Attend a cheap dental school or a top school

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If I attend my in-state school I will graduate with around roughly 206k debt. However, I want to go to one of the top schools to get into a specialty easier, and to have better facilities. Which will probably cost maybe double the amount.

I keep hearing if you go to a top dental college it becomes easier to get into a specialty. Plus my in-state school isn't the best in terms of facilities. But the cost is very low for me compared to other dental schools.

What would you choose?
I also most likely want to specialize, or at least keep the option open.

Thanks
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Less expensive. Not even a question for me. 200k is enough to buy a decent little house. People pay those off in 30 years! At the end of the day, you'll be a dentist and you'll have to practice the same procedures as everyone else and pass the same board exams as everyone else. Why spend more for that? If you want a nicer facility to practice in, think of how that 200k will be able to benefit you in your own practice by BUYING your own facilities.
 
Top school. You want the best education, and obviously you will only become a good dentist or specialist at a top school. But before you put a deposit down, be sure it is, indeed, a top school. You wouldn't want to completely ruin your chances of specializing. The more money you pay in tuition, the better education you are getting. Otherwise, why would they charge so much?
 
hellofuturedentists said:
Top school. You want the best education, and obviously you will only become a good dentist or specialist at a top school. But before you put a deposit down, be sure it is, indeed, a top school. You wouldn't want to completely ruin your chances of specializing. The more money you pay in tuition, the better education you are getting. Otherwise, why would they charge so much?
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Hope this is sarcasm :penguin: specially the black part.
 
Likkriue said:
Which state school is it.
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Ohio state, I subtracted the housing price because I live with my uncle and don't pay rent. It equated to roughly 206k. Don't get me wrong 206k debt is actually great (I'm not an idiot). I just wanted to see what people thought.
 
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BioTic said:
Ohio state, I subtracted the housing price because I live with my uncle and don't pay rent. It equated to roughly 206k. Don't get me wrong 206k debt is actually great (I'm not an idiot). I just wanted to see what people thought.
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Ohio state is a great school. I would go there specializing or not especially for that price.
 
BioTic said:
Ohio state, I subtracted the housing price because I live with my uncle and don't pay rent. It equated to roughly 206k. Don't get me wrong 206k debt is actually great (I'm not an idiot). I just wanted to see what people thought.
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What are your opinions on OSU vs CWRU?
 
acesofseven said:
What are your opinions on OSU vs CWRU?
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CWRU is more expensive for me than OSU. Does not give preference to in-state students either. I'd choose OSU over it because it's cheaper and where I go for undergrad. TBH I probably won't even apply for CWRU, because the expenses at CWRU can equate to an out-of-state college. So CWRU is just like any other out-of-state college for me, or at least in my mind that's just how I think.
 
BioTic said:
Why do you say it's a great school?
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It's very well known. Everyone in Ohio knows that school. Their football team is hot stuff. I've met people on my interview trail raving about getting an OSU invite. Being instate that is even better.
 
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Likkriue said:
It's very well known. Everyone in Ohio knows that school. Their football team is hot stuff. I've met people on my interview trail evading about getting an OSU. Being instate that is even better.
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You said some nice things, but I was asking more of why the dental school is great.
 
BioTic said:
I consider myself hard-working, but not a gunner. No one likes a gunner.

Do I have a good chance to get into a specialty if I attend OSU with top grades?
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You can specialize anywhere with top grades. Just don't underestimate what it takes to be the top in a class full of people who were "the top" enough to get into dental school.


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BioTic said:
I consider myself hard-working, but not a gunner. No one likes a gunner.

Do I have a good chance to get into a specialty if I attend OSU with top grades?
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Anyone who is hardworking and dedicated can excel. I actually don't think dental school is all that difficult if you know what you want and will work for it.
 
wengerin said:
You can specialize anywhere with top grades. Just don't underestimate what it takes to be the top in a class full of people who were "the top" enough to get into dental school.


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How is top measured? Do all dental schools have some sort of ranking, or do they base it off of GPA and graduation exam?
 
BioTic said:
How is top measured? Do all dental schools have some sort of ranking, or do they base it off of GPA and graduation exam?
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To my understanding most schools rank based off GPA except for a select few (Ivy's, UCSF, UCLA, UCONN, etc.). Those schools are Pass/Fail and rank in different ways or not at all.


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BioTic said:
How is top measured? Do all dental schools have some sort of ranking, or do they base it off of GPA and graduation exam?
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Depends on the school. My school ranks students solely on GPA.
 
wengerin said:
To my understanding most schools rank based off GPA except for a select few (Ivy's, UCSF, UCLA, UCONN, etc.). Those schools are Pass/Fail and rank in different ways or not at all.


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Advance said:
Depends on the school. My school ranks students solely on GPA.
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If they base it off of GPA do they have a number for a student? For example, the person with the highest GPA would be considered 1st/110 students. Or is their no rank, except for GPA? The GPA itself is what is measured. Or does the GPA manifest itself into a class rank? If you know what I mean.
 
BioTic said:
You said some nice things, but I was asking more of why the dental school is great.
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Reknowned faculty have passed through OSU or headed various departments at some point in time. I believe Cassamissimo was head of Peds there at one point (he wrote one of the keynote texts on Pediatric Dentistry); and Flaitz as well (the only dual boarded oral path and peds dental Doc).
OSU hands down!
Plus the campus is huge, lots of places to blow off some steam.
 
BioTic said:
If they base it off of GPA do they have a number for a student? For example, the person with the highest GPA would be considered 1st/110 students. Or is their no rank, except for GPA? The GPA itself is what is measured. Or does the GPA manifest itself into a class rank? If you know what I mean.
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Yes most schools give you a number that'll be X out of the total. Typically to specialize you wanna be in the top 10% from what I've been told. So if you're class is a 100 people you want to be top 10.


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kidsaremypassion said:
Reknowned faculty have passed through OSU or headed various departments at some point in time. I believe Cassamissimo was head of Peds there at one point (he wrote one of the keynote texts on Pediatric Dentistry); and Flaitz as well (the only dual boarded oral path and peds dental Doc).
OSU hands down!
Plus the campus is huge, lots of places to blow off some steam.
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I loved OSU but what killed it for me was the facilities. If they get that squared out they would be perfect (well if they went pass/fail it wouldn't hurt either.)


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BioTic said:
If they base it off of GPA do they have a number for a student? For example, the person with the highest GPA would be considered 1st/110 students. Or is their no rank, except for GPA? The GPA itself is what is measured. Or does the GPA manifest itself into a class rank? If you know what I mean.
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I attended a Texas school. GPA determined rank. That means whoever was 96.8 may have been #1. 96.2 average was #2...and on and on...
 
wengerin said:
I loved OSU but what killed it for me was the facilities. If they get that squared out they would be perfect (well if they went pass/fail it wouldn't hurt either.)


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Two questions:
Why is pass fail better for specialties? Also how does a program compare a p/f system to GPA when comparing applicants.
 
wengerin said:
I loved OSU but what killed it for me was the facilities. If they get that squared out they would be perfect (well if they went pass/fail it wouldn't hurt either.)


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Same her man, it's like a dungeon, plus it all looks like a basement. I walk pass it everyday lol. Ironically, they have a high class hospital not 50 feet from it.
 
BioTic said:
Two questions:
Why is pass fail better for specialties? Also how does a program compare a p/f system to GPA when comparing applicants.
Click to expand...

Because those schools either don't rank or rank generously (for example ranking only in thirds of the class). Not ranking removes that aspect of your application but you still can't slack and you have to make the rest of your resume impressive to compete with applicants who did have ranking and had a high rank. Keep in mind I'm not on expert on this I'm just relaying what I learned on the interview trail from students and professors.


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BioTic said:
Same her man, it's like a dungeon, plus it all looks like a basement. I walk pass it everyday lol. Ironically, they have a high class hospital not 50 feet from it.
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I saw the hospital first which raised my hopes, however they were quickly dashed. It was such a shame too, even the lecture hall was rough. Hopefully they renovate soon.


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BioTic said:
Two questions:
Why is pass fail better for specialties? Also how does a program compare a p/f system to GPA when comparing applicants.
Click to expand...
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say unless you are attending an Ivy, P/F kinda hurts for competitive specialties. Especially, since boards are also P/F. But hey, now we have the ADAT so maybe that will be the equalizer?
I know that for the past few years program directors have struggled to compare folk who come from nonranked programs to folk who are actually ranked...
How do you compare 2 candidates who have no grades on their application and no board scores? Personality? Is it based on who had the time and or money to extern and visit the program?
You can easily see how this gets tricky...
If you can go to a ranked program and end up in top 15 at least...you have a great shot at any specialty of your choice; assuming the rest of your application shows interest.
 
BioTic said:
If they base it off of GPA do they have a number for a student? For example, the person with the highest GPA would be considered 1st/110 students. Or is their no rank, except for GPA? The GPA itself is what is measured. Or does the GPA manifest itself into a class rank? If you know what I mean.
Click to expand...
Yeah the student with the highest GPA would be rank 1/100 and the 2nd highest rank 2/100 Etc.
 
kidsaremypassion said:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say unless you are attending an Ivy, P/F kinda hurts for competitive specialties. Especially, since boards are also P/F. But hey, now we have the ADAT so maybe that will be the equalizer?
I know that for the past few years program directors have struggled to compare folk who come from nonranked programs to folk who are actually ranked...
How do you compare 2 candidates who have no grades on their application and no board scores? Personality? Is it based on who had the time and or money to extern and visit the program?
You can easily see how this gets tricky...
If you can go to a ranked program and end up in top 15 at least...you have a great shot at any specialty of your choice; assuming the rest of your application shows interest.
Click to expand...
The ADAT? Why does no one talk about this, first time I ever heard of it.
 
kidsaremypassion said:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say unless you are attending an Ivy, P/F kinda hurts for competitive specialties. Especially, since boards are also P/F. But hey, now we have the ADAT so maybe that will be the equalizer?
I know that for the past few years program directors have struggled to compare folk who come from nonranked programs to folk who are actually ranked...
How do you compare 2 candidates who have no grades on their application and no board scores? Personality? Is it based on who had the time and or money to extern and visit the program?
You can easily see how this gets tricky...
If you can go to a ranked program and end up in top 15 at least...you have a great shot at any specialty of your choice; assuming the rest of your application shows interest.
Click to expand...

Yup seems like ADAT has come in to be the great equalizer


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wengerin said:
Yup seems like ADAT has come in to be the great equalizer


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Click to expand...
So if a dental school applicant wants to potentially specialize in the future, then they have to take the ADAT plus the DAT? Or is the ADAT for dental students?
 
BioTic said:
So if a dental school applicant wants to potentially specialize in the future, then they have to take the ADAT plus the DAT? Or is the ADAT for dental students?
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DAT is for applying to dental school. ADAT is for applying to specialty programs.
 
Advance said:
DAT is for applying to dental school. ADAT is for applying to specialty programs.
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Yup. I missed the pilot exam by a year or so. I couldn't imagine having to study for yet, another exam after Part 1, Part 2, WREB, etc.
I honestly wish they had just kept boards scored. The people who aim to specialize would study hard regardless...Another test=more money, more time. But ..you know...just my opinion...
 
kidsaremypassion said:
Yup. I missed the pilot exam by a year or so. I couldn't imagine having to study for yet, another exam after Part 1, Part 2, WREB, etc.
I honestly wish they had just kept boards scored. The people who aim to specialize would study hard regardless...Another test=more money, more time. But ..you know...just my opinion...
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I agree completely.
 
IMO Paying for a top school carries a lot more to it than just the name. Say picking a state school in Arizona vs a school like Columbia (The only Ivy I interviewed at) in NYC. The state school is cheaper no doubt and I am sure it has a great clinical emphasis (I know 0 about MWU-AZ FYI just pulling this out of thin air). Meanwhile Columbia may be double the price, but you do get pass/fail, live in an awesome city (although go to UCLA or similar for a cool city w/ in state tuition). Columbia had the best vibe to it out of the other schools I interviewed at as well, something that other people who attended on average 6-8 interviews agreed on. The non-competitive nature may not be worth the 400k to some, but to ME, being around a "family" going through the same struggle as I am is insanely critical to my success as it has in the past. I can't imagine competing against dozens of other qualified applicants rather than working cooperatively like I have been my whole life.

Columbia also offers grants for people to pursue dual degrees in things such as your masters in public health or your MBA so you pay little to nothing for it. If you end up wanting to specialize last minute, you don't need to kill yourself working for the top 10% because it is P/F and it is "easy" to specialize at an ivy. You can literally decide this on a moment's notice once you decide on general vs specialization vs other fields. How the hell do I know what field of dentistry I like if I have never touched a handpiece or a typodont? I had an hour long chat with my interviewer who was focusing in dental public health, a field I have never looked into yet but is very interesting to me.

Otherwise, no biggie if you don't desire to specialize. It's not for everyone and each school has their benefits, but I think that if you can utilize them WISELY then maybe the 400k debt will be worth it to you in the form of having a great school experience, making lifelong friends and connections with mentors, research opportunities, etc. Again, some of this can be had for a lot of other schools, but there are things I saw personally about Columbia that all other schools lacked.

TL;DR some people want "just" a school for in-state tuition level costs that they can pay off in 5-10 years, while other people don't mind taking out a 15-25 year loan for a dental school "experience". My feeling is that a school like Columbia, Harvard, or Penn offers many different avenues of dentistry to travel, but it is up to you to decide if it is worth the cost of attending a school offering these options to you
 
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