Nova Or Maryland

[umbtoothfairy]

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@EighteenstreetloungePUA While I understand your point, not everyone wants to go the research path. I think we all understand the research opportunities may be a bit stronger at Maryland, but most people go to dental school to be a solid clinician not a scientist.

One does not need to do a combined degree to find success. As it has been mentioned, if someone has the drive, he or she will find success almost anywhere. Becoming a good dentist is not an "ordinary goal" and I do not find it charming if you believe so.

 

[predental21250]

@EighteenstreetloungePUA While I understand your point, not everyone wants to go the research path. I think we all understand the research opportunities may be a bit stronger at Maryland, but most people go to dental school to be a solid clinician not a scientist.

One does not need to do a combined degree to find success. As it has been mentioned, if someone has the drive, he or she will find success almost anywhere. Becoming a good dentist is not an "ordinary goal" and I do not find it charming if you believe so.

Hopefully as a dentist then the idea of being a good dentist is an ordinary goal lol... I'm sure there are other stronger research institutions than MD though, and if you were that into research you would hopefully be picking between two other schools

 

[DentistScientist]

Hopefully as a dentist then the idea of being a good dentist is an ordinary goal lol... I'm sure there are other stronger research institutions than MD though, and if you were that into research you would hopefully be picking between two other schools

Maryland is an okay school in research. But the campus is close to world's most prestigious research institutions and therefore umb faculty members collaborate with brightest minds of our time.

However, NOVA has none. Some may argue because these people do not have enough research experiences to develop objective povs


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[predental21250]

Have you lived in MD btw? Just seems like you live in some sort of fantasy world by putting the state on a pedestal. Also not really sure why research is such a focus on why MD would be better than NOVA when the OP didn't talk about research, and two it's not like most people go into dentistry with plans on doing it big in the research field.

 

[DentistScientist]

Have you lived in MD btw? Just seems like you live in some sort of fantasy world by putting the state on a pedestal. Also not really sure why research is such a focus on why MD would be better than NOVA when the OP didn't talk about research, and two it's not like most people go into dentistry with plans on doing it big in the research field.

I grew up in Florida and lived in Bethesda, Maryland, and worked at NIH for several years.

And yes UCSF, UCLA, Michigan, Harvard-Forsyth are the traditional big players, and based on nidcr funding, Florida and UAB recently joined the group. Other TOP 10 research schools do not have the comprehensive DSTP programs that enable dental students to be a dentist scientist or an oral surgeon scientist.

UMB's research is okay with just couple of million bucks from nidcr each year but the campus is like 10 min drive from hopkins and nih in baltimore. Out of $40 billon federal funding given to 150 MD medical schools each year, Hopkins gets $2.2 billon each year. Maryland (all health professional schools combined) gets about $400 million.

While at NOVA, their dental school has nearly $0 nidcr funding. Their medical school is a DO school. Combining nih funding of all DO schools in the country is about 1% - 2% of the funding given to all medical schools. And NOVA is not a top tier DO school either. MSU, PCOM and other top do schools get 80 to 90% of that 1% funding.

FYI: https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/grantsand...talSchools/GrantstoDentalInstitutions2015.htm

What if the OP sees new opportunities and is energized by novel experiences and this leads to realizing his or her vision?


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[adentistsomeday]

Can't comment on the whole research/prestige thing that everyone else brought up, but I am in the boat about going with the cheapest. If its going to be a 100k difference, that is nearly a $1000/mon loan payment difference. At the very least, that's a huge opportunity cost hit in your future. It might not apply but it's also a huge plus if mom's cooking is waiting for you at home every night after class.

If you want to be a GP = go with the cheapest.
If you want to be a specialist = go with the cheapest.
If you want to a public figure in dentistry = take some leadership roles in ASDA, and still go with the cheapest.
If you want to be a scientist = change your major.

 

[DentistScientist]

If you want to be a scientist = change your major.

This is a very narrow view. Thinking that dentists are distant from research, innovations, and scientific discovery. You consistently learn how oral pathology spreads to systemic pathology and disregard the importance of dentists' role in research.

One of the major problems in the field of Dentistry is isolation. There are dental students and dentists thinking that their only task is to serve patients. However, this point of view is very wrong. There are dentist scientists who continue strengthen the bridge between bench and chair sides. There are a lot of clinical and translational research work done on patients and patient specimens based on scientific discoveries done at the bench.

I spoke with Dr. Anne Berg, the admission director at Harvard Dental during my interview. Harvard Dental School has one of leading programs bone growth development and the laboratory is founded and spearheaded by Dr. Kaban, an oral surgeon scientist. http://www.massgeneral.org/omfs/research/researchlab.aspx?id=1059

Going to a school where everyone thinks that dentists' goal is only to treat patients will prevent someone from thinking broadly and moving toward future.
When you are in your 20s, you choose jobs and schools that give you new experiences and insights not the one that pays you more or costs you less. In fact, doing DDS PHD at Maryland would cost much less than going to NOVA. I will be a DMD PHD student and will go to dental school for free. You never know what you get to do until you meet people with different visions and are inspired by some of the leading figures in the field of Dentistry.
https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/NIDCRLaboratories/OverviewDIR/
https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/research/NIDCRLaboratories/CraniofacialAnomalies/janice-lee.htm

 

[adentistsomeday]

This is a very narrow view. Thinking that dentists are distant from research, innovations, and scientific discovery. You consistently learn how oral pathology spreads to systemic pathology and disregard the importance of dentists' role in research.

Fair enough, I agree. However, like someone already stated, the reality is that only a very small number of people will go into the profession to pursue such endeavors. I think the financial rewards, and obligations to student debt are a huge deterrent to those admirable goals, for most anyways.

A more fiscally responsible alternative would be, lets say that's your passion. Hypothetically, you could graduate from the school that would give you the lowest cost of attendance, and subsequently least financial burden. Then you could go ahead and pursue those passions right out of DSchool, during say a GPR at a prestigious school, where you would be earning at least some kind of income and could still benefit from building those connections..... unless of course you need to have that PhD next to your name too.

Change tuition costs to match salaries you would get paid as a researcher vs a clinician, then its an entirely different ballgame.

 

[HermeyDDS]

Hello, I recently got accepted to a few schools but for the moment it is between Maryland and Nova. I live about 15 minutes away from Nova so I possibly wouldn't have to worry living expenses. Just wondering what people think of each school and what they would do in my situation. Also if money wasn't a problem which one would you choose?

Right now i'm leaning towards Nova because it's close to my house and all my family is here and I liked the campus but I liked all the schools I went to so not sure. I also want to practice in Florida but I don't know if that makes a difference.

I also got accepted to Louisville, Case Western, UNE, Touro, and UNLV so if you like these better then let me know.

Thank you in advance.

Chances are you don't use your turn signals so you should just stay in Florida where this is normal. lol Maryland is a better school hands down. Both schools will make you a dentist. I honestly feel like Nova will be less out of your comfort zone and also better if you plan to practice in Florida. With that said...I'd chose Case Western if I were you.