HPSP C/O 2023

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DMDtoBe2023 said:
Does anyone have updates for Navy? Last my recruiter told me was 1-2 weeks from January 15th, which would have been yesterday.
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Just Got on the phone with the recruiter. She said they are expecting them any day now and typically they have results the last week of January or first few weeks of feb. sorry I don’t have a more exact date :/. My guess from what others wrote in previous posts is next Friday.


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Spoke to my recruiter today who confirmed February would be the last boards for Navy
 
Blueshirts said:
Spoke to my recruiter today who confirmed February would be the last boards for Navy
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Do you know when that will be? Is the January board the one that will have its results released next week?
 
Ya jan board results are coming out, feb board will meet the 15th. I'm having issues with getting medical stuff kicked back, which is why i am privy to the info lol..from what i was told everything medical related must be in by the 10th in order to br ready to process the rest of the application before it submitted to the board on the 15th.
 
IdleKoala said:
So I applied to all three branches, I got selected for the Army 4yr HPSP and just heard from my AF recruiter that I was not selected for AF. Goes to show how competitive the AF scholarship is! Congrats to all who got selected!
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Out of curiosity, if you get picked up by the Navy as well, which branch do you think you'll choose and why? Congrats btw!
 
Nmcoy said:
Out of curiosity, if you get picked up by the Navy as well, which branch do you think you'll choose and why? Congrats btw!
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Thanks, I would probably pick the Navy. From what I've heard deploying with the Navy is better than with the Army. Besides that, I don't really have much of a personal preference.
 
Was not selected for the AF 4-year. Now I’ll be waiting to hear back from the Navy. My package was submitted for the 1/15 deadline. Was that for the February board?
 
pinwheeels said:
Was not selected for the AF 4-year. Now I’ll be waiting to hear back from the Navy. My package was submitted for the 1/15 deadline. Was that for the February board?
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I believe so, my stuff was submitted 12/15 for the January board that met on 1/15.
 
Nappygirl said:
Can you share why she is declining her spot? Thanks.
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I got in touch with a couple Dentaltown dentists who gave me some details about what it’s like to be an army dentist. One of them has a wife that is currently an army dentist. Here is what he said

Hey, you're welcome. I'm happy to share my experience. I think it's worth hearing from as many people as you can.

My wife, Maddie, and I are both general dentists and we met when she was a D4 doing a rotation through my GPR. She had already committed to the HPSP with the Army. She went to UPenn and tuition would've been $400k+ but she also could've gotten in-state tuition at the Univ. of Maryland (where I went) and ended up with about $200k in loans, but since she knew the Army was paying she went to the more expensive school.

I had a good job lined up in North Carolina and Maddie did a one year residency in Colorado Springs so we were long distance for a year. Then she unexpectedly got orders for South Korea and I decided to go along so we wouldn't spend our first year of marriage apart. I was forced to quit my great job and take a year off work, which was okay since I didn't have any loans by then, but I would have been stressed if I hadn't paid them back already. I got to travel all around Asia for the year which was awesome, but my wife couldn't join most of the time.

Maddie did the HPSP for financial reasons because she's always been more conservative with money and was scared to go in debt. She picked the Army because she didn't want to be on a boat with the Navy and the AF doesn't have many 4 yr scholarships. It seems the AF treats their dentists the best and the Army the worst. My wife is miserable at her job. She's surrounded by incompetent enlisted people, has to send all her lab work to a military lab that takes 2 months to send back sh**** crowns and has little control over her surroundings. She's worried that she won't like dentistry and will be burnt out by the time she gets out

We got very lucky and my wife got orders for Colorado Springs again (where her parents live) and we'll probably stay here when my wife gets out in 1.5 years. I have friends who were really screwed by their assignments or were deployed and spent a long time away from spouse and kids so I certainly feel lucky. We do enjoy the benefits that come with military service (TriCare health insurance, low taxes, free bags on airlines, etc), but just know that there's a LOT of bullsh** that comes with them. The dental core is being taken over by medical command and they now have to work every training holiday--no more 4 day weekends. They are also cutting a bunch of active duty positions so a higher percentage of people will be expected to deploy. If you plan on having kids in the next 8 years, be prepared for your wife deploying and being on your own for 9 months.

We plan to have a private practice together, but will probably have to delay until Maddie finishes up to buy, so that's another consideration. I think if both of you are willing to work hard right out of school, you will tackle your loans no problem and be debt free long before your fiancee would have her freedom back from the Army.

I hope I'm not being too negative, I know some people do like the military but in my experience they are usually Mormon and have a stay at home wife who can easily move with them or they are prior service and know what they were getting into. I'm sure Maddie would be happy to chat with you or your fiancee if you want to hear her side.

Best of luck



Conditions are likely to get worse in 2023 when we graduate after the military healthcare downsizing occurs. My fiancé and I decided the army route isn’t worth it for her with her projected debt being 220k and mine much lower than that

 
Wew lad. Did those folks on dentaltown not originally realize what it means to be a military officer? it is referred to as serving for a reason lol. I feel bad for the situation though, I can't imagine not being aware of the lifestyle and then having to spend years just wishing the nightmare was over.
 
Basically. But to be fair, it’s hard to be aware of the army dentist lifestyle when my recruiter and the dentists he had us talk all gave us pros and never said anything negative about military dentistry. In an ideal world, people would only apply to the HPSP to serve their country..but with COA for dental schools being so high, that isn’t the case.

I’m not knocking army dentistry, it’s just not right for me and my fiancé’s situation. I pasted the guys message here so other people in a similar situation rn or in the future will have more information to work off of
 
It's definitely helpful that you did post, and congrats that you guys don't have to feel like it is the only way into the profession.
 
I think if you have a great job lined up for after school and you attend a relatively cheap school, then choosing the HPSP probably wouldn't be the best decision. However, many recent graduates don't have a stellar, well paying job straight out of dental school. Maybe they have to work for a corp (nothing wrong with that) and their pay will be less than they expected. This could especially be an issue for those fresh out of dental school. Around that time many people are in their late 20's and early 30's and are tired of living like a student, they want to buy a house, a new car, or start a family. This would be very difficult on a corporate or associate's salary with the debt of dental school hanging over their head. For me, the fact that I will have a guaranteed job after school and my debt will be paid off way faster than I could do on my own is appealing to me. Sure you sacrifice personal and professional freedoms while in the military, but I think that's just a reality you have to be comfortable with if you accept the scholarship. Life is what you make of it, no matter where you are or what you are doing.
 
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jaytani said:
Selected for the 3 year AF HPSP. I had my recruiter switch me from a 4->3 year because I thought I was gonna go to UOP. My understanding is you’ll only need to pay back 3 years if you go to UOP, no signing bonuses I’ve heard of.
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Wow that is a tremendous deal
 
BasicG said:
Basically. But to be fair, it’s hard to be aware of the army dentist lifestyle when my recruiter and the dentists he had us talk all gave us pros and never said anything negative about military dentistry. In an ideal world, people would only apply to the HPSP to serve their country..but with COA for dental schools being so high, that isn’t the case.

I’m not knocking army dentistry, it’s just not right for me and my fiancé’s situation. I pasted the guys message here so other people in a similar situation rn or in the future will have more information to work off of
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Hey thank you so much for pasting it. Gave me lots to consider. How do you think navy would compare?
 
Blueshirts said:
Check out the military forum, lots of good info. Expect to be deployed frequently, us a common theme.
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To contrast, only 1% of AF dentists deployed last year. So it does depend on the service. Expect it to be a thing though.
 
questionasker1071 said:
Hey thank you so much for pasting it. Gave me lots to consider. How do you think navy would compare?
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No problem! Like blueshirts said, there is a lot of great info in the military forum. From the info I gathered from talking with military dentists on interviews and forums, airforce>navy>army. I don't want to derail the thread with details so if you or anyone wants more specifics, feel free to pm me
 
BasicG said:
I got in touch with a couple Dentaltown dentists who gave me some details about what it’s like to be an army dentist. One of them has a wife that is currently an army dentist. Here is what he said

Hey, you're welcome. I'm happy to share my experience. I think it's worth hearing from as many people as you can.

My wife, Maddie, and I are both general dentists and we met when she was a D4 doing a rotation through my GPR. She had already committed to the HPSP with the Army. She went to UPenn and tuition would've been $400k+ but she also could've gotten in-state tuition at the Univ. of Maryland (where I went) and ended up with about $200k in loans, but since she knew the Army was paying she went to the more expensive school.

I had a good job lined up in North Carolina and Maddie did a one year residency in Colorado Springs so we were long distance for a year. Then she unexpectedly got orders for South Korea and I decided to go along so we wouldn't spend our first year of marriage apart. I was forced to quit my great job and take a year off work, which was okay since I didn't have any loans by then, but I would have been stressed if I hadn't paid them back already. I got to travel all around Asia for the year which was awesome, but my wife couldn't join most of the time.

Maddie did the HPSP for financial reasons because she's always been more conservative with money and was scared to go in debt. She picked the Army because she didn't want to be on a boat with the Navy and the AF doesn't have many 4 yr scholarships. It seems the AF treats their dentists the best and the Army the worst. My wife is miserable at her job. She's surrounded by incompetent enlisted people, has to send all her lab work to a military lab that takes 2 months to send back sh**** crowns and has little control over her surroundings. She's worried that she won't like dentistry and will be burnt out by the time she gets out

We got very lucky and my wife got orders for Colorado Springs again (where her parents live) and we'll probably stay here when my wife gets out in 1.5 years. I have friends who were really screwed by their assignments or were deployed and spent a long time away from spouse and kids so I certainly feel lucky. We do enjoy the benefits that come with military service (TriCare health insurance, low taxes, free bags on airlines, etc), but just know that there's a LOT of bullsh** that comes with them. The dental core is being taken over by medical command and they now have to work every training holiday--no more 4 day weekends. They are also cutting a bunch of active duty positions so a higher percentage of people will be expected to deploy. If you plan on having kids in the next 8 years, be prepared for your wife deploying and being on your own for 9 months.

We plan to have a private practice together, but will probably have to delay until Maddie finishes up to buy, so that's another consideration. I think if both of you are willing to work hard right out of school, you will tackle your loans no problem and be debt free long before your fiancee would have her freedom back from the Army.

I hope I'm not being too negative, I know some people do like the military but in my experience they are usually Mormon and have a stay at home wife who can easily move with them or they are prior service and know what they were getting into. I'm sure Maddie would be happy to chat with you or your fiancee if you want to hear her side.

Best of luck



Conditions are likely to get worse in 2023 when we graduate after the military healthcare downsizing occurs. My fiancé and I decided the army route isn’t worth it for her with her projected debt being 220k and mine much lower than that
Click to expand...
This rings very true
 
jaytani said:
Selected for the 3 year AF HPSP. I had my recruiter switch me from a 4->3 year because I thought I was gonna go to UOP. My understanding is you’ll only need to pay back 3 years if you go to UOP, no signing bonuses I’ve heard of.
Click to expand...
I’m going to PM you!
 
Here's the FY 19 Board Schedule--searched on google.
Go to row 51 & 54 for what I believe are the Medical and Dental boards (highlighted on spreadsheet). Seems to be in line what some people in this thread have mentioned...


MEDICAL CORPS HPSP STUDENT PROGRAM BOARD
CHIEF, BUMED
NRC application due date: 1st of the month
Convene: MONTHLY
Notes: Completed applications received no later than the 1st day of the month will be considered at that month's board. All kits received after the 1st of the month will be processed and sent to next scheduled board. MC HPSP Boards occur monthly. Refer to Medical Student Program Managers Reports for specific board guidance.

"DENTAL CORPS STUDENT BOARD
CHIEF, DENTAL CORPS
NRC application due date:15th of the month prior
Convene: MONTHLY beginning January 2019
Notes: DC student boards for FY19 will start in January 2019 and end March 2019. Kits are due as follows: Jan 2019 Board: kits due 15 Dec 2018; Feb 2019 Board: kits due 15 Jan 2019; Mar 2019 Board: kits due 15 Feb 2019.
 

Attachments

Does anyone know what happens in the scenario that you end up going to UOP, but get the 4-year scholarship for the Navy? Are you able to downgrade it to a 3-year one or are you stuck with a 4 year scholarship no matter what?
 
swimmedswim said:
Does anyone know what happens in the scenario that you end up going to UOP, but get the 4-year scholarship for the Navy? Are you able to downgrade it to a 3-year one or are you stuck with a 4 year scholarship no matter what?
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Ive heard youre able to switch to a 3 year scholarship if you want.

also, accepting the signing bonus requires that you serve 4 years even if youre scholarship is for 3. So make sure when you sign your papers, your contract is 3 years and that you WILL NOT be accepting the signing bonus. Double check this before you leave.
 
I just received the phone call that I was not selected for Navy HPSP... However, I am very grateful I was selected for the Army HPSP! This whole process is very competitive even more than I would have ever imagined! I couldn't be more excited about taking this next step with all of you! The crazy part is that there is a ton a variance between each branches competitiveness. Congratulations to all who have received the news!!!
 
Somebody mentioned this above: It seems the AF treats their dentists the best and the Army the worst.
-Does anybody have any insight on the accuracy of this?

Additionally, I have heard that if you want to specialize (esp. in oral surgery), and have acceptance to a "reasonably" priced dental school, then the HPSP does not make financial sense. Just looking at the $ part (and not the service to your country part), does anybody have insight in to this?
 
Nappygirl said:
Somebody mentioned this above: It seems the AF treats their dentists the best and the Army the worst.
-Does anybody have any insight on the accuracy of this?

Additionally, I have heard that if you want to specialize (esp. in oral surgery), and have acceptance to a "reasonably" priced dental school, then the HPSP does not make financial sense. Just looking at the $ part (and not the service to your country part), does anybody have insight in to this?
Click to expand...
If youre really set on OMFS and want to be able to match right out of school then the HPSP isn't for you along with being accepted to a school on the cheaper side.

I was really interested in OMFS and considered not taking the scholarship so i could try to match right out of school and not have to serve. Now that Im actually in dental school, I really don't want to do OMFS anymore and Im on the navy scholarship. Im very content with my decision.

Lots of people go into dental set on OMFS and find other things they want to do or find that academically they aren't doing well enough to ever go into OMFS. Going into DS 100% on OMFS is not the right mindset. things change a lot over the course of months and years in DS.

Too many kids with 3.8s and 24s assume that based off their stats, they should shoot for OMFS when they aren't even in dental school yet.
 
Nappygirl said:
Somebody mentioned this above: It seems the AF treats their dentists the best and the Army the worst.
-Does anybody have any insight on the accuracy of this?

Additionally, I have heard that if you want to specialize (esp. in oral surgery), and have acceptance to a "reasonably" priced dental school, then the HPSP does not make financial sense. Just looking at the $ part (and not the service to your country part), does anybody have insight in to this?
Click to expand...
While I haven't started dental school yet, OMFS is not what you may think it is if you have only shadowed in private practices: the actual residency portion is quite different. I've seen some pretty cool cases in the academic OR that may be very intimidating for many people, so don't go into this field if you think it's just what you will do from the typical office.

Keep an open mind, don't chase OMFS just for the money.
 
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