Ortho Interviews?

[splint]

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I was just curious if I could get any feedback on likelihood of receiving ortho interviews with my stats. I got a 90 part I and am ranked 13 or so in my class (GPA 3.7). I have leadership (ASDA ,class rep, etc) and research experience (national meetings, two abstracts, one ortho related).
Do you think that this is enough to get very many interviews? Also any ideas on a good number of schools to apply to? (is 20 enough/not enough). Any general ortho comments on applying would be helpful, i know last years batch had really great stats.
Cheers

 

[Miss Mammelon]

I was just curious if I could get any feedback on likelihood of receiving ortho interviews with my stats. I got a 90 part I and am ranked 13 or so in my class (GPA 3.7). I have leadership (ASDA ,class rep, etc) and research experience (national meetings, two abstracts, one ortho related).
Do you think that this is enough to get very many interviews? Also any ideas on a good number of schools to apply to? (is 20 enough/not enough). Any general ortho comments on applying would be helpful, i know last years batch had really great stats.
Cheers

I think it is possible. Having research & leadership are very helpful (one interviewer focused the entire interview on discussing my research interests). A 90 on the boards is probably just scraping by, esp since many students applying to ortho have very competitive scores, but it doesn't take you out of the running. Under 90 would definitely be a concern.

How many students are in your class? It is hard to tell what a rank of 13 means unless there is that reference point.

What you can do NOW to increase your chances of receiving interviews, is get good letters of rec (if possible from head of the ortho dept at your school). Apply in a timely fashion- earlier is better of course. Also, think outside of the box: You're more likely to get interviews at places that not EVERYONE in your class is applying to.

I'll add more if I think of anything else useful.

 

[Jediwendell]

I was just curious if I could get any feedback on likelihood of receiving ortho interviews with my stats. I got a 90 part I and am ranked 13 or so in my class (GPA 3.7). I have leadership (ASDA ,class rep, etc) and research experience (national meetings, two abstracts, one ortho related).
Do you think that this is enough to get very many interviews? Also any ideas on a good number of schools to apply to? (is 20 enough/not enough). Any general ortho comments on applying would be helpful, i know last years batch had really great stats.
Cheers

Apply to as many places as you can afford. 20 is probably not enough if you want to maximize your chances. I don't know how many are in your class, but in many places 13th isn't in the top 10%, which would hurt you. The 90 will also hurt you a little bit. If you can apply to every program, go for it. If you get 7 or more interviews you will probably get in somewhere. Not to totally dash your hopes, though. Work hard on your apps and you will stand a fair chance of getting in.

 

[gryffindor]

If I were in your shoes, I'd apply to more than 20.

Also, this semester probably isn't finished yet for you. Try to raise your rank if possible.

There is no such thing as too many interviews. There is also no such thing as ranking too many programs on your list. Seven interviews and you may be likely to get in, but it is also possible to have seven or more interviews and not match. It happened to me, and I know many more who can attest to it as well. The other outcome is possible too - having 1 or 2 interviews and matching.

Start schmoozing at your home program.

 

[Maxillicious]

How tough is the GRE? How many studying weeks should suffice? I was thinking that after the first 2 years of dental school and then the NBDE I, the last thing I would wanna do is write another standardized test. But I guess youd have to do what you have to do. And if you were to apply to ortho programs, Im guessing you would have to write it in your 3rd year so your scores are available?

Thanks

 

[gryffindor]

How tough is the GRE? How many studying weeks should suffice? I was thinking that after the first 2 years of dental school and then the NBDE I, the last thing I would wanna do is write another standardized test. But I guess youd have to do what you have to do. And if you were to apply to ortho programs, Im guessing you would have to write it in your 3rd year so your scores are available?

Thanks

The GRE is like a suped up version of the SATs.

 

[Miss Mammelon]

How tough is the GRE? How many studying weeks should suffice? I was thinking that after the first 2 years of dental school and then the NBDE I, the last thing I would wanna do is write another standardized test. But I guess youd have to do what you have to do. And if you were to apply to ortho programs, Im guessing you would have to write it in your 3rd year so your scores are available?

Thanks

The GREsssss.... Blech.
Personally I can't stand those verbal games on the SATs and GREs.
Unfortunately you must take the GREs in order to apply to certain ortho programs. Some programs expect a minimum of 1200 (600 verbal/ 600 math). So, keep that in mind. After you take it, the score pops up immediately, so at least you don't have to wait to find out.

I took them in the middle of last summer while I was applying. However! Don't do what I did- take them earlier. In the spring would be better. Give yourself at least 2 weeks to study. The Baron's book and Kaplan CD were helpful. For me, that was plenty enough for the math section. But, I'm simply weak with analogies and whatnot, so that section was not great for me. Verbal is harder than on the SATs, so do review and memorize definitions!

Funny thing is: after all that stress, I'm going to an ortho program that did not require the GREs.

 

[splint]

Thanks for the responses,
I know I'm borderline in the stats department and i'm not sure if all the extracurriculars will help that much (maybe I should have studied more in stead of slaving away on those research projects....)
By the way its 13/95 so I'm out of the top 10% 🙁 I was wondering, in the ASDA Guide for ortho programs there are a lot of programs that list top 15% and some 25% as recommended class rank, is this just to sound more inclusive or are these real guidelines.
Any ortho residents out there that got in with similar stats?, or should I try and change something if I don't get in? Like retake boards 😱 or GPR.
One more question, how helpful is a GPR in getting into programs? (Griffin? i've read in SDN that you were in a GPR prior to getting in...congrats by the way....did that help in your acceptance?).

 

[petunia99]

This may be of interest.

http://www.angle.org/pdfserv/i0003-3219-076-01-0084.pdf

Also I was accepted with VERY similar stats to you. It was my first time applying . I am now finishing undergrad in London, Ontario. The only difference is that I have an MSc from the University of British Columbia in Dental Science.

 

[Maxillicious]

Hey there Petunia,

Congrats on your match into ortho! Being a Canadian myself, I was just wondering how the competition is for ortho spots back home. How do the PDs view apps from canadian students that went south for school?? Do these programs participate in the same MATCH program?? If so, that would make things a lot easier.

Thanks.

 

[jpollei]

If I were in your shoes, I'd apply to more than 20.

Also, this semester probably isn't finished yet for you. Try to raise your rank if possible.

There is no such thing as too many interviews. There is also no such thing as ranking too many programs on your list. Seven interviews and you may be likely to get in, but it is also possible to have seven or more interviews and not match. It happened to me, and I know many more who can attest to it as well. The other outcome is possible too - having 1 or 2 interviews and matching.

Start schmoozing at your home program.

Agreed 100% with this and with Jedi. There's a lot of randomness and subjectivity in the whole process, so the more you can put your foot out there the better your chances overall. Just hope you end up being one of those who gets a lot of interviews as a result...it seemed like last year some folks got lots of interview invites and some get only one or two (out of those who applied to dozens of programs). And there didn't seem to be any clearcut discriminator why in some cases. Good luck with the process. 🙂

 

[petunia99]

Maxillicious,

I am going to be heading south for my residency.

I only applied to UofT up here the rest of the schools I applied to (18) were in the states. There are only about a dozen spots in Canada for ortho (UofA, Univ of Manitoba, UWO, and UofT - three at each; and no UBC does not have a program). Also, University of Western Ontario requires that the applicants practice for a couple of years before applying. So it is really difficult to get in.

The programs up here do not participate in PASS or MATCH. You apply individually and they hand pick the class. There aren't enough spots to necessitate a PASS/MATCH system.

I didn't persue applying in Canada that much. I am sure that we are all in the same boat no matter where we graduated from. One of my colleagues who graduated a year before me did an AEGD in Detroit and he will be going to Alberta for his Ortho training in July.

Hope this info helps.

 

[Swamp Yankee]

I was just curious if I could get any feedback on likelihood of receiving ortho interviews with my stats. I got a 90 part I and am ranked 13 or so in my class (GPA 3.7). I have leadership (ASDA ,class rep, etc) and research experience (national meetings, two abstracts, one ortho related).
Do you think that this is enough to get very many interviews? Also any ideas on a good number of schools to apply to? (is 20 enough/not enough). Any general ortho comments on applying would be helpful, i know last years batch had really great stats.
Cheers

are you a cute girl? do you wear tight clothes in clinic? do you just nod your head, bat your eyelashes, and agree with everything that's said? do you have a big phony grin? do you bake cookies for the class on special occasions? can you cry on command? do you know how to maintain a conversation about golf when, in fact, you've never even played the game? yeah. you should be fine to match at an ortho program somewhere.

 

[splint]

are you a cute girl? do you wear tight clothes in clinic? do you just nod your head, bat your eyelashes, and agree with everything that's said? do you have a big phony grin? do you bake cookies for the class on special occasions? can you cry on command? do you know how to maintain a conversation about golf when, in fact, you've never even played the game? yeah. you should be fine to match at an ortho program somewhere.

Well....no to all...and the last time a played golf (which was once in the last year) I stroked a 119, which actually made me quite excited because my dental buddy shot a 120...man was that a long game 😳 .

But actually i'm pumped about everything having to do with Orthodontics and am committed to applying until I get in, even if that isn't the first time around. I've made friends with the residents at my school and worked with the Ortho faculty on cases and research.

I was curious what ya'll thought about a GPR versus working as a prof at school post graduation, as far as improving my chances the next time around?
Anyone else in my postion?

 

[hind]

I want to ask the same question as "splint" had asked in very beginning. My stats are as following:
Part I : 88%
Part II: 82%
GRE: 1740/2400
TOEFL: 257/300
GPA: 3.5 for bachelors and 2.7 for masters
Class rank: 4
I am a foreign graduate. I did my bachelors and masters in ortho from India. I have my DDS through four exams in CA. I am practicing orthodontics (as a dentist) for 2 yrs now. Last year I applied in 24 uni. but did not receive single interview. I thought it is because of my part I score so right now I have started studying for it. But besides part I, please suggest me other things to improve my chances to get interviews. I have never been to school in US so don’t know much about the system here so please tell me all critics and suggestions. Thanks.

 

[gryffindor]

Thanks for the responses,
I know I'm borderline in the stats department and i'm not sure if all the extracurriculars will help that much (maybe I should have studied more in stead of slaving away on those research projects....)
By the way its 13/95 so I'm out of the top 10% 🙁 I was wondering, in the ASDA Guide for ortho programs there are a lot of programs that list top 15% and some 25% as recommended class rank, is this just to sound more inclusive or are these real guidelines.
Any ortho residents out there that got in with similar stats?, or should I try and change something if I don't get in? Like retake boards 😱 or GPR.
One more question, how helpful is a GPR in getting into programs? (Griffin? i've read in SDN that you were in a GPR prior to getting in...congrats by the way....did that help in your acceptance?).

The GPR probably did help me. I think any patient experience outside of dental school will help you see if ortho is really for you or you are just doing it because of the hype. But it doesn't matter what I think since the programs probably don't care too much - most of the people get in straight out of school. My GPR had ortho clinic 1/2 day each week, so through this I was able to meet some attendings and get some real clinical exposure too since in dental school we didn't do any ortho. We also had an OMS program who did a lot of orthognathic cases so I got to see some of that too.

Of the 84 non-seniors (graduated pre-2006) who got in this year, 38 did some sort of GPR/AEGD/fellowship while 46 did none of that, probably just private practice. So the programs are split too on who they take, the GPR isn't necessarily going to make or break the application. Of course, 168 class of 2006 grads got in this year, exactly double of the non-seniors - so your best chance is getting in as a senior.
http://www.natmatch.com/dentres/index.htm

I guess the conclusion is do whatever is going to help you network to increase the possibility of more interviews/acceptance.

The ASDA guides lists those rank percents, but I wouldn't take them to heart.

 

[splint]

My GPR had ortho clinic 1/2 day each week, so through this I was able to meet some attendings and get some real clinical exposure too since in dental school we didn't do any ortho. We also had an OMS program who did a lot of orthognathic cases so I got to see some of that too.

Thanks for your reply,

I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on what to include in a C.V. I was specifically wondering if I should include that I've treated simple ortho cases (2 ant. crossbite and one short comprehensive case with faculty). Is the C.V. a place to include these details?

Also wondering if number of hours spent assisting/observing in the ortho clinic should be included or is this just relevant for my own school's application? Any thoughts on C.V. or answers to these questions would be appreciated...anyone else find themselves thinking about applying all the time?....I think i'm driving my wife crazy with all my ortho talk... 😀

 

[DDSSlave]

Thanks for your reply,

I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on what to include in a C.V. I was specifically wondering if I should include that I've treated simple ortho cases (2 ant. crossbite and one short comprehensive case with faculty). Is the C.V. a place to include these details?

Also wondering if number of hours spent assisting/observing in the ortho clinic should be included or is this just relevant for my own school's application? Any thoughts on C.V. or answers to these questions would be appreciated...anyone else find themselves thinking about applying all the time?....I think i'm driving my wife crazy with all my ortho talk... 😀

Those are things to talk about in an interview or maybe a personal statement, but not a cv. Your cv needs to highlight your research, honors, academic involvement, leadership roles, and significant community service. The first two are more important. The others should show you as a well rounded individual.

As for the number of hours observing in the ortho clinic, the sole fact that you enjoy observing in the clinic is more important that the exact number of hours. I would think this is irrelevant for your own program since the faculty have seen you there observing and already know your interest. If not, go out and meet and talk with them.

 

[hind]

I want to ask the same question as "splint" had asked in very beginning. My stats are as following:
Part I : 88%
Part II: 82%
GRE: 1740/2400
TOEFL: 257/300
GPA: 3.5 for bachelors and 2.7 for masters
Class rank: 4
I am a foreign graduate. I did my bachelors and masters in ortho from India. I have my DDS through four exams in CA. I am practicing orthodontics (as a dentist) for 2 yrs now. Last year I applied in 24 uni. but did not receive single interview. I thought it is because of my part I score so right now I have started studying for it. But besides part I, please suggest me other things to improve my chances to get interviews. I have never been to school in US so don’t know much about the system here so please tell me all critics and suggestions. Thanks.

I will appreciate if somebody give me answer.Thanks

 

[DDSSlave]

I will appreciate if somebody give me answer.Thanks

I'd retake both Part I and II if I were you. Part II may even be hurting you more than part I. Also consider retaking the GRE. I've been told an 1800 (using the old scoring system) is a "good" score. You may even consider doing an AEGD/GPR or get an MS in biomaterials. The main thing is getting >90 on the Boards especially applying as a foreign graduate. Good luck.

 

[hind]

I'd retake both Part I and II if I were you. Part II may even be hurting you more than part I. Also consider retaking the GRE. I've been told an 1800 (using the old scoring system) is a "good" score. You may even consider doing an AEGD/GPR or get an MS in biomaterials. The main thing is getting >90 on the Boards especially applying as a foreign graduate. Good luck.

Thank you

 

[Maxillicious]

does anyone know which programs allow moonlighting? or atleast those that you can 'get away' with moonlighting at.

 

[nomad2007]

Does anyone have a list of the 2 yr programs - PASS obviously doesn't have a finite list, since all don't participate.

Also, as far as credentials go: Are some programs more geared toward applicants academic qualifications [GPA,Rank, board scores] & others toward non-academic [research, honors, comm service, leadership]? If anyone knows, could you please share??

I'm begging you guys here:0)

 

[petunia99]

Does anyone have a list of the 2 yr programs - PASS obviously doesn't have a finite list, since all don't participate.

Also, as far as credentials go: Are some programs more geared toward applicants academic qualifications [GPA,Rank, board scores] & others toward non-academic [research, honors, comm service, leadership]? If anyone knows, could you please share??

I'm begging you guys here:0)

You will see posted on here that it is boards, boards, boards and class rank that will get you in the door. The other stuff helps after that but most importantly the interview, if you get there.

Here is a quick list from ASDA's guide to Postdoc Programs

24 Months:
Children's National Medical Center (DC)
Nova
Jacksonville
Indiana
U of Iowa
U of Louisville
U of Detroit Mercy
U of Minnesota
U of Rochester
Virginia Commonwealth U

25 Months:
BU
Penn

26 Months:
U of Missouri Kansas City
Oklahoma
U of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston
Marquette U

27 Months:
Loma Linda
U of Colorado
Temple
Baylor

30 Months:
Michigan
St Louis U
Nebraska
SUNY Buffalo
Case
Oregon
Washington

 

[DDSSlave]

Are some programs more geared toward applicants academic qualifications [GPA,Rank, board scores]

That would be every ortho program.

 

[nomad2007]

You will see posted on here that it is boards, boards, boards and class rank that will get you in the door. The other stuff helps after that but most importantly the interview, if you get there.



Gracias amiga! This info will help alot!

 

[nomad2007]

That would be every ortho program.

I guess that was a nincompoop question on my part, but thanks for answering. I suppose I should have asked if there is a range for academic scores that could be compensated for/or not with research, graduate degrees, leadership, etc - I am also wondering what candidates will be like this year [07] and what programs/committees are interested in.
I have run into a few people at my school & others over the years with high gpa's-3.9/board scores-95/rank and still didn't match - not a nice thought after all that work.

here are some sample cases for you guys to chew on:
who will be selected - one, none or both???? Any suggestions for these mock candidates??

candidate #1 with boards score; part 1: 82
gpa: 3.0
rank: unknown
DMD/DDS candidate
US Permanent resident/foreign
Other lang:some french/spanish
female

And has: published research, oral presentations at national conferences, masters degree, scholarships, awards & leadership in dental school, etc

would have _______ % chance of getting an interview & into an ortho program?


vs. candidate #2 board scores; part 1: 93
gpa: 3.8
rank: 1/50
DMD/DDS candidate
us citizen
female

Academic honor frat [dental], minimal service/leadership, no masters, no research

would have a _________% chance of getting an interview & into an ortho program



I know there is no statistical way of determining this, but maybe someone knows of cases that are "weird" or "exceptional" or "what the heck"- It will be interesting to see what the candidate pool will be like this year.

Your thoughts on this are appreciated - gracias amigos/amigas

 

[ItsGavinC]

Candidate #2 has a 0% shot of getting an interview for an ortho spot.
Candidate #1 will get interviews, but from what I can tell interviews don't always equate with a match.

 

[gryffindor]

You will see posted on here that it is boards, boards, boards and class rank that will get you in the door. The other stuff helps after that but most importantly the interview, if you get there.

Here is a quick list from ASDA's guide to Postdoc Programs

24 Months:
Children's National Medical Center (DC)
Nova
Jacksonville
Indiana
U of Iowa
U of Louisville
U of Detroit Mercy
U of Minnesota
U of Rochester
Virginia Commonwealth U

25 Months:
BU
Penn

26 Months:
U of Missouri Kansas City
Oklahoma
U of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston
Marquette U

27 Months:
Loma Linda
U of Colorado
Temple
Baylor

30 Months:
Michigan
St Louis U
Nebraska
SUNY Buffalo
Case
Oregon
Washington

Your list is missing some schools. Tufts is 2 years, Howard is 2 years, NYU is 2 years, Pacific is 27 months. There maybe some more programs that are shorter than 3 years, but I can't remember anymore.

A good place to look is the AAO website, they seem to have an updated list of residencies on there. www.braces.org

 

[DDSSlave]

I'll take a stab and say:

Candidate 1: 0% chance
Candidate 2: 95% chance simply by being #1 (I don't agree with it, but that's reality)

 

[Triple06]

I was just curious if I could get any feedback on likelihood of receiving ortho interviews with my stats. I got a 90 part I and am ranked 13 or so in my class (GPA 3.7). I have leadership (ASDA ,class rep, etc) and research experience (national meetings, two abstracts, one ortho related).
Do you think that this is enough to get very many interviews? Also any ideas on a good number of schools to apply to? (is 20 enough/not enough). Any general ortho comments on applying would be helpful, i know last years batch had really great stats.
Cheers

I don't think you would have a problem matching somewhere. You may not receive an interview at the top programs such as UNC or UW, but if you apply to enough schools, like, all of them, you will match. Even though your boards and rank aren't as competitive for the top programs, they are definitely high enough to get you in! I know of someone with similiar stats (rank #13, NB 87) who didn't have as much research or extracurricular activities that matched this year. As long as your personal statement is unique and your letters are stellar, as well as your personality during interviews, you will do just fine!!! Good Luck!!!

 

[wayoutwest]

Not to shoot you down or anything, but I had very similar stats and didn't match. I think it is certainly possible, but I wouldn't bank on anything. Good luck.

I don't think you would have a problem matching somewhere. You may not receive an interview at the top programs such as UNC or UW, but if you apply to enough schools, like, all of them, you will match. Even though your boards and rank aren't as competitive for the top programs, they are definitely high enough to get you in! I know of someone with similiar stats (rank #13, NB 87) who didn't have as much research or extracurricular activities that matched this year. As long as your personal statement is unique and your letters are stellar, as well as your personality during interviews, you will do just fine!!! Good Luck!!!

 

[splint]

Not to shoot you down or anything, but I had very similar stats and didn't match. I think it is certainly possible, but I wouldn't bank on anything. Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback! I was wondering, if you wouldn't mind sharing, how many programs did you apply to and how many interviews did you receive. (I know a guy at my school, with worse stats than myself, that applied to 11 schools and only got one interview and that was at our school...makes me worried that all this effort will be wasted).

Anyway, if anybody besides "wayoutwest" wants to let us know about their application experience please feel free. I for one would greatly appreciate. 🙂

 

[Triple06]

Thanks for the feedback! I was wondering, if you wouldn't mind sharing, how many programs did you apply to and how many interviews did you receive. (I know a guy at my school, with worse stats than myself, that applied to 11 schools and only got one interview and that was at our school...makes me worried that all this effort will be wasted).

Anyway, if anybody besides "wayoutwest" wants to let us know about their application experience please feel free. I for one would greatly appreciate. 🙂

If the guy didn't have great stats, he probably only received one interview because he didn't apply to enough programs. The people from my school with stellar applications applied to approx. 10 programs and received at least 7 interviews. The people who were less competitive applied to at least 20 and up to 40 schools and received 5 or so interviews. No one wants to go through the application/interview process more than once, so my advice would be to apply to as many programs as possible. It is worth the money! Also, make your personal statement unique! There are many spots available for people without all the perfect stuff, but you have to make yourself stand out above the others with equal statistics. Make sure your letter writers really know you and can attest to your positive attitude, work ethic, etc. You may not be able to change your class rank, but you can participate in many community service projects and research. Hope that helps.

 

[Triple06]

Not to shoot you down or anything, but I had very similar stats and didn't match. I think it is certainly possible, but I wouldn't bank on anything. Good luck.

Nothing is guaranteed, that is for sure. But, it's not impossible. Don't give up. Good luck.

 

[gryffindor]

If the guy didn't have great stats, he probably only received one interview because he didn't apply to enough programs. The people from my school with stellar applications applied to approx. 10 programs and received at least 7 interviews. The people who were less competitive applied to at least 20 and up to 40 schools and received 5 or so interviews. No one wants to go through the application/interview process more than once, so my advice would be to apply to as many programs as possible. It is worth the money! Also, make your personal statement unique! There are many spots available for people without all the perfect stuff, but you have to make yourself stand out above the others with equal statistics. Make sure your letter writers really know you and can attest to your positive attitude, work ethic, etc. You may not be able to change your class rank, but you can participate in many community service projects and research. Hope that helps.

Many of the candidates with better stats have all of these things too - great letters of rec., tons of research & leadership. It's not really going to make that much of a difference if the stats aren't competitive to begin with. Almost every candidate I met had a positive attitude during the interviews, and I'm sure almost everyone tries to pick letter writers who will give them favorable recommendations.

I would say start digging through your brain on what makes you REALLY unique. For example, do you collect vintage cash registers? Do you run several marathons a year? Did you grow up in a tiny hometown from an under-represented state like Alaska or Arkansas? Are you an expert magician/calligrapher/baloon-animal artist/rose gardener/etc.? Get the idea? Maybe these qualities will be more applicable during the interview when you want to be memorable, but start thinking about it now.

 

[decaydigger]

Many of the candidates with better stats have all of these things too - great letters of rec., tons of research & leadership. It's not really going to make that much of a difference if the stats aren't competitive to begin with. Almost every candidate I met had a positive attitude during the interviews, and I'm sure almost everyone tries to pick letter writers who will give them favorable recommendations.

I would say start digging through your brain on what makes you REALLY unique. For example, do you collect vintage cash registers? Do you run several marathons a year? Did you grow up in a tiny hometown from an under-represented state like Alaska or Arkansas? Are you an expert magician/calligrapher/baloon-animal artist/rose gardener/etc.? Get the idea? Maybe these qualities will be more applicable during the interview when you want to be memorable, but start thinking about it now.

Well Said Griffn04. By the way congrats on ortho, you'll have a great experience.

Regarding the application stuff. It's accepted that good grades, boards scores, and well written recommendations will give you a good shot for interviews. However, with a hundred or more applicants, all with good numbers/scores, directors/admissions committees need applicants to stand out. If you didn't get a 99 on Part I, not No. 1 out of 100, don't have a MS or PhD, didn't work outside of full time school, or don't have an inside connection with a program, you'll have to stand out in another way on that application. I've seen 2 application cycles through my residency and read through lots of applications and I now realize the difficulty directors have with narrowing down an interview list from the applicants. Most applicants have competitive board scores, class ranks, and good recommendation letters. So other things have to stand out. Relating past experiences in life/work/extracurricular are great, but realize they should be unique. I've read many of personal statements on how influential an orthodontist on him or her and that's why he/she wants to be an orthodontist. If that's your personal statement, consider that it won't be the first many of these directors have read that.

My residency program has residents that were military academy graduates, previous art majors, MBA's, owners of companies, MS degrees, pediatric dentists, some with significant work experience, and some college athletes. From an application stand point these are unique things. Of couse, we have major stands outs academically with 99 on boards and No. 1 class ranks, but realize that's your competition. Most programs have residents with similar qualifications.

Ask yourself what would seperate you from others you know applying for ortho. If you were reading applications, would you pick yours over others for an inteview. Even then a little luck doesn't hurt. 😉 I also recommend to apply to as many places as possible (remember it's only 2 or 3 yrs of residency, if you've been through dental school you could live anywhere for a few years), you don't want to leave any stone unturned.

One more bit of adivce, try to avoid bright neon yellow resume paper for CV's and personal statements. It grabs attention in the WRONG way.

Best of luck with you applications.