All this talk about Columbia, Harvard, or any other dental school being the one and all is really silly, I think. If we were discussing professional paths like business, law, and even to some extent med, I would tend to agree that academic pedigree is very important, in some cases critical, in helping you down a rewarding career path. In dentistry, from everything I have come into contact and seen the school itself matters very little. It all comes down to a good "fit" for the individual's own interests. For example, I got into Columbia and Harvard but declined the offers because I don't think I'd be happy with the curriculum, location, or the atmosphere at the school. However, for another person the situation may be different, and that's the way it is.
My feeling is that once the board switches to a P/F system then being a well-rounded applicant matters more than ever. Having community service, research experience, solid and consistent academic history (DAT included), and being on good terms with the faculty will probably be factors taken into account in lieu of the all-important board score. I am OK with that, because having a single score determine whether or not you can specialize does seem too draconian to me.