Everyone is different. There is no "proper" way to study for dental school. Although you mention that you write your notes, that's an extremely time intensive process that you may or may not have in your dental school experience. You have to know yourself and the type of learner you are. Are you the crammer or slow and steady type? Are your school exams/tests going to be weekly, or midterm/finals only? Are these tests cumulative, by section, MC/essay, etc...? There's no easy answer, because every school is different, but once you know what you're up against, you can tailor your study strategy. If you're a crammer, stick to cramming. If you're the slow and steady type (which I am not), then what I've observed works best for those type appear to be daily flash cards, powerpoint reviews, and sitting in the library/having a study group/support system.