2 months of interviewing

[dentalchick]

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Whoa! Over the past 2 months I have done nothing but travel the United States interviewing at 10 schools!!!!!! I couldn't believe how diverse each school is from each other. Every school has something new to offer.
I thought I would start this thread to let you know a little about some of the schools I interviewed at.
I am from California so naturally I interviewed at UCLA, UOP and USC. Each were very good, however UOP stood out as the best of the three. They just built a new pre-clinic that blows UCLA and USC out of the water. They also seemed very interested in me and not just in themselves.
I also traveled out east to Temple, Florida, Penn, Tufts and OSU.
Florida was the best of the five here. The interview process was great and the people are so friendly. I know they are there to help me succeed. The only bad thing is you have classes in the basement! But it was by far the best school. They have great facilities and great libraries.

Penn was the worst. I could not believe how rude and obnoxious the students were. They all seemed to be nerdy and I knew from just walking the halls that this is not the place I want to be. The faculty seemed to be good but I couldn't get over the students.

Temple is my "Suprise" school. If any of you haven't met Mark Lombard, you got to do it. He is great and he sells the school wonderfully. He is a black belt in bridge that is kind of funny. I interviewed at Temple just after Penn and it made Penn look like a kindergarten class. If you have a chance to go to Temple, Go!!!!! The only problems are you have to pay for services that people don't pay for and you have to do your own lab work.

Well there you have it. My 2 months in about 3 min. I wish I could give more details but I need to get back to catching up on things.

 

[tinker bell]

I have been to quite several dental schools as well.
UCSF: the best anatomy lab with excellent ventillation system. The clinic is also very large, spacious and view of the golden gate.

UOP: has the SIM lab, but only one building.

Temple: has Mark Lombard. He makes me feel that Temple is heaven on earth or it's paradise of the east, not North Philly.
My classmates and I yesterday joked (in a serious way) to the dean that we need to recruit Mark to UCSF. I have heard that Mark has been using the Utah snow analogy for as long as 4 yrs.

Case: this is my favorite school, only in the wrong location.
They just have an amazing staff, admissions officers and student services office. I am impressed with all of their student behavior. The SIM lab by far is the most advance, they have music, and a beautiful campus. The dean of the school obviously know how to teach his students and his staff to behave. I'm so impressed with the school. They are just above and beyond in everything they do to serve their students. I only wish that CASE moves to CA. If CASE is in SF, UOP and ucsf will have to worry. Because Case teaching quality is super. They have preceptors for students. And just so many prof. in even the SIM lab (9 for 70 students, and they are specialist, not just gp).
Cleveland also has excellent cheese. I tried so many variety, and they're all great. I'm from CA and I think they have better cheese
Seriouly impressed
Tinker Bell-TEMPLE DENTAL007😎

 

[DesiDentist]

Here are my experiences in my rank:

PENN: I think they have it together. I didn't think the students were obnoxious, maybe they were having exams which they do in the middle of january. The faculty was very supportive and they treated me with Genuine respect and assured me that I would be happy there. I just felt a good vibe. I feel like every area of the dental experience was available to me. I spent a half a month in Philly and went to PENN at least 7 days and observed in the clinics, the lectures, and talked to students who (were stressed) but definately illustrated that they loved it there. Also, PENN has summer's off. No tests overlapp. They have six private clinics where students work at during 3rd year (which they don't show during the interview). Study abroad programs. Community Service requirment. Leadership skills. Option to get your MBA, M.S.Ed, Ph.D (at John Hopkins) while in dental school. Research opportunities. They were very organized. They screen patients (which Temple does not do) before a students sees them. Also, while I was waiting for Dr. Emling to come interview me several students approached me and introduced themselves and talked about the program. I felt a nice community there. Good competition. People work hard, play hard. Dental school is not easy, but you want to go to a school that will push you to become a better dentist PENN will. RAther than having strict requirements of this many crowns you have to extract or this many RCT you have to do, they cater it so you can do procedure you really want. If you are interested in Endo, they will pass on RCT patients to you, or Perio they will pass Perio cases to you. So you can have down solid those big buck procedures and be confident in them when you get out if you want to do general dentistry or specialty.

NOVA: I loved this school. If PENN had rejected me then I would go here in an instant. Students were friendly, I loved everything about the school. PENN and NOVA were balanced on the fulcrum but I think my significant other tipped the scale toward PENN.

TEMPLE: I thought this school was my top choice until i went there. Granted, Clinical was great, but area was not so nice to be in. Due to the high poverty ratio of patients many patients tried to cheat you and you pay their bill. Also, I just spoke to a Temple student who i was observing while at Temple (after my interview) just yesterday and told him my decision to go to PENN and he said that I made a wise choice. Cuz Temple (only the dean and committee members know is ranked #49 in student faculty ratio). I don't know if it is true, but this is what he told me. Also, procedure fees are increasing by 100%. So that crown that would originally cost 150 bucks is now 300. So if a patient doesn't pay, you owe for that crown. Temple is now having a "no summers" off curriculum. Mark is a great, enthusiastic guy. You can get your MBA along with your DMD in four years for free. Great clnical experience. Nice 40,000 square foot building. However, lectures and library are in the old dental building which I saw and was horrified how ghetto it was. The bathrooms seemed like they hadn't been cleaned for 10 years.

U.Washington: One of the rudest schools (and my home school). Very disorganized. Very Cold. Very unfriendly. Very Slow. Crappy facilities. Crappy environment. I don't think it should be called a Dental School but a dental wing. Cuz it occupies only two-half stories of the hospital. They still have dental chairs with that "Brady Bunch" Neon orange color -- very retro. While schools like NOVA are including digital technology, UW is very slow. Cuts in state funding are gonna ruin dental education here for sure. One of the hardest hit educational programs in the state and it doesn't look good. If you think high numbers = better school, you are being ignorant. This school is a monopoly in WA, so it can look at only at high numbers and ask illegal questions and they believe that no one can do anything about it.

These are my own opinions and views, I do not mean to offend anyone and I am stating them to illustrate my experiences to help aid others of my knowledge. Just like the original poster, I state my opinions alone.

Also, I was in Philadelphia for over half a month and I observed and scrutinized both PENN and Temple in all ways. I went to NOVA and was privelidged to have met YAH-E the Class president and observed in the clinics and interacted with the students. I am a current student at U.Washington and I know this school like the back of my hand. So these experiences are not just of my interview, but an overall scope. I felt that just an interview was a false impression of the school (since the student tour guides, the admission directors' jobs are to make the school look good), so I hung out a few more days and made sure that I left with an accurate impression.

DesiDentist
PENN-007

 

[hogan]

Base on your statements I think you will fit in perfectly at Penn. By the way, are you planning on taking the Boards in Washington? I think you are making some enemies!!

 

[DesiDentist]

hogan,

Nah, I do not wish to practice in WA. Please, like I mentioned before these are my own opinions. I clearly stated that in my original post.

DesiDentist

 

[tinker bell]

What license does a dentist need to practice in Washington? Does the WRB work in the apple state?

Tinker Bell-TEMPLE DENTAL 007😎

 

[DesiDentist]

Yes, I believe you take the WRB.

Once I leave I shall never look BACK, I will pick up my knap SACK and tread ahead. There are 49 other states that I have yet to SEE. Why focus so NARROWLY? Maybe I might work in DC or PHILLY? Who knows what lies ahead for ME?

Hey why not go to HAWAII??

DesiDentist

 

[tinker bell]

Hey why not go to SF? You can look at the golden gate, while you're thinking about fate. Our clinics have the best view on earth. Just that it's foggy for half of the year.😀

Tinker Bell-TEMPLE DENTAL 007😎

 

[DesiDentist]

Yes, Tinker BELL that would be SWELL to have a view of the Golden GATE. How about FRESNO, where there is no SNOW? There are so many POSSIBILITIES in these great CITIES.

DesiDentist

 

[tinker bell]

Fresno is hot in the summer, foggy in winter. Lots of cows to be friends with. Fruits and veggies are plenty, if u want to become a cheese eater, a herbivore or sooooo. Fresno is a great place to be. I already did my years in Davis, smelling all the lovely smells of those cows years in years out. And exactly at 6pm, the smell just comes on so unbearable.
I'm heading to somewhere that cows are not around

Tinker Bell-TEMPLE DENTAL 007😎

 

[DesiDentist]

MoooooOOooooooo!!!!



DesiDentist

 

[shane]

With regard to TEMPLE:

Is it REALLY true that if the patient doesn't pay...you have to??

Can't you collect payment first or is that against some hippocratic oath thing? My instinct is that it is our duty to provide service regardless of payment BUT it seems ridiculous that the student would have to pay out of their own pocket. Is this the only school that does this?

Thanks. I am really interested in the facts on this since I am/was planning on attending in the Fall.

thanks again,

shane

 

[MidwestDental]

Hello there everyone. I just interviewed at Temple last week. I have an interview at Pittsburgh next week and one for an alternate at Case in April. But I'm holding out for NOVA.

The problem is, is that NOVA hasn't contacted me for an interview yet. I have great stats, but I hope the class isn't full!!

DesiDentsit, can you please compare NOVA and Temple? I'm also interested in Pitt and Case, Tinkerbell, did you visit Pitt?

The only wild card left is Arizona. I keep hearing stories about how arizona is like paradise.

Finally, DesiDentist, if you don't mind me asking, why are you so sour on washington state? I read an article in the L.A. Times, how Seattle has turned from 90's boomtown to a place with bad traffic, a high cost of living and high unemployment. Or is it just your aversion to UW? Thanks!!

 

[tinker bell]

I visited Pitt 3 yrs ago, and in my mind, Pitt is a better place to be than Temple. However, Temple clinical is one of the best in the nation. Facility wise, and student teacher ratio, Pitt is much better. However, Temple has more patients, and you will get more clinical exposure.
I really like Temple, I canceled my Pitt interview at the last minute so I don't know how Pitt looks like now. I heard that they have a new SIM lab. Pitt class size is very small (70 or so). So, they're great. Lots of attention from prof. And also at Pitt, you are not responsible for runaway patients. Just make sure you go through the paperwork with the patients, and you'll be fine (at Pitt).
I have lots of respect for Case, so if you don't like both pitt and temple, try case. You'll be happy there. You'll get your own cubicle, lots of prof. available, and have your own preceptor.
I have lots of doubt for AZ, its curriculllum sounds great. But the cost of attending AZ is 200K, and I don't want to take any chances. What if my classmates are so dumb and don't pass the board and all together we don't get accredited? Just remember that for some states, you need to graduate from an accredited dental school to get a license. Also, you can't go to specialty if the school is not accredited. That's why I wasn't even advised to apply to AZ and UNLV.
AZ may be great five years from now. But that's five years and I have seen ppl with not so great stats get accepted to AZ. I'm really scared. If they didn't do so well on the DAT (I mean here below or border line of national average), what are the chances that they will ace the board to help the school get accredited? Because there is so much money involve and the bank is running after me, I'd rather go to an accredited school. Even its curricullum sounds stupid or it's out in the booney.
Seattle is a nice place to stay for one day. The traffice in Seattle is extremely terrible. I went to seattle for a scientific meeting in 2001, and got stuck in the traffic for 2 hrs in a 15 miles distance (from downtown to airport). The rain lasts 9 months and it makes ppl depressed. The sun is nice but it only comes out in July. And I got real bad sun burn in seatlle. And the dental school at uw is doing a big monopolly job up there, being the only school in the state, and admit only 50 students or so a year for such a large pop like the state of washington, the stat of the entering class of the dental school is even higher than its med school counter part. The dental school and med school are in the same building. The campus is beautiful, but if you have to run around that campus. God bless you when it rains.

Tinker Bell-TEMPLE DENTAL 007😎

 

[DesiDentist]

Midwest:

Both NOVA and Temple are great schools. Temple just has a lot of years under its belt. Both schools are great for clinical education. Temple is overflowing each day and NOVA has a waitlist of about 4,500 patients. It usually takes you 4-5 months to get off that waitlist.

Granted NOVA is a newer school, but if this was the stock market I would put my dough on NOVA as the best IPO. I really think once they settle down with a concrete game plan they will be a great school. Right now they are in between transitions and changing their curriculum a lot since they have only been in the game for 6 or so years. But I am very confident in their program. Students are treated right, faculty is genuine and very family like. Location is spectacular. Can't complain.

Temple has equally impressive stats. However, my friends who go to Temple telling me that it is ranked 48 in student:faculty ratio kinda concerns me.

Regarding WA. I don't like the rain. And yes, I do not like UW Dental school as well. Like tinker bell said, they think they have it together, but really have no clue on how great other schools are treating their students.

Their lack of organization, and big head really depressed me. Thank God some schools really were interested in someone who was interested to go into dentistry. UW just seems to care about numbers. big surprise there.

DesiDentist

 

[MidwestDental]

4,500 applicants on NOVA's waitlist? You're kidding, right? Or do you mean clinical patients?

NOVA is my deal breaker. I'd really like to interview and see the school before committing to Temple or Pitt.

 

[ewsmith1]

As a 4th year student ready to graduate now, I will give you some advice.

If you can help it....

Do not go to a school where you have to do a bunch of lab work for your patients; this will slow you down tremendously.

Do not go to a school that makes you pay for the treatment to get the credit toward graduation.

You need to ask students at the schools some basic questions...
Do their dentures come back polished?
Do they have to do coping try-ins?
Do they have to make their own wax patterns?
Do they have to pour and trim their own dies?

You see, the schools have the students do the lab work as it lowers their overall lab costs. You will be paying thousands to go to school and working for them for free.....

Go to a school where the labs do the lab work and the student learns to treat patients. Of course unless you plan on working until 4 am every morning doing your own lab work in private practice.....and you might say, sure why not? I will save money that way correct? No, you will lose money and not be able to maintain a practice that can stay in business and treat patients.

Trust me....find a school that tries to mimick for their students how life in private practice will actually be...

 

[DesiDentist]

Originally posted by ewsmith1
As a 4th year student ready to graduate now, I will give you some advice.

If you can help it....

Do not go to a school where you have to do a bunch of lab work for your patients; this will slow you down tremendously.

Do not go to a school that makes you pay for the treatment to get the credit toward graduation.

You need to ask students at the schools some basic questions...
Do their dentures come back polished?
Do they have to do coping try-ins?
Do they have to make their own wax patterns?
Do they have to pour and trim their own dies?

You see, the schools have the students do the lab work as it lowers their overall lab costs. You will be paying thousands to go to school and working for them for free.....

Go to a school where the labs do the lab work and the student learns to treat patients. Of course unless you plan on working until 4 am every morning doing your own lab work in private practice.....and you might say, sure why not? I will save money that way correct? No, you will lose money and not be able to maintain a practice that can stay in business and treat patients.

Trust me....find a school that tries to mimick for their students how life in private practice will actually be...

I agree, and I have to say: PENN baby.

DesiDentist

 

[tinker bell]

Case baby, if u want to live in Cleveland, and can afford 50K a year

 

[ewsmith1]

Tinker Bell,

I recently interviewed at the Case OMS program....nice school!!!

 

[tinker bell]

Smith,
Where do u go for oms now?

Tinker Bell-TEMPLE DENTAL 007😎

 

[DesiDentist]

Hey ewsmith1:

I sent ya a Private Message. If you can reply back that would be great.

DesiDentist