How RELAXED is your Dental School?

[kew]

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I just know that there are a lot of hardcore programs out there and was just wondering how relaxed the different schools are. This doesn't mean easy, but just plain enjoyable and doable. Some schools seem to be paced to kill in the beginning while other schools find a way to cover a lot of ground and still manage to have everyone's head comfortably above water. I could be wrong, but I just wanted to get your input personally.

 

[drnpp]

Same here i would like to know as well. especially about temple

 

[crazy_sherm]

I don't know about other schools, but I feel like the pace at UOP is intense enough. Academics are not too bad if you've had a decent science background or are a pretty fast learner. The lab work's the real killer though. You have barely enough time in class to do it all, but that's only if you're perfect and get it on the first shot. Pretty rare though for people to get it done. The majority of us end up staying after school or coming in on weekends, and sometimes even if you do get it right, there's always the chance that you drop your cast and crack a die, meaning you get to start all over.

For example, on Wed afternoon, our pre-clin fixed instructor told us to wax up 6, 7, 19, 23-26, make 4 casts, mount two of them, make a splint, provisionalize 6 and 7, and cut a pfm prep on 27 along with a temp, all by next Wednesday. Doesn't sound like too much, but we have 10 other classes to worry about, including an operative practical and biochem midterm. And also all the other fixed stuff we have due wednesday which could include a cast post core on #6 and wax-up/investment/casting/cementing an FVC on 18 if you screwed either one of them up the week before. None of us are experts at this stuff, so it still takes us like an hour to do what a real dentist could do in 10 min.

The faculty tries to be pretty understanding and nice about it...try being the key word. They are receptive to our requests and complaints, plus they're nice in the most part. Keeps most of the students happy despite the workload.

 

[Rezdawg]

I don't know about other schools, but I feel like the pace at UOP is intense enough. Academics are not too bad if you've had a decent science background or are a pretty fast learner. The lab work's the real killer though. You have barely enough time in class to do it all, but that's only if you're perfect and get it on the first shot. Pretty rare though for people to get it done. The majority of us end up staying after school or coming in on weekends, and sometimes even if you do get it right, there's always the chance that you drop your cast and crack a die, meaning you get to start all over.

For example, on Wed afternoon, our pre-clin fixed instructor told us to wax up 6, 7, 19, 23-26, make 4 casts, mount two of them, make a splint, provisionalize 6 and 7, and cut a pfm prep on 27 along with a temp, all by next Wednesday. Doesn't sound like too much, but we have 10 other classes to worry about, including an operative practical and biochem midterm. And also all the other fixed stuff we have due wednesday which could include a cast post core on #6 and wax-up/investment/casting/cementing an FVC on 18 if you screwed either one of them up the week before. None of us are experts at this stuff, so it still takes us like an hour to do what a real dentist could do in 10 min.

The faculty tries to be pretty understanding and nice about it...try being the key word. They are receptive to our requests and complaints, plus they're nice in the most part. Keeps most of the students happy despite the workload.

This is why you finish a year earlier, despite starting at the same time as me.

 

[kew]

That's the kind of responses I'm looking for. That really helps, thanks. Anyone else have anything to say about their particular school?

 

[angeeeeee]

we have 24 credits this quarter which include:
neuroanatomy, intro to clin. dent., pathology, oral histology, communication skills (cultural competency, phys. exam, interviewing, etc.), physiology, dental materials, and occlusion

overall i'd say almost none of us are extremely stressed out even though there are a ton of classes and next week we have a take home final, a pin test, three written mid terms, and a mid-term wax-up for occlusion. on top of all that fun stuff, many of the people in the class went to our school's winter formal last night and have big superbowl parties to attend today...GO HAWKS!! when you realize that everyone is in the same boat with you, it makes it so much better. you also have to realize that with so much material, you aren't going to be able to remember it all so there is no need to freak out as long as you get the major ideas and keep up with your studying. and then after next week we don't have anything too major until finals week in mid march. what's nice is that you know everyone before you has made it, so you can too (unless you go to a school that has a rep for dropping out). im not saying its stress-less, just a healthy amount of work that is so much better than undergrad because you know you will actually use this stuff the rest of your career. hope that helps 🙂

 

[ItsGavinC]

Arizona is completely chill and relaxed. Tests and exams can be difficult, especially if you are striving to be the top of the class, but the environment of the school really helps to tone down the academics.

The D2 year, which is devoted to the sim clinic, is tons of fun and minimally stressful. The D3 clinic year is a blast and great. We're in the clinic 36 hours out of 40 each week and there's nothing better than treating patients. The school has really taken steps to minimize stress to the dental student, AND we are treated by the faculty as colleagues, not peons.

 

[HuyetKiem]

Arizona is completely chill and relaxed. Tests and exams can be difficult, especially if you are striving to be the top of the class, but the environment of the school really helps to tone down the academics.

The D2 year, which is devoted to the sim clinic, is tons of fun and minimally stressful. The D3 clinic year is a blast and great. We're in the clinic 36 hours out of 40 each week and there's nothing better than treating patients. The school has really taken steps to minimize stress to the dental student, AND we are treated by the faculty as colleagues, not peons.

hm... same here at Case Western. I can't wait to get into my third year this summer. Most of us took and passed the board last Dec. 😀 😀 😀

 

[Dr. Pedo]

Stress maintenance is about time management.

 

[burton117]

I don't know about other schools, but I feel like the pace at UOP is intense enough. Academics are not too bad if you've had a decent science background or are a pretty fast learner. The lab work's the real killer though. You have barely enough time in class to do it all, but that's only if you're perfect and get it on the first shot. Pretty rare though for people to get it done. The majority of us end up staying after school or coming in on weekends, and sometimes even if you do get it right, there's always the chance that you drop your cast and crack a die, meaning you get to start all over.

For example, on Wed afternoon, our pre-clin fixed instructor told us to wax up 6, 7, 19, 23-26, make 4 casts, mount two of them, make a splint, provisionalize 6 and 7, and cut a pfm prep on 27 along with a temp, all by next Wednesday. Doesn't sound like too much, but we have 10 other classes to worry about, including an operative practical and biochem midterm. And also all the other fixed stuff we have due wednesday which could include a cast post core on #6 and wax-up/investment/casting/cementing an FVC on 18 if you screwed either one of them up the week before. None of us are experts at this stuff, so it still takes us like an hour to do what a real dentist could do in 10 min.

The faculty tries to be pretty understanding and nice about it...try being the key word. They are receptive to our requests and complaints, plus they're nice in the most part. Keeps most of the students happy despite the workload.

Sounds like a good experience. I would imagine that to get into UOP, you pretty much have to demonstrate that you can handle the extra work.