How important is reputation of school?

[JeffM]

I'm choosing between two schools and one is ranked as a "better" school, but I liked the location and people of the other one a little better. My question is, how important is the name of the school and would you go to a school that doesn't have as high of a reputation in order to go to a school that you think you would enjoy more? (since someone will ask...it's Maryland vs. MUSC)

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[DentistScientist]

I'm choosing between two schools and one is ranked as a "better" school, but I liked the location and people of the other one a little better. My question is, how important is the name of the school and would you go to a school that doesn't have as high of a reputation in order to go to a school that you think you would enjoy more? (since someone will ask...it's Maryland vs. MUSC)

They are about the same. In this case, I would choose the cheaper one cause both schools are not tech schools and have DDS/DMD PHD program. Both have pretty big research based medical schools too.

But if I have to pick one, I would choose Maryland over MUSC because of the opportunities to network and be inspired by the leading figures our time through NIH and Hopkins. These two are only about 15 minutes away from the University of Maryland Baltimore Campus. You meet people whose names are used for the names of most cutting-edge medical interventions and most unique diseases.
You would never get to touch a Nobel Prize with your hands when you are in MUSC while it's not to difficult to meet someone with Nobel Prizes and work with them if you go to UMB.

 

[JeffM]

pick the cheaper one

Forgot to mention I'm doing Navy HPSP so cost doesn't matter.

 

[DentistScientist]

Forgot to mention I'm doing Navy HPSP so cost doesn't matter.

Maryland all the way.

NIH, Hopkins, and Walter Reed Medical Center are only 15 minutes to an hour away from you. Each of them is superior to MUSC in every single field. Walter Reed was where Ronald Reagan and John F Kennedy were treated.

 

[JeffM]

I liked MUSC more and I would like to move down south for various reasons. My question is just does the name of the school make much of a difference especially since I'll be a Navy dentist and I don't really plan on specializing afterwards?

 

[Viva Terlingua]

My question is just does the name of the school make much of a difference especially since I'll be a Navy dentist and I don't really plan on specializing afterwards?

Not at all. Most dentists say no one has ever asked them what school they went to.

 

[Incis0r]

If you felt more at home at MUSC, and you have the HPSP, then go to MUSC.

 

[Toothout]

0 importance (others might disagree)

 

[Kareful]

Forgot to mention I'm doing Navy HPSP so cost doesn't matter.

Maybe save the navy some money? Not a one of you HPSPers has any consideration for the government's dime!

 

[Incis0r]

Maybe save the navy some money?

Haha.

 

[blablabla1]

0 importance (others might disagree)

When you're simply practicing, it has 0 importance. But if you want to further your dental education by specializing or going into alternate dentistry related careers (policy, academia, etc), the Ivy name can definitely help. But for the most part, yeah, name rep doesn't mean anything and OP would be fine at either school.

 

[greentiger1]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a specific follow-up question to many people's responses. I understand patients don't ask about school, do you think a school's reputation and/or alumni network is something significant to consider, such as when you are looking for your first job as an associate dentist?

 

[O Gaúcho]

Dental school reputation means close to nothing. Your reputation as a dentist means everything.

 

[8_man]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a specific follow-up question to many people's responses. I understand patients don't ask about school, do you think a school's reputation and/or alumni network is something significant to consider, such as when you are looking for your first job as an associate dentist?

Yes, this is very important. In the real world, connections are everything.

 

[DentistScientist]

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I have a specific follow-up question to many people's responses. I understand patients don't ask about school, do you think a school's reputation and/or alumni network is something significant to consider, such as when you are looking for your first job as an associate dentist?

Totally second this.

What if you learn more about dental medicine and discover something extraordinary? What if you realize that you want to be a professor in dental school or a faculty member in nidcr? The walter reed's dental and omfs deparments are right across from the nih. And people there collaborate with one another all the time.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[NicktheTooth]

Dental School Reputation has significance when it comes to getting large bank loans. Judicators definitely take note, I now know this from experience getting my student loans. A Columbia DDS certainly holds a lot more water than a Loma Linda DDS.

 

[NicktheTooth]

1

Maybe save the navy some money? Not a one of you HPSPers has any consideration for the government's dime!

lol f'real though.

 

[dr.d00m]

I say Maryland....although I might not be the best person to ask for a neutral response on this matter

 

[deleted738762]

What if you want to teach at a dental college? Would a PhD be required? I would think the school name of your dental school would be relevant as well.

 

[dentalgoal team]

Doesnt matter much, pick a curriculum with the most hands on experience.

 

[deleted738762]

What if you want to teach at a dental college? Would a PhD be required? I would think the school name of your dental school would be relevant as well.

BUMP

 

[Incis0r]

What if you want to teach at a dental college? Would a PhD be required? I would think the school name of your dental school would be relevant as well.

Nah

 

[deleted738762]

Nah

Hey screw you man!

 

[Incis0r]

Hey screw you man!

 

[gangazi]

What if you want to teach at a dental college? Would a PhD be required? I would think the school name of your dental school would be relevant as well.

I second this question

 

[ClassIVMobility]

What schools did your dentist go to?

 

[Incis0r]

Totally second this.

What if you learn more about dental medicine and discover something extraordinary? What if you realize that you want to be a professor in dental school or a faculty member in nidcr? The walter reed's dental and omfs deparments are right across from the nih. And people there collaborate with one another all the time.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Man I love the passion with which you approach research. Is this a field of dentistry you want to participate in?

 

[struckbywhitening13]

Patients definitely do ask, and they do their research. I've worked as a hygienist for 3 years. However, I've seen bad (everything from bad clinical skills to personal skills) dentists come from "great" schools, and I've had patients refuse one of our best dentists because he went to a school they hadn't heard of. I've seen it all. Honestly it's their loss. Really it comes down to you being proud of your school, making the most of your education, and being a clinician patients can trust.

 

[doktorinprogres]

I second this question

When ppl ask does it matter, my opinion is that this is a two-fold issue. Does it matter in terms of your training and ability to be a
competent/sound dentist and professor? I sincerely doubt that it does.

On the other hand if you think academia is free from such concerns as prestige you're hoping for a world that isn't this one. It definitely
does make it easier to be selected for a position in academia if you have a pedigreed background. You can still do it without that pedigree but
it is easier.

That said I think the point ppl are usually trying to make is that you can do whatever you want from virtually any situation. If the OP for example went
to MUSC and got involved in research, worked with good professors and had several publications, eventually their accomplishments would create the resume
that would overshadow any valuations ascribed to the school he/she attended.

In any walk of life if you've made the cut for a more prestigious or well-regarded job/position you become more valuable to most other organizations.
If you work at Google numerous startups will want you for your experience and perception that you know how the big guns do it. Same thing happens in residencies: if you train at some of the historically great and well reputed programs other programs will want to snap you up to raise the perception and possibly actual skill of their programs.

Feel free to disagree.

 

[Universitygeek]

This is the general rule. The reputation of a school ONLY really matters if it's a law or business. Assuming a school is accredited, reputation should be the last reason you decide on one school over the other.

 

[blablabla1]

This is the general rule. The reputation of a school ONLY really matters if it's a law or business. Assuming a school is accredited, reputation should be the last reason you decide on one school over the other.

How exactly do you explain the disparity in specialization rates between Ivies and other schools then? In normal practice situations, yeah your school rep probably doesn't matter at all, but you can't put a blanket statement like "reputation only matters for law and business." The dental field isn't an ideal world.

 

[Incis0r]

How exactly do you explain the disparity in specialization rates between Ivies and other schools then? In normal practice situations, yeah your school rep probably doesn't matter at all, but you can't put a blanket statement like "reputation only matters for law and business." The dental field isn't an ideal world.

I believe it's individual-dependent.

 

[blablabla1]

UConn = non-Ivy yet it has twice the placement rate into OMFS than Columbia (20% of UConn's class went into OMFS compared to 10% of Columbia - based on the numbers released by each school for C/O 2016)

I believe it's individual-dependent.

Kinda meant percentage of people who match relative to how many tried for the spot, not how many people specialized but I guess I didn't make it clear/that stat is hard to find

 

[wengerout]

UConn = non-Ivy yet it has twice the placement rate into OMFS than Columbia (20% of UConn's class went into OMFS compared to 10% of Columbia - based on the numbers released by each school for C/O 2016)

I believe it's individual-dependent.

Both schools are Pass-Fail, can't really use UCONN as the gold standard for the average state school.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[DentistScientist]

Man I love the passion with which you approach research. Is this a field of dentistry you want to participate in?

Yup. I want to be a dentist scientist or an oral surgeons scientist.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[Universitygeek]

How exactly do you explain the disparity in specialization rates between Ivies and other schools then? In normal practice situations, yeah your school rep probably doesn't matter at all, but you can't put a blanket statement like "reputation only matters for law and business." The dental field isn't an ideal world.

I didn't say disregard reputation completely. I said it was the general rule and that it only really matters if it's law or business. Still matters, but the extent to which it matters is so insignificant that it should not be the reason for your decision. I don't view specialization rate and reputation as the same as one of the previous posters mentioned as they don't always go hand in hand.