Depressed.. the system sucks.

[mlle]

I'm a blank... depressed cause I just don't know how to cope with:

-being away from family,
-around over-achievers 24/7,
-performing at the average with 85-90% scores on exams,
-pressures of a classmate significant other who is one of those over-achievers that does nothing but study all day long
-when all I want to do is go see a free outdoor concert on a Tues night,
-knowing that I will owe the government about 300K by the time dental school is over,
-being told by classmates from more affluent backgrounds that that's no big deal cause "it's just money",
-not knowing if I should vote Democrat cause they'll end the financial black hole of a war sooner but raise taxes or republican cause they won't raise taxes like their counterparts will,
-wishing ron paul was on a ballot this november,
-wanting a home cooked meal I didn't have to make every once in a while,
-finding it more important to learn about ways to be a better clinician than memorizing every assay for a hundred pathogenic microorganisms,
-not being able to enjoy hobbies like painting or going to the beach in socal or -traveling, or a bunch of other stuff cause it's too expensive or time-consuming,
-being stuck in the dungeon with no windows that is our restorative lab for excessive amounts of time day in and day out,
-not knowing if I did the right thing by coming here cause it's damaging my health, my family prospects, and my personal relationships.

Life is pretty sucky right now... What would you do?

Anyone else feel like they want to commiserate? Let it out boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen...

Peace

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[K2 Dental]

Hang in there! Unfortunately it may only get worse with boards, WREB (or whichever you take), etc. And then you actually have to go out and practice for a living and pay back all of your bills. Good Luck!

 

[mlle]

Hang in there! Unfortunately it may only get worse with boards, WREB (or whichever you take), etc. And then you actually have to go out and practice for a living and pay back all of your bills. Good Luck!

Does it get better when you're practicing at least? Thanks for the encouragement

 

[gryffindor]

What year are you in? If performing at average has you passing all of your classes, I wouldn't worry about the over-achievers. As long as you pass, you get to be the same general dentist as everyone else is. If you can come to terms with not needing to be an overachiever to get through dental school, it should relieve some of your stress.

And believe me, once you get out, you will have time to do all of those distractions you are craving right now. Things may even look better as the years go on in dental school. Third and fourth years, although they still sucked, were much better than first and second years.

 

[mlle]

What year are you in? If performing at average has you passing all of your classes, I wouldn't worry about the over-achievers. As long as you pass, you get to be the same general dentist as everyone else is. If you can come to terms with not needing to be an overachiever to get through dental school, it should relieve some of your stress.

And believe me, once you get out, you will have time to do all of those distractions you are craving right now. Things may even look better as the years go on in dental school. Third and fourth years, although they still sucked, were much better than first and second years.

I'm a D2... hope you're right about it getting better! I have found a little niche in dschool that makes it better for me... I'm doing some research and going to dental association meetings as a class rep and that makes me more excited than anything else I am doing right now schoolwise. I hope when patients come along I'll add that to my list too.

Thanks gryff!

 

[wannabedr]

RELAX!!! Count to ten or somthing

there are worst things in this world then being enrolled in dschool and having a six figure career. Seriously turn on the news or read the paper you have it easy.

Learn to appreciate what you do have and the opportunity and stop stressing yourself out. I honestly think it would do you good to volunteer in ur community for an hour or so to get a grip on reality.

I dislike people with your mentality.

 

[fusedtometal]

Exercise helps.
So does sex.
Just think about all the hard times you've been through and the person you've become.
Think about all the knowledge you now have.
Think about your practice, the patients, making a beautiful office, being able to help patients out who can't afford to pay you once in a while.
You have us!

 

[aphistis]

I'm a blank... depressed cause I just don't know how to cope with:

-being away from family,
-around over-achievers 24/7,
-performing at the average with 85-90% scores on exams,
-pressures of a classmate significant other who is one of those over-achievers that does nothing but study all day long
-when all I want to do is go see a free outdoor concert on a Tues night,
-knowing that I will owe the government about 300K by the time dental school is over,
-being told by classmates from more affluent backgrounds that that's no big deal cause "it's just money",
-not knowing if I should vote Democrat cause they'll end the financial black hole of a war sooner but raise taxes or republican cause they won't raise taxes like their counterparts will,
-wishing ron paul was on a ballot this november,
-wanting a home cooked meal I didn't have to make every once in a while,
-finding it more important to learn about ways to be a better clinician than memorizing every assay for a hundred pathogenic microorganisms,
-not being able to enjoy hobbies like painting or going to the beach in socal or -traveling, or a bunch of other stuff cause it's too expensive or time-consuming,
-being stuck in the dungeon with no windows that is our restorative lab for excessive amounts of time day in and day out,
-not knowing if I did the right thing by coming here cause it's damaging my health, my family prospects, and my personal relationships.

Life is pretty sucky right now... What would you do?

Anyone else feel like they want to commiserate? Let it out boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen...

Peace

I can relate 100%, and so can most of the dental students and dentists here. For me, second year was hands-down the worst out of four unpleasant years of dental school.

What you should do: keep plugging away until you're through. It's really hard to believe when you're buried under the mountain of stress that dental school can be, but it's worth it, and once you're out you'll be glad you stuck through it. Good luck.

 

[Hysteria24]

I'm a blank... depressed cause I just don't know how to cope with:

-being away from family,
-around over-achievers 24/7,
-performing at the average with 85-90% scores on exams,
-pressures of a classmate significant other who is one of those over-achievers that does nothing but study all day long
-when all I want to do is go see a free outdoor concert on a Tues night,
-knowing that I will owe the government about 300K by the time dental school is over,
-being told by classmates from more affluent backgrounds that that's no big deal cause "it's just money",
-not knowing if I should vote Democrat cause they'll end the financial black hole of a war sooner but raise taxes or republican cause they won't raise taxes like their counterparts will,
-wishing ron paul was on a ballot this november,
-wanting a home cooked meal I didn't have to make every once in a while,
-finding it more important to learn about ways to be a better clinician than memorizing every assay for a hundred pathogenic microorganisms,
-not being able to enjoy hobbies like painting or going to the beach in socal or -traveling, or a bunch of other stuff cause it's too expensive or time-consuming,
-being stuck in the dungeon with no windows that is our restorative lab for excessive amounts of time day in and day out,
-not knowing if I did the right thing by coming here cause it's damaging my health, my family prospects, and my personal relationships.

Life is pretty sucky right now... What would you do?

Anyone else feel like they want to commiserate? Let it out boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen...

Peace

Trying to piece the clues together to figure out which school this is:

-Around 300,000 tuition (with or without accrued interest?)
-Near a beach (stated as a hobby by the OP)
-Restorative lab in a basement
-Restorative over the summer for D2's
-Lots of micro over the summer

Hmmm.... Too many of these match where I will be starting in a couple weeks. Got my fingers crossed its not a match.

 

[phantasmagoriun]

Don't worry, you have Totoro on your side!

 

[mlle]

Trying to piece the clues together to figure out which school this is:

-Around 300,000 tuition (with or without accrued interest?)
-Near a beach (stated as a hobby by the OP)
-Restorative lab in a basement
-Restorative over the summer for D2's
-Lots of micro over the summer

Hmmm.... Too many of these match where I will be starting in a couple weeks. Got my fingers crossed its not a match.

LOL Relax Hysteria, My school's actually a great school - wouldn't want to have gone to another in its place. I'm more so complaining about the whole system. Like why it's necc for a dental education to cost 300k for one.

No accrued interest thank God.

Good luck!

 

[Hysteria24]

LOL Relax Hysteria, My school's actually a great school - wouldn't want to have gone to another in its place. I'm more so complaining about the whole system. Like why it's necc for a dental education to cost 300k for one.

No accrued interest thank God.

Good luck!

Haha.

Well that's good... And I'm glad to hear that you're just venting.

 

[mlle]

RELAX!!! Count to ten or somthing

there are worst things in this world then being enrolled in dschool and having a six figure career. Seriously turn on the news or read the paper you have it easy.

Learn to appreciate what you do have and the opportunity and stop stressing yourself out. I honestly think it would do you good to volunteer in ur community for an hour or so to get a grip on reality.

I dislike people with your mentality.

You're being a bit harsh there.. I'm just venting, not trying to bring down your parade or something.

I actually volunteer every chance I get. I do homeless clinics, migrant farm worker clinics, elementary school education and extracurricular programs, and overseas dental trips (one of which I just came back from a month ago). I wish I could work more on those people when I get out, but that will be limited because I WILL HAVE 300K IN DEBT and will need to charge ppl enough to make a good living.

Don't you ever just feel desperate? Or do you have it together all the time?

 

[mlle]

Don't worry, you have Totoro on your side!

This is true... he'll come to my rescue!

 

[ptrianon]

RELAX!!! Count to ten or somthing

there are worst things in this world then being enrolled in dschool and having a six figure career. Seriously turn on the news or read the paper you have it easy.

Learn to appreciate what you do have and the opportunity and stop stressing yourself out. I honestly think it would do you good to volunteer in ur community for an hour or so to get a grip on reality.

I dislike people with your mentality.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that you are still in undergrad.

 

[Hysteria24]

You're being a bit harsh there.. I'm just venting, not trying to bring down your parade or something.

I actually volunteer every chance I get. I do homeless clinics, migrant farm worker clinics, elementary school education and extracurricular programs, and overseas dental trips (one of which I just came back from a month ago). I wish I could work more on those people when I get out, but that will be limited because I WILL HAVE 300K IN DEBT and will need to charge ppl enough to make a good living.

Don't you ever just feel desperate? Or do you have it together all the time?

Hmmm...

New clues:
-Migrant farm worker clinics- yes
-Elementary school education- yes
-Overseas dental trip a month ago (July)- doesn't fit my guess!

 

[mlle]

Hmmm...

New clues:
-Migrant farm worker clinics- yes
-Elementary school education- yes
-Overseas dental trip a month ago (July)- doesn't fit my guess!

ok a little over a month ago.

and you shouldn't be here yet in a couple weeks... nonetheless welcome to the family.

 

[Hysteria24]

and you shouldn't be here yet in a couple weeks... nonetheless welcome to the family.

I'm confused... what do you mean when you say "you shouldn't be here yet in a couple weeks"?



.

 

[mlle]

what I meant was school for the D1s doesn't start in a couple of weeks here...

 

[SuperC]

Call me a total jerk, but blow off volunteering for a while. Sometimes, buddy, you absolutely have to take time for yourself. Skip a day of good deeds and indulge yourself in what ever you choose. My Rx? Booze, and lots of it.
-C

 

[mlle]

Call me a total jerk, but blow off volunteering for a while. Sometimes, buddy, you absolutely have to take time for yourself. Skip a day of good deeds and indulge yourself in what ever you choose. My Rx? Booze, and lots of it.
-C

I'm thinking of driving up to the Sierra Nevada Mountains after an exam tomorrow to see some friends. So I may do just that... a little r&r can't hurt

Thanks guys!

I'm feeling a lot better even though those things are still stirring up and every once in a while they just consume priority in my brain over everything else.

Peace.

 

[quartel]

I'm a blank... depressed cause I just don't know how to cope with:

-being away from family,
-around over-achievers 24/7,
-performing at the average with 85-90% scores on exams,
-pressures of a classmate significant other who is one of those over-achievers that does nothing but study all day long
-when all I want to do is go see a free outdoor concert on a Tues night,
-knowing that I will owe the government about 300K by the time dental school is over,
-being told by classmates from more affluent backgrounds that that's no big deal cause "it's just money",
-not knowing if I should vote Democrat cause they'll end the financial black hole of a war sooner but raise taxes or republican cause they won't raise taxes like their counterparts will,
-wishing ron paul was on a ballot this november,
-wanting a home cooked meal I didn't have to make every once in a while,
-finding it more important to learn about ways to be a better clinician than memorizing every assay for a hundred pathogenic microorganisms,
-not being able to enjoy hobbies like painting or going to the beach in socal or -traveling, or a bunch of other stuff cause it's too expensive or time-consuming,
-being stuck in the dungeon with no windows that is our restorative lab for excessive amounts of time day in and day out,
-not knowing if I did the right thing by coming here cause it's damaging my health, my family prospects, and my personal relationships.

Life is pretty sucky right now... What would you do?

Anyone else feel like they want to commiserate? Let it out boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen...

Peace

People out there would actually kill to be where you are right now. You rant is a friggin joke.

 

[anamod]

Simple solution. Find the people in the bottom half of the class that attend about 75% of the classes and hang out with them instead of the people who do nothing but study. That's what I did and school was not that bad. Go to the concert get a C on what ever you were supposed to be studying. Dental school is much easier when you just want to get C's and graduate.

 

[BadgerLoveSmile]

People out there would actually kill to be where you are right now. You rant is a friggin joke.

People "out there" think they would actually kill to be where he is...But when things suck, though they may be greatful they are able to pursue their dreams, things still suck. PLUS, you have no idea what he is going through in dental school, so how can you make a statement so strong? Ranting is good for some people, and clearly it has helped him. Let's see you never rant when (if) you get into dental school.

 

[ECUMuscle]

I'm a blank... depressed cause I just don't know how to cope with:

-being away from family,
-around over-achievers 24/7,
-performing at the average with 85-90% scores on exams,
-pressures of a classmate significant other who is one of those over-achievers that does nothing but study all day long
-when all I want to do is go see a free outdoor concert on a Tues night,
-knowing that I will owe the government about 300K by the time dental school is over,
-being told by classmates from more affluent backgrounds that that's no big deal cause "it's just money",
-not knowing if I should vote Democrat cause they'll end the financial black hole of a war sooner but raise taxes or republican cause they won't raise taxes like their counterparts will,
-wishing ron paul was on a ballot this november,
-wanting a home cooked meal I didn't have to make every once in a while,
-finding it more important to learn about ways to be a better clinician than memorizing every assay for a hundred pathogenic microorganisms,
-not being able to enjoy hobbies like painting or going to the beach in socal or -traveling, or a bunch of other stuff cause it's too expensive or time-consuming,
-being stuck in the dungeon with no windows that is our restorative lab for excessive amounts of time day in and day out,
-not knowing if I did the right thing by coming here cause it's damaging my health, my family prospects, and my personal relationships.

Life is pretty sucky right now... What would you do?

Anyone else feel like they want to commiserate? Let it out boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen...

Peace

Ok, I'll let it out.

All I can think about when I read this post is a little baby crying. Suck it up. Let me tell you, I would do almost anything to be miserable and in your shoes. Let me turn your negatives into a positive perspective.
-you have a family
-Hey you're in dental school, I hope you and everyone else is learning everything they can to be a competent dentist
-Keep working hard to do as well as you can. Pay now so you don't have to pay later.
-If she is making your life more miserable and you don't feel a peace there, dump her. If you're married, well can't help you there. If you are, nobody is holding you by a strap saying you can't go to a concert. So, go.
-Dude you can pay off the debt in a few years, while working good hours in a clean environment.
-Be glad you live in a free country where you can vote.
-This is irrelevant, but Ron Paul does have good idea, however I think he is an idiot.
-Again pay now, so you don't have to pay later. You can enjoy all those things when you get out of school.
-It's not my place to say this to you, but if you have passion for dentistry, you'll make the most of it and you'll make it through. If not, do something else instead of wasting a seat.
-Spend your free time excersizing, calling your family or friend, instead doing the volunteer stuff. That's cool and all but you do need some time for yourself.
I'm not trying to be hard on you, but quit whining, please. Try to look at things in a more positive light. There, I just let it out.
By the way, good luck.

 

[ECUMuscle]

sorry for repeat

 

[ou_jay]

DS2 year is a really rough experience. I knew from your rant you were a DS2 before you said it.

Take more time to exercise (very important) and recreate. Hang out with the "slackers." You will still be able to pass.

Realize that you don't want to be and nobody can be the best at everything.

Most importantly don't let dental school destroy your soul. Don't stop serving others to make me time. I bet you wanted to be a dentist to help others. Hold on to that. Take away from studying to make me time. Don't let clinical requirement sabotage your ethics. If you graduate late with a 2.0 and your integrity intact, then you are far more successful than someone who finished early, number 1 in the class, who compromised on doing the right thing to get ahead.

Also, predents who are complaining about whining. Dental school is going to much harder than you think it will be. Right now in your head you're thinking, "yeah I've heard that; I know it will be really hard," but you don't know. It is much harder than you can even imaging right now. So lay off.

 

[AlcoHulk]

DS2 year is a really rough experience. I knew from your rant you were a DS2 before you said it.

Take more time to exercise (very important) and recreate. Hang out with the "slackers." You will still be able to pass.

Realize that you don't want to be and nobody can be the best at everything.

Most importantly don't let dental school destroy your soul. Don't stop serving others to make me time. I bet you wanted to be a dentist to help others. Hold on to that. Take away from studying to make me time. Don't let clinical requirement sabotage your ethics. If you graduate late with a 2.0 and your integrity intact, then you are far more successful than someone who finished early, number 1 in the class, who compromised on doing the right thing to get ahead.

Also, predents who are complaining about whining. Dental school is going to much harder than you think it will be. Right now in your head you're thinking, "yeah I've heard that; I know it will be really hard," but you don't know. It is much harder than you can even imaging right now. So lay off.

Hey I like this. I'm just a starting D1, and being away from my family for the first time in my life and dealing with people (large city, expensive school, money problems, live faraway, etc...) is stressful enough. I think I can handle this curriculum the way it is, but sometimes looking at the expectations can be a bit depressing too. We haven't even started classes, and I've already started reading ahead just because I'm scared I won't be able to deal with it all when it hits.

I figure, I want this. I've worked hard to get here. I deserve the chance to be here, and I knew things were going to suck like crazy. My plan is to continue working out, playing when I have time, and balancing my life around school. It may sound selfish, but maybe that's the way it should be so I can get the best training I can so I can do what I've always wanted. And that is to help people.

 

[Midoc]

Why are pre-dental students complaining about a dental student's rant on the dental student section of the message boards?

I'm certain there were days when everyone of us felt like this guy did when he posted. I think its stupid when one person doesn't think another person is allowed to vent about anything at all "because you have it better than these other people".

 

[drpsuedonym]

I'm a predent and I think that everyone is allowed to complain a little when things get tough. And there's a h u g e different between whining and ranting/venting, so if the OP wants to vent, that's great, there's no reason to call him/her a whiner.

And not all predents are self-important jerks who think that people in dental school aren't allowed to complain. (We usually think one of the upsides of being a predent is getting away from self-important jerks a la premeds. )

I think its stupid when one person doesn't think another person is allowed to vent about anything at all "because you have it better than these other people".

Exactly.

 

[small]

I actually haven't felt anything like that at school yet (other than the voting thing), but hang in there! There HAVE to be some people at your school who are out for a good time every now and then, right?

 

[CariesMcGee]

At least you're in Dental school -- It could be that whole list (Minus the 300 grand debt of course....... but out 5 grand because you applied to 13 schools last year and flew out to 3 interviews) AND the reality that you probably won't get into dental school because your to stupid. Try finding a career after all you've done is focus on getting into dental school....

 

[CariesMcGee]

OK that sounded really bitter.. I'm sure I'd feel the same way if I was in D2 of school lol.. Just think.. you are better off than the thousands who never got into D school.

 

[KOM]

27 credits this semester. Long distance with my wife. Studying for boards. In lab until 8pm every night. Study until 1am. Wake up at 7am.

That's the routine...so I feel ya OP.

 

[Dr2BSoon]

I agree with the OP on a lot of counts. I have to say that I LOVE DS2 year! It is so much better than DS1 year. It may be a lot busier, but the classes are so much easier even if they are time consuming and sometimes annoying. You couldn't pay me enough to be a DS1 again and have to take Biochem and Physiology.

 

[DeeEmDee]

One more time for those pretentious, know-nothing pre-dents who think they know what dental school is like because they're taking Organic Chem in college:

You don't know jack about what dental students go through. Your experience in this area is ZERO, no matter how many dentist cousins you have or how many offices you've worked in. Knock off the silly condescending lectures about how we should cope with something you don't have a clue about.

Some of you are so childishly pompous and self-important it's cringe inducing.

 

[kuzichan]

With almost 2 months of 2nd year under my belt...

I feel you pain

 

[ldsmbhc]

I think a lot of the “tough it up” pre-dent advice comes because of insecurity rather than a plea for dental students to stop wining. I was also a bit insecure before starting dental school wondering if I could handle the joggling act. This is some of the things I have learned through my dental school experience.

1. Everyone is not a genius that gets accepted into school. Most are ordinary people with ordinary intelligence that knew what to do to sound good to an admissions committee and worked hard so their application looked like a million bucks.

2. It doesn't matter how everyone else is doing in school. Dental students would be less stressed if they would stop comparing themselves to others and focus more on doing the best they can. It doesn't matter what kind of grades you get or how things turn out if you follow this advice.

3. 99.9% of people who get accepted into dental school can make it through but not everyone can make it through the same way. To keep your sanity you must prioritize the things that are most important to you and learn how to balance your life accordingly. If family is most important and your wife is mad at you, then hang out with her more and pull an all nighter to do well on the test the next morning (or you could just take a B). If you want to get by in dental school with more free time, then don't take the same amount of time studying for a quiz that is worth close to nothing as you would with a normal exam. Sounds stupid but sometimes as a student you don't see the big picture.

4. An optimistic attitude can go a long way. Stay positive (and realistic) in school and things tend to work out.

Also, not all schools are the same; if you have a choice, choose wisely. I actually love going to school and it isn't because I am a nerd but because of the environment. All of my instructors (minus two or three) are teaching because they love it and relate well to students. My classmates are like family and we help each other out. So my point is try to get into a school were you will thrive. Sorry this is so long, I just wanted some pre-dents to see that there can not only be light at the end of the tunnel but also inside if you’re traveling through it the right way.

 

[armorshell]

I'm in second year and loving it. Definitely could use some more patients though, I have $3000 in fixed prosth treatment planned but no operative or S/RP to speak of...

 

[ou_jay]

Also, not all schools are the same; if you have a choice, choose wisely.

This is so true. Unfortunately until you have been in dental school a while you don't know what questions to ask. You don't really know what to look for in a DS that will give you a good experience compared to one that will give you a bad experience. So I guess it is mostly up to luck.

 

[Contach]

This is so true. Unfortunately until you have been in dental school a while you don't know what questions to ask. You don't really know what to look for in a DS that will give you a good experience compared to one that will give you a bad experience. So I guess it is mostly up to luck.

would you be able to tell us pre-dents what type of things we should be looking for and what questions we should ask to find said things?

 

[drpsuedonym]

would you be able to tell us pre-dents what type of things we should be looking for and what questions we should ask to find said things?

Second this. What questions would you advise a predent to ask when they're looking at schools and interviewing. What do you wish you had known while you were applying?

 

[ou_jay]

Here is the best list I can come up with. I'm sure students from other schools might be able to add to this list.

Important questions:

1.) How many students fail to graduate on time?

If they say zero, I would suspect they are lying, Every dental class will have a few people who are lazy or undergo personal struggles during school, but if the numbers approach 10% or more of the class size, find somewhere else to go. The school is probably the problem and not the students.

2.) Does your clinical system mix numerical requirements for specific procedures with comprehensive care of specific patients?

Many schools work this way. It will put you in an impossible ethical situation. Avoid it. Some schools use team based approaches and/or rotation based discipline specific clinics that avoid the ethical dilemmas.

An example of what I am talking about is as follows: I have a set of patients assigned to me for care. None of them need a root canal. If I don't do one this semester I get an F. Mrs. X has a deep cavity. If I drill deeply during her filling I will get to do that root canal.

3.) Do you have to do your own lab work? How much of it? What kinds?

Schools that make you do all of your own lab work suffer from one or both of two problems. They are either stuck in the past, or their clinics are poorly profitable requiring you to do a lot of irrelevant work to bring down their overhead. Pouring up casts, trimming dies, and other minor work is normal and acceptable. If they say you have to make all your own crowns, set all your own dentures, fabricate all your own ortho appliances, etc, then you might not want to make that school your first choice. Dental school will be hard enough without all that and these activities will detract from the time you could spend learning dentistry.

Other possible questions:

1.) In your clinics, can general dental faculty supervise all general dentistry procedures?

A yes answer indicates a school that will probably be much simpler to get through clinically. This indicates that the school probably does not have too much departmental infighting. Departmental infighting at some schools can create a bureaucratic barrier that prevents doing much of anything but trying to work around the system.

2.) How many appointments does a new patient have before they receive dental treatment?

If this number is more than two then the school probably has a hard time getting and keeping patients.

3.) What percentage of professors are under 45 years old?

A school needs some new blood to remain current and innovative.

I'm sure there are many more that would be helpful.

 

[armorshell]

Here is the best list I can come up with. I'm sure students from other schools might be able to add to this list.

Important questions:

1.) How many students fail to graduate on time?

If they say zero, I would suspect they are lying, Every dental class will have a few people who are lazy or undergo personal struggles during school, but if the numbers approach 10% or more of the class size, find somewhere else to go. The school is probably the problem and not the students.

2.) Does your clinical system mix numerical requirements for specific procedures with comprehensive care of specific patients?

Many schools work this way. It will put you in an impossible ethical situation. Avoid it. Some schools use team based approaches and/or rotation based discipline specific clinics that avoid the ethical dilemmas.

An example of what I am talking about is as follows: I have a set of patients assigned to me for care. None of them need a root canal. If I don't do one this semester I get an F. Mrs. X has a deep cavity. If I drill deeply during her filling I will get to do that root canal.

3.) Do you have to do your own lab work? How much of it? What kinds?

Schools that make you do all of your own lab work suffer from one or both of two problems. They are either stuck in the past, or their clinics are poorly profitable requiring you to do a lot of irrelevant work to bring down their overhead. Pouring up casts, trimming dies, and other minor work is normal and acceptable. If they say you have to make all your own crowns, set all your own dentures, fabricate all your own ortho appliances, etc, then you might not want to make that school your first choice. Dental school will be hard enough without all that and these activities will detract from the time you could spend learning dentistry.

Other possible questions:

1.) In your clinics, can general dental faculty supervise all general dentistry procedures?

A yes answer indicates a school that will probably be much simpler to get through clinically. This indicates that the school probably does not have too much departmental infighting. Departmental infighting at some schools can create a bureaucratic barrier that prevents doing much of anything but trying to work around the system.

2.) How many appointments does a new patient have before they receive dental treatment?

If this number is more than two then the school probably has a hard time getting and keeping patients.

3.) What percentage of professors are under 45 years old?

A school needs some new blood to remain current and innovative.

I'm sure there are many more that would be helpful.

These are brilliant, brilliant questions everyone should ask at interviews.