#1 dental school in US?

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hicutie

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Hey guys! I wasn't sure about this, but what is the #1 dental school in the nation? I don't know if I heard the speaker correctly, but at the UCSF interview I think they stated that they have the #1 dental and nursing schools in the US and #2 medical school. What is used to determine the ranking of the schools?
 
1. Harvard
2. UConn
3. UNC
4. Maryland
5. Columbia
6. UPenn

anyone else have the rest?
 
From the ADA:

"Dental School Rankings
Dental school applicants should be aware that there are propietary publications available that purport to rank dental schools according to the quality of their programs. The American Dental Education Association and the American Dental Association advise applicants to view these rankings with caution. The basis for the rankings are questionable, and even those individuals most knowledgeable about dental education would admit to the difficulty of establishing criteria for, and achieving consensus on, such rankings.


All U.S. dental schools are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and all have their relative strengths. A dental school ideally suited to one applicant might not be appropriate for another. The American Dental Education Association and the American Dental Association recommend that applicants investigate on their own the relative merits of the dental schools they might wish to attend."
 
There are no dental school rankings. The only thing I can think of is that the speaker may have referred to the schools stats on passing rates on the boards.
 
Based on the amount of NIH grants received by each school, UMich is in top 3 along with UCLA if I remember correctly
 
korndoctor said:
1. Harvard
2. UConn
3. UNC
4. Maryland
5. Columbia
6. UPenn

anyone else have the rest?
Click to expand...

My list goes
1. UOP
1. UCSF (Sorry guys but these 2 are BOTH my # 1s)
3. Midwestern
4. UCLA
5. Whatever school that takes me

Everyone's lists are different, it's what schools you like for yourself. UOP has lower GPA compared to other schools, but that's because they are SOO selective on who they want. It's a great school!! You can't really say Midwestern or UCLA is much much better because they have higher GPA standards than UOP.
 
Last edited:
hicutie said:
Hey guys! I wasn't sure about this, but what is the #1 dental school in the nation? I don't know if I heard the speaker correctly, but at the UCSF interview I think they stated that they have the #1 dental and nursing schools in the US and #2 medical school. What is used to determine the ranking of the schools?
Click to expand...


It doesn't matter. Patients don't care what school you went to as long as your a good dentist. Im sure that good and bad dentists come of every school, its all about what you put into it.
 
i would say harvard based on stats alone
 
Babnik said:
It doesn't matter. Patients don't care what school you went to as long as your a good dentist. Im sure that good and bad dentists come of every school, its all about what you put into it.
Click to expand...
This is the truth. The only people who judge what school you go to are other dentists.
 
FutureDent020 said:
This is the truth. The only people who judge what school you go to are other dentists.
Click to expand...

I actually completely disagree. I think the answer to this question is what others have said: whichever suits you best.

However, I think big name schools like, for example, Columbia appeal to potential patients who don't know any better about any other schools. They might just read Columbia and think wow that guy must be good. Granted, I'm sure people graduating from Columbia are great, but that doesn't mean people from other schools are not, and that's what a patient might perceive.
 
I really don't think school ranking can be based on how much NIH fundings a school attracts. Remember private funding is really not published any where. After all, they are public universities, which makes sense to me they are granted more government funding. That's my take.
 
As Sarah Bellum mentioned, whatever school(s) accept you are #1. Just as with undergrad., it matters more how much effort you put into learning than the school you go to.
 
MTD52 said:
I actually completely disagree. I think the answer to this question is what others have said: whichever suits you best.

However, I think big name schools like, for example, Columbia appeal to potential patients who don't know any better about any other schools. They might just read Columbia and think wow that guy must be good. Granted, I'm sure people graduating from Columbia are great, but that doesn't mean people from other schools are not, and that's what a patient might perceive.
Click to expand...
I guess it's just personal opinion then. I didn't know where my dentist went to school until I started shadowing him, nor did I care. I guess if you move to a city and don't know anyone, then looking at a dentists' degree may influence you. But many people are referred to dentists because of the quality of their work, not where they went to school.
 
FutureDent020 said:
I guess it's just personal opinion then. I didn't know where my dentist went to school until I started shadowing him, nor did I care. I guess if you move to a city and don't know anyone, then looking at a dentists' degree may influence you. But many people are referred to dentists because of the quality of their work, not where they went to school.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I wouldn't know or care where mine went either. And many people are referred by quality. But some people would check, especially (and perhaps mainly only in this instance) if you decide to specialize and someone is looking for something more invasive or intensive than a cavity, filling, etc.
 
peerless218 said:
My list goes
1. UOP
1. UCSF (Sorry guys but these 2 are BOTH my # 1s)
3. Midwestern
4. UCLA
5. Whatever school that takes me

Everyone's lists are different, it's what schools you like for yourself. UOP has lower GPA compared to other schools, but that's because they are SOO selective on who they want. It's a great school!! You can't really say Midwestern or UCLA is much much better because they have higher GPA standards than UOP.
Click to expand...

thanks for making me spit all over my keyboard....midwestern? have they even graduated a class yet?

uop is confusing...they seem really selective to your application on paper but then they accept like every person they interview?? doesn't seem like they're too selective on personality
 
enamelo said:
thanks for making me spit all over my keyboard....midwestern? have they even graduated a class yet?

uop is confusing...they seem really selective to your application on paper but then they accept like every person they interview?? doesn't seem like they're too selective on personality
Click to expand...

That's why he said, "My list" and "everyone's is different".
 
enamelo said:
thanks for making me spit all over my keyboard....midwestern? have they even graduated a class yet?

uop is confusing...they seem really selective to your application on paper but then they accept like every person they interview?? doesn't seem like they're too selective on personality
Click to expand...

Uh...I personally have visited close to 10 dental schools here on the West coast. They're my top choices for a REASON. Well UCLA because of its name. UOP, I just LOVE its atmosphere with EVERYONE top to bottom being really kind and helpful. When I visited there, EVERYONE greeted me, and I mean EVERYBODY I met there. I didn't know what people meant by the Pacific family environment until I experienced it myself. UCSF I get the same feeling as well and plus they have new sim lab and greatly improved clinics. Midwestern, again nice people and state of the art facility and equipments. I was WOWed while touring around the campus and amazed by their classrooms. It's REALLY REALLY NICE. It's ALL ABOUT VIBES. You can get that vibe by visiting schools and see which one you truly like. I visited one school where everyone are SOOOOO nice to the point where it actually gave me the creep. I didn't wanna go there and I didn't apply there. Again, everyone's lists are different and that's MY list. Sorry if I made you spit on your keyboard, hopefully it didn't do much water damage to it.
 
enamelo said:
thanks for making me spit all over my keyboard....midwestern? have they even graduated a class yet?

uop is confusing...they seem really selective to your application on paper but then they accept like every person they interview?? doesn't seem like they're too selective on personality
Click to expand...

And to defend Pacific about your views on their interviews. They ONLY interview who they want really. Their philosophy is based on WHY waste your time and MONEY to go to dental school interviews if they don't want you and have you rejected by the school to only feel disappointed later on in life. They don't wanna do that to applicants so that's why they interview so few students. They select people based on the DAT, personality from the PS, dentistry experience, leadership position, so basically your background and your passion of dentistry at least from what I can see (just my point of perspective.)

Fact:
The school interviews or aims for about 250 students or less every year for 140 seats. Since I was told at their admission presentation, they have 75% rate of attending out of those who are accepted, I am guessing they normally accept 170-180 students and about 25% of that batch will go somewhere else. The rest are placed on the waitlist. So the bottom is, Pacific is VERY selective, they only interview who they're highly interested in. I am pretty sure they don't accept EVERYONE they interviewed, there will always be someone who are just really arrogant and won't be accepted due to that reason or other reasons.

It really is a great place to be and that's why it's my # 1 choice. I visited Pacific for the very 1st time 2 years ago. And within the 1st 5 mins, I told myself, "I WANNA BE HERE." So ya, after reading this you can spit on your keyboard a little bit more 😀
 
i was just trollin through 🙂 these threads are annoying, seem like a weekly occurrence, and always end the same way 😴
 
enamelo said:
thanks for making me spit all over my keyboard....midwestern? have they even graduated a class yet?

uop is confusing...they seem really selective to your application on paper but then they accept like every person they interview?? doesn't seem like they're too selective on personality
Click to expand...

i can kinda agree about midwestern. it is indeed very friendly and nice school but without having a clinic and actual dentists from the school, i don't think you can call it 3rd best school in US.. it might be the school with one of the nicest faculty/environment but not the best dental school
 
lphiewok said:
i can kinda agree about midwestern. it is indeed very friendly and nice school but without having a clinic and actual dentists from the school, i don't think you can call it 3rd best school in US.. it might be the school with one of the nicest faculty/environment but not the best dental school
Click to expand...

Well having looking into their curriculum and having friends that go there. I believe they're going to be competent dentists without doubts. It's just my preference, I am not saying it's the BEST. It's pretty much the 3rd school on my list that I would like to go, that's all.
 
I love threads like these. Personally, I say Loma Linda. Heard it said by many that they require more clinic hours of their grads than any other school. That matters the most, in my opinion.
 
GoldTigerPirate said:
From the ADA:

"Dental School Rankings
Dental school applicants should be aware that there are propietary publications available that purport to rank dental schools according to the quality of their programs. The American Dental Education Association and the American Dental Association advise applicants to view these rankings with caution. The basis for the rankings are questionable, and even those individuals most knowledgeable about dental education would admit to the difficulty of establishing criteria for, and achieving consensus on, such rankings.


All U.S. dental schools are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and all have their relative strengths. A dental school ideally suited to one applicant might not be appropriate for another. The American Dental Education Association and the American Dental Association recommend that applicants investigate on their own the relative merits of the dental schools they might wish to attend."
Click to expand...

Very true... I was talking to some Harvard students earlier this year... they don't know any dentistry yet and we're already drilling preps, doing waxups, and getting some clinic assisting time.. they're busy being med students🙂
 
cybermech said:
Very true... I was talking to some Harvard students earlier this year... they don't know any dentistry yet and we're already drilling preps, doing waxups, and getting some clinic assisting time.. they're busy being med students🙂
Click to expand...

And your point is??
 
sarah_bellum said:
Whichever school accepts you is the #1 school in the nation.
Click to expand...

Wrong, its what ever school you graduate from.

and midwestern, really. They havent even graduated a class yet, so you cant say they are up there on the list.

its what you get out of the school clinically and didactley. its not one or the other but a combination of both.
You can have a bunch of people at one school who rock the boards, and say it is #1, but when it comes time to get to clinic they blow. and the same goes the other way.
You also need to look at the patient pool that the school draws from, if the patient pool sucks then what type of work will you really be doing, ****ty dentistry on a few patients, because you didnt learn how to think properly and develop the skills it takes to think critically about a problem.
 
If you want a lot of clinical experience by the time you graduate UOP would be your top choice. This means working on patients by year 2, and by year 3 completing not just a few but multiple restorative, endo/perio cases, OS rotations in hospitals etc.

As for any clinic concerns, UOP has a huge clinic including OMFS and it is always full of patients.

If you want to excel in dental research you might want to consider other options, although since most people at UOP don't do research you might stand out if you do research there.
 
lphiewok said:
i can kinda agree about midwestern. it is indeed very friendly and nice school but without having a clinic and actual dentists from the school, i don't think you can call it 3rd best school in US.. it might be the school with one of the nicest faculty/environment but not the best dental school
Click to expand...
MWU does actually have a clinic open and running now....just an FYI......
In addition.....I graduated from their MA program and learned a great deal about their curriculum.....the entire school is top notch and the professors rule.....clinics + sim labs are top notch.........curriculum is based off of UoP.....cant beat that
 
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