2nd years doing prophy's, chairs are always available and blocked out once a week for 4 hours anyway. Never a problem.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Not sure, but they are making it so you can emphasize more on what you enjoy and so you can do comprehensive dentistry instead of worrying about treating a lesion and not a person.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Yes, Cleveland is highly saturated with dentists, specialists, free clinics, etc.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Yes, in December and Summer for a few weeks to Dominican Republic and others.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
Yes & lots.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Scrubs years D1-D4. Business casual until scrubs come in for first years.

1) Name of Your Dental School
USC

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
midterms/finals in first 2 yrs only

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
removable

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
perio block
5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
no sabotage
6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
pbl - information is found in textbooks or internet researched by students on their own.
7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
no
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
letter grades that dont really mean anything
9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
no
10) Is class attendance mandatory?
yes
11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
some can be dinguses but in general they are approachable
12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
we have teams with 1 freshmen, 1 soph, 1 jr, 1 sr. but its pretty useless.
13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
not sure but our school does really well with part 1 scores
14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
end of 2nd year
15) 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?
3 weeks off for part 1. none for part 2.
16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
everyone studies on their own.
17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
there are not enough patients for every student
18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
there are not enough chairs for all the students
19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
20 crowns
10 units of fpd
11 arches removable
125 amalgams/composites
6 root canals
25 extractions
20 quads of SRP
15 perio re evals
5 perio maintenance
16 competencies (5 crown preps, 3 amalgam, 3 composite, 3 cementation, 2 perio)


20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Mobile clinic, URM, Queenscare
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
they are week long rotations about once a semester
22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
no placement, but we have a strong alumni
23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
scrubs or business casual

Please feel free to add any other potentially helpful information about your dental school below!

Anyone from UF have any info?

1) Name of Your Dental School
Meharry
2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
1st yr: block exams
2nd yr: lots of daily quizzes, midterms, finals (crazy!!)
3rd & 4th yr: less exams, finals
3) What is the hardest class? Why?
IMO, Oral Pathology/2nd year, because the professors give tons of pop quizzes, you have to know tons of diseases in detail, the course is cumulative (2nd-4th yr, ex. fall semester 3rd yr. may see a question from 2nd yr)
4) What is the easiest class? Why?
IMO, dental public health courses, because most are only 1 credit hr., no quizzes and just read hand outs for exams
5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Some gunners, but no one is out to sabatoge. Generally, everyone tries to help everybody out. However, each class is a little different. So, it sort of depends on the class.
6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
All of the above, depends on professor. Most, are based on textbook/lecture powerpoints. It is best to buy the textbooks and read alot.
7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
Gross Anatomy, but when in lab, dental students grouped together (stop after abdomen)
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Letter grades
9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
No
10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Yes, esp. after 1st year
11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Yes, but it is best to let them know you are coming or email them. Most don't like being bothered when in the clinics.
12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes, some benefit more than others, it depends on who you are given.
13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Each year varies, last year's class had only one girl who had a complete failure first time. Generally, scores on the national average. (I know it makes no sense considering the DAT scores that come in)
14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
In the past, it was after 1st yr. However, I think it is going to be after 2nd yr. now due to change in format of exam.
15) 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?
Part 1: you get around 6 wks & school gives review (this prob explains the pass rate because KAPLAN and school's review pretty much force you to pass)
Part 2: No time off, most seem to take after Christmas break (I'm not there yet)
16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Most people study at home, several people use the Meharry-Vanderbilt alliance, and study at Vanderbilt's medical library (nice)
17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Not enough patients, some are luckier than others and get a better pt. pool with good procedures
18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
There are plenty of chairs (physically), not enough appointment slots
19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Reasonably attainable
20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Off-site rotations are part of the curriculum, ex. low income clinic, private practice
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Yes, long summer breaks at Meharry allow students to do Mission trips(ex. trip to Haiti), research on/off campus, etc.
22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
There are 2 practice management courses, but IMO I don't think you are prepared to open a practice "alone" right out of school. (doesn't seem like a good idea) There are career placement opportunities (bulletin board/emails)
23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
1st yr. Business attire (except in gross lab)
2nd yr. scrubs/business attire
3rd-4th yr. scrubs (color depends on yr)

However, please feel free to comment on any opinions you may have within the context of the standard format below. Please elaborate and be specific as much as possible. This thread will only be as good as those who are willing to contribute to it.


Standard Format:

1) Name of Your Dental School

UT Houston

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?

Several every week and many every week during finals and midterms

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

for me it was gross. so many gd parts to memorize

4) What is the easiest class? Why?

easy = nutrition -- all old test questions

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?

our class is okay. some gunners/back stabbers. overall, most are generally cool

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?

Mainly powerpoints

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?

none

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?

Percentages

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?

No

10) Is class attendance mandatory?

Yes, sign in sheets in most classes unfortunately

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?

depends...some are good if you land a good practice, while other practices just plain suck

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?

Nope

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?

I think outs was 93% pass rate...our class had a 87% average on boards, but the class ahead of us had like a 92, so it depends on the class

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?

After 2nd year.

15) 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?

we had 2 weeks

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?

some study in library..most go home

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?

Patients are available, some just get more lucky than others in getting the types of procedures they need.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?

Yes, no.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

26 crowns, 10 dentures, 220 filling surfaces, 12 quads SRP,...very tough to finish in time (IMO)

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?

Yes, but i dont know because i was never involved, but i know peeps who went down to mexico, south america, dallas, etc for diff events

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?

Yes, there are a few different mission trips for a week or two.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

theyll give you a class, but most of what you will learn will be when you graduate

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?

Scrubs, sky-blue color all 4 years

1) Name of Your Dental School
UCSF

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
First year: test or tests every week or two. Lots of lab work. One final week. Two half days off a week. About 3 months summer time
Second year: Still a hand full of tests for BioMed Sciene series; less written tests on dentistry. Amount of lab work is about the same or less. Much less test and lab work in second quarter and third to allow student more time for Part I

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
IMO, Microbiology. Too much memorization. But if you know what's on the presentation you should be fine.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
IMO, all classes have certain level of expectation from the students. It's really up to the students to make it easy or not. I don't think there is an easy class.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Maybe there are, but not noticeable to me

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Powerpoints and text books used as references

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
No

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Pass/Fail/Leter of Commendation

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
It's there, but no student has been interested to apply for the job. If you fall behind, you can ask for a free tutor.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Supposed to, but people do skip classes. If you skip preclinical lab, you're supposely required to write an essay about the topic covered that day.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
They do research, but approachable

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
You have a big sib when you come in. When you becomes D2, you have two more sibs (links), a D3 and a D4. These are the ones that will work with you in clinic and transfer patients to you when they graduate.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Based on the latest news: 100%; ranked 5th nationwide

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
Most take in second year. A significant number of students took it after the first year during the summer.

15) 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?
Summer after first year or two weeks between quarters

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Many D1s studied in the lib. I don't see many D2+. Lib and lab are open 'til 12:00AM

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Don't know yet

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
Don't know yet

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Don't know yet

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Three week externship for D3 and 6 more weeks for D4

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
There are elective courses through out the years during lunch or after 5:00PM

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Outside clinics: anything you feel like.
Clinics: most wear scrubs; others wear khaki and shirt
D2 starts seeing patients in last quarter of second year. Some D1s wear scrubs. Most wear blue (student gown's color), some wear black, pink, green... A few wear green (professor's gown)!

Fantastic thread. Hope to see more people from Harvard weigh in.

UDM anyone?

Turnerjo13 said:

It would be really cool if this information could be posted on the SDN Wiki also. Does any one know how to do that?

Click to expand...

Done. Man some of you better donate on my website, that took a while.

1) Name of Your Dental School

Sydney University

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?

Block schedule with midterms and finals

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

Perio-Cause I keep falling asleep (jk)

4) What is the easiest class? Why?

Can't think of one.. none of them are EASY (its dental school)

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?

Variable.. For the most part everyone helps each other out except maybe the 2 weeks just before finals.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?

Most are from the powerpoints/lectures, and handouts.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?

Yes, pretty much every day for the first 2 yrs.

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?

Pass/Fail/Hons..

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?

Yes: Lectures (Audio, video, RichMedia, powerpoints), and most handouts available on the faculty website.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?

Dental classes (Yes).. Shared Med/Dent preclinical lectures (you can get away with missing many of them if you are reviewing the material at home).

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?

Pretty much most everyone is approachable


12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?

No.. prob have to find people to help. (Not hard to do)

13) What is the % first time US board pass rate? What is the average score?

Of the handful of those who take it. I've heard scores ranging from (89-96)

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?

Whenever you want. NDBE is a US exam so both Canadian and Australian Dental students are not required to take it.

15) 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?

No, must make time to study for it if you want.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?

Many people study on main campus for the first two years in the med or dent library, after that.. most people seem to go into hiding to study when they have time.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?

We have absolutely NO shortage of patients. Whatever you want to do (Molar endo, denture, Pros, implants..anything: we have the patients waiting for you that are pre-admitted by the dental school) All you have to do is request what you want.


18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?

Everyone is assigned a cubical. No one has to worry about not having a chair.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

These are 4th/Final year min requirements only

Perio: Complete at least 4 severe pts

Rem Pros: 2 complete dentures, 6 partials, 2 relines, 1 repair, and most also do at least 1 F/P case.

Fixed Pros: 1-2 bridges, 4-5 crowns

Implants: (not a requirement).. but encouraged to complete at least 1 patient workup through restoration phase.

Endo: At least 6 canals, 1 molar minimum

Restorative: more competency-based.. Posterior and anterior composite workups, amalgams. 1 Case Presentation

Occlusion: 1 case presentation

OMFS: 1-2 wk emergency dept "residency" (on call with GPR/OMS guys), Case report on at least 25 cases, 1 "evidence-based practice" EBP journal presentation.

Pedo: 6 Treatment plans, 5 fissure sealants, 4 PRRs, 4 Class I or II molar restorations, 5 Pulp treatments, 7 extractions.

Special Care: (no requirements)

Ortho: 1 Case presentation, Complete tx of 2-3 patients, and a 5-10 page report

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?

2-week rural rotation (There are over 15 diff locations to choose from)

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?

Anything you do outside the state must be organised yourself pretty much. But, there are many local rural and inner city area clinics which you can do rotations in.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

We have a handful of lectures (more towards the end of 4th year)
We have heaps of recruitment lectures throughout the year.
All final year students get their photo and a short bio submitted as a supplementary insert in the state-wide ADA newsletter for potential employers to review.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?

Scrubs only during surg rotations, Business/smart casual attire required in clinic.

burton117 said:

Where on the SDN wiki is it? I looked - can anybody post a link?

That would be a great location to compile this information for sure.

Click to expand...

WIKI page

1) Name of Your Dental School
Virginia Commonwealth University - MCV
2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week? several every week + a finals week at the end of semster

3) What is the hardest class? Why? Depends on what your strengths are. If sciences are your strength, then pre-clinical labs especially Fix Prosth is the Hardest. -- Subjective evals.

4) What is the easiest class? Why? easiest would probably Peds in 2nd year. First year there are multiple easy other classes.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out? There few gunners in my level, however, the class tends to try to help each other out.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors? Most classes have sylabbi (sp?). Some classes are powerpoint based. Overall textbooks usually are not needed.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
No classes are taken with med students. But when i took physiology, and microbiology and biochemistry was taken with the Pharm students. But there has been recent change in curriculum.
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages? Normal Grading system . A, B, C, F.

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? No.

10) Is class attendance mandatory? For some classes yes.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)? Teachers are intimating at first, but they are approachable.

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Each first year has a mento from a 2nd year, but overall i dont' think the program is strong.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
How would I know?? Avg I would say mid 80s.
14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
After 1st year, and after summer session (ends around June 20?) -- Take the boards by late July.
15) 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?
Above.
16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Place pretty much clears out, except for some library rats (aka me)
17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in? Not sure yet, not in clinic yet.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs? Above.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult? The requirements are changing currently, they are making the school run as practices so req. not official yet.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? Yes. Multiple out-reach service opportunities. Multiple free clinics. and Cheap clinics out of town.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long? Above. Multiple 3-4 day trips to areas around virginia (search for MOM project) + Jamaica trip that occurs yearly.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer? not sure.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
A new dress code started last year. Each year wears a different color scrubs that has your name and year of graduation on it.

Standard Format:

1) Name of Your Dental School
Oklahoma

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Tests every week, almost everyday

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Neuroanatomy

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Dental anatomy

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Every class has gunners, for the most part everyone helps each other out

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Lecture powerpoints with books for reference

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
Yes- Pathology, a few others I can't remember. We also take classes with PA, pharmacy, physical therapy, sonography students

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Letter grades

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
Nope

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Yes, but not enforced

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
All professors are available for questions

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes, but it is very lackluster

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Over 90%, Average low 80s

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
After 2nd year

15) 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?
With the option to take it on the computer, time off is not needed. Most took it over a christmas holiday

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Library is always busy and right across from school

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Hit or miss. We have a lot of clinical requirements and good patients are sometimes hard to find

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
If you schedule 1 week in advance, there is little problems getting a chair. In some clinics, you can schedule day before

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Roughly 30 crowns- actually a point requirement so number depends on how much lab work you do as opposed to the support lab. Roughly 100 fillings (again point requirement). 19 canals of endo (4 molars must be treated). 2 partials, 4 sets of dentures. 3 Phase 1 ortho appliances, Comprehensive treatment of 10 pedo patients

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Externships and mission clinics only

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Yes through the christian medical dental association. Peru 2 weeks

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
We have practice management courses required the last 3 years

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Each class wears a different color scrubs to designate classes

Wow, this is such a great resource! Where's Stony Brook?

Any Michigan student?

1) Name of Your Dental School

University of Maryland, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?

1-2 tests per week.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

First year: People disagree on this... Gross Anatomy, Physiology or General Pathology

4) What is the easiest class? Why?

Oral Health Care Services

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?

Of course there are gunners in every school... but in general, we all help each other out.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?

Lecture Powerpoints

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
No.

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?

Most are letter grades: A, B, C, F; a few are Pass/Fail/Honors

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?

Yes

10) Is class attendance mandatory?

Not in general, but most professors prefer students to be in class. Some use attendance

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?

Most are approachable.

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?

Yes

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
I have no idea... I'm just starting my 2nd year.

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?

In the summer between 1st and 2nd year.

15) 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?

You have the whole summer to study... classes end mid May and I think the deadline to take boards is sometime at the beginning of August.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?

I'd say about half the class studies in the library and/or dental school after hours and the other half go elsewhere.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?

From what I've heard, there are more than enough patients.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?

Again, from what I've heard, there are plenty of chairs.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

I've heard that the requirements aren't unreasonable... but you can't be lazy. In other words, as long as you schedule patients everyday and put the time in, you'll graduate on time.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?

Yes. I don't know any details though because I'm just starting my second year.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?

Yes. There are several organizations that go to community health fairs and the dental school has affiliations in several foreign countries.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?

Not sure.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?

Scrubs can be worn in class, lab or clinic. If scrubs aren't worn, students have to dress nicely. Jeans are ok in class as long as they're nice jeans... and clinic attire is business casual.

Someone from Columibia?? Please answer!

anyone have info on WVU?

Any Ohio State students want to weigh in? Pleezz

OceanBlue said:

UNC PEOPLE????? PLEASEEE???

Click to expand...

1) Name of Your Dental School - University of North Carolina

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week? - Depends on your year in school. First two years, multiple tests most weeks, finals week at the end of each semester, three semesters a year.

3) What is the hardest class? Why? - This will be a fuction of each student. For some students, the science classes i.e. micro is the hardest class. For some who do well in the sciences, but need more practice with their hands, fixed pros may be their hardest class. Also, having 93 be the cutoff for an A in all your dental classes tends to make those classes harder.

4) What is the easiest class? Why? - There are multiple 1 credit filler classes throughout dental school that aren't too tough.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out? - This will be a function of who is accepted into your class and how well your class works together. For my class, everyone helps out everyone. I have never heard of anyone in any class trying to sabotage anyone. That would be unethical.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors? - 95% powerpoint with the exception of the occassional curveball test where most of the questions come from the book. Hard to see those coming.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? - No

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages? - Letter grades, A, B, C, D, no + or -. Some P/F classes

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? - I don't think so

10) Is class attendance mandatory? - For many classes, yes although there are som that people skip where attendance isn't taken. Some classes pass around attendance and your grade gets reduced if you aren't in class.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)? Very approachable. Mostly available.

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you? There is a mentor program where a big bro/big sis passes info down to you, etc. How much you talk w/ them is up to you and how your relationship is.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score? - No idea. The better you want to do, the more you should study. Also, I think that doing well in your classes that cover subject material for the boards is key to doing well.

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year? - Used to be after first year. I think it is now back to sometime after Christmas second year.

15) 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? - They gave us one week off in July to study. Otherwise, you are studying during classes.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own? - I think everyone does what they want. Some study in the library, some study at home, etc.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in? - You don't have to find pts on your own except for an ortho pt. Sometimes it is some work to get pts in. The way clinic works is going to be revamped and instituted next fall.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs? - Can be a hassle. Clinic will be revamped so that 6 treatment sessions a week, you as a 4th year will have a guaranteed chair. Otherwise, most clinics are scheduled several weeks out.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?

485 operative points - 1 surface of grade A = 4 pts, B = 3 pts, etc.

16 units of fixed - at least 10 must be natural tooth prepped and at least one bridge

10 units of removable - 4 fulls, 3 partials, 3 either/or

40 extractions

6 pedo pt credits - not really sure how they calculate the credits beyond having a pedo pt

5 endo - 3 anterior/premolar and 2 molar

ortho - 1 pre-doc tooth movement case

Implants - no requirement though most restore them, some get to place one or two

Perio - 10 SC/RP appts, 5 PITE's, 5 assists in perio surgery

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? - Required between third and fourth year. 5 weeks at a community based dental rotation and 5 weeks at a hospital based rotation. Opprotunities to go other places summer 1 and summer 2 but those are optional.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long? - can be done in conjuction with required rotations. Also, a group goes to mexico every summer for 4 weeks, honduras and malawi for similar amounts of time.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer? - we have one class third year and a few optional classes 4th year. As far as career placement, there is a book that has job listings available. Not much official other than that. Plenty of opprotunities to network yourself and find a job though through community contacts throughout the state.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years? - Scrubs or nice professional i.e. khakis and pol shirt and equivalent for girls. During classes, can wear shorts and or jeans, just not in clinic.

Could someone from UMDNJ please add to this thread?

Luminator answered these questions for me as part of another thread...thought I'd share the info here so Penn's answers could be with everyone else's.

1) Name of Your Dental School
UPenn

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
At least once a week in first yr, every several wk 2nd yr... less in 3rd yr

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Pathology b/c it has the most info to memorize.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
A few are easy not just one.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
A lot of gunners

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Power points

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
None

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Letter grades

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
Yes if your class sets one up.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Yea, some classes have pop quizes.

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Most are approachable.

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
There is a big sib program with an upperclassman and an alumni but some people don't get it.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
dunno

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
Summer btwn 2nd and 3rd yr.

15) 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?
Time off during the summer (4wks).

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
People study everywhere... at school, library, at home... depends on the person.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Lots of patients.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
It is a hassle in 3rd yr... too many students not enough chairs.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Goes by point system, approx 30 crowns (less if you do some implant crowns), bunch of fillings, 7 arches of removable, 15 canals of endo (must do molars after 5 canals).

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Yes, 4wk externships are required.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Yes, the Penn smiles bus thru out 3rd and 4th yr.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
Not really, just a few selectives

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
First 2 years... anything. Last 2 years, scrubs ok, no jeans.

Anyone from LLU? Thanks!

LoF27 said:

Someone from Columibia?? Please answer!

Click to expand...

when I get home from work I'll post up the answers that I was able to scrape of from a current d-1 while talking on AIM

Anyone from Stony Brook?? Anyone??

ok toothfairy85 this is for you. here is SA's info:

1) Name of Your Dental Schoool?uthscsa

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
block...i guess, we do have midterms and finals
3) What is the hardest class? Why?
gross anatomy is a killer!! do well on the first test to gain confidence and a cushion.
4) What is the easiest class? Why?
several small classes are easy. for example, community dentistry. be sure to look at all old exams cuz most questions come from there
5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
no gunners and awesome cameraderie amonst all students

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
powerpoints

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
nope
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
letter grades

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
you will find that many people share there notes with the whole class and if for any reason they don't you will have plenty from previous years students

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
no

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
approachable

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
yes
13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
hmm..i believe it is in the upper nineties..maybe 100...dunno for sure
14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
2nd year

15) 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?
part 1 is taken in between your 2nd and 3rd year. you will have 3 weeks off to study and then you will have 1 mos of clinic, followed by 3 more weeks off to study and take the board exam

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
awesome facilities; but i don't hang around to see who studies there

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
don't know yet

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
plenty of chairs
19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
dunno
20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
i believe so
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
opportunities, yes, but i don't know the details

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
dunno yet

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
jeans are fine for the first two years that you are not in the clinic (most days), after that it is scrubs every day. the color is up to you.

hope this helps. g'luck!

1)Name of Your Dental School
stony brook
2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
block.
3) What is the hardest class? Why?
biochem and path.
4) What is the easiest class? Why?
none. Maybe radiology. In year one, you take 13 classes, so the volume makes the easiest class appear hard.
5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
not answering this one…but for the most part, we help out each other.
6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
textbooks+powerpoints+noteserive transcripts.
7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
all the classes are taken with med students in year one except oral bio, perio, radiology, dental anatomy and operative technique. Pharmacology and micro in year 2 is also at the med-school.
8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
letter grades.
9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
yes
10) Is class attendance mandatory?
mandatory yes; enforced? Not always.
11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
very approachable.
12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
yes
13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
none of the 3 years failed and the class average was around 90.
14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
before year 3.
15) 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?
you get 2 weeks.
16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
dental students study everywhere, mostly in the library of the med school and the learning center at the dental school.
17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
too many patients. In fact, every year, the 4th years stick around longer than they should because even though they are done with requirements, their patients have appointments with them.
18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
every student gets a chair.
19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
I have to get back to you on this one. Hey license! Can you answer this one?

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
not sure what you mean. Hey License! take this one!
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Stony brook has a mobile clinic that goes to south Dakota and has a team that goes every year to Madagascar.
22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
no clue
23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
2nd year and upscrubs.

stony brook is a great place for those who wish to be challenged on many levels. you are put in a small class where everyone is smart, talented, neat,interesting, and ambitious.many students come from great schools. all of this creates a unique setting that surely has both advantages and disadvantages.

1) Name of Your Dental School
UCSF

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Block schedule, have exams every other week

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
In my opinion, that would be Pathology

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Scientific Method-- I have no idea what was going on in that class.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
Gunners but we help each other, up to certain degrees.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Powerpoints

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
No

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Pass/Fail

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
No, unless you pull in the disability act

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Yes, but only few profs enforce it

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Approachable

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Big sibling and professor-student programs, but not that helpful, in my case. I met my mentor-prof in a conference but he didn't recognize me until I mentioned he's my mentor. By the way, he has a list of mentees and their pictures. He told me we should have lunch some time but I haven't heard from him afterward.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
5th in the nation for the latest cycle and everyone passed.

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
After the 1st year. I don't think it's a requirement to take the NDBE to graduate from UCSF. We have a great program for people who like to spend over $150,000 to obtain a DDS degree for fun and not plan to practice

15) 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?
3 months after 1st year.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
I am not sure since I never study in the library. But I saw people who are from other schools also study in our library. We are well-known for our hospitality for others.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Not sure. We have a lot of dentalCal patients, which means they have a tendency of "no show". Better luck next time.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
Yes, according to what I heard. Can't really confirm since I am not in clinic yet.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Not sure. But I heard our school is planning to change the productivity requirement-- Equivalent units will not be awarded for dentalCal and cash patients. For example, doing a crown on a cash patient receives more production units than doing a crown on a dentalcal patient. So... we are trying to create an environment in which we will worship our cash patients with love/time and we won't share them with any of our classmates.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Of course, in 3rd and 4th year. Our school will farm us out to underserve communities so there will be more chairs available in our school, which we can take in more IDP students. IDP is not a state-funded program and IDP tuition is much higher than regular students. The school tries really hard to sqeeze every penny out of students.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Same as number 20.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
We have a MBA program. That's it. We don't have management class for regular dds students.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
No dress code for first two years except no open-toe shoes in preclinic. No jean in clinic.

UCSF is well-known for biological research, not general dentistry. If you want to practice general dentistry, UCSF may not be your best choice; UCSF is no longer teaching casting and we are still facing understaff in preclinic, with 10% increase in student admission next year. Most of our department/divisions chairs are vacant as well as the dean, soon to be. School of dentistry has some financial problems-- we cut the night clinic program last year and we always rent out our preclinic/clinics in the weekends. We don't have a choice on choosing a loupe vendor.

Look at the bright side, UCSF has famous research faculty and pass/fail system. If you want to specialize, you just need to ace the board and do reserch in your 1st year summer."

My opinion on UCSF is extremely negative and people who are interested in applying to UCSF should also seek a 2nd opinion.

1) Name of Your Dental School
Columbia University College of Dental Medicine

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Block during 1st year, several during most weeks during 2nd year, not that many exams 3rd and 4th years.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Clinical Anatomy. 7 months of anatomy hell. Also, Columbia's anatomy course is much more clinically oriented and requires more thinking and understanding than anatomy courses in other schools. This is the course you'll spend by far most of your time during the 1st year.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
those BS classes that introduces stuff like ethics, epidemiology, research basics, etc. Stupid time wasters.

5) Are your classmates generally gunners and try to sabatoge each other? If not, is the culture one where everybody tries to help everybody out?
people help each other out, but there are definitely gunners who are aiming for top notch specialties (especially since Columbia is known for preparing people who want to specialize). People don't sabotage each other though.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
depends on the class. Most classes are based on lecture slides. Some classes like anatomy, you do need to read a ton of textbook to understand the material.

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
all the basic sciences, anatomy (although we take more head/neck than med students who take lower extremities), pathology, pharm, etc etc. All the med classes are during 1st 2 years.

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Pass/Fail/Honors

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
Yes. Mostly provided by the med students for the med classes or your class can organize one through volunteers.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
some are mandatory (mainly dental classes). Med classes are normally not required (and quite a good fraction of the class skip those)

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Definitely approachable. Great faculty all around in the dental school (although we don't really have enough faculty helping us out in the preclinics)

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes, big sib/little sib

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Not sure the exact number, but i believe it's among the highest in the country.

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
after 2nd year mostly in July.

15) 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?
you have pretty much all June off except you have like 1 day of class per week to force you to stay around the campus to study.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
people study everywhere. main campus, med center library, classrooms, home, etc etc.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
getting patients is not a problem. The problem lies in the fact that the patients sometimes don't show up to their appointment. Also, the patient pool is largely latin american, and communication is a pain at times.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
everyone's assigned a chair.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
i think Columbia goes by the number of cases (complex and simple cases) and not by number of crowns, fillings, etc. don't know the details.

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
i know there are hospital rotations, but not sure about dental clinic rotations.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
i think there are opportunities through organizations such as SNDA. Dont know the details for this either.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
i think there's a course on practice management, but you really learn most of the stuff during residency. According to a professor, you learn more in 1 year of residency than during 4 years of your dental school career.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
depends on the class. white coat for operative, scrubs in clinics, and you'll probably be wearing scrubs to anatomy lab.