How does UOP do it all in 3 years?!!!

[MD2b20004]

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I been hearing opinions that dentistry should be longer in training, etc... I was wondering for those who attend or know of UOP, how do they fulfill all their credits, patient load, haunting down patients, fulfilling all in 3 years when alot of dental students are struggling to get patients to finish in 4??!!!

 

[Jone]

I could easily see how we could change my school's program to 3 years. Every semester, at least 10 credit hours are spent taking the MOST USELESS fluff classes (and no, I'm not talking about the basic science courses). What a waste of my time and money. If they cut out all this BS, we could spend more time treating patients and learning about the practice of dentistry. Just my rant....

I been hearing opinions that dentistry should be longer in training, etc... I was wondering for those who attend or know of UOP, how do they fulfill all their credits, patient load, haunting down patients, fulfilling all in 3 years when alot of dental students are struggling to get patients to finish in 4??!!!

 

[toofache32]

They give a DMD, which means you aren't licensed to perform surgery. You have to have a DDS for that, which takes an extra year.

 

[crazy_sherm]

They give a DMD, which means you aren't licensed to perform surgery. You have to have a DDS for that, which takes an extra year.

Actually, we get a DDS, not a DMD. WEST SIDE REPRESENT!!!!!!!!!

As to the OP's question, I don't know what it's like at other dental schools, but I get the feeling that our didactic courses are pretty streamlined. Our first year is all preclin, basic science, and some clinical science toward the last 6 months. 2nd year is a bunch more clinical science and 1/2 time clinic with a little extra time to study for Part I. 3rd year is almost all clinic with a few classes to round out our education for Part II. Most are pretty to the point and geared toward what to expect on boards. I would assume other schools go into much more detail in their classes, otherwise I don't know what all that extra time is for. We have a more clinical focus, so preclin stuff is packed in pretty hard from day one. I believe we had our first operative practical something like 3 weeks into school. Just this quarter, I think I had 12 practical preps to cut for fixed. There isn't as much time to do too many extracurriculars, like research or externships, but people who are motivated manage to fit it all in. Our specialization rate isn't anything spectacular, but it's not below average. About 10-15% go onto a specialty (non-GPR/AEGD) each year, and granted our school is more geared toward the GP route, I would say it's not too bad.

I think the real reason we're only 3 years though is because it's Dugoni's curriculum. Everyone's too scared to tell the Godfather of the dental mafia his program isn't long enough. 😎 😉

 

[toofache32]

Actually, we get a DDS, not a DMD....

Foiled again...