Dental School Rankings Based on Affiliated Medical Schools

[ElMeroGuero]

Here is a list of the rankings of dental schools based on their affiliated medical school. I think that this is an interesting aspect that should be considered by those of us that are lucky enough to have multiple acceptances and are deciding which school to attend. Now I realize that the dental and medical schools are different entities but I think that this ranking is something that should be considered for the following reason: dental schools with medical schools have significant overlap. Some, like Columbia, have basically identical first and second years. Most others, while the classes are separate, share significant faculty and facilities in the biomedical sciences. I think that it would be ignorant to say that if dental schools were ranked by US News, their rankings would not have the same trends as the medical schools. Do I think that this is in any way a complete assessment of the dental school? No, of course not, I do however think that it is worthwhile to consider as yet another aspect of a prospective student’s decision. Should we base our decision on where we will get the best education? I think so. Is there some validity in saying that a more highly ranked school (undergrad, postgrad, medical, law, etc.) will give you a better education, all things being equal? I think to a point, yes. I also realize there are a million other reasons to choose one school over the other. And that rankings are not perfectly scientific.



Before this thread is completely beleaguered with the validity of these rankings, and the role of rankings in general, I am sure you can head over to the medical side of these forums to see this topic discussed ad nauseam. Anyways, enough intro, here are the rankings that were included in the top 50 in US News (Med school ranking in parenthesis) enjoy:

1. Harvard (1)
2. University of Pennsylvania (2)
3. UCSF (4)
4. Michigan (6)
4. UW (6)
6. Columbia (10)
7. UCLA (11)
8. Pittsburgh (14)
9. Case Western (20)
9. UNC (20)
11.Baylor (24)
12.UAB (26)
13.NYU (27)
13.Ohio State (27)
13. Colorado (27)
13. Iowa (27)
17. Boston (34)
17. USC (34)
19. OHSU (37)
20. Minnesota (38)
21. Maryland (40)
22. Florida (42)
23. Indiana (44)
23. Tufts (44)

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[iDreamofDent]

As a theoretical discussion as to what the rankings would be if aspects of a medical curriculum could be translated into a dental curriculum, this is useful. However the two are not the same, this guide may mislead people into making the wrong decision for themselves into order to go to a more "prestigious" school. Also, aren't those rankings purely based on research?

 

[beatsdre]

Thread does not deliver. While it may seem to have a correlation- in actuality it really doesn't.

Medical school is not equal to dental school and vice versa. Just because a school has a great Medical School (In terms of research) doesn't mean their dental school will be that great to.

For example, I went to X interview where I asked about their research department. Interviewer proceeds to tell me about their school being in a slump as compared to the medical school. Apparently the med. school was bringing in millions, while the dental school pretty much had zero funds. Of course, he went on to tell me that the dental school has rebounded and gotten a ton of funds

Lastly, many students I talked to with med/dent school say they do not interact with the medical students.

I could be wrong (And plz correct me! =)); however, it seems to me that dental and medical schools in the same university are pretty much independent of each other...which would make sense since it is two different departments.

 

[lmaozedong1]

Go uw!!!

 

[K Niner]

Baylor College of Dentistry is owned by Texas A&M System and is a state institution. Baylor College of Medicine is a completely private, stand-alone institution that has nothing to do with the BCD owned by Texas A&M.

 

[FutureDent020]

I agree that there is cross over. For example, our Physiology, Histology, and Gross Anatomy department teach both dental students and medical students. The real question is, what is the basis for these rankings. I highly doubt it is based on the first year curriculum. It is more likely based on specialty programs, research, funding, and selectivity. Things that are not too related to the school of dentistry. Basically what you have said is, "IF they compiled a list ranking dental schools, could it look like this?" Sure, it could. It could also look very different. We'll never know.

 

[armorshell]

Good to know my dental alma mater is completely unrankable (and thus, inferior?) because they have no associated medial school.

 

[armorshell]

I agree that there is cross over. For example, our Physiology, Histology, and Gross Anatomy department teach both dental students and medical students. The real question is, what is the basis for these rankings. I highly doubt it is based on the first year curriculum. It is more likely based on specialty programs, research, funding, and selectivity. Things that are not too related to the school of dentistry. Basically what you have said is, "IF they compiled a list ranking dental schools, could it look like this?" Sure, it could. It could also look very different. We'll never know.

The US news rankings of medical schools are primarily based on things like research funding (30% of the ranking), student selectivity (how competitive are the students)(20% of the ranking), and, this may blow you away, 40% of the ranking is based on what residency directors and medical school deans who aren't associated with the program rank the school on a 1-5 scale.


So basically, you have a ranking system that doesn't tell you anything about the kind of education you're going to get at a school, is primarily based on a single survey point from people who have zero connection to the program whatsoever, and you want to connect this to dental schools?


Why? Their methodology is so painfully flawed that dental schools (as a group, mind you), as a whole, refused to be ranked by their inane system some 15 years ago and opted out on threat of legal action.

 

[Predent007]

Interesting, but the correlation is garbage. It would be like using a college football team ranking to rank college baseball teams. Just because both are sports doesn't make them equivalent.

 

[ElMeroGuero]

I guess I was misunderstood that I thought this was more correlated, I don't think it is very correlated at all, just something interesting, that's all. I guess i was trying to make an argument for it having a little meaning, and to see what you guys thought that was. For the post above, I think that a better analogy would be a cross country team ranking based on the track and field team. Some cross over but not definite by any means.

 

[dentalWorks]

Go uw!!!

wait wait... both UW and michigan are ranked 6th??? I DEMAND TO KNOW WHICH ONE IS HIGHER !!!! wait... why do I care? Michigan has ignored me

Here is a list of the rankings of dental schools based on their affiliated medical school. I think that this is an interesting aspect that should be considered by those of us that are lucky enough to have multiple acceptances and are deciding which school to attend. Now I realize that the dental and medical schools are different entities but I think that this ranking is something that should be considered for the following reason: dental schools with medical schools have significant overlap. Some, like Columbia, have basically identical first and second years. Most others, while the classes are separate, share significant faculty and facilities in the biomedical sciences. I think that it would be ignorant to say that if dental schools were ranked by US News, their rankings would not have the same trends as the medical schools. Do I think that this is in any way a complete assessment of the dental school? No, of course not, I do however think that it is worthwhile to consider as yet another aspect of a prospective student’s decision. Should we base our decision on where we will get the best education? I think so. Is there some validity in saying that a more highly ranked school (undergrad, postgrad, medical, law, etc.) will give you a better education, all things being equal? I think to a point, yes. I also realize there are a million other reasons to choose one school over the other. And that rankings are not perfectly scientific.



Before this thread is completely beleaguered with the validity of these rankings, and the role of rankings in general, I am sure you can head over to the medical side of these forums to see this topic discussed ad nauseam. Anyways, enough intro, here are the rankings that were included in the top 50 in US News (Med school ranking in parenthesis) enjoy:

1. Harvard (1)
2. University of Pennsylvania (2)
3. UCSF (4)
4. Michigan (6)
4. UW (6)
6. Columbia (10)
7. UCLA (11)
8. Pittsburgh (14)
9. Case Western (20)
9. UNC (20)
11.Baylor (24)
12.UAB (26)
13.NYU (27)
13.Ohio State (27)
13. Colorado (27)
13. Iowa (27)
17. Boston (34)
17. USC (34)
19. OHSU (37)
20. Minnesota (38)
21. Maryland (40)
22. Florida (42)
23. Indiana (44)
23. Tufts (44)

You might as well include the ranking for Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, Astro physics, nuclear engineering, and History.... cause they are about as related to dentistry as medicine is.

 

[FutureDent020]

I may need to clarify my post. By saying there is a cross over, I meant solely due to departments teaching both the school of dentistry and school of medicine. However, I do not think there is any correlation in the rankings whatsoever. Which is why I went on to talk about the ranking methods. Sorry if that was confusing.

 

[lmaozedong1]

wait wait... both UW and michigan are ranked 6th??? I DEMAND TO KNOW WHICH ONE IS HIGHER !!!! wait... why do I care? Michigan has ignored me
.

Well, it's OBVIOUSLY UW.

 

[eringer]

Here is a list of the rankings of dental schools based on their affiliated medical school. I think that this is an interesting aspect that should be considered by those of us that are lucky enough to have multiple acceptances and are deciding which school to attend. Now I realize that the dental and medical schools are different entities but I think that this ranking is something that should be considered for the following reason: dental schools with medical schools have significant overlap. Some, like Columbia, have basically identical first and second years. Most others, while the classes are separate, share significant faculty and facilities in the biomedical sciences. I think that it would be ignorant to say that if dental schools were ranked by US News, their rankings would not have the same trends as the medical schools. Do I think that this is in any way a complete assessment of the dental school? No, of course not, I do however think that it is worthwhile to consider as yet another aspect of a prospective student’s decision. Should we base our decision on where we will get the best education? I think so. Is there some validity in saying that a more highly ranked school (undergrad, postgrad, medical, law, etc.) will give you a better education, all things being equal? I think to a point, yes. I also realize there are a million other reasons to choose one school over the other. And that rankings are not perfectly scientific.



Before this thread is completely beleaguered with the validity of these rankings, and the role of rankings in general, I am sure you can head over to the medical side of these forums to see this topic discussed ad nauseam. Anyways, enough intro, here are the rankings that were included in the top 50 in US News (Med school ranking in parenthesis) enjoy:

1. Harvard (1)
2. University of Pennsylvania (2)
3. UCSF (4)
4. Michigan (6)
4. UW (6)
6. Columbia (10)
7. UCLA (11)
8. Pittsburgh (14)
9. Case Western (20)
9. UNC (20)
11.Baylor (24)
12.UAB (26)
13.NYU (27)
13.Ohio State (27)
13. Colorado (27)
13. Iowa (27)
17. Boston (34)
17. USC (34)
19. OHSU (37)
20. Minnesota (38)
21. Maryland (40)
22. Florida (42)
23. Indiana (44)
23. Tufts (44)

This is a pretty weird thread. I don't see how med school would have any real correlation with dental school. Like mentioned previously, some of the best dental schools don't have correlating med schools.