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

most informative thread alive! keep it going!

1) Name of Your Dental School
Loma Linda University

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

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Pathology - also the best class - because the prof writes a great outline and asks really detailed questions

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Religion classes. . . for obvious reasons

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 pretty much sticks together, except when it comes to old tests - they get withheld sometimes.

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

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 for most classes, pass /failf for some labs and less important classes


9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
If there is, I've not known anyone to use it ***Update: the SOD now has a system for recording lectures using Class Capture, which is available on Blackboard.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Technically yes, but sign in sheets aren't particularly reliable indicators of who's
in class and who's not...

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Generally all of them have offices on campus and most are very approachable/friendly. Even most of the clinical instructors! Guest lecturers sometimes give email addresses/phone numbers to reach them for further questions

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes, but "mentoring" quantity/quality varies by individual

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Our class had something like 4-5 people retake part of Part I Boards. Can't remember our average score. Almost everyone passed Part II this year.

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?
You get a Board review "class". Study simultaneously with classes, and/or take Boards at the end of a 3 week summer break. In both cases, I know people who did well. It's all about YOU. and your abilities.

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's right across the cul-de-sac from the dental building, so it's easy access. Our class had a mix of library-bugs and coffee-shoppers, or they'd study from home.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Last I heard, we had a three month waiting period for patients from first contact with the school to actually getting screened in. Not sure how true this is. ***Update: The waiting list can be up to 3 months. Recently, we were able to reduce the list down to about nothing, mostly due to the IDP students cranking through the patient list.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
Each class has assigned morning or afternoon priority times, where you're guaranteed a chair. 2nd years start out slow - one or two priorities a week. 3rd years get 4-5, 4th years have 8 priorites a week. If you have free time and want to bring a patient in, you can request any extra chairs that are available, and I've only had a few requests be rejected (but, I request fairly early compared to the rest of our class). I guess we have enough chairs?

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
BARE minimum: 25 comp orals, 1 biopsy, 3 perio surgery assists, 65 SRP points (1 quad of light SRP = 1.5 points, etc.), 25 perio maintenance, 6 perio re-evals, 40 endo points (anterior = 6 pts, premolars are 8, molars are 12), 32 extractions, 4 nitrous sedations, 10 crowns, 3 FPDs, 4 arches of dentures, and a plethora of competencies. About 20 pediatric sessions required. Reasonably attainable, but depends on who you're talking to and how lucky they were to get patients that need a variety of procedures - and how hungry/driven they were. as far as patient management goes.


20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Yes, trips to underserved communities to treat kids, randomly assigned.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
There are mission trips coming and going every break... lots to Mexico, some to Russia, Galapagos, Peru, Nicaragua, Fiji, Turks/Caicos... lots of funding available, as well

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
IMO, no. If you get lucky with a good clinical instructor, you may pick up a few gems about practice management. Go around talking to successful people and learn some stuff. We had one good class on Esthetic dentistry, and the guest lecturers tended to introduce their own methods of building successful practices. But no good official lectures so far. I'm unsure of what career placement opportunities the school offers. ***Update: the SOD is well aware that there is insufficient preparation for the business side of things, but there are practice management classes in your D4 year with lots of helpful guest lecturers from banks, dental supply companies, insurance, state dental board, dental consultants, etc. They are working hard to improve the quality of practice mgmt preparation.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Scrubs, or "business casual," whatever that means. 1st/2nd years get away with wearing jeans to lecture, and mostly wear khakis/polo shirts, but by 3rd/4th year I was sick of getting blood and spit on my good clothes >)

Thanks for reading. Let me know if you have any (good) questions

thanks INFNITE.

INFNITE said:

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.

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thanks INFNITE!

thanks janygb143!

Still no UF? hmm...

What a great idea! Could someone from OHSU chime in? Thanks!

1) Name of Your Dental School---Baylor

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?----several every week, but usually ends up with a bad couple of weeks with midterms and a dedicated finals week as well.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?----1st year: Fall: Biochem (new instructor now but I tutored it last year and grades were poor) Spr: Micro (always the lowest board section for Baylor, Rote memorization, you dont learn much)
2nd year: Path and Pharm (but nothing like the 1st year)

4) What is the easiest class? Why?----History of Dentistry, Operative Lecture, anything from the preventive or perio people.

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 openly gunners, mostly all very helpful but can get cliqueish (ignore spelling), old tests and things SOMETIMES get hoarded by certain groups but overall everyone looks out for each other, upperclassman always helpful though.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors? --- Dont buy any textbooks without checking with your big sib or another upperclassman, ALMOST all on lecture 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? --A: 93-100 B+: 90-92 B: 84-89 C+: 80-83 C: 75-79 D: 70-74 F:69- Must have a C average and in some classes a D is not passing......works on GPA scale where A is 4.0 B+ is 3.5 B is 3.0 and so on.

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available? Not unless someone in your class decides to share their notes, but most classes do their own reviews and share them with each other before exams. Their is a built in Mic for instructors with a recording device that they will post their lecture powerpoints and oral lectures, but some instructors wont.

10) Is class attendance mandatory? All dental classes (ie Dental anatomy, operative) ARE Biomedical sciences (Biochem, physiology) are NOT

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)? Very approachable, espicially full time dental facutly and 1st year faculty

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you? Yes, a "big sib" is assigned to you in your first year from the class right ahead of you.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score? It is really high for first time pass rate but with new format the average score is WAY down. From like 89 on old format (before Jan 2007) to ~83-84 with new format

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year? Must have it completed btwn Nov of your 2nd year and August of 3rd year. have to take a board review course and pass it in the fall of your second year to get "approved" to take the real thing. Then have to have it completed to start Fall of 3rd 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? NO, get a one hour board reveiw course in fall of 2nd year but most take exam over X-mas break of 2nd year. Finals usually run until about Dec15th though so only get about 2 weeks to study without 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? Depends, Some group studying in library or classrooms but mostly its your preference. Good cramming morning of exams though in break room and library always

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in? Huge patient base, Dont have to find any of your own patients if you dont want to, Will extract more teeth in your 3rd year then most other schools require to graduate due to number of emergancy patients.

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs? 110 operative/fixed chairs.....20+ removable......plenty that I have found. Hear its problem at the end of your 3rd year just because EVERYONE is trying to get in.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult? I have the exact requirments if anyone wants them but reasonably attainable with the execption of maybe endo which can be tough to find sometimes b/c Grad endo tends to pillage from 3rd years......Still have to do Gold Onlays and Inlays which can be tough to find sometimes esp since this is out of date, esp inlays, IMO

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they? Juvenile Detention Center, Sealant Day for kids, Communtiy Mobile unit, im sure many more

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

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer? Havent got much of that and I just started my 3rd year so maybe more later, but will not have a dedicated class, mostly lunch-n-learns I hear.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years? Scrubs or business Casual (no jeans, hats, 2day growth beards, unkempt hair, etc) In clinic must be in scrubs......almost everyone wears scrubs everyday.


Its a great school, As of today going to a completely paperless record, which includes digital x-rays. My class (class of 2009) is the first group to go completely paperless. 2nd year Simulation Lab still the biggest draw and since I just finished that year I can say that it was a big help, if you use it correctly. All clincs up to date with computers at each station and realtively new units in all clinics. Yes at BCD we do our own lab work which means we cast ALL of our gold restorations in clinic. We dont however do our own PFM's (porcelin fused to metal, or tooth colored crowns if you dont know what it is ) Spend alot of time 2nd year waxing and casting, way too much, but we get damn good at it just b/c we have to do so much but you will send that to a lab in the real world.

I love this thread.

U of MN would be nice.

Any more Maryland people out there? A D3 or D4 student would be awesome but I would love to hear from any Maryland students

dentistmichelle said:

Any more Maryland people out there? A D3 or D4 student would be awesome but I would love to hear from any Maryland students

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Another bump for Maryland.. please.....!!!

Could someone please post for UF?

A little WVU would be sweet!

can someone post indiana school of dent please

Anyone from UNLV?

1) Name of Your Dental School
THE University of Michigan

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Most classes have a midterm and final, but IMS = (Integrated Medical Sciences) has a quiz or test about every week

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
IMS by far...it's tough in the very first semester of D-school (combines biochem, immunology, micro, + anatomy) but as you get to 2nd semester and 2nd year (primarily focuses on anatomy and physiology) it makes it easier because you learn information by organ systems and don't have everything repeated a billion times.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Lots of easy BS classes: ethics, behavioral sciences, ortho/pedo classes have open book exams, 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?
Everyone helps each other out and I've never heard of anyone sabatoging anyone else.

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Most classes are based off of powerpoints but there are a few that require reading a textbook as well

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
No, but there are some classes taken at the med school (Head & neck anatomy)

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Letter grades: +'s and -'s too

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
Our school pioneered a program w/ Apple and most of the lectures (at least all the important ones) are recorded via Itunes so you can Podcast them/download them and listen to them

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Some are required (all lab classes/clinical stuff) as well as some didactic courses but there are some classes that aren't mandatory

11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Very approachable, and most will go out of their way to help a struggling student (and there's a program designed for struggling students too)

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes, you're paired up with a professor who "mentors" you during the first year

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Not sure exactly but I'm sure its up there

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
Between 2nd and 3rd year, usually May or June

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 like 3 weeks off in April/May and then have "Endo camp" = anterior endodontics for 1 1/2 weeks but that's pretty low key, and if you need more time you can just not schedule patients starting in June for a little more 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?
depends, some people study at the D-school, but not that many, you can go to the Law library or the bazillion coffee shops in/around A2

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

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
its easy getting a chair except for a few days in the fall/spring when the D2s and Hygiene people are also up in the clinics (i think Mon + Weds)

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Michigan uses the # of "C.E.U.'s" (i don't even know what that stands for) as the basis, ex: for a 2 surface composite i think you get 2.0 ceu's and for a complete denture you get 15 ceu's, a crown is like 7 or 8 and you need like 1100 to graduate which is completely attainable with most people graduating with a lot more than that

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
as a D-3 you do 2 weeks of hospital rotations (1 in surgery and 1 in hospital dentistry), and as D4's you have a mandatory externship to different locations in the state (Grand rapids- Cherry hill clinic, flint, traverse city migrant program, and i think there's a couple more too) i think its for 1 week (may be 2)

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
yes, but you have to search them out, ex: thru Operation Smile, ASDA, missions trips etc...

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
there are a couple of classes as D4's but i'm not there yet??

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
during the first couple of years you can wear jeans (w/ no holes etc..) if you are not seeing pt's (to class or pre-clinic) but when you see pt's you have to wear scrubs or business casual

added perks: you can go to the football games and tailgate with the D-school before hand on the golf course across from the stadium. Ann Arbor is a cool city and attracts a lot of big name artists/plays/etc... for being a relatively small city, and you're by Detroit??? ok maybe not so cool.
-bad things: class often start at 8 am,

A couple of things I forgot about Michigan:
#1 you do NOT do your own lab work = HUGE time saver when you get up in clinics, you may have a faculty member make you set denture teeth once but most of the time it is sent out (all the time for crown + bridge)
#2 if you have any other questions, shoot me a PM, i'm currently a D3 and just finished part I so i'm enjoying the good life

ps: lot's of good golf courses too

twitchcat said:

Anyone from UF have any info?

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I did the best that I could, I am not sure about the clinical aspects, I am only starting 2nd year, perhaps a senior out there can give more info. Also as for hardest classes, note that this would be thus far, there are many more difficult classes coming.

1) Name of Your Dental School
University of Florida College of Dentistry

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Block, several exams a semester with all class exams taken together in 1-2 days

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
So far I would say structure and function of body systems 2, (Histo, phys, neuro all crammed together

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Oral health classes, they are common sense

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 are gunners and help everyone out, best of both worlds I guess

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Both but powerpoints are your best bet

7) Are there any classes taken with medical students? If so, which ones?
Not really, there is one group project that we do with other HP students but I would not call it a class

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Letter grades with plus only (no minus)

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

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
College policy says yes

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, but you can get a good big and you can get a bad big, You can also be as good/bad as you want to when the time comes

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Usually 100% and we are usually in the top 5

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
Summer 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?
We 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?
There is a quiet room "the blue room" that is usually pretty busy (it is for all health professions

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 hear everyone gets it done, but I am not there yet

18) Is it a hassle to get a chair once you get patients in? In your opinion, does your school have enough chairs?
Not sure

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
Not sure

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

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

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
Not sure, from what I understand people don't have trouble finding work

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Ceil Blue Scrubs or dress attire (slacks and tie) you pick

1) Name of Your Dental School
University of Missouri - Kansas City

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Tests all the time- we even have black October- not good news, lots and lots of test

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
That would have to be a toss up b/w cell biology and pharmacology

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Public Health, Oral Diagnosis

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?
Mostly gunners- your friends usually help you out though

6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Most comes from power points, there are some old school classes though where you have to learn to take notes very well

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

8) What is the grading system? Pass/Fail/Honors? Letter Grades? Percentages?
Letter grades for lecture classes in years 1-3, Pass/Fall for 4th years and Pass Fail for some clinic grades

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

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Depends on the instructor

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

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Yes, but I haven't received alot of help from mine.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Usually 98% and we are usually in the top 5

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
Summer 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?
For part 1 We have to study simultaneously with clinic
For part 2 we still have classes to attend but they are pass/fail

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Its pretty busy during the day but it does thin out as it gets later

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Depends on how lucky you are, I have all req in 2 categories completed but in some other areas I am having a hard time getting pts

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 have a pt you will always have a cubicle- even though sometimes it is really tight

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
50 extractions, 6 arches of removable, 13 crowns, 2 bridges, 3 nitrous cases, 3 extripations in emergency, and somwhere around 10 canals of endo (at least one molar)
I think about 90% of each class graduate on time

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Yes, 2 weeks- rural (small towns throughout missouri)
2 weeks in local clinics in underserved areas
we also go to a nursing home, and work at the hospital

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Yes there are 2 - one in august and one in febuary- both in south america I think
22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
I don't think anyone has a really hard time finding jobs, but I am just starting my fourth year and so far we have not had any lectures on practice management

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

Does anyone have any info for UNLV, Marquette, or Iowa?

skyskier said:

Does anyone have any info for UNLV, Marquette, or Iowa?

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I second this request . . . please

Colorado Please!!!!!!!!!

dentistmichelle said:

Another bump for Maryland.. please.....!!!

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Yes!! Can anyone please add any more information about Maryland?????? Thanks in advance !!

It seems like this thread is dying....can more students please add to this as it is the most informative thread i've seen yet! Thanks everyone.

anyone care to shed some light on BU?!!

BU where you at?!?

SuperC said:

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
Usually 100% and we are usually in the top 5

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Where did you find this information? And where can I find this for all the other schools?

Standard Format:

DISCLAIMER: I just graduated, so some of this info might have changed within the last 4 years.


1) Name of Your Dental School
Boston U.

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

Several every week, then at the end of the semester you have a bunch of exams for a few weeks.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

For me it was general pathology and oral pathology. Too much info in a short amount of time on top of a bunch of other classes and clinic.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
Ethics

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?

In the beginning, there were gunners, they eventually got tired and burn out. Those really smart kids at the top of the class were never too competitive, they do go out and have an active social life.

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?

Not anymore after my year.

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

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
No, but class officers organize this. Notes from previous years also get passed down with old released exams.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Some are, some are not.
Many students do end up skipping some classes to study.

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 and yes.

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

The school doesn't release this info. They always say that this class did better than the last. I think this is just to boost morals and has little truth to it.

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

If I can remember correctly, we took Part 1 in December of our second year before winter 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?

Back then we got two weeks off, plus the long Thanksgiving weekend. So almost 3 weeks altogether.


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

Those that live close to campus study on campus, the rest study at cafes, other school's libraries, or 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?
This one is tricky. Personally I feel that I had enough patients to finish requirements. I do have to keep asking to get more patients, but I always get what I ask for. Some other students simply don't have reliable patients, and that's due to the patients' personality. I knew of very few students that had to go out to seek patients and bring them in. Maybe just one or two students did this by their choice.


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

Since I started clinic my 3rd year, everyone complains about not getting a chair. Everyone begins with a slow start, then eventually things worked out. The school does keep changing the rules regarding booking appointments and priorities for chairs. But if you just think that everyone is in the same boat, and do your best, then you can manage. The somewhat new clinical director is very nice and very helpful if you have special circumstances and absolutely need to see a patient and you don't have a chair.

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

I honestly do not remember the specific numbers. I will discuss major concerns. They also change from year to year very slightly in numbers, so I won't toss any numbers out right here.

So my thoughts are that remo partials tend to be rare to come by, and when they do, patients often do not follow through. This is one of the major issue that keeps students from graduating on time for my year. Also because you have to treat these patients for perio, endo, operative, fixed, etc, then finally get to partials, and they disappear, and the partial you thought you had is now gone. However, you can also get some of these requirements for partials done on externship (you can do 2 at externship for full credit), so it is very easy to manage this issue if you plan ahead and have back ups. If you finish and have an extra partial or two you can easily transfer to a friend in need.

Some students also seem to have bad luck finding SRP patients and wait until the end of their 4th year to get on it which is a bad idea. So keep on asking for SRP patients and get these requirements done early every year in clinic.

Crowns are plenty to come by, BUT many patients do not follow through with the treatment plans. So don't stop looking unless you already begin these crowns and are near finishing the case, don't think that if you have more than 10 crowns treatment planned that you will get to do even 1 or 2. No joke, so keep looking and trying to start as soon as you can.

The rest of the requirements are manageable, you will see when you get there.

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

Yes. You do externships for 10 weeks at community centers around the city or out of state. You also have pedo rotation outside of school at a local community clinic, you do some of your OS rotation at the city hospital's dental clinic, a country jail if you want for a day or two, etc.

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

No out of the country programs. Two students from my class were selected to go to Nicaragua with some dentist. A few others went and signed up on their own with some programs and they went to Mexico for a few weeks one summer. One student went with his church to Viet nam for two weeks, a few other students went through their churches in California and went some where in South America for two weeks. So the point is if you want to go, you look for the program on your own.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
Practice management class sucks major butt. The prof is so crazy conceited and so unreal. I didn't learn squat from him. He also takes attendance and count that as a % of your grade. I just avoided him and not let him get to me. He LOVES to talk.

The school has some website that you can sign up and use to find work in the New England areas. Not for the rest of the country as far as I am concerned.


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

First and second year wear casual clothes, including jeans to class. In clinic, you must wear scrubs or professional clothing. Most choose to wear scrubs, some guys will wear slacks, dress shirts, tie, and black shoes and white coat. Girls get away with wearing pants and some shirts. Don't wear a skirt or sandals, ladies, or a certain female professor in clinic will call you aside and give you a lecture and it is not worth it. Just wear scrubs.

Please feel free to add any other potentially helpful information about your dental school below!
Every school has its problems. Focus on learning dentistry. Don't let the dumb people get to you. Oh, the line to get your lab work checked for remo is just crazy. But you deal with it. The guys in the crowns lab are nice and laid back. There are plenty of research opportunities for those of you that love to do that, or if you just want to do it to make your CV better for post-doc programs.
Boston is a great city.

Good luck, any other specific questions, feel free to PM me.

Starting at Marquette soon..any info would help. Thanks!

anyone from UMDNJ?????????????

anyone from tufts please?

1) Name of Your Dental School

Harvard School of Dental Medicine

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

Block schedule and usually just a final. Classes tend to be ~6 weeks, although there is a large range of 3 weeks to 12 weeks.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?

All are passable; the medical classes tend to give students more trouble than the dental classes.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?

Again, every class is passable.

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?

Mixture. There is no ill-will towards anyone but some people are more generous w/ notes from upperclassmen and their own notes than others. Mostly, though, everyone tries to help each other.

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

I rely on lecture notes but they are required textbooks for all classes.

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

You take all the medical school classes your 1st and 2nd year (with exception to a nutrician class and an epi class) and have dental class in the afternoons 2-3 days a week.

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

First two years are Pass/Fail/Marginal Pass (but considered a pass). Beyond second year, honors gets thrown in there.

9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?

No, but all medical class lectures are videotaped so you can watch it online. Usually all lecturers provide notes for their lectures -- dental school is not as diligent about this, though.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?

Only for "tutorial" which is 3x a week for 1-2 hours per session.

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

Very approachable at lectures and willing to answer emails as well as questions posted on "forums"

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

You get paired with an upperclassmen but not with faculty. Some people really connect w/ their big sib whereas others never establish that bond.

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

I think everyone passes Part I the first time around and the average has been like 93-94 or so. We've had the top board scores for many years. I believe this past year, everyone passed Part II as well.

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

Summer after your second year. Harvard gives us 4-5 weeks off to prepare for it and you decide when you take it...when you take it determines how long your summer is.

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 answered this in #14. But yes, most people study simultaneously with classes and then for a couple of weeks after class is over.

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 have no idea where people study. Some study in our medical school building because there are a lot of little rooms; others study in their rooms or at their home; some go to Starbuck's.

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

Most students do not face difficulty meeting their clinical requirements.

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

This hasn't been much of an issue but others may disagree.

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

I will need to double check the numbers but it is reasonably attainable. Everyone graduated last year.

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

Yes, many students do externships and there are many opportunities.

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

Yes, these exist as well. I am aware of some students going to Africa and others possibly going to India...

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

We do not take classes for practice management -- at least that's what I think.

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

You can wear scrubs in the clinic -- most students do. But if you don't wear scrubs in the clinic, you are required to look professional. i.e. shirt and ties for men with dress pants, no sleeveless tops, short skirts, open-toed shoes, low cut blouses for the women. If women wear skirts, they must always wear nylons (no bare legs). Students are primarily in the clinic for 3rd and 4th years so these are the years the dress code takes effect. However, during your first 2 years, you will also go to the hospitals 1-2x per week for your medical school requirements, and a professional look is required (cannot wear scrubs).

I am also interested in UNLV School of Dental Medicine. Any takers?

Bump

Everytime someone bumps this thread or asks about a school I get all stoked thinking there will be some more good info. But alas this is not the case.

pmantz said:

Everytime someone bumps this thread or asks about a school I get all stoked thinking there will be some more good info. But alas this is not the case.

Click to expand...

Sorry to dash your hopes. I want more information, too, so I bumped the thread up to make sure it doesn't go the way of the dinosaur.

pmantz said:

Everytime someone bumps this thread or asks about a school I get all stoked thinking there will be some more good info. But alas this is not the case.

Click to expand...

I know exactly how you feel.

Please someone have a heart and post for Marquette.

UDM...anyone????

SIUE or UIC?!?!?! Anyone? I'd also like to hear about UNLV, WA, and Tenn if possible.

Standard Format:

1) Name of Your Dental School
Medical College of Georgia
2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
Several each week.
3) What is the hardest class? Why?
Microbiology. The professor is nice enough but he is hardcore when it comes to his bugs.
4) What is the easiest class? Why?
I don't know. Maybe ethics, intro to radiology?
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?
Varies by class. My class was really good at helping each other out. Other classes... not so much.
6) Are the class notes based primarily on textbooks? or based on lecture powerpoints made up by professors?
Lecture material.
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
9) Is there a notetaking service for lecture available?
You can pay/beg a classmate for copies of their notes.
10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Usually
11) In general, are teachers approachable for questions? Or are they for the most part very busy and unreachable (research, etc...)?
Very personable professors.
12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?There wasn't when I was there but I have heard they are trying to start that.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
No clue.
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?
We got 3 or 4 days for part 1. Nothing 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?
I think some of the gunners went to the library. I wouldn't really know though.
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 on a 3-6 month long waiting list. You can get as many patients as 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?
Plenty of chairs. Sometimes just not enough coverage. But I think they have mostly solved this issue.
19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
If you come to clinic you will meet requirements. 20 crowns, 4 complete dentures, 2 partials, 100 directs, 20 quads SRP, 3 perio surgeries, 6 endo, a bunch of other misc. stuff.

You will surpass almost all of these requirements except maybe removable and endo. The work is there for you to do.
20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Yes. Various underserved areas around the state.
21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
There are usually a couple week long trips to South/Central America.
22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
Career placement? You just go out and find a job. They do their best to teach practice management but it just can't be taught well in school.
23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Scrubs or dressy casual.

Please feel free to add any other potentially helpful information about your dental school below![/quote]
Glad it's over.

Bump

bump

1) Name of Your Dental School
NYU College of Dentistry

2) What is your examination schedule like? Block Schedule (midterms and finals week) or several every week?
exams throughout the semester. all of the courses are different lengths so the courses and exams are staggered.

3) What is the hardest class? Why?
SYSTEMS PATHOLOGY. the course is very hard, and that man has no mercy on students.

4) What is the easiest class? Why?
A bunch of them, like Health Promotion 1, 2 and 3.

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 a mix of both. Usually the gunners sit in the front row or 2.

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

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?
Transcription service types of many of the lectures.

10) Is class attendance mandatory?
Only a few.

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

12) Is there a big brother/big sister program that pairs you with an upperclassman or professor who "mentors" you?
Newly implemented mentor program pairing older students with younger ones. We also have a mentor program with professors and students but that isn't that big.

13) What is the % first time board pass rate? What is the average score?
They don't tell us the average scores but almost everyone passes the boards the first time. But I guess we'll see if that changes with the new board format

14) When do you take the NDBE? 1st year or second year?
Summer 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?
You have no classes in July when you should be studying 4 hours a day, but you are also in clinic then. They give us the whole month of August off to study, have to take them before September 1st of D3. This is changing next year though...they are giving more time to study but while in clinic a few days a week.

16) Do most people study in the University Library? Or does the place clear out right after school and everybody studies on their own?
Half and half. Dental school has its own library but the undergrad library is really nice and lots of students study there too.

17) Are patients readily available to fulfill clinical requirements or do you have to do a lot of work to get them in?
Tons of patients, they magically appear on your roster a lot of the time. As long as you aren't a slacker its usually easy to complete your 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 chairs but they were renovating some floors over the summer so its been hard sometimes to get a chair then. But it will be back to normal in September since renovations will be done then so no problem getting a chair usually. The new clinics are really nice.

19) What are the clinical requirements to graduate? (number of crowns, fillings, etc...) Is it reasonably attainable or pretty difficult?
well some requirements are for just 3rd year and some are for over both 3rd and 4th years so it gets kind of confusing, but here is whats on my requirement list now:
2 CDs
2 RPDs
1 implant overdenture
6 crowns
1 ceramic crown
1 implant crown
60 operative
1 onlay
4 arches bleaching
5 root canals (at least one molar)
10 extractions
12 quadrants SRP
2 perio surgery assists
and besides requirements you have to do formatives and summatives which faculty approve that you are competent

20) Are there opportunities for different off-site dental clinic rotations? If so, what are they?
Yeah you can do them, but its on your own search them out and apply.

21) Are there opportunites for outreach trips to underserved areas or countries? If so, what are they and for how long?
Yup, lots of outreaches. The normal mobile clinic van which serves underprivilaged kids. Then you have outreaches in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, India, Nicaragua, Tanzania, and they are possibly planning more.

22) Is there sufficent preparation for practice management? What career placement opportunites does your school offer?
We have practice management classes starting in the 2nd year going thru 4th year. They also run our clinics in a way that would be done in a private practice to help you get a feel for it.

23) What is the dress code at your school? Scrubs? For what years?
Only a dress code when in clinic (end of 2nd year-4th year): scrubs or business casual with closed toed shoes.

Its a great school but the curriculum can be difficult. Its a very "work hard, play hard" kind of environment with lots of opportunities.

what a pity, noone from UMDNJ has time to pass on any words of wisdom

any current Uconn students ? Would be very helpful
Thank you