BU clinical experience

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

dl9006

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2008
Messages
541
Reaction score
2
Points
4,551
  1. Dental Student
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Can any BU student comment on BU's clinical training?

1. Did you feel that you were trained adequately or is there anything you wished the school had changed in your clinical training.

2. What are the requirements for graduation? How do they compare to other schools? (really curious about this one)

3. Heard that BU is changing from a min requirement of procedures performed to a competency format. Do you feel that this is a good thing? Could it also mean that you're getting less clinical training?

4. Also, if possible, can you share what the board pass rate is at BU?

5. any general comment you wish to make? any problems at BU?

Thank you!
 
i would like to know that too !!!
 
Current students, please share your views.
 
1. Did you feel that you were trained adequately or is there anything you wished the school had changed in your clinical training.
Yes. In retrospect and in my opinion, the only thing the school could have done better is to let the pre-docs do molar endo (as in ,they should have made it as a requirement, not everyone get out with molar endo experience under their belt). But everything else is 👍.

2. What are the requirements for graduation? How do they compare to other schools? (really curious about this one)
I'm about to graduate soon. Fixed is 9 crowns minimum (I did 16). Removable is 3 cast partials and 6 units of completes minimum (I did about 8 or 9 completes). 3 RCT's mimimum (a lot of people did more than that). Tons of operative (both amalgam and composites). Perio mimimum are SRP's and Prophies, but you do get to do and assist procedures at post-doc clinic. Oral surgery is good, you will come out strong, but don't count on being a Le Fort expert. Plus there is 10 weeks externship; I did mine in Florida - you get to see about 20 patients/day at some offices, and you will feel ready.

3. Heard that BU is changing from a min requirement of procedures performed to a competency format. Do you feel that this is a good thing? Could it also mean that you're getting less clinical training?
I didn't hear about such planned changes, but I do know minimum requirements and competencies are the same thing here.

4. Also, if possible, can you share what the board pass rate is at BU?
BU never share this information officially. If I had to guess, the average would be in the high 80's, meaning a lot of people broke into the 90's.

5. any general comment you wish to make? any problems at BU?
Every school has problems, and they are all either too little or insignificant to worry about them and ultimately effect your training experience.

Thank you!
 
Thank you Cold Front for your insight!

Can you also share you experience regarding obtaining patients since there are 2 other dental schools nearby?

Did you have any trouble finding patients? Do you get your own chair?

I'm heavily leaning towards going to BU and would really appreciate your input.
thanks a lot!
 
Can you also share you experience regarding obtaining patients since there are 2 other dental schools nearby?
Boston is the nerve center for all school related dental services for the entire Mass state, as well as Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island (which all don't have dental schools). So a lot of people come out of town to get their dental services done at BU, Tufts and Harvard. Once the patients register, the school's patient services office will know what cases you need, and they will be assigned to the student. However, it's the student's responsibility to manage the patient.

Did you have any trouble finding patients? Do you get your own chair?
It depends. For graduation requirements, no. For licensure exams, yes - you have to find the right candidates for the exam. At BU, chairs are shared, and no one complains about them (obviously, everyone would prefer having their own chairs, but you are only in clinic for 2 years anyways).

I'm heavily leaning towards going to BU and would really appreciate your input.
thanks a lot!
 
I just want to say Cold Front has the distinct advantage over other 4th yr students here at BU by being the only one with a massive python and patients love that about him.

Me on the other hand, am just an average student who have to seek out patients consistently just to be at the milestone mark. Right now with 3 months to go before graduation, I have yet to start 2 of my 3 required cast partial denture, and it's making me into a sad panda.

Cast partial dentures are the bane of dental student's life here at BU. They are insidiously hard to finish because the framework almost never ever fits properly into the rest preps and never ever rests on the tissue stops properly... and guess what? You get to do an altered cast impression that'd take 2 weeks to turn around! And if what you got still didn't come out proper? Oh, damn! Now it's a month down the tube from when you first got the framework back!

So basically, I'm screwed and may graduate late.

... if only I had a python too. :scared:
 
I just want to say Cold Front has the distinct advantage over other 4th yr students here at BU by being the only one with a massive python and patients love that about him.

Me on the other hand, am just an average student who have to seek out patients consistently just to be at the milestone mark. Right now with 3 months to go before graduation, I have yet to start 2 of my 3 required cast partial denture, and it's making me into a sad panda.

Cast partial dentures are the bane of dental student's life here at BU. They are insidiously hard to finish because the framework almost never ever fits properly into the rest preps and never ever rests on the tissue stops properly... and guess what? You get to do an altered cast impression that'd take 2 weeks to turn around! And if what you got still didn't come out proper? Oh, damn! Now it's a month down the tube from when you first got the framework back!

So basically, I'm screwed and may graduate late.

... if only I had a python too. :scared:
I almost fell off my chair reading this... :laugh:


dreaming2k5 and I both have part 2 boards in 48 hours, and here we are just making fun of our hardship!

👍
 
deep love, brotha, deep love. 😍😍😍
 
Well I don't have any massive pythons or panda envys, but I did happen to have a partial framework that did not fit 2 weeks ago and I've been working very diligently to get my guy some teeth and we'll be rushing the case to get the new framework back soon hopefully!

I'm a third year with a handful of patients and very stressed out. Although clinic life is tough, I'm doing as the great 2pac once stated, "Ya gotta keep ya head up."

Now if only I could get this vacuum mixer to work...
 
Top Bottom