Military for dental school

[jb05241995]

Hello there. I am currently a first year student at NYU dental school. I have recently become interested in the military program offered to the dental students. I'm a bit lost on the whole topic and as wondering if anyone could give some feedback. Is it only the Navy or do the other branches have this program? Do they pay for your school? When you sign the contract, what are you supposed to give them, as in how many years do you have to work for them, etc? I also don't know if I would like to specialize. Do they pay for this too? How does it all work? Thank you, guys.

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[Jalcalde]

All branches have the scholarships. The army has 4 and 3 year scholarships. If you already started school you could get the 3 year scholarship but you better talk to a recruiter now to see if you get it. They pay for your tuition and most fees and give you a living stipend of around 2k a month. The army also has a 20k bonus but you have to sign for an extra year if you do the 3 year scholarship so you'd owe 4 years total. It is payback 1 year for 1 year of scholarship. The military have their own specialties you apply for those the same as applying for civilian residencies.

 

[jb05241995]

All branches have the scholarships. The army has 4 and 3 year scholarships. If you already started school you could get the 3 year scholarship but you better talk to a recruiter now to see if you get it. They pay for your tuition and most fees and give you a living stipend of around 2k a month. The army also has a 20k bonus but you have to sign for an extra year if you do the 3 year scholarship so you'd owe 4 years total. It is payback 1 year for 1 year of scholarship. The military have their own specialties you apply for those the same as applying for civilian residencies.

Sounds good enough. Do you know where they could possibly send you? Also, if you get chosen to complete a specialty, do you do school in the US or is it in another country? If I apply right after I'm done with dental school & get chosen, do I go straight into the specialty program & then do 4 years or 6-7 years of service for them since most ortho programs are 2-3 years more?

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Sounds good enough. Do you know where they could possibly send you? Also, if you get chosen to complete a specialty, do you do school in the US or is it in another country? If I apply right after I'm done with dental school & get chosen, do I go straight into the specialty program & then do 4 years or 6-7 years of service for them since most ortho programs are 2-3 years more?

Are you an American citizen? If not, you cannot be an officer in the US military. They can send you anywhere from Coronado, California to Kandahar, Afghanistan. You must apply to be selected to do a residency in the military, and it is surprisingly competitive. They can be either military or civilian programs - depends on the specialty and needs of the military. I hate to say it, but I'd forget about ortho in the military. There are not many positions and everyone wants to be an orthodontist. In the Navy you'd be one of 15 or so applications competing for 1 or 2 slots. Don't even begin to think they'll take you right out of school for ortho. You'll have to really earn it. I also hate to say it, but you might be too late to even apply for a 3 year scholarship. People who apply for the 3 year scholarship do so pretty much as soon as school starts (you apply for the 4 year scholarships the same time you are applying to dental school). Talk to a recruiter right away to see if you can even apply at this point. I can tell you the Navy HPSP has about a 50% acceptance rate. These scholarships definitely aren't handed out like candy; they used to be, but not anymore.

Big Hoss

 

[jb05241995]

Are you an American citizen? If not, you cannot be an officer in the US military. They can send you anywhere from Coronado, California to Kandahar, Afghanistan. You must apply to be selected to do a residency in the military, and it is surprisingly competitive. They can be either military or civilian programs - depends on the specialty and needs of the military. I hate to say it, but I'd forget about ortho in the military. There are not many positions and everyone wants to be an orthodontist. In the Navy you'd be one of 15 or so applications competing for 1 or 2 slots. Don't even begin to think they'll take you right out of school for ortho. You'll have to really earn it. I also hate to say it, but you might be too late to even apply for a 3 year scholarship. People who apply for the 3 year scholarship do so pretty much as soon as school starts (you apply for the 4 year scholarships the same time you are applying to dental school). Talk to a recruiter right away to see if you can even apply at this point. I can tell you the Navy HPSP has about a 50% acceptance rate. These scholarships definitely aren't handed out like candy; they used to be, but not anymore.

Big Hoss

I spoke to a recruiter today and I started the app with him. It's a lot. He was so helpful, and he told me that most likely they'll accept me especially because I have outstanding grades. Thank you so much!!!

 

[distressstudent]

You started your application now as a D1 with the navy? Unless you're boarding like next week I don't know what's going on.

If he's preparing you for next cycle, I don't know what's up with that either because navy doesn't offer two year scholarships (only AF does IIRC).

 

[Incis0r]

Check out the military dentistry forums on SDN. Very helpful.

 

[schmoob]

You will likely not be accepted. 3 year scholarships are very hard to come by, and selection began in October. Slots are likely full by now, so I don't know why your recruiter has you filling out the app.
Also, you will not be selected for Ortho out of school. I'm not saying your chances are slim, I'm saying they are absolutely zero. Most Ortho residents that i have met have been in the Navy for at least 7-8 years. Some even more. All Ortho training for the military is in San Antonio, TX. And after you finish, expect to spend the majority of your career overseas.

I'm not trying to come across as negative, so if I am I truly apologize. But it is better to hear it up front. The Navy is great, but you're a little late in this process. You may be better off trying to come in as a Direct Accession upon graduation (depending on quotas), and using your bonus towards repayment (currently at ~$150K).

Good luck with everything!

 

[rebecca_chatul_tov]

Are you an American citizen? If not, you cannot be an officer in the US military.

You can become an officer, but you have to renounce your foreign citizenship if you hold dual citizenship in another country. It's not a quick or easy process. It's not an insurmountable obstacle, but you have to really do some homework.

 

[ysrebob]

Army, Navy and Air Force all offer the HPSP "scholarship." All branches also offer (and in the case of the Air Force, require) an excellent one-year AEGD residency before you start your payback years. As has been said, you would need a few years of active duty to make yourself competitive for ortho residency in any branch: very few slots, hotly contested, and officership record is part of what they consider. If ortho is your one and only chosen path, not sure I can recommend military. Some other specialities are very available.

Active duty payback is one year of service per scholarship year. It is NOT free money: while military salaries are actually fairly competitive with what a new grad can expect from corporate dentistry when you account for benefits, expect to give a pound of flesh to the military, figuratively if not literally. While you are in, the military OWNS you, in every sense. Nevertheless, one of the last great ways to finish dental school debt-free or nearly so. Everything you need to know is in the Dental Residents and Practicing Dentists > Military Dentistry subforum.