Does anyone know about the clinical experiences in Houston?
I have heard they are having a lot of trouble getting the required clinicals in. I don't know if this is a common theme or if the hurricanes have simply scattered their patient base around. I know they get a lot of extractions and fillings, but what about other pertainent procedures (dentures, crowns, bridges, etc..)?
I got a really good vibe from there at my interview, but I was just a little worried about the clinical experiences in third and fourth year. I know Baylor has you do like 1,000,000 crowns, extractions and dentures (joke), but that will really facilitate your efficiency and effectiveness after dental school. After all, providing good care to your patients means being able to competently/quickly do good work for everyone on all types of procedures.
Thanks.
Although I do not know the answer to your question, it is important to understand you will have exposure to all types of procedures during dental school, some more than others.
Bridges are becoming fewer at many schools from what I understand... I don't know if it is because they just aren't needed, or if it has to do with the surge in everybody wanting implants. My guess is the latter. With that being said, San Antonio only requires you to do one competency bridge during 4th year. Of course you can always do more than that.
As far as dentures are concerned at San Antonio, you do two complete denture cases 3rd year, and I believe one complete denture and 1 RPD 4th year. As far as crowns and fillings are concerned, I really couldn't give you a number. We have competency exams here that we have to pass in order to graduate. Everything else beyond these competency exams is doing procedures to attain points. Your grade is based on point production, and different procedures give a different number of points.
I don't know if the other schools do this or not, but San Antonio has Invisalign and Cerec electives. Upon completion of these electives, you can start treating patients for Invisalign and Cerec crowns during your 3rd and 4th year. I am taking the Invisalign elective next semester... I am looking forward to being able to do an Invisalign case when I start clinic in July.
As far as clinic time is concerned, during 3rd year at San Antonio, students are in clinic Mondays and Fridays 9-12, and 1-5, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 1-5, and Thursdays from 9-12. For 4th years, clinic is Mondays 9-12, Tuesdays 9-12, 1-5, Wednesdays 1-5, Thursdays 9-12, 1-5, and Fridays 9-12, 1-5.
Then there are several off-site and on-campus rotations that students get to do... Pedo and OMS at the community clinics and campus clinics, perio, hospital dentistry, etc. All 4th year students get to do a 2 week rotation in Laredo (mainly kids) or Harlingen (all ages). So even when you are not in clinic treating your "family" of patients, you are getting plenty of experience while on your rotations.
San Antonio also does instrument leasing, which I think is nice. You are not having to buy tons of your own instruments. Instead, you pay to borrow the instruments while you are in school. I think this is nice, because it is very likely you are not going to use the instruments after you graduate, had you purchased them yourself. Also, each student is guaranteed a chair every day in clinic. Every student (for the most part) has their own operatory. There will be a couple students who share a space, but there is never fighting over the chair for that day, because when other students are on rotations, and so you get to use their operatory that day if you end up being the one who shares. Overall it's really great.
Also, I know this was not entirely related to the post I responded to, but I figure it might benefit those trying to make decisions in another week or so.
