Penn Dental - OMFS

[futuredent122024]

Hi everyone! I know we have talked about Penn on many threads, but their curriculum seems to have changed a bit recently with the new dean and more emphasis on clinical. I figured I would start a new thread to gather more info on whether it's still a good idea to go to Penn Dental with hopes of placing into a OMFS residency? How are their match rates? Are Harvard and Columbia significantly better? Thank you everyone!

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[Allsmiles!]

Hi everyone! I know we have talked about Penn on many threads, but their curriculum seems to have changed a bit recently with the new dean and more emphasis on clinical. I figured I would start a new thread to gather more info on whether it's still a good idea to go to Penn Dental with hopes of placing into a OMFS residency? How are their match rates? Are Harvard and Columbia significantly better? Thank you everyone!

The actual curriculum is the same...when tests are given changed...in clinic sooner and more often...a good thing...OMFS 16/18 matched.

 

[Ivy.ch]

Still 2-3x more expensive than a State school. Maybe you think you’re definitely going to go into OS, but please, consider that you won’t. Maybe the CBSE is too hard, maybe a lady/lad comes into your life, maybe you back off after taking call on externships, maybe you fall in love with restorative dentistry, maybe you want to make real money in dental businesses . There are a thousand reasons why your plan might change. You know what won’t change - the debt. Actually, it will change, it will increase by the time you graduate.

I know this topic has been beaten to death. But you asked if it was a good idea, and I’m giving my opinion: not really, regardless of whatever curriculum changes have gone into effect. I watched my buddies match this past year from state schools just like the expensive private school students. Those schools match more because more people want to match there. My school doesn’t match many, because everyone came into school wanting to do general dentistry. Even if your plan doesn’t change, you will match from any school.

Alright, obligatory post trying to save a student from crippling debt over. I’ll go away now.

 

[futuredent122024]

The actual curriculum is the same...when tests are given changed...in clinic sooner and more often...a good thing...OMFS 16/18 matched.

Is 16/18 for this cycle at Penn?

 

[GimmeTheScalpel]

It’s 12/14 who matched. It’s a little tough to answer tbh though. Penn is becoming much more clinically oriented which is a positive but certain changes have made it *harder* for students to be well positioned for OMFS. When I was a D1, our exam schedule was formatted as 1 per week, which was a plus. Also, preclinic was not graded, which was also a plus and left more time for studying for exams and CBSE. We also got more vacation/externship time (8 weeks between D3 and D4).

Preclinic will be graded for next year’s D1 class and the exam schedule is now block format. You get 2 weeks for externship and 2 weeks for vacation between D3 and D4. You will get more clinical opportunities which is a huge plus for people who aren’t sure whether they want to do general or specialize. I think the new Dean is a very hungry person and has a vision for the school so hopefully things turn out great for Penn. Regardless, even though the path toward OMFS might be more challenging with these changes, the school will try to support you in pursuit of your goals.

 

[futuredent122024]

It’s 12/14 who matched. It’s a little tough to answer tbh though. Penn is becoming much more clinically oriented which is a positive but certain changes have made it *harder* for students to be well positioned for OMFS. When I was a D1, our exam schedule was formatted as 1 per week, which was a plus. Also, preclinic was not graded, which was also a plus and left more time for studying for exams and CBSE. We also got more vacation/externship time (8 weeks between D3 and D4).

Preclinic will be graded for next year’s D1 class and the exam schedule is now block format. You get 2 weeks for externship and 2 weeks for vacation between D3 and D4. You will get more clinical opportunities which is a huge plus for people who aren’t sure whether they want to do general or specialize. I think the new Dean is a very hungry person and has a vision for the school so hopefully things turn out great for Penn. Regardless, even though the path toward OMFS might be more challenging with these changes, the school will try to support you in pursuit of your goals.

Thanks for the info! What is block format btw?

 

[futuredent122024]

It’s 12/14 who matched. It’s a little tough to answer tbh though. Penn is becoming much more clinically oriented which is a positive but certain changes have made it *harder* for students to be well positioned for OMFS. When I was a D1, our exam schedule was formatted as 1 per week, which was a plus. Also, preclinic was not graded, which was also a plus and left more time for studying for exams and CBSE. We also got more vacation/externship time (8 weeks between D3 and D4).

Preclinic will be graded for next year’s D1 class and the exam schedule is now block format. You get 2 weeks for externship and 2 weeks for vacation between D3 and D4. You will get more clinical opportunities which is a huge plus for people who aren’t sure whether they want to do general or specialize. I think the new Dean is a very hungry person and has a vision for the school so hopefully things turn out great for Penn. Regardless, even though the path toward OMFS might be more challenging with these changes, the school will try to support you in pursuit of your goals.

Also do you know if Penn will still be hybrid between a traditional dental school and Harvard/Columbia in terms of the curriculum? In other words, will Penn students still learn more material relevant for the CBSE exam than the traditional dental school?