How safe is UMDNJ?

[Dr. Konfetka]

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To people that go there or those who are going to go there, I want your input on how safe the school is. I know it is located in Newark, which is not the safest town, so I don't know whether or not to apply to it.

 

[dentwannabe]

Whats bad is the whole corruption scandal. Its actually funny one of the dental school's new buildings is named after someone who was forced to resign due to corruption charges. As far as Newark is concerned, I'm a Jersey guy so I'll be honest.. Its bad but I heard the dental campus is secure. But they're doing a lot to clean up the city and fight crime.

 

[spyyder]

I went to Rutgers U. in newark, The entire university heights area is quite safe. Just use some common sense when you are out. UMDNJ is a level I trauma center for the state, so expect some unsavory people lurking every now and then.

 

[RockinDDS]

Safer than the area surrounding Temple.

It is an urban area, so use some common sense.

There are a bunch of schools in the area (UMDNJ, NJIT, Rutgers, Essex Comm College, so it is well patrolled.

I also went to Rutgers Newark and never had a problem. Not to say that no one never had any problems, but overall the place is safe.

UMDNJ is a great school (as long as they get thru the scandal) and was my #1 choice until one of my longshots came along.

Good luck to you

 

[muz]

Hey i went to NJIT...in feb. a student of central high school (Located on the NJIT campus) was shot and killed. So yeah university heights is the safer part of Newark, I lived there for three years, but you have to be wise about what u do.

 

[Sprgrover]

To people that go there or those who are going to go there, I want your input on how safe the school is. I know it is located in Newark, which is not the safest town, so I don't know whether or not to apply to it.

While safety is of concern, I've heard residents connected to the school that after this year they are freezing admissions as their accredidation is under serious review following the string of scandals. I wouldn't place UMDNJ at the top you list. 🙁

 

[LIer2010]

While safety is of concern, I've heard residents connected to the school that after this year they are freezing admissions as their accredidation is under serious review following the string of scandals. I wouldn't place UMDNJ at the top you list. 🙁

umm ... unlikely.

"Karen Hart, director of the American Dental Association's Council on Dental Education and Licensure, said she had never heard of such a cheating scheme. She said it would not affect the school's prospects for reaccreditation as long as the university deals with the problem appropriately and gives the students fair hearings before meting out discipline."

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-6/114801785396900.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

You should know better than to spread unsubstantiated rumors.

 

[Sprgrover]

umm ... unlikely.

"Karen Hart, director of the American Dental Association's Council on Dental Education and Licensure, said she had never heard of such a cheating scheme. She said it would not affect the school's prospects for reaccreditation as long as the university deals with the problem appropriately and gives the students fair hearings before meting out discipline."

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-6/114801785396900.xml&coll=1&thispage=2

You should know better than to spread unsubstantiated rumors.

Umm....I didn't mention any particular scandal. While the cheating scandal is pretty shocking, it pales to the to systemic Medicaid fraud at the school - a very, very serious federal offense. Here's an article from your source to help bring you up to speed. While a criminal indictment would instantly close the school, having a federal monitor oversee the finances, administration and actions at the school doesn't mean that the storm is passed. I suppose you're right - there's nothing to worry about at that school and collegues there with their "unsubstantiated" concerns are being silly.

 

[LIer2010]

While a criminal indictment would instantly close the school

Are you kidding me?? You're more ridiculous than I thought.
First of all, there would be no further indictment, since it's already been admited that there's been overbilling and is currently under federal monitoring. Furthermore, not only is closing down the hospital illegal and unprecedented, it wouldn't be in the interest of the federal government or the state of New Jersey to do so, for reasons too many to list. As that article that you cited pointed out, some admin people will take the blame and be/has been ousted. Second of all, this scandal has to do with the university hospital, not the dental school, and hence it wouldn't affect the dental school in any tangible way. This particular issue has been monitored for quite a while, so you're really not bringing anything new to light.

 

[dentwannabe]

Are you kidding me?? You're more ridiculous than I thought.
First of all, there would be no further indictment, since it's already been admited that there's been overbilling and is currently under federal monitoring. Furthermore, not only is closing down the hospital illegal and unprecedented, it wouldn't be in the interest of the federal government or the state of New Jersey to do so, for reasons too many to list. As that article that you cited pointed out, some admin people will take the blame and be/has been ousted. Second of all, this scandal has to do with the university hospital, not the dental school, and hence it wouldn't affect the dental school in any tangible way. This particular issue has been monitored for quite a while, so you're really not bringing anything new to light.

the only tangible way it affects is as I mentioned earlier. One of the new dental schools buildings/wings is named after Saporito... one of the people who was caught in the fraud scheme and was forced to resign. He was a big donor to the school and they put his picture up everywhere and even named a whole building after him. thats pretty tangible. i think the whole school just looks bad and its unfair but thats life. a few cheating students, a medicaid scandal, scandalous finances of higher-ups.. all this just paints a gloomy picture of the school. I feel bad for it, and best of luck and I hope people realize the school itself is good.

 

[Sprgrover]

Are you kidding me?? You're more ridiculous than I thought.
First of all, there would be no further indictment, since it's already been admited that there's been overbilling and is currently under federal monitoring. Furthermore, not only is closing down the hospital illegal and unprecedented, it wouldn't be in the interest of the federal government or the state of New Jersey to do so, for reasons too many to list. As that article that you cited pointed out, some admin people will take the blame and be/has been ousted. Second of all, this scandal has to do with the university hospital, not the dental school, and hence it wouldn't affect the dental school in any tangible way. This particular issue has been monitored for quite a while, so you're really not bringing anything new to light.

Read the article, my friend: "...UMDNJ will avoid a federal criminal indictment that would shut down the school and its hospital." It's not in the interest of the state nor the federal government to close the school - one reasons why the school agreed to the terms of the US Attorney. In other words, had the school failed to cooperate charges would have been brought against them by the US Attorney's Office. Furthermore, I never stated that any further indictments were being brought against the school (check my wording). And last time I heard the dental school was a part of UMDNJ so any action taken against the institution as a whole would most likely have a direct effect on the dental school. Let's also not forget it was you that raised the issue of particular scandals in rersponse to my statement that the OP shouldn't put all of his/her eggs into one basket in regards to UMDNJ, so I guess you really weren't bringing new to light either. 😉

 

[996tt]

maybe past graduates can comment, but it has been brought to attention that past graduates were forced to pay the school the unpaid clinic bills of the patients that they worked on before they graduated. in addition, apparently only 20 or so of the class of 85 students graduated this year on time because of the cheating scandal-they have problems.

 

[howui3]

Are you kidding me?? You're more ridiculous than I thought.
First of all, there would be no further indictment, since it's already been admited that there's been overbilling and is currently under federal monitoring. Furthermore, not only is closing down the hospital illegal and unprecedented, it wouldn't be in the interest of the federal government or the state of New Jersey to do so, for reasons too many to list. As that article that you cited pointed out, some admin people will take the blame and be/has been ousted. Second of all, this scandal has to do with the university hospital, not the dental school, and hence it wouldn't affect the dental school in any tangible way. This particular issue has been monitored for quite a while, so you're really not bringing anything new to light.

Read the article carefully:

"The U.S. attorney warned the board he still may indict individuals on criminal charges."

(11th paragraph)

 

[LIer2010]

See, what you're saying keeps on changing so that's what's confusing me. What's your main point?

First you said,

"this year they are freezing admissions as their accredidation is under serious review following the string of scandals ..."

And then I said that was an unsubstantiated rumor. Which is true.

Then you said,

"While a criminal indictment would instantly close the school, having a federal monitor oversee the finances, administration and actions at the school doesn't mean that the storm is passed."

Then I called for distinction between the dental school and the hospital and that neither is going to close down.

Then you said,

"And last time I heard the dental school was a part of UMDNJ so any action taken against the institution as a whole would most likely have a direct effect on the dental school."

Please tell me how any action against the hospital would have "direct effect" on the dental school. They're already having federal monitoring at the hospital, so what more are they going to do other than removing certain individuals responsible for the scandal? And how would that tangibly affect the dental school? What does the dental school have to do with medicare overbilling at the hospital?

I admit, this whole thing isn't good for the name of UMDNJ. And there should be internal reforms in administration of UMDNJ. But which massive non-profit institution doesn't?

Also, shouldn't we try to be as accurate and precise as possible in putting out info on these forums? I don't think that's being done here, and that's what's frustrating me the most.

 

[Dr. Konfetka]

Ok, so I sent my boyfriend who lives in conneticut to check it out due to the controversy of this forum. He went there on the weekend...and well it was a bit sketchy. He was just walking around...trying to get a feel for the place, and when he was about to leave, he got surrounded by a bunch of guards, asked to put his hands on top of his head, and asked a million questions. What I got from this is that the security there isn't bad, but if a place needs this much security...I don't think it's safe. So I didn't apply there.

Plus the whole thing about you paying for your patient..what a rip off! Do any other schools make u do that?

 

[hockeydentist]

Ok, so I sent my boyfriend who lives in conneticut to check it out due to the controversy of this forum. He went there on the weekend...and well it was a bit sketchy. He was just walking around...trying to get a feel for the place, and when he was about to leave, he got surrounded by a bunch of guards, asked to put his hands on top of his head, and asked a million questions. What I got from this is that the security there isn't bad, but if a place needs this much security...I don't think it's safe. So I didn't apply there.

Plus the whole thing about you paying for your patient..what a rip off! Do any other schools make u do that?

Hate to break it to you, but most dental schools operate on a system of if patient doesn't pay then you pay if you want credit. I believe you can avoid having to pay by being deligent in the finance department, making sure there account is paid before rendering services. You have to realize that dental school is training you to be dentist, these same issues of patients not paying will come up in your practice setting as well. Good luck with application process, its stressful and exciting all in one.

 

[996tt]

Hate to break it to you, but most dental schools operate on a system of if patient doesn't pay then you pay if you want credit. I believe you can avoid having to pay by being deligent in the finance department, making sure there account is paid before rendering services. You have to realize that dental school is training you to be dentist, these same issues of patients not paying will come up in your practice setting as well. Good luck with application process, its stressful and exciting all in one.

you should not accept that type of treatment from your dental school, hockeydentist. the tuition that you pay covers your clinical experience. the dental schools have their own personel who are responsible for collecting from the patients-in addition, the schools/hospitals get paid by the individual states for patients who are without funds by a "noncompensated care" program, that is funded by state and federal moneys. most reputable schools graduate you when you have successfully completed your course of study, without you paying for your patients' bills. by your year (2010) i can tell that you are yet to attend-my recomendation is to try and attend a school that doesn't hold you hostage for accounts receivable. yes, as you say, you will have to deal with that when you are in practice-but it will be your practice then, not a dental school whom you are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to.

 

[LIer2010]

you should not accept that type of treatment from your dental school, hockeydentist. the tuition that you pay covers your clinical experience. the dental schools have their own personel who are responsible for collecting from the patients-in addition, the schools/hospitals get paid by the individual states for patients who are without funds by a "noncompensated care" program, that is funded by state and federal moneys. most reputable schools graduate you when you have successfully completed your course of study, without you paying for your patients' bills. by your year (2010) i can tell that you are yet to attend-my recomendation is to try and attend a school that doesn't hold you hostage for accounts receivable. yes, as you say, you will have to deal with that when you are in practice-but it will be your practice then, not a dental school whom you are paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to.

Because you would know, right? Telling from your former posts, you're not even in dentistry, so are your comments worth anything in this forum?

 

[996tt]

Because you would know, right? Telling from your former posts, you're not even in dentistry, so are your comments worth anything in this forum?

i teach at umdnj-and have for 25 years-now you think i am not qualified to comment? can you match your obvious great experience to mine? i bet your 4 years at a college has made you an expert, LIer. rather than being aggressive towards me, why not just do some research in the newspapers. what, you don't want to know?

 

[xxJuiceDxx]

Because you would know, right? Telling from your former posts, you're not even in dentistry, so are your comments worth anything in this forum?

i teach at umdnj-and have for 25 years-now you think i am not qualified to comment? can you match your obvious great experience to mine? i bet your 4 years at a college has made you an expert, LIer. rather than being aggressive towards me, why not just do some research in the newspapers. what, you don't want to know?

pwned. Damn, why the negativity LIer? Chill bro.

So 996tt huh? Think about switching up to the 997tt, or perhaps even a 997 gt3? I still prefer the looks of a 993. Last of the air-cooled... Sorta off-topic, but I'm guessing you're a P-car guy. 👍 👍

Alright, enough thread-jackin, I'm off to the gym.

 

[ObviousGuy]

The 997 gt3 is calling my name...

vwooooshhh...pssssss!

 

[xxJuiceDxx]

vwooooshhh...pssssss!

if you're referring to the gt3 as being turbo, i don't think it is. only gt2 and tt are as far as production 997's are concerned. gt3 = best 'performance-luxury' car. sub 8 minutes around the 'ring capable of even faster times with suspension adjustments. 😱

 

[ObviousGuy]

if you're referring to the gt3 as being turbo, i don't think it is. only gt2 and tt are as far as production 997's are concerned. gt3 = best 'performance-luxury' car. sub 8 minutes around the 'ring capable of even faster times with suspension adjustments. 😱

😀
one
two

etc.

do a google for 997 turbo. It is still a prototype, but I want one.
😎

 

[xxJuiceDxx]

😀
one
two

etc.

do a google for 997 turbo. It is still a prototype, but I want one.
😎

Porsche.com

 

[bigsilvo]

pwned. Damn, why the negativity LIer? Chill bro.

So 996tt huh? Think about switching up to the 997tt, or perhaps even a 997 gt3? I still prefer the looks of a 993. Last of the air-cooled... Sorta off-topic, but I'm guessing you're a P-car guy. 👍 👍

Alright, enough thread-jackin, I'm off to the gym.

I'm workin lats today, then I think I'm gonna shock my core with supersets of bench, then blast my bi's for a bit, there's always time for blasting bi's..always.

 

[996tt]

pwned. Damn, why the negativity LIer? Chill bro.

So 996tt huh? Think about switching up to the 997tt, or perhaps even a 997 gt3? I still prefer the looks of a 993. Last of the air-cooled... Sorta off-topic, but I'm guessing you're a P-car guy. 👍 👍

Alright, enough thread-jackin, I'm off to the gym.

actually, yes, a 996tt. lease ended 2 months ago-i am on waiting list for a 997tt, until then, i am driving a 997c4s. great car, but not the explosiveness of the turbo. study hard, and you will get one too. good luck to you.

 

[xxJuiceDxx]

actually, yes, a 996tt. lease ended 2 months ago-i am on waiting list for a 997tt, until then, i am driving a 997c4s. great car, but not the explosiveness of the turbo. study hard, and you will get one too. good luck to you.

HAHA. Of course. Thanks for the words of encouragement. 👍 👍 👍

A buddy of mine has a 996 Carrera and the car is amazing. Smooth tranny, awesome suspension out of the factory, and the design is a timeless masterpiece. I think I would wet myself if I drove a TT at wide open throttle. Actually, I thought I saw one a few weeks ago (looked like a 997 from what I recall, had updated headlights and new exhaust design) and actually had an accident... 😱

Have you ever taken your car out to a race track during those Porsche Car Club of America (CCA) driver training days? My buddy took his out a couple times (his 2000 996 only has 40k miles) and he said he would have never learned of his car's true potential if he had not taken his car out to the track. Excellent choice by going with the 997TT. All wheel drive. 😱 You sir have fine taste! 😀

 

[996tt]

HAHA. Of course. Thanks for the words of encouragement. 👍 👍 👍

A buddy of mine has a 996 Carrera and the car is amazing. Smooth tranny, awesome suspension out of the factory, and the design is a timeless masterpiece. I think I would wet myself if I drove a TT at wide open throttle. Actually, I thought I saw one a few weeks ago (looked like a 997 from what I recall, had updated headlights and new exhaust design) and actually had an accident... 😱

Have you ever taken your car out to a race track during those Porsche Car Club of America (CCA) driver training days? My buddy took his out a couple times (his 2000 996 only has 40k miles) and he said he would have never learned of his car's true potential if he had not taken his car out to the track. Excellent choice by going with the 997TT. All wheel drive. 😱 You sir have fine taste! 😀

the first 997tt's are going to be delivered to their lucky owners in a few weeks-i am about a year down the list, at least. no, i never tracked one, just never took the time to go to a track event. you are correct-the 480hp, the awd, the styling, comfort and every day usability of the turbo makes it the supercar that you can use everyday. tell manhattan motor car that you are just 6 years away.

 

[dp_PRIME]

I've been doing my Master's there for the past year...and they have really revamped the city of Newark...new buildings...more cops...less crime...not THAT bad. Plus, the campus is definitely secure..they got police roaming around all the time. They got new buildings for Dental School and new apartment complex.

Wost case scenario...stay on 1st street/Bergen Street, which is the street that has the Dental School and University Hospital on it.