Many questions

[sallyubc]

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Hello everybody,

I got accepted to CWRU for next year and I was wondering in your experience since you have started dental school already...

I have 8 more months before school starts, should I do some preparation for Anatomy or any other subject that you think I should prepare for!!

Can you recommend an Anatomy book that is good for Dental school...

How detailed do dental schools teach Anatomy ( I mean do they teach Anatomy as detailed as Medical school)

What is the most difficult subject that you had in your first year?..

What is the major difficulties that you faced in your first year??

For people who are graduating ( Thanks Azian for the insight) what is the major problem that is facing you? are you confident enough to work right away??
would you do Residency or you would work as an associate right away??



Thanks again for your help

SAL 😳 😳

 

[Bickle]

Nice post Sally,

I would also be very interested in this info.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by sallyubc
Hello everybody,

I got accepted to CWRU for next year and I was wondering in your experience since you have started dental school already...

I have 8 more months before school starts, should I do some preparation for Anatomy or any other subject that you think I should prepare for!!

Can you recommend an Anatomy book that is good for Dental school...

How detailed do dental schools teach Anatomy ( I mean do they teach Anatomy as detailed as Medical school)

What is the most difficult subject that you had in your first year?..

What is the major difficulties that you faced in your first year??

For people who are graduating ( Thanks Azian for the insight) what is the major problem that is facing you? are you confident enough to work right away??
would you do Residency or you would work as an associate right away??

1) No, don't burn yourself out jumping into the academic material, unless you find it legitimately enjoyable. Dental school is four extremely busy years, so enjoy this time you have while you still have it.

2) Your school will send you a book list detailing the texts you need. If you're thinking about buying your own, see #1.

3) (Disclaim: This is IUSD only) The depth is the same as medical school, but not the breadth. We only study from the shoulders up, but we did everything within that region.

4) I can't answer this one for certain, but I think I can say "all lab courses" and leave it at that.

5) Time management, hands down. People say college is living on your own, but the living responsibilities you have are virtually null. Dental school means being in class 35-45 hours a week, coming home and cooking dinner, studying, paying bills, and figuring out a time to meet all the other business-hour obligations you have, when you spend all your business hours in school. Good luck!

 

[Supernumerary]

Get a job at a dental lab.

The academics are challenging but you won't really know what's expected until you actually get there. I honestly wouldn't worry about it unless it's just for sheer enjoyment.

Again, if you really want to prepare, get a job at a dental lab. It probably won't pay squat but it will make your life infinitely easier. Having lab skills down will leave you all the free time you'll need for academic classes and then some. I was offered a job but didn't take it because I thought the pay wasn't worth my time. I was so wrong!!!! If you have the opportunity, do it. You will be spending ~1-2 hrs on waxups each week while your classmates are spending 10-15.

 

[JTLUK001]

Congratulations. It's nice to hear from a fellow UBC alumnus. Having graduated from UBC, I just want to say you'll be more than prepared for what most dental schools will throw at you. To find out how in depth anatomy will be at CWR just ask one of the students there. Some schools make their students take anatomy with the med students. I am pretty sure UBC is like that with their PBL curriculum. At the University of Louisville, our anatomy course was quite in depth with much emphasis on head and neck. We didn't dissect any of the lower extremities.
If you really want to do well and perhaps specialize, I would reccommend reading ahead on anatomy and histology. You don't have to study it but try to expose yourself to an anatomy board review book just so that when you read your anatomy text or whatever it won't be so foreign. Doing well in the basic sciences is important for entering a specialty. I kind of regret not doing as well in those courses. Don't fret if you don't get straight A's. If you really want to specialize you could also go the AEGD/GPR/OMS intern route to enter a specialty. Many of us don't and can't study the long hours that students without kids/wives/husbands/jobs/etc can.
I'm not sure of your background in dentistry. You may have an idea of what you want to do after graduating but when you go through the program you will rotate and learn about all of the specialties in dentistry. It is after you go through these courses/clinics that you'll be able to make up your mind on whether or not you want to specialize. I am hoping to enter an OMS residency after graduation. I know many in my class who want to specialize, do a GPR/AEGD, or go straight into private practice. The market for dentists is good. What you want to do is up to you.
I think I am off topic.
Anyways anatomy and histology were my most difficult courses in first year. Wait 'til you get oral path in you junior year.
Adjusting to being a student again was the toughest problems that I had to face after working for a few years. Thank goodness my wife is so supportive!

 

[dr_benj]

Sally,

How do you know you are already accepted to Case? I thought they can't tell anyone until Dec. 1?

 

[Bickle]

dr benj,

Like myself, Sally was offered deferred acceptance of off a waitlist.

 

[dr_benj]

Oh I see, thanks for clearing that up, and congrats to both of you.

 

[sallyubc]

Thanks everybody for the replies,

I am definitley soo excited about starting Dentistry, ofcourse after relaxing for few months... As dentaldream said we were soo lucky that we were offered a deferred acceptance for next year so we have enough time to relax!!!

JTLUK001 Thanks... Yes I am a graduate from UBC and Ihave two years of exposure in a dental clinic with a Paediatric dentist and that is where am leaning to go for!!! I might ofcourse change my mind!
You just hearing about Canadians like you who made it is enough encouragment for me to do it!!!

Supernumerary I am working as a dental assistant on call for now and am working in research... it is kindaa of hard to get a job in a dental lab without experience over here but it is definitley a thing to look at!!! thanks...


aphistis, are you thinking of doing residency??


SAL

 

[ItsGavinC]

Here's my thoughts (you guys knew I would chime in sooner or later):

Don't buy any books. Your school will have specific ones they want you to use. Studying anatomy right now might seem beneficial, but unless you have a list of the specific structures that will be pertinent to your class, it would most likely be quite a waste of time.

Here at Arizona, we had 4 weeks of anatomy and it was taught my MD professors from the University of North Carolina. To that extent, it was not any different than their med students. The two caveats to this is that we didn't study any veins, and we didn't touch head and neck quite as in depth because we have Head and Neck as its own course next semester. Other than that, it was the same.

I haven't had a really tough class yet. I'm recognizing that I only *thought* they were difficult. What it boils down to is finding a study style that suits you and sticking with it. There isn't ANY material that is conceptually challenging, there's just a lot of it.

Also, try early to master the art of weeding out the things that won't be on the exams. This will allow you to stick to the important stuff.

Good luck, and enjoy your break!

 

[River13]

If you're like me and knew you wanted to specialize before you started dental school, I would recommend following Supernumerary's advice about getting a job in a dental lab, as well as JTLUK001's advice about studying generally any topics that you're worried about. It really varies by dental school what class is the hardest, but it seems that every dental school has at least one or two. Students from CWRU will be your best asset in understanding what class could use preparation before even getting there. If general dentistry is what you're after and you know it, relax and enjoy the time off!

WhatupLUK!

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by sallyubc

aphistis, are you thinking of doing residency??

The thought has crossed my mind, yes. For now, though, I'm just keeping my mind and options open. There's still an awful lot of dental school left, and we've barely begun to touch the interesting clinical stuff so far. I'm in dental school because I want to be a dentist. If I apply for a specialty and get it, great; if not, no sweat. If I decide not to apply at all, the decision is even easier still.

Originally posted by River13
If you're like me and knew you wanted to specialize before you started dental school...

I find this, and statements like it, <em>highly</em> suspect. Unless you've spent time in each dental field, you can't possibly make an informed decision, and these comprehensive exposures rarely happen prior to dental school. This sounds very much to me like some of the obnoxious pre-allo's smugly announcing their intractable decisions to become Chief of [insert prestigious specialty] at [insert prestigious hospital or university] halfway through their freshman year of undergrad. Every once in a while, sure, it will end up bearing out; but it's usually a fortuitous concidence, and it's certainly the exception instead of the rule.

 

[River13]

If what you said is true then I guess I'm the exception. I worked for a general dentist, an orthodontist, and 2 endodontists before starting dental school...I didn't know which specialty I liked best before school started, but I knew I wanted to have my choice at anything I wanted to do after...

People I know who didn't make that decision sat on the fence, then lost the chance because they weren't committed. You can do anything you put your mind to...and having the OPTION to specialize is something you've got to decide you want before you start dental school in my opinion...not which specialty necessarily...

In the end you may decide that general dentistry is for you even if you're #1 in the class and have a 99 on boards, and that's fine...I'm glad I did the work though so I could have the choice, regardless of what that final choice may be.

 

[LestatZinnie]

Sallyubc:

congrats again! i'm just curious what made you choose case western over the canadian schools- do you intend to practice in the US?

JTLUK001:

i'm also a fellow UBC grad (biochem 2003) and now i'm in mcgill dmd 2007. i'm looking forward to practicing in the Lower Mainland after graduation- BC is just so great!! would you mind sharing your background with us?

thx guys!!

 

[Midoc]

I agree with River13, you should choose whether or not you want to specialize before you start school or not. If you wait until you'v been in school a few years to decide that you really do want to specialize then you probably haven't put in as much effort and your grades are probably less than those who knew all a long.

As far as choosing a particular specialty I highly recommend against it. Wait until you're into your third or forth year when you've had a lot more experience with each of the specialties. For me, I've never thought about doing ortho until I had my ortho class this year. Now it is a possibility.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Originally posted by Midoc
I agree with River13, you should choose whether or not you want to specialize before you start school or not.

I couldn't disagree more.

 

[critterbug]

I'm still pre-dent. So my opinion means jack. But I'll chime in anyway.

Work hard. Keep your options open. But you don't have to decide whether or not you are gonna specialize before dental school. Or even during your 1st and 2nd years. I don't think I know what I'm gonna like or even be good at until I get in there and get my hands dirty, so to speak.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by Midoc
you should choose whether or not you want to specialize before you start school or not.

Your post makes it sound like entering dental school automatically forces a binary decision on whether you want to specialize or not. Obviously you probably know that minds can change over the span of the four years, and that's all I'm saying. What's wrong with keeping my grades high for now, and then making the decision later when I'm more informed? In my mind, there's nothing; and that's my current four year plan.

 

[aphistis]

Originally posted by critterbug
Keep your options open. But you don't have to decide whether or not you are gonna specialize before dental school. Or even during your 1st and 2nd years. I don't think I know what I'm gonna like or even be good at until I get in there and get my hands dirty, so to speak.

You said it much better than I.

 

[critterbug]

I will say this though.

I think one should go into dental school with the belief that they would be perfectly happy as a general dentist. This should be common among ALL predental and dental students alike. Specializing is competitive. And you aren't guaranteed anything in life. But, if you get into dental school, you will become a dentist. So know that you will be happy performing all facets of dentistry before you go to dental school.

IMHO, being a general dentist is the best of both worlds. CE provides general dentists with unlimited options, which is one of the things that makes this profession so lovely. If you feel like you're getting in a rut, change the direction of your practice and start offering ortho or endo treatments. Sounds exciting. Can't wait.

 

[River13]

That's the reason I put OPTION in capital letters...I think you have to decide you want to have the OPTION to specialize, not necessarrily make the DECISION to specialize, or choose which specialty (though in my case, which may be out of the ordinary according to some, I made the decision as well before dental school)

And what do I mean by deciding to have the option? I mean decide to make any ethically sound sacrifices necessary to have the best grades possible. That's all I mean. Many students have thought "I'll just study well and see what happens, maybe I'll want to do it later," and this attitude limits your options...better to say "I'll not just study well, I'll give it my everything!"

I also agree that anyone entering dental school should know in their heart that they would love to practice general dentistry...I've discouraged several people from entering dental school when their only reason was to "be an oral surgeon." You have to know you would be happy as a generalist first.

I also know that class standing and grades have a certain amount of luck tied to them, especially subjective lab classes, live patients, etc.

Nonetheless, by doing your very best from the start and deciding to have all your OPTIONS to specialize open, you'll avoid lifelong regrets...even if you give it your best and your best doesn't get you in, you don't have to regret by thinking "What if I would have studied more..."

 

[quantumhead]

The people who "KNOW" they want to specialize and "KNOW" what speciality in my class are, as a general rule, really annoying! Their reasons are usually suspect and they usually have a gunner/know-it-all/cut throat attitude. It is almost as if they don't want to be bothered with any of the general classes other than getting their A so their GPA is untouched.

My father interviews appliclants for a Dental Speciality school (I won't mention which one). Let me tell you that they can see stratight through that kind of crap.

I agree with the idea of going in with the idea of being the best General Dentist you can be and if something catches your fancy then go for it. Some speciality programs will only take people who have practiced as a General Dentist for a couple of years after school. This is the best idea ever!

Do well, so as to not close any doors to yourself but be open to all aspects of Dentistry from the start.

 

[Midoc]

Originally posted by aphistis
Your post makes it sound like entering dental school automatically forces a binary decision on whether you want to specialize or not. Obviously you probably know that minds can change over the span of the four years, and that's all I'm saying. What's wrong with keeping my grades high for now, and then making the decision later when I'm more informed? In my mind, there's nothing; and that's my current four year plan.

There is nothing at all wrong with that. I wasn't so much talking about making an absolute decision to specialize I was counseling against making a decision to specialize in a particular field. The reason I said to make a decision when you start off is because it is a lot easier to decide in your third year that you don't really want to specialize and then you can start slacking off. If on the other hand you thought maybe you might want to specialize then there is less driving you to do well in school. The amount of work required to do ok and the amount required to do really well is much different.

In my opinion people should decide that specializing has never going to be in their future (then you can slack off) or there is a chance you might specialize (then you can work your butt off).

 

[JTLUK001]

LestatZinnie,
I hope you have an excellent first year at McGill. I graduated from UBC in 1993 with a BSc.Pharm.. I was hoping to enter UBC's dental program but unfortunately never got accepted. I am now a senior at the Uof Louisville. I had worked as a community pharmacist in Surrey, BC for a number of years. Having been born and raised in Vancouver I can't agree with you more about BC's Lower Mainland.

 

[River13]

Anyone who is a gunner/knowitall/cut throat in my opinion is someone who is trying to get ahead at the expense of others, and I agree this can be annoying...I would also say people like this hinder the educational process for everyone...that's the reason I put "make any ETHICALLY sound sacrifices necessary to have the best grades possible".

If you're doing it ethically, you're still trying to help your own classmates succeed to the highest of their abilities as well as yours. Just because someone wants to do their very best or knows they want to have the option of specializing doesn't make them a gunner/cut throat...its those that would get there at the expense of others or those that have no humility about their accomplishments that makes them a gunner.

 

[jmill0]

Sally-
If you're really looking for some education before you hit the doors of the school, you should really consider some business classes. I asked my old dentist what classes he wishes (after being in practice for 20 years) he had taken prior to dental school. His response was whatever business classes I could cram in my schedule. I ended up taking an accounting class and an economics class. Sure glad I did....
I don't care if you're "number 1 in your class", an endodontist/orthodontist/oral surgeon, or get a 99 on your boards.... if you don't know the first thing about how to look at "the bottom line" and manage a business (yes, a dental practice IS a business), you won't have an opportunity to demonstrate those skills you spent a fortune on.
Dental school are set up to give you the basics of dentistry. Check any school's course schedule and I bet you'll find very little, if any, business classes.
Don't take my word for it though, ask a practicing dentist whose been out a few years what THEY wish they had taken prior to school.

 

[ct005ke002]

Case (CWRU) dental students study anything above the congenital area, in one semester. Grant's is good, Netters also good to use. I prefer Netters because I can buy flash cards that match with the text. You will have plenty of help in Case, if you ask for it.