Another one…

[samanthap22]

Date of submission: June 10
Overall GPA: ~3.7 (GPA not yet verified by ADEA)
Science GPA: ~3.4-3.5 (GPA not yet verified by ADEA)
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA:
DAT score (include AA and all sections): 20AA, 19TS, 20PAT, 19QR, 23RC, 21BIO, 19GC, 18OC
State of Residence: Washington

Undergrad Attended: Eastern Washington University
Major: Dental Hygiene
Minor: Sociology, Leadership
Minority? No
Reapplicant? No
Nontrad? Yes - got my dental hygiene degree in 2019, decided I wanted to go back for dental school end of 2020.

Shadowing Experience: 360+ hours, general DDS
Volunteering Experience: ~60 (not great but working on it each week)
Employment: ~4000 hours (3 years) working as a dental hygienist
Research: no
Other Extracurriculars:
Relevant Honors or Awards: two awards at end of dental hygiene program, deans list almost every term
LOR type and strength: bio professor, chair of dental hygiene department I went to, dentist I work for
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags: Been working 20-40 hours a week as a hygienist on top of full time classes/studying for DAT. One recent grad from Case thinks my DAT score is low and might not be competitive which has given me a lot of anxiety.
School list:
University of Wash. (main goal)
AT Still Arizona
USC
OHSU
Roseman
Rutgers
UConn
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Minn
UNLV
Pitt
UoP

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[PerioDont]

Why are you applying to USC? Too expensive.

Check the averages at UW for DAT score. Have you been involved with them at all for events or anything?

Curious what makes you want to transition to dentistry. I know colleagues in Seattle are paying 65$/hr for hygienists in super high demand rn.

 

[samanthap22]

Why are you applying to USC? Too expensive.

Check the averages at UW for DAT score. Have you been involved with them at all for events or anything?

Curious what makes you want to transition to dentistry. I know colleagues in Seattle are paying 65$/hr for hygienists in super high demand rn.

Honestly I wasn’t sure how to decide where to apply. I read that its good to apply to some private schools to cover your bases. UW website says 19-21 has been competitive in recent years. I haven’t done anything with them but I will keep an eye out for events, that’s a good idea.

As far as the switch, hygiene is so repetitive and monotonous. I like to use my brain and problem solve which doesn’t really happen in hygiene at all.

 

[PerioDont]

Honestly I wasn’t sure how to decide where to apply. I read that its good to apply to some private schools to cover your bases. UW website says 19-21 has been competitive in recent years. I haven’t done anything with them but I will keep an eye out for events, that’s a good idea.

As far as the switch, hygiene is so repetitive and monotonous. I like to use my brain and problem solve which doesn’t really happen in hygiene at all.

I understand covering our bases but it’s an important thing to get an A to a school that will not leave you financially in a precarious situation. Which is USC. Even roseman is very expensive

 

[PerioDont]

Honestly I wasn’t sure how to decide where to apply. I read that its good to apply to some private schools to cover your bases. UW website says 19-21 has been competitive in recent years. I haven’t done anything with them but I will keep an eye out for events, that’s a good idea.

As far as the switch, hygiene is so repetitive and monotonous. I like to use my brain and problem solve which doesn’t really happen in hygiene at all.

In my opinion most of dentistry is pretty repetitive. Which is actually what I like about it. Leaves you more energy to focus on other things in life.

I don’t want to think and examine too much. As a periodontist I basically do a handful of procedures and they are all fairly predictable. Any time we do something novel or out of the routine is when I get stressed more personally.

 

[samanthap22]

In my opinion most of dentistry is pretty repetitive. Which is actually what I like about it. Leaves you more energy to focus on other things in life.

I don’t want to think and examine too much. As a periodontist I basically do a handful of procedures and they are all fairly predictable. Any time we do something novel or out of the routine is when I get stressed more personally.

Yes but in hygiene you literally just X-ray/pc, clean teeth, educate, and repeat with the next patient. Being a dentist allows you to do more procedures that are still predicable like you said. That’s what I’m looking for, a little variety in my day. Im a very growth-oriented person so I would like to have the option to add procedures into my own practice. I appreciate your feedback.

 

[somefuturedoc]

All looks good to me. I think being an RDH will be a big help with getting accepted and while in school. Plus you could work a little during dental school to bring home some extra cash. Good luck.