Nursing to Dentistry

[SURGERY RN]

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Just wanted to know your thoughts about what the schools will think of a nurse applicant for dental school. I've worked in the operating Room for five years. I have a bachelor of science degree, graduating with a 3.55 overall GPA (sciences are probably 3.6). I still have to take tha DAT, but hope to do well like all of us do. Since I work full time my volunteer work is not as impressive as some of your posts. Should I feel like my medical background will entice the schools? Thanks for any comments.

 

[aphistis]

Heck, just apply to NYU. They might even give you advanced dental school standing for your nursing courses.

(Sorry, someone had to say it )

 

[captaintripps]

I think you have a good background, provided the prereqs are done and decent DAT scores achieved. Don't be concerned much with volunteering, didn't help me any.

 

[jk5177]

Yeah, don't be too concerned with volunteering. Since you have all your nursing work, then it shows that you can work with people. I suggest you to really rock on your DAT. I really didn't realize how important the DAT was before, till I took the test, did well, and got interviews to schools that I never thought would even care for my stats. For my package, I believe what really helped me was my high DAT scores. Good luck to you.

 

[toofache32]

Why dentistry? Have you spent time in a dental office or something? I'm just curious why the career change to something so unrelated to your current profession. But I guess that may be the point.

 

[snoosnoo]

Only two things to worry about. 1) DAT score (higher the better 😛) and 2) explaining your change in career path. There is a lot to say about someone working for a few years and then realizing their calling is elsewhere. Might want to get some dental experience in an office or dental lab. I'd be sure to emphasis the reasons for the desire in career change.

Also i got questioned by my interviewers on my ability to handle large course loads again only beinging 6 months removed from school. Crazy i know, might want to take a science class or two that you havent taken to show you're committed to education.

 

[SURGERY RN]

Your feedback has been nice to hear. I will try to answer some of your questions. My choice to apply now is not because I hate nursing. I am happy with what I do, and I always was interested in dentistry. I have a parent who is disabled, and I made a choice to live at home to help (personal self obligation). There was a university 10 miles away that had a nationally known nursing program, so I sacrificed one medical schooling for another because I felt the need to help my mother. She is well taken care of now and I have also spent the last three years working as an operating room nurse for four oral surgeons, three pediatric dentists, and one general dentist. They all have patients with special needs and need to be put to sleep for their procedures. As far as the two professions being unrelated, I see things differently. They both require the same professional patient interaction, I have been trained to "scrub" as a surgical assistant so I have helped on some procedures, and they both require medical knowledge to assess and treat every patient as an individual not a condition.

 

[mvs04]

Your feedback has been nice to hear. I will try to answer some of your questions. My choice to apply now is not because I hate nursing. I am happy with what I do, and I always was interested in dentistry. I have a parent who is disabled, and I made a choice to live at home to help (personal self obligation). There was a university 10 miles away that had a nationally known nursing program, so I sacrificed one medical schooling for another because I felt the need to help my mother. She is well taken care of now and I have also spent the last three years working as an operating room nurse for four oral surgeons, three pediatric dentists, and one general dentist. They all have patients with special needs and need to be put to sleep for their procedures. As far as the two professions being unrelated, I see things differently. They both require the same professional patient interaction, I have been trained to "scrub" as a surgical assistant so I have helped on some procedures, and they both require medical knowledge to assess and treat every patient as an individual not a condition.

The schools dont' discriminate against "second career" applicants at all. It sounds like you've got a solid GPA and it's not like you've been a hobo upon graduation, go take the DAT and apply. If you haven't met all of the science pre-reqs, you might want to take a few post-bach just to be on the safe side, but then again, many school's pre-reqs aren't "hard inflexible".

 

[toofache32]

...I have also spent the last three years working as an operating room nurse for four oral surgeons, three pediatric dentists, and one general dentist...

This is really good, in my opinion. Actually, this is probably as good as it gets as far as knowing what dentists do. Most applicants just spend "a few days" looking over a dentists shoulder. Also, you obviously have a strong altrusitic side. You have to know what you are getting into and it looks like you know it better than most applicants. It sounds like you have good grades in the past and a good DAT score is the only thing you're missing. Good luck.