I have several questions

[thisismyacct]

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I'm thinking about going into dentistry but I have a few questions.

1. I had a really bad freshman year (GPA under a 3.0). Anyone here bounce back from that and get in somewhere?

2. Do you need a hobby that involves manual dexterity? I guess thats a part of the application. And how do I know if I have the dexterity to become a dentist?

 

[MahiMahi]

1) Plenty of people have! As long as you're doing significantly better next year and on, a bad first-year won't be a major problem.

2) No, but you should be able to demonstrate some sort of manual dexterity. e.g. skills pipetting in the lab, sewing, etc. Try taking a sculpture class at school.

 

[confidentandgood]

1. Absolutely, if you're willing to put in the work. There are plenty of stories on here regarding similar cases, and I'm sure the improvement looks favorable to committees. The search bar is your friend! Just remember that extracurriculars, your personal statement, letters of recommendation, shadowing, etc. are also important.

2. It's definitely not going to hurt you, and there is a question regarding manual dexterity on the AADSAS. But as mentioned above, this can include lab work, some form of art, playing an instrument, etc. And no one really has the manual dexterity specific to dentistry until entering dental school. That's why it's there. 😉

 

[thisismyacct]

1) Plenty of people have! As long as you're doing significantly better next year and on, a bad first-year won't be a major problem.

2) No, but you should be able to demonstrate some sort of manual dexterity. e.g. skills pipetting in the lab, sewing, etc. Try taking a sculpture class at school.

I never thought about how lab skills show that. I'm good with pipettes and dissecting, so I guess I'm set then.

 

[Soleus715]

I'm thinking about going into dentistry but I have a few questions.

1. I had a really bad freshman year (GPA under a 3.0). Anyone here bounce back from that and get in somewhere?

2. Do you need a hobby that involves manual dexterity? I guess thats a part of the application. And how do I know if I have the dexterity to become a dentist?

I think you can definitely bounce back, but the real question is: why was your gpa so low and can you really improve next semester?

There's a section on the AADSAS application where you can type a short paragraph about manual dexterity. That's about all they will ask about it on the application.
If you personally want to know, I think the answer is that most people can get the hand skills down. It's a matter of how long it'll take to get your hand skills up to par.

I personally went to art classes after school since elementary so it's natural for me. I think something that involves small details using hands/wrist will help out.
I found that sculpting small figurines/board game pieces was the most helpful and interesting so far. I can paint them afterwards and use them for board games with friends 🙂

 

[thisismyacct]

I think you can definitely bounce back, but the real question is: why was your gpa so low and can you really improve next semester?

There's a section on the AADSAS application where you can type a short paragraph about manual dexterity. That's about all they will ask about it on the application.
If you personally want to know, I think the answer is that most people can get the hand skills down. It's a matter of how long it'll take to get your hand skills up to par.

I personally went to art classes after school since elementary so it's natural for me. I think something that involves small details using hands/wrist will help out.
I found that sculpting small figurines/board game pieces was the most helpful and interesting so far. I can paint them afterwards and use them for board games with friends 🙂

Thank you for your response. My grades were low because I didn't know how to study, so I had to learn how to study while trying to adjust to college. 2nd semester it was really gen chem 2 that brought my grade down.