Afrotc

[KMRDENTAL]

I am currently a freshman and want to pursue a dentistry career through the Air Force. I will be put in for an undergrad scholarship at the end of this semester. If I receive a scholarship, I believe I will be contracted to a minimum of 3 years in the Air Force.

I will apply for the HPSP Dental scholarship at the end of my fall semester next year. It is my understanding that there are [2] scholarships given each year. My question is -- What happens if I do not receive the Dental School Scholarship?

Will I be able to repay that scholarship money that I would have received for that first semester? Or will I still be obligated to the Air Force.

I have a passion for dentistry and it is what i want to do. I do not want to be obligated to the Air Force for a few years if I can't go to dental school right after undergrad.

Any advice is appreciated. What are my other options?

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[del Sol DOHC]

I am currently a freshman and want to pursue a dentistry career through the Air Force. I will be put in for an undergrad scholarship at the end of this semester. If I receive a scholarship, I believe I will be contracted to a minimum of 3 years in the Air Force.

I will apply for the HPSP Dental scholarship at the end of my fall semester next year. It is my understanding that there are [2] scholarships given each year. My question is -- What happens if I do not receive the Dental School Scholarship?

Will I be able to repay that scholarship money that I would have received for that first semester? Or will I still be obligated to the Air Force.

I have a passion for dentistry and it is what i want to do. I do not want to be obligated to the Air Force for a few years if I can't go to dental school right after undergrad.

Any advice is appreciated. What are my other options?

If you do ROTC and then fail to be accepted into dental school, or even if you do get accepted to dental school but are not selected for an educational delay from the Air Force to attend dental school, you will not be let out of your Air Force obligation. You will have to serve four years active duty as an officer doing something other than dentistry. It is a gamble. My advice is to skip ROTC because there is no guarantee you will be allowed to go to dental school. I made this exact same choice when I was leaving active duty Air Force to go college full time. Just take out loans for undergrad. It's worth it to be able to decide your own future.

 

[krmower]

If you do ROTC and then fail to be accepted into dental school, or even if you do get accepted to dental school but are not selected for an educational delay from the Air Force to attend dental school, you will not be let out of your Air Force obligation. You will have to serve four years active duty as an officer doing something other than dentistry. It is a gamble. My advice is to skip ROTC because there is no guarantee you will be allowed to go to dental school. I made this exact same choice when I was leaving active duty Air Force to go college full time. Just take out loans for undergrad. It's worth it to be able to decide your own future.

I concur. I almost did ROTC while I was in the National Guard - glad I didn't. It would have had huge implications on bonus pay for me had I took it (would have lost out on $200k).

 

[Act0fgod]

I only have a vague understanding of how ROTC and healthcare positions work, but I agree with others that if you don't get selected for the dental track within ROTC you will have an obligation to do something else. That being said something else to consider - you can always apply to dental school while on active duty and there is at least 1 scholarship each year reserved for someone on active duty. It sounds like a small number but there aren't very many people trying to "cross train" into dentistry and it could be more than 1 depending on circumstances during the year you apply.

 

[KMRDENTAL]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I apply for the Dental scholarship this upcoming fall, so if I get that, i will continue with rotc. But if not, ill try to get an air force scholarship through a recruiter after receiving my bachelor degree... then go to officer training school 🙂

 

[del Sol DOHC]

I am currently a freshman and want to pursue a dentistry....

....I will apply for the HPSP Dental scholarship at the end of my fall semester next year.

I apply for the Dental scholarship this upcoming fall, so if I get that, i will continue with rotc.

If you are currently a feshman, how can you apply for HPSP at the end of the fall semester? Won't you only be a sophomore? Are you in some kind of fast track B.S./D.D.S. program? If so, what is the point of contracting with ROTC at the end of undergrad? Won't you only be getting minimal tuition benefits for an additional 4 year commitment?

 

[KMRDENTAL]

In ROTC you apply for the HPSP Scholarship at the end of the fall semester of your sophomore year. If you get the scholarship you are promised a dental track through the Air Force.

Other scholarships through ROTC in undergrad pay for tuition/housing and pay a monthly stipend of 400-500 dollars. 🙂

But, I dont want to accept one of the undergrad scholarships and be obligated to a random job as a 2nd lieutenant when what I really want to do is go to Dental school.