Is this an abnormal dental schedule?

[coodoo]

Well, I just found out the list of courses I am going to have to take in my first year of dental school. I am here at UT Houston in awe of the shear number of classes the first year kids have to take. Check out this schedule:

Fall Semester 2003
DENF 1501 General Histology
DENF 1502 Gross Anatomy
DENF 1521 Biochemistry
DENF 1541 Physiology I
DENF 1601 Dental Anatomy I
DEPF 1602 Dental Anatomy Lab I
DENF 1621 Ethics in Dentistry
DENF 1651 Foundationial Skills for Clinic I
DENF 1934 Dent Public Health I: Introduction to Dental Prevention
IRT 1991 Information Resources Training

Spring Semester 2004
DENS 1504 Neurosciences
DENS 1507 Integrated Biologic Sciences
DENS 1542 Physiology II
DENS 1551 Microbiology and Immunology
DEPS 1603 Dental Anatomy Lab II
DENS 1604 Dental Anatomy II
DEPS 1614 Operative Dentistry I
DENS 1652 Foundational Skills for Clinic II
DENS 1671 Biomaterials I: Direct Restorative Materials
DEPS 1901 Prosthodontics I: Basic Occlusal Concepts
DENS 1931 Basic and Applied Nutrition
Compentency Document

Is this norm schedule at most dental schools? The tests better be damn easy

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[c132]

All schools vary a bit, but yeah that was essentially my first two semesters, except we had a couple extra clinical sciences courses like a perio and another operative, but we start the clinic at the end of our first year!!!!!

 

[ItsGavinC]

That schedule is quite a bit easier than the first year we had at Arizona. Consider yourself lucky.

 

[Dr.SpongeBobDDS]

sounds about right. usually a couple are blow off classes like public health and ethics but the rest you're gonna have to work your tail off for. Wait until second year when you have all that science, plus labs, plus patient care.

 

[JRogoff]

I'm looking at my first semester classes at Nova right now and it looks like a ton of classes, 13 in all. But on the other hand i was told that the first semester was not too terribly bad. Then there are less classes the second semester, 11, which i hear is a hell of a lot harder than the first semester. I would suggest talking to current students and have them tell you exactly what you're in for.

 

[EHA DDS]

Year 1 Courses
Theme Course Number Course Name Coordinator Credit Term Lect. Hours Lab/ Conf./ Clin. Hours Total Hours
Basic Sciences
D10.1508 Science Basic to Pract. of Dent. I: Building Blocks of Life Eugene Lavers 4.3 F 56 18 74
D10.1509 Science Basic to Pract. of Dent. II: Cellular Organelles and Functions Martin Roy 2.1 F 29 6 35
D10.1510 Science Basic to Pract. of Dent. III: Basic Tissues Harvey Wishe 4.6 F 59 19.5 78.5
D10.1608 Science Basic to Pract. of Dent. IV: Head and Neck Anatomy Inder Singh 4.3 S 49 48 97
D10.1609 Science Basic to Pract. of Dent. V: Organ Systems Joel Schiff 7.5 S 100 24 124
D10.1610 Science Basic to Pract. of Dent. VI: Prenatal and Postnatal Facial Growth and Development Harvey Wishe 2.0 S 26 9 35
D10.1611 Science Basic to Pract. of Dent. VII: Special Topics in Oral Biology Andrew Spielman 3.0 S 40 9 49
Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, and Disease Management
D20.1608 CPR Certification Deborah Granger F/S 3 0 3
D60.1608 Patient Interaction, Health Screening, and Record Taking David Sirois 1.6 S 24 0 24
Foundation Knowledge and Clinical Simulation
D30.1508 General Dentistry Simulation I: Clinical Foundation, Dental Anatomy, Biomaterials Diana Galvis/Ken Allen 3.5 F 26 78 104
D30.1609 General Dentistry Simulation I: Single Tooth Restorations I and Biomaterials Barnette Bucklan/Ken Allen 3.4 S 23 84 107
D30.1610 General Dentistry Simulation I: Single Tooth Restorations II and Biomaterials Barnette Bucklan/Ken Allen 3.4 S 23 84 107
Epidemiology and Health Promotion
D40.1509 Epidemiology and Critical Thinking in the Practice of Dentistry Douglas Morse 2.7 F 40 0 40
D40.1511 Health Promotion I: Fundamentals for the Practice of Dentistry Ralph Katz 1.1 F 16 0 16
D40.1512 The Dentist-Patient Relationship I Eugene Hittelman 0.8 F 12 0 12
D40.1608 Health Promotion II: Applications in Patient Care Rima Sehl 1.6 S 24 0 24
D40.1609 Skills in Assessing the Professional Literature (SAPL I) Ralph Katz 1.1 S 16 0 16
D40.1708 Application of Technology in Health and Health Practice Elise Eisenberg/Van Afes 1.6 Su 24 0 24
Ethics
D40.1508 Dentistry as a Science and Profession Frederick More 0.8 F 12 0 12
D50.1508 Ethical Foundation of Dentistry Frederick More 1.1 F 16 0 16

 

[sandman]

Someone figured it out that at our school after your second year we've completed more credit hours than were required to recieve a Bachelors Degree in undergrad.

 

[aphistis]

Someone figured it out that at our school after your second year we've completed more credit hours than were required to recieve a Bachelors Degree in undergrad.

I mentioned that to my fiancee one evening as she was complaining about her senior year requirements for her bachelor's. She didn't believe me till I showed her the schedule, but the carping vanished shortly afterward.

 

[tooth_sleuth]

Well, I just found out the list of courses I am going to have to take in my first year of dental school. I am here at UT Houston in awe of the shear number of classes the first year kids have to take. Check out this schedule:

Fall Semester 2003
DENF 1501 General Histology
DENF 1502 Gross Anatomy
DENF 1521 Biochemistry
DENF 1541 Physiology I
DENF 1601 Dental Anatomy I
DEPF 1602 Dental Anatomy Lab I
DENF 1621 Ethics in Dentistry
DENF 1651 Foundationial Skills for Clinic I
DENF 1934 Dent Public Health I: Introduction to Dental Prevention
IRT 1991 Information Resources Training

Spring Semester 2004
DENS 1504 Neurosciences
DENS 1507 Integrated Biologic Sciences
DENS 1542 Physiology II
DENS 1551 Microbiology and Immunology
DEPS 1603 Dental Anatomy Lab II
DENS 1604 Dental Anatomy II
DEPS 1614 Operative Dentistry I
DENS 1652 Foundational Skills for Clinic II
DENS 1671 Biomaterials I: Direct Restorative Materials
DEPS 1901 Prosthodontics I: Basic Occlusal Concepts
DENS 1931 Basic and Applied Nutrition
Compentency Document

Is this norm schedule at most dental schools? The tests better be damn easy

don't worry, there's always some BS classes. Our so called nutrition class was 3 lousy lectures and a paper

 

[PERFECT3435]

and i have been complaining about my summer session
we have 3 classes (including PBL) right now. we were told to finish up our partying this month because comes fall we'll be doing:

-PBL
-Critical thinking and prof behavior
-molecular cell bio
-dental sci I
-Tooth morph
-dent material
-Gnathology +single tooth dir rest.
-Orofacial bio

 

[unlv rocks]

Well, I just found out the list of courses I am going to have to take in my first year of dental school. I am here at UT Houston in awe of the shear number of classes the first year kids have to take. Check out this schedule:


Is this norm schedule at most dental schools? The tests better be damn easy

That schedule is extremely tough. Here at UNLV we take a semester of Professional Studies which is basically a 6 month vacation. Most of the second year we got Fridays off. Life was good!

 

[DDSSlave]

Coodoo,

I'm a third year at houston, so if you have any specific questions let me know. Are the tests easy? Well, they're not impossible, but there are a lot of them. Avg. 2-3 per wk + quizes + any practicals (waxing/operative). I'd say that's about average for most schools. Also keep in mind that most of the class does quite well on exams which socks a lot of entering students. Averages are usually around an 85 with a std deviation of +/- 5 pts.

As someone had mentioned several classes are blowoff classes. Ethics, DPH, Nutrition. They're all time consuming, but easy.

The first year at Houston and most schools is very hard, but you'll get used to it for better or worse.

Just a heads up, you may be taking Gross in the spring. At least that's what I heard. Also, did you get a letter about the enormously expensive kit you'll have to buy on day 1?

Good luck to all you guys starting school this fall. I feel for you. It's exciting, but damn it's exhausting.

 

[DDSSlave]

UNLV-

sorry I missed your post. Fridays off second year?! Sh1t...



I'm jealous

 

[Dr.SpongeBobDDS]

That schedule is extremely tough. Here at UNLV we take a semester of Professional Studies which is basically a 6 month vacation. Most of the second year we got Fridays off. Life was good!

What the ????! We are scheduled 35 hrs/ week. Lab and homework outside of that time. Then they give us a 2 week break after Spring semester and call it "summer vacation." Oh well, life isn't fair. I guess I can console myself that I'm not paying through the nose to attend UNLV.

Still makes me jealous though.

 

[coodoo]

Coodoo,

I'm a third year at houston, so if you have any specific questions let me know. Are the tests easy? Well, they're not impossible, but there are a lot of them. Avg. 2-3 per wk + quizes + any practicals (waxing/operative). I'd say that's about average for most schools. Also keep in mind that most of the class does quite well on exams which socks a lot of entering students. Averages are usually around an 85 with a std deviation of +/- 5 pts.

As someone had mentioned several classes are blowoff classes. Ethics, DPH, Nutrition. They're all time consuming, but easy.

The first year at Houston and most schools is very hard, but you'll get used to it for better or worse.

Just a heads up, you may be taking Gross in the spring. At least that's what I heard. Also, did you get a letter about the enormously expensive kit you'll have to buy on day 1?

Good luck to all you guys starting school this fall. I feel for you. It's exciting, but damn it's exhausting.

Thanks for the great post DDSSlave. I think you're right about Anatomy, someone told me UTH is chnaging to the Spring (thank god). My sister actually graduated from UTH in 2002, so I know how much of an exhausting experience it can be. I haven't got that letter yet, but I will be dropping by the school in the next week to buy a few things.

I heard histology was a real bitch at UTH. Some professor by the name of Dr. Rittman or something. If you know anything about him or his tests that can of value for me, please tell

Thanks again man

 

[DDSSlave]

You may ask your sister about the kit. It seriously costs $2000+ unless they've changed things. They'll drop that bomb in orientation.

Histo is tough. It's actually a full year with general histo in the fall and oral histo in the spring ("Integrated Bio"). I think he may have changed it slightly for the better last year. There used to be an incredible focus on microscope ID. Ask the 2nd years during orientation (they run it) if this is still true. His tests are a marathon of multi choice, short ans, essay, power pt slide id, and microscope id. There is a lab; use it to your advantage. ie don't just leave. Learn the slides or whatever you're supposed to learn that day. Don't put off learning these microscope or powerpoint slides til the weekend before the test. Know them well in advance so you can focus on the written. Honestly, if you know them well the id sections are the best way to pick up points, but most student don't know them well.. not the microscope part at least. This may not mean much to you now, but for the essay portion try to choose (usually there is some choice) questions on Dr. Mong's (another main lecturer) subject matter. He gives full credit. Rittman rarely does. Rittman (and most profs) always says "questions are from the text, read it." Well, there may be that one question, but... read the handouts again and again and again. I've never read any text (other than dental anat) and it's NEVER been a problem. I did well. Only read it if you are confused. Having said that I would suggest a histo atlas to look at pics if he does still test with microscopes. Questions/topics are also often repeated on tests. The 2nd yr sells a CD of old test material. You should have their letter. They spent an unbelievable amount of time scanning tests onto it. Buy it. Keep the ?s coming if you have them.

 

[coodoo]

You may ask your sister about the kit. It seriously costs $2000+ unless they've changed things. They'll drop that bomb in orientation.

Histo is tough. It's actually a full year with general histo in the fall and oral histo in the spring ("Integrated Bio"). I think he may have changed it slightly for the better last year. There used to be an incredible focus on microscope ID. Ask the 2nd years during orientation (they run it) if this is still true. His tests are a marathon of multi choice, short ans, essay, power pt slide id, and microscope id. There is a lab; use it to your advantage. ie don't just leave. Learn the slides or whatever you're supposed to learn that day. Don't put off learning these microscope or powerpoint slides til the weekend before the test. Know them well in advance so you can focus on the written. Honestly, if you know them well the id sections are the best way to pick up points, but most student don't know them well.. not the microscope part at least. This may not mean much to you now, but for the essay portion try to choose (usually there is some choice) questions on Dr. Mong's (another main lecturer) subject matter. He gives full credit. Rittman rarely does. Rittman (and most profs) always says "questions are from the text, read it." Well, there may be that one question, but... read the handouts again and again and again. I've never read any text (other than dental anat) and it's NEVER been a problem. I did well. Only read it if you are confused. Having said that I would suggest a histo atlas to look at pics if he does still test with microscopes. Questions/topics are also often repeated on tests. The 2nd yr sells a CD of old test material. You should have their letter. They spent an unbelievable amount of time scanning tests onto it. Buy it. Keep the ?s coming if you have them.

This is probably more information about his class than my sister gave me (she was a proud C student ) Thanks again man. Yeah, I actually took histo in undergrad and still have notes from the textbook we used a few years back. Do you think those notes could come in handy? I took the course at HBU and we covered all the chapters I see on the histology syllabus on the UTH website.

One other thing I need to know is how many "sleepless" nights should I expect? I try to work-out atleast an hour everyday, so do you think there is usually enough time to do that?

As for the other classes, I will just study hard and see how things go. How tough do they typically grade you in waxing in detal anatomy lab?

 

[DDSSlave]

I think your background will come in very handy, but the test questions come from the handouts and I would focus on that.

Sleepless nights? Each student is different. There are guys who pull all nighters, but I can't and wouldn't recommend it. On test nights it wasn't unusual to go to sleep 2-3am the first yr. Rarely 4ish. Getting up at 6:30. Everyone's different. Just know your limits. You get to a point of deminishing return where the extra facts you cram are outweighed by exhaustion and poor reading/memory the next morning.

Try to keep up your work out schedule. Most students stop working out the middle of first year and begin again at the end of second year. It's tough, but give it your best shot. Definitely don't study all the time. Take time out. Work out, see movies whatever. Just as an example, I never study on fridays.

Dental Anat is tough. I'm not a great waxer (sp?) and had to spend a lot of time outside class. Practicals are stressful for me and most ppl. Averages may be a bit lower compared to other classes. A low 'A' is an excellent grade. I don't remember ever getting one. Dr. Frey ("Fry"), Dosch, and Ferguson are very good waxers. Frey grades a bit tougher, Ferguson a bit easier. Watch out for Dr. Shynette's? occlussion tests. She slams the articulator together and cracks many a wax-ups. Make sure her contacts aren't heavy.