Is New Technology Worth It???

[bassman65]

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Ok, so I have a choice. I have been offered positions at both U. Buffalo and U. Maryland at Baltimore. It would cost me more than twice as much to go to Maryland since I am a NY resident (37,000 to 14,500). Honestly, though, I LOVED my Maryland visit. The school is brand new with all the latest in dental education technology (digial x-rays, simulation clinic, electric hand pieces, teaching facilities, etc.). The administration really seems to care about the students and in evolving it's teaching practices and cirriculums with the times. Buffalo is an older school with old facilities that seem to be going out of date. They also don't seem to feel any need to update them too. Are all the new "bells and whistles" at Maryland going to be worth the price when I have to start paying off my school loans???? I was hoping anyone out there could give me some advice! (ps, another factor is that I would like to end up in the Maryland/Virginia/North Carolina area after graduation)

 

[Daurang]

It's a personal choice. Do you plan to open a dental spa with all the bells and whistles and run it like a Nostrom or open a simple barebone practice and run it efficiently like Walmart? Keep in mind these technology (digital xray, cerec, laser, electric handpiece, wand, etc.) are extremely and unnecessarily costly. I'd recommend going to the cheaper school to master the basics first. You will save alot of money not just now but also when you open your office. Then when you have too much money you don't know what to do with, these new technology manufacturers will be more than happy to train you for the upgrade.

 

[DDBrown]

The simulation clinic will be really nice, but it's still nothing like the real deal. As for the other stuff, it doesn't really matter in the long run since the technology will probably be outdated before you graduated!

 

[Denticized]

Check out my poll on the web to see what people have to say:

http://www.predents.com/

but I would go to Maryland for a couple of reasons: Newer facilities, the first dental school in the world, high specialization rate but does maryland give you residency status after the first year?

 

[DrJeff]

Goto the school where you feel the most comfortable at. That will give you the best chance to have your dental education thrive. The bells and whistles are mainly just adjuncts that go ontop of the basics. For example, if your preparing a tooth with a laser verses with the tradtional drill the basic techniques and fundamentals you use are very, very similar and the laser technique is derrived from the "classical" technique. Digital x-rays, you stil use the same basic x-ray head, and the digital sensor has to be placed in the same place as the traditonal film does to get the proper image.

Most advances in dental technology nowadays are EVOLUTIONARY advances building off current concepts, very few advances are REVOLUTIONARY advances based on entirely new concepts, so the fundamentals are the big key.

BTW, I have friends/colleagues that are graduates of both Maryland and Buffalo and ALL of them are excellent clincians (and that covers 3 general dentists, an orthodontist and an oral surgeon)

 

[DIRTIE]

Ok, so I have a choice. I have been offered positions at both U. Buffalo and U. Maryland at Baltimore. It would cost me more than twice as much to go to Maryland since I am a NY resident (37,000 to 14,500). Honestly, though, I LOVED my Maryland visit. The school is brand new with all the latest in dental education technology (digial x-rays, simulation clinic, electric hand pieces, teaching facilities, etc.). The administration really seems to care about the students and in evolving it's teaching practices and cirriculums with the times. Buffalo is an older school with old facilities that seem to be going out of date. They also don't seem to feel any need to update them too. Are all the new "bells and whistles" at Maryland going to be worth the price when I have to start paying off my school loans???? I was hoping anyone out there could give me some advice! (ps, another factor is that I would like to end up in the Maryland/Virginia/North Carolina area after graduation)

That is tuition alone. What about all of the fees at the universities, cost of living , moving costs, costs to travel home, is family support important to you or is it better long distantly. where do you want to set up practice/associate when you get done. All of these things should be weighed. As far as nice equipment, I would say no that should not be your deciding factor.

 

[Jaybe]

As a dentist you will be able to make a good salary, but you won't be instantly rich. You'd be suprised how fast 100,000 will slip through your fingers (and the tax man's). Student loan interest is relatively high right now.

I'd take the cheaper alternative unless you just love Maryland so much you could wet yourself.