Originally posted by ItsGavinC
It DOES participate in the dental "match" program which is PASS.
FYI, January 9, 2004 is the date that the rank order match list must be submitted for the PASS programs you are interested in. Ortho is the only specialty that has a two-phase match process, and that list has to be submitted right before Thanksgiving, I believe.
Gavin, this isn't entirely correct.
There is a dental MATCH program which is totally separate from PASS. It is administered by National Matching Services, NMS, who also administers matches for other professions, including the medical match.
www.natmatch.org
Applying to post-grad is kinda confusing with all these acronyms. First, as a dental student, you apply to PASS. PASS is the dental student version of AADSAS. They are actually both administered by the same people at the ADEA in Washington, DC. PASS will process your essay, letters of rec, dental transcript, resume, etc., and send them to the programs you indicate that you want to receive your PASS materials. After sending your stuff into PASS, you have to look at the program you applied to and see if they want any additional info sent to them that PASS did not process - such as photographs or college transcripts. It is up to you to make sure you get them the extra stuff.
However, there are programs that don't participate in PASS. For these programs, you have to use the application that the program provides and be sure to send them all the stuff they want (essay, letters of rec, transcripts, etc). They basically want everything you just did for PASS, but don't participate with PASS, it's very irritating.
All of these programs, whether they participate in PASS or not, can be part of MATCH. When you are doing application stuff, you have to remember to send a check to MATCH so you can register with them and obtain a MATCH number. Now, you go interview with your programs (PASS or non-PASS). After the interviews, you go on the MATCH website and rank your programs prior to the deadlines Gavin posted. Then, on MATCH day, you find out which program you will be attending. You only get one acceptance. There is a possibility that you might not match. In that case, a list comes out that day of programs who did not fill their slots and you contact the programs individually to see if you can arrange something with them.
The ortho MATCH is held earlier than everyone else. My guess is b/c there is a higher chance that applicants to ortho will not match into a program b/c there are way more applicants than there are spots. This would give the applicants a chance to still apply and interview for other residencies and participate in the second match.
There are 4 possible combinations then of post-grad programs:
1. Part of PASS, participates in MATCH
2. Not part of PASS (own application), participates in MATCH
3. Part of PASS, does not participate in MATCH
4. Not part of PASS (own application), does not participate in MATCH
Programs that are described by #3 & 4 have to let you know of their decision to accept you or not before the MATCH process occurs. This way, if you are accepted by the program and you decide to go there, you have to drop out of the MATCH. MATCH was designed so every applicant will only get one acceptance. This is supposed to eliminate applicants hoarding multiple acceptances and taking tons of time to decide which program to attend, making it tough for the program to fill its slots and for other applicants to get a response. In the end, you can only attend one program anyways, so they figure the MATCH system is the best way to give you that one acceptance.
Stargirl - Most pedo programs are part of both PASS & MATCH. Pedo is getting to be more competitive, but I've been told that with a class standing in the top half and the right personality, you can get in. Personality should count for a lot in any aspect of dentistry, but it matters more in Pedo. Also, experiences demonstrating why Pedo is for you should help as well.
