Freshman year I got drunk before a football game and a cop pulled me aside when I was trying to enter. I got written up for a school misconduct offense, which is on my school record but not on my transcript. I had to write an essay and attend a 4 hour workshop, but it is classified as the most minor offense at our school. Should I put it on my application?
Ethics are really important in the healthcare professions, as any healthcare professional has many ethical responsibilities toward their patients. Therefore, ethics are also an important part of the acceptance and licensing processes of healthcare professionals. My understanding is that if you are found out anywhere down the line, you will be kicked out of the profession.
There is a good reason for that--does anyone want to be treated by a doctor/dentist who lied to get into dental school? There is no room in the health professions for those sorts of people.
The application instructions are clear: "Have you ever been found to have violated a school rule, policy or procedure, or an honor code; or have you otherwise been disqualified, put on probation, suspended, dismissed, expelled, or otherwise been subject to disciplinary action at any college/university in connection to misconduct?
Please include any and all instances of misconduct, regardless of whether the school maintains a record of such misconduct or formal action, or whether it appears on your transcript."
It would be absolutely unethical of you to lie on your application.
Obviously this is on your school record, and it would be noted on the record if a dental school you were accepted to were to get a hold of your records.
I hear Tufts makes you sign a school records release form. Do any other dental schools make you do the same?
If you know that at least one school makes you sign a record release, what makes you think that the others don't?
I feel like disclosing it to all of my dental schools would be worse than if just one dental school found out.
This is where your naivete really comes out. Are you actually under the impression that if one school found out, they wouldn't report you back (through the appropriate channels) to AADSAS so that other schools would find out too?
Lying about this is something you could be denied admission for this year, be kicked out of school for a couple of years later, and lose your license for years down the line. Is it worth it?
Your choice.
I have a friend who did something equal to or greater than in stupidity her freshman year, and she is currently attending her top-choice school. Showing that you have taken responsibility and grown from an activity on that one short essay question goes a long way.
And on that note, I would say that you really need to reflect on this. Think about the trust that will be instilled in you if you do become a dentist and the responsibilities that come along with that. Think about the choices in any given ethical dilemma and why a certain course of action would be preferred in order to keep the public's trust in us as healthcare professionals. Read up on medical/bio ethics. Take a class on it. Discuss it with people. Educate yourself until you understand the complexities of what kind of an effect unethical actions have within the professions.
Actually grow from
this particular situation.
