everyone's top schools and why?

[bspeedy00]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Now that applications are almost all in, and people are hearing back from ad com's for interviews. (Some have already attended interviews.) I would like to know what everyone's top picks are and why? What is it that stands out about a particular program to everyone?

 

[DrTacoElf]

$
Variety of Procedures Taught
Location
Patient Pool
EDIT: If I fit in 🙂

 

[JavadiCavity]

$
procedures
my feeling about how well I would fit

not necessarily in that order

 

[Darksunshine]

Acceptance
$
Do/did I fit in there? (Focus of the school)
Location
Curriculum

Order not absolute with the exception of Acceptance 😱 ! doh.

 

[bspeedy00]

what schools do you feel are the best for those factors?

 

[sinned]

Hey DrTacoElf, can you enlighten me on the variety of procedures taught...and how it might differ from school to school?

thanks,
Dennis

 

[Veneto]

Location, Location, Location
I will probably hear alot about his but for me this is the deciding factor. Curriculum, facility, and procedures will vary from school to school but for the most part they are all accredited through the same ADA, and meet the same minimum requirements. With a wife and daughter I feel an obligation to them to put them in a nice environment. The last on my list is cost. I never let cost of the education limit where I would go simply for the fact that as a dentist the income potential is high enough to pay off the debt. When I was talking with an advisor from Pacific she stated that there was a 99% non default rate at their school. Pacific is one of the costliest schoold and if they maintain this high non-default rate I dont think cost of the school should be a huge factor.

 

[Biogirl361]

location is a very large part of my decision as well, followed by fitting in and money. i don't have a family yet, but i have to feel personally safe wherever i go, not only where the school is but where housing would likely be and what is the city/town like in the route between school and home. for this reason i have started re-evaluating my rankings of first choice schools as i have been visiting them and their surrounding cities for interviews.

 

[DrTacoElf]

Hey DrTacoElf, can you enlighten me on the variety of procedures taught...and how it might differ from school to school?

thanks,
Dennis

Common areas of variety that I noticed were:

Implants, types of endo (rotary/handfile), labwork, porcelain work, bleaching, CAD/CAM (CEREC), technology, etc.

 

[Typo]

Clinical experience, first of all, then (not necessarily in this order) -

UOP:
3 years, whether I get the military scholarship or not, and how my wife and I feel about the place when we go there.

UNC:
$$$ (depending on whether I can get residency or not), I've heard great things about the school and faculty, and I love the east coast and the Carolinas especially. Also, the feeling I get when I go there - some people on SDN have suggested they felt the reception was a little cold and competitive, which I hope it isn't.

 

[albuquerquegirl]

I've heard that UOP switched to four years . . .

 

[Dentist 2 be]

location is my top priority then $$, if its an accredited school im sure its good enough

 

[Typo]

I've heard that UOP switched to four years . . .

It's still 3 years, even though it's basically four years crammed into three. You can check out the curriculum by clicking on the 36 month program link here:
http://dental.uop.edu/curriculum/DDS/default.htm

 

[sinned]

Common areas of variety that I noticed were:

Implants, types of endo (rotary/handfile), labwork, porcelain work, bleaching, CAD/CAM (CEREC), technology, etc.

so as a general dentist, you are certified to do implant procedures out of dental school, or do you have to take more classes and get certified?

 

[jdcinza13]

Acceptance
$
Location
Comfort of my family

 

[DrTacoElf]

so as a general dentist, you are certified to do implant procedures out of dental school, or do you have to take more classes and get certified?

From my understanding technically you don't have to take any implant courses or even learn them in school to place them (I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to try this but who knows). However, this is extremely unethical and if you messed up your license would probably be revoked when they discovered you had no experience in implants.

 

[superman]

Acceptance
Good clinical preparation
Location- good patient pool

 

[dWiz]

anywhere they put me, and yeah clinical emphasis..not research oriented

 

[sinned]

From my understanding technically you don't have to take any implant courses or even learn them in school to place them (I doubt anyone would be crazy enough to try this but who knows). However, this is extremely unethical and if you messed up your license would probably be revoked when they discovered you had no experience in implants.

Ah, Thanks...

 

[adamlc18]

Clinical experience, first of all, then -

UOP:
3 years, whether I get the military scholarship or not, and how my wife and I feel about the place when we go there.

UNC:
$$$ (depending on whether I can get residency or not), I've heard great things about the school and faculty, and I love the east coast and the Carolinas especially. Also, the feeling I get when I go there - some people on SDN have suggested they felt the reception was a little cold and competitive, which I hope it isn't.

Well I can tell you about UNC. You can get in-state residency after 1 year. They even tell you this in orientation. I am currently an out-of-stater so I made sure about that. I never felt like the reception here is cold. My class is pretty tight. Everyone helps each other out in classes and we all just try to do our best. You might feel it is competetive because most people do very well, but i haven't seen any gunners or anything like that in my class. 👍

 

[Darksunshine]

I have noticed that a lot of us have hedged away from being school specific, with the exception of the brave TYPO. I admire you! 👍

I am on purposely being vague because:

First of all I want to be a dentist, it really matters not where I get in, I am going to be one! 😳

Second, if I am lucky enough to get to choose I have will mostly likely have to pick the school in which my husband has an outreach of his company. (Luckily 8/13 schools fit that criteria, I did that on purpose.)
Although, I could be bribed by a scholarship since I won't be joining the military to pay for my school. I am more likely to practice on an Indian Health Reservation to pay off loans then join the military. (Not knocking the choice, my bro was in the Airforce, just a personal decision.) 😎 Also, I will go if I have to without my husband and kids. My husband and I have talked about the fact they may have to move later. My husband knows how badly I want this and is willing to help me any way he can! I am really lucky. 😉

Third, I don't want some adcom or school representative figuring out who I am and deciding not to give me an acceptance because my number one pick wasn't their school. (I have hear plenty of rumors that adcom's surf these board and we all give out plenty of info to define who we are, especially with me being a hygienist, ton's of hygienists do not all apply to dental school.) 😕

Having said all that, I think it is clear I will go where I am called and worrying about choosing if that happens. 😀