How much science do you actually use in dental school?

[helprosie]

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I want to make sure I'm prepared for the curriculum at dental school, I don't want to take classes that won't help. So how much knowledge from the pre-reqs actually transferred over to dental school? Also, if you were a science major, were the higher level courses helpful?

 

[ncide]

Biochem, microbio, anatomy, physiology are good ones.

 

[FlyingSky]

Biochem, microbio, anatomy, physiology are good ones.

this

microbiology for sure

 

[helprosie]

Biochem, microbio, anatomy, physiology are good ones.

for biochem, are you referring to the intro or upper level courses? And thanks for replying!

 

[distressstudent]

none to be honest

My dental school instructors and UG instructors emphasized different things even within the same discipline. For example, I have never heard of anyone talking about protein folding in dental school at all even though it's a huge part of biochemistry.

Everything else is just memorization anyways. No point in doing route memorization years in advance because you wont remember all the nuance details anyways.

 

[BlackBunny103]

Between microbio and cell biol, which would you say is more important or helpful?

 

[DoctaFauci]

none to be honest

My dental school instructors and UG instructors emphasized different things even within the same discipline. For example, I have never heard of anyone talking about protein folding in dental school at all even though it's a huge part of biochemistry.

Everything else is just memorization anyways. No point in doing route memorization years in advance because you wont remember all the nuance details anyways.

I agree. You would be more well served getting an undergrad education in finance/business than basic sciences, as dental school is, unfortunately, just rote memorization. I never took biochem/micro/genetics and did far better than people who majored in those courses because dental school doesn't teach them the same way. Dental school also doesn't teach you how to run a practice or manage money, so I'd focus on that as an undergrad. Some courses in public health, health policy might be beneficial as well so you gain better understanding of CMS, disparities in health and managed care.

 

[helprosie]

I agree. You would be more well served getting an undergrad education in finance/business than basic sciences, as dental school is, unfortunately, just rote memorization. I never took biochem/micro/genetics and did far better than people who majored in those courses because dental school doesn't teach them the same way. Dental school also doesn't teach you how to run a practice or manage money, so I'd focus on that as an undergrad. Some courses in public health, health policy might be beneficial as well so you gain better understanding of CMS, disparities in health and managed care.

none to be honest

My dental school instructors and UG instructors emphasized different things even within the same discipline. For example, I have never heard of anyone talking about protein folding in dental school at all even though it's a huge part of biochemistry.

Everything else is just memorization anyways. No point in doing route memorization years in advance because you wont remember all the nuance details anyways.

thanks for the replies! After looking at some of the dental school curriculum, I was wondering where do the pre-req knowledge come in. I'm majoring in finance because I know it will be helpful when running a practice and I can find a job if I don't get into dental school right away. Whereas if I had a biochem/biology degree, I have no idea what I could do with that.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

thanks for the replies! After looking at some of the dental school curriculum, I was wondering where do the pre-req knowledge come in. I'm majoring in finance because I know it will be helpful when running a practice and I can find a job if I don't get into dental school right away. Whereas if I had a biochem/biology degree, I have no idea what I could do with that.

You would be qualified to teach science to junior high and high school students. You just need to get your teacher certificate (depending on state), take the qualification field exam (for the class you want to teach), and bam. You will control the lives of students who will bow to your every command (not really, a lot of kids are mean nowadays lol). Or work in labs while you work to reapply to dental school.

If I could repeat my UG, I would've majored in buisiness, picked up a masters in buisness, while completing prereqs for dental school. Not only will it serve as a foundation for your future practice, it could potentially save your butt in case dentistry doesn't work out (life can be a real pain in the butt). Just my 0.02 🙂

 

[Kittenz]

none to be honest

My dental school instructors and UG instructors emphasized different things even within the same discipline. For example, I have never heard of anyone talking about protein folding in dental school at all even though it's a huge part of biochemistry.

Everything else is just memorization anyways. No point in doing route memorization years in advance because you wont remember all the nuance details anyways.

The truest information ever said.

 

[fogorvostan]

You would be qualified to teach science to junior high and high school students. You just need to get your teacher certificate (depending on state), take the qualification field exam (for the class you want to teach), and bam. You will control the lives of students who will bow to your every command (not really, a lot of kids are mean nowadays lol). Or work in labs while you work to reapply to dental school.

Yeeeeeeeeeeep. In Florida, you don't even need to take a test to get your 3 year teaching certification. Just pay the DoE $180.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Yeeeeeeeeeeep. In Florida, you don't even need to take a test to get your 3 year teaching certification. Just pay the DoE $180.

Really? Interesting

 

[ToothbrushBuddy]

I would take histology or anatomy if you wanted to take a science class in undergrad. But to be honest, we went over what I learned in a whole semester of biochemistry in undergrad in one lecture in dental school. I would try to master a second language as you will get so many more patients that way. Also, take some business, advertising, and leadership classes as you will get none of that in dental school but it is very important

 

[deleted390966]

Do you learn all the things medical students learn + dental skills?

 

[Cello]

Do you learn all the things medical students learn + dental skills?

No. 3rd and 4th year dental school are completely different from 3rd and 4th year medicine. Furthermore, the curriculum at dental schools varies tremendously.

 

[gatorfan99]

none to be honest

My dental school instructors and UG instructors emphasized different things even within the same discipline. For example, I have never heard of anyone talking about protein folding in dental school at all even though it's a huge part of biochemistry.

Everything else is just memorization anyways. No point in doing route memorization years in advance because you wont remember all the nuance details anyways.

This is (maybe) true for your basic restorative classes, basic clinical skills... Or if you think Dental Town is a good source of information (that's another topic altogether, haha)..

Not true at all if you pay attention to specialty care classes: perio/endo (lots of bone biology, microbiology, inflammation), ortho (physics, bone biology)....

 

[distressstudent]

This is (maybe) true for your basic restorative classes, basic clinical skills... Or if you think Dental Town is a good source of information (that's another topic altogether, haha)..

Not true at all if you pay attention to specialty care classes: perio/endo (lots of bone biology, microbiology, inflammation), ortho (physics, bone biology)....

Very niche information tbh. A shot at the dark if you're hoping that the courses you took in UG will be applicable. You might or might not find it relevant: your mileage will vary. For example, my ug anatomy course covered a lot on cartilaginous bone but you're not gonna find much of that in the periodontium. Inflammation was another big one for dentist, but it was covered in only like 3-4 slides in UG

I am just telling OP to not stress about it. I don't know what's its like at other schools, but my school taught us the fundamentals at the lowest common denominator . Because after all, some of us weren't science majors.