Is it a good thing that a dental school has all the speciality programs??

[hermey_12]

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For those of you interested in specializing (ecspecially OMFS), do you feel it's better to go to a dental school that has the speciality program or do you feel it's more beneficial for you to get to take on more difficult cases in the area in those schools that do not? I'm interested in OMFS and trying to choose between Iowa and Nebraska. What do you feel would be the best route?

 

[Mustt Mustt]

For those of you interested in specializing (ecspecially OMFS), do you feel it's better to go to a dental school that has the speciality program or do you feel it's more beneficial for you to get to take on more difficult cases in the area in those schools that do not? I'm interested in OMFS and trying to choose between Iowa and Nebraska. What do you feel would be the best route?

Having a specialty in house I am sure you wouldn't get your hand on harder cases becasue those cases would go to the residents. I know that not having a specialty in school is good for students who want to be GP. I am not sure how beneficial the specialty would be if you are interested in one. I think it may be helpful in networking and such.

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

Hello,

It would be a certain advantage for a OMFS applicant if he/she graduates from the school that has the post grad program IF that person is a competitive applicant. Now if I have to spend an extra 50,000 just to be in a school that has the grad program then I would not because:

1. You may change your mind after going through dental school.
2. How do you know that you will be competitive enough for them to accept you after 4 years?
3. Most students are tired of the same school after 4 years so they are likely to move elsewhere! I did!
4. If you are a competive applicant after dental school, you will get in somewhere. DP

 

[howui3]

From talking to the admissions people during my interviews, I learned that most students go to dental school in one place and do their residency elsewhere. Only a small % of people will stay at the same school for both.

That said, if you have plenty of externships, community or school or volunteer involvement and have good, or for OMFS great (90 and above) board scores, you should be fine regardless if you go to a school with or without a specialty program.

But having a specialty program at your school will allow you to get to know some of the OMFS faculty (for letter of rec) and observe or work with them or do research with them or relating to that specialty. That will be a definite advantage.

 

[jpollei]

Having a specialty in house I am sure you wouldn't get your hand on harder cases becasue those cases would go to the residents. I know that not having a specialty in school is good for students who want to be GP. I am not sure how beneficial the specialty would be if you are interested in one. I think it may be helpful in networking and such.

It's also situational-based issue.
Part of it depends on how liberal the grad departments are with their cases... I know the OP mentioned OMFS, but as an example, having an ortho residency here has allowed me to treat much more difficult ortho cases than I would've done at a program that didn't have an ortho residency.
It also depends on patient load/availability. If your school is in an area where there are tons of other schools (for example Boston), you may have slimmer pickins for total number of available patients and therefore the likelihood of receiving more difficult cases. If your school is the only one for hundreds of miles or in huge city with only one school (like Chicago or Houston), you may see more difficult cases out of sheer volume.
Iowa and Nebraska appear to play out similarly in these regards.

 

[aphistis]

It's also situational-based issue.
Part of it depends on how liberal the grad departments are with their cases... I know the OP mentioned OMFS, but as an example, having an ortho residency here has allowed me to treat much more difficult ortho cases than I would've done at a program that didn't have an ortho residency.
It also depends on patient load/availability. If your school is in an area where there are tons of other schools (for example Boston), you may have slimmer pickins for total number of available patients and therefore the likelihood of receiving more difficult cases. If your school is the only one for hundreds of miles or in huge city with only one school (like Chicago or Houston), you may see more difficult cases out of sheer volume.
Iowa and Nebraska appear to play out similarly in these regards.

I agree with this. Like jpollei, I've been surprised at how many, & what kind of, ortho cases the department lets undergrads treat. I have an ortho patient now who with a whole list of problems, but when I presented the patient to our PD, he didn't even hesitate before assigning her to me. I don't know how much ortho I'd do in practice, but I'm certainly enjoying the opportunity to get my feet wet.