Leafhound:
In your earlier post you said, " i also have emails from penn students who are generally satisfied with their programs as well. "
Thanks for posting clipping of the penn emails, but I wanted to let you know that you just posted the parts you felt would show UF in a much positive light than PENN.
Regarding facilities, mind you that PENN just has opened up a new state of the art 70,000 square feet Robert Schattner center. Granted, some of the facilities were old, but the school is historic. Over 125 years old. It could be a museum if you wanted it to be.
The school has their own Leon Levy Library for the dental school, alone. I haven't encountered a single other school that has their own dental library that houses only material for the dentist.
One of the students posted that most the curriculum is more medicine. Well, dentistry is a speciality of medicine. We are doctors of the oral cavity. We as future dentists need to know about systemic diseases that could progress to the oral cavity.
Some early symptoms arise throughout the body but can be detected with scrutiny with the naked eye in the oral cavity. For example, Candida albicans causes oral thrush and presence of oral thrush in the mouth illustrates immune deficiency, or HIV. A dentist must know what is going on there, not only in the mouth but in the entire body.
PENN requires every student to do 70 hours of community service before graduating as a graduation requirement. This emphasises philanthropy and giving back to the community, which each one of us must do. I believe in take a lot, but always give a little back.
PENN requires a 6 week hospital externship that can be done at affiliated hospitals(in USA) or over 30 destinations across the globe. I've heard of temple offering the Haiti trip, but PENN has organized these for their dental students.
PENN offers Primary Care Units (PCU) which are assignments that D3's receive that give the student a full eye view of all aspects of the general clinic that are located at various locations throughout the philly area. I personally went into a PCU and let me tell you the experience at a PCU is unique. it sure beats working in a huge clinic. It gives the student a feel for the private clinic.
PENN is the only school with its own journal: PENN Dental Journal. Which is the oldest of its kind.
I believe PENN is the only dental school with its own "Dental House." Here only dental students live. Also a faculty member is available as well. And a Lab is offered at all times of the day for your convenience.
Unlike other schools, i've noticed that PENN judiciously plans out the curriculum so it doesn't overlapp with boards. Many students U.Washington were complaining about having to go do their boards and then start taking finals. (Columbia people, this is you too.) Rather than starting out 10 classes at one time, PENN starts with five classes and in the middle begins the other five, while the first five end earlier and then the next five end. So only the few middle weeks you will have all ten classes together. (example), so that minimizes brain explosion.
PENN has a Summer Research Program, to give students a hands on feel of research. The dental school publishes well over 100 articles in major publications each year. PENN Is in the top five schools with the most NIH funding.
PENN has stringent competency expectations: which is a program that requires ALL students must demostrate IN ADDITION to individual department and course requirements which are divided into four categories:General Skills, Patient care competencies, Treatment, and Practice management.
Someone mentioned that you can see how much a school is worth by seeing if people donate back to it. There is no problem with donations at PENN. Dr. Schattner just donated 4,000,000 dollars (40,000 Benjamins) for the new center. With ample other donations exceeding $10,000. So if people are giving back that much money to this school, then definately it has given them something priceless that even money cannot repay.
A fulfilling future in dental medicine. Confidence to take a lot and give back to the community. Pride. passion for dentistry and community service. People are proud to go to this school and so am I.
Specialties? A couple of years ago there were 14 people who went into Ortho. No that is not a miss print, fourteen. At U.Washington rarely 2 people get into orthodontics. Only 5 people went straight to General practice. I don't know if I want to specialize, but it doesn't hurt to go to a school with such high caliber.
Dual degrees. PENN has options to get you M.S. Ed in the same time to get your DMD or your MPH. It's good to have options there.
So if you want a well rounded program. PENN is your solution. If you start worrying about money now, then you will always worry about money. It is a well known fact, that if you want to make money you must first lose money. Is 42,000 a year a lot. Of course it is. But in the long run it is a small price to pay to have a fulfilling career as a proud alumni of University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine.
I say to you today, "Go in confidence or don't go at all." It is a proven fact that those people who are successful in life always think positive. So what if I'll be $250,000+ in debt, the more i'm sunk the more motivation i will have to make it back. People have done it before us, am I less competent then them? HECK NO!! I plan on making money when I graduate. Life is much more than just money. Other factors must overweigh money at times.
I hope Damian, AcidETCH, Ranman, and all those other who might join me next year, this post will give you confidence that you are making the right decision. As long as you know, it really doesn't matter what they say.
PENN DENTAL 007~ Bond, James Bond
DesiDentist
PENN: THE SCHOOL THAT LOVES YOU BACK!!!
But I guess that dental students will be too busy to notice. 
