Please help!! Nova or Buffalo

[swimmerUt80]

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I will have to make a deposit at one or the other; I just can not decide between the two!! It seems like Nova is more on the cutting edge of dental technology but Buffalo is so cheap. I want to live in Fl some day so wouldn't it make sense to go to school in the area where you want to live? If you could choose between a school that does not have specialties and one that does which would you choose? I heard that if you go to a school that does not have specialties you get a chance to work with more difficult patients, is that true?

 

[skyskier]

In my acceptance letter from Buffalo it says that the deposit is refundable until March 1st, so it can't hurt to at least send them a check. I decided not to interview at NOVA so I can't offer a good comparison. Even though Buffalo doesn't have all the bells and whistles that NOVA has, the feedback that I got from the students was that they felt more than comfortable doing procedures after practicing in the lab. At NOVA, I have heard of students having much difficulty getting a chair in clinic, whereas at Buffalo you will have your own chair and will never have that problem. Buffalo is also a lot cheaper and is also a great school. If it were me I'd choose Buffalo.

 

[dmonee6]

Personally, I say Nova... warm weather, you want to practice in florida, advanced technology, new facilities, take the NBDE part 1 after the first year, and ft. lauderdale/miami has a HUGE patient pool. U might have to be on top of your game to get a chair, but there shouldn't be a huge problem with finding patients. I might be biased tho...I am from south florida and i'll be going to nova next year, haha.

Hope to see u next year

 

[fireblast713]

My vote is for nova

 

[TheWiredNerv]

If you want to stay in FI then think about all the contacts you may make while going to NOVA but I'd say Buffalo is the most bang for the buck, if you don't mind the cold. Both are great programs and of course you can't go wrong.

 

[SHC1984]

The two schools have similar rep...so go to NOVA...at least the weather is NICE! 😉

I will have to make a deposit at one or the other; I just can not decide between the two!! It seems like Nova is more on the cutting edge of dental technology but Buffalo is so cheap. I want to live in Fl some day so wouldn't it make sense to go to school in the area where you want to live? If you could choose between a school that does not have specialties and one that does which would you choose? I heard that if you go to a school that does not have specialties you get a chance to work with more difficult patients, is that true?

 

[J2theB]

Ya ide agree that if you want to practice in Florida it would definately be more beneficial to go to Nova👍. And yes the money is refundable for awhile so you still have some time to think about it.

 

[Danny0230]

other than the weather, which is so overrated (especially if you're from a cold weather area already) i haven't heard one bad thing about buffalo that would make me unhappy there

 

[DrSmiles12]

Doesn't Buffalo have some really old facilities?!

 

[ncalcate]

Doesn't Buffalo have some really old facilities?!

I am a student at Buffalo and I think everything posted so far, except for the old facilities comment, is accurate. I have no major complaints about Buffalo and it has a great price tag.

I've heard a bunch of stories about Florida's licensing exam. Since you seem to want to practice in Florida, you might want to spend a little time researching this. I think you could safely say that if you attended Nova, the whole process of getting licensed in Florida would be easier than if you attended Buffalo.

One of the endo residents at Buffalo wants to practice in Florida and she literally had to fly herself, all her dental equipment, and her patient all the way to Florida for the exam.

If you come to Buffalo you will get a great education and you will become a great dentist. No doubts about that. But if I were you, I would definitely consider some of these licensure issues in your decision of Buffalo vs. Nova.

Good luck.

 

[bennijai]

i shadowed a dentist who recently graduated from buffalo and her only complaint was the cold. of course the cold is exagerrated but she said for the most part thats what you remember when you go to buffalo. overall she enjoyed her stay there and have no complaints since she met her fiance there. haha.

you said you want to practice in FL so mind as well head into NOVA right?

 

[gryffindor]

One of the endo residents at Buffalo wants to practice in Florida and she literally had to fly herself, all her dental equipment, and her patient all the way to Florida for the exam.

While this can be a major inconvenience at the time when you have to take the exam, all this amounts to is $$$. The OP mentioned Buffalo is cheap. With the price difference between Buffalo and Nova, the OP could probably fly down the patient and 3 backups for the exam and still come out with significantly less debt over attending Nova for 4 years. Off the top of my head, I had at least 3 classmates go to Florida for AEGDs and they are all still there practicing. Two of them took and passed the Florida boards during their AEGDs and dropped out halfway through their programs for private practice and never came back to NY. I wouldn't base my decision between Buffalo & Nova based on a state licensing exam. Even though Florida is known to be difficult to pass (California used to be the same way), there are licensing courses and patient finding services you can $$$ pay for that will get you through the process when the time comes.

 

[ElectraOnAzalea]

AHhhhhhhhh. I'm having this same problem. State school Vs. Private school. I wish money was NOT an issue. It's lame picking a school based solely on money when SO many other factors are included, but it seems like 98,000 dollars wins it out in my head every time. Even if I think i would be happier elsewhere, that's A LOT more money. I'm so torn. I don't want to be miserable for four years, but i don't want to be miserable because of debt for 20 more.

bleh.👎

 

[Regmata]

You don't get residentcy in Florida if you are only there for school (as far as I know). Florida licensing is a bear for out-of-staters...but the cost of getting the license is minimal once you add up the total price of your education...

 

[ncalcate]

While this can be a major inconvenience at the time when you have to take the exam, all this amounts to is $$$. .

Griffin, I always read your posts and you are dead on nearly all the time. However, I think this is not just a money issue, it is also a time/hassle issue. As you likely remember, 1st semester 4th year at Buffalo is not easy. With all the CPU requirements, CPEs, studying for part II, surplus time is at a premium. The students taking the NERB - hosted at Buffalo - have a lot on their plate right now, but all they have to worry about is having their patients make a 20 minute drive from Depew as opposed to jumping on an airplane to Florida.

So the Florida licensure issue is not just something the OP can throw money at in order to solve. It will be a huge hassle (assuming the OP doesn't do an AEGD or GPR in Florida and take the Florida boards as a resident) and the OP should be aware of it.

I'm not suggesting that the OP make his/her decision solely upon this one factor. I just think he/she should include this as a factor in the decision making process. But there are other factors - mainly price - that are more important.

 

[STIG]

I'd say go to NOVA! I just interviewed there and absolutely fall in love it!

too bad I can't say the same for UB.

 

[HuyetKiem]

Go to buffalo. Having your own chair is a perk !

 

[Mask667]

Buffalo is an awesome school:

Most of the faculty is very nice
You will get your own operatory in your third year
Cheap
Great clinical experience
So far they offer Boards preparation

Negative(s):
Weather


I don't know much about NOVA but all I can say is that it is new, more expensive than Buffalo but the weather is probably nice and warm 😎

-Mask667

 

[blankguy]

Buffalo is an awesome school:

Most of the faculty is very nice
You will get your own operatory in your third year
Cheap
Great clinical experience
So far they offer Boards preparation

Negative(s):
Weather


I don't know much about NOVA but all I can say is that it is new, more expensive than Buffalo but the weather is probably nice and warm 😎

-Mask667

I expect to be indoors practically all the time so weather is not much of a factor. Unfortunately if you go to a warm weather place you may have to suffer the consequences of having nice warm weather outside while you are stuck in doors with class/labs/clinics.

 

[Composite A2]

Both are excellent schools, check the price tag which one is cheaper? If both are the same, go to NOVA.....the wheather is nice and its a better enviroment to spend four years in.

 

[blankguy]

Both are excellent schools, check the price tag which one is cheaper? If both are the same, go to NOVA.....the wheather is nice and its a better enviroment to spend four years in.

Nova is private. Buffalo is public. Buffalo is cheaper. The weather in florida is nicer no doubt it's an issue of where the OP wants to practice.

 

[Composite A2]

Nova is private. Buffalo is public. Buffalo is cheaper. The weather in florida is nicer no doubt it's an issue of where the OP wants to practice.

If Buffalo is cheaper, then I would have to go with Buffalo. Move to florida after you graduate.

 

[blankguy]

If Buffalo is cheaper, then I would have to go with Buffalo. Move to florida after you graduate.

Are you sure you want to practice in florida? If yes I suggest NOVA because it is going to be a pain to take the licensing exam in florida from another school.

 

[whydentistry]

I would definitely listen to the others and go with Buffalo!!

 

[blankguy]

An advantage of Buffalo that people haven't mentioned is that it is more established than NOVA. Nova is a relatively new school so they may still have some vestiges of going through growing pains. People from Nova can correct me on this. Let reiterate if you want to stay in Florida go to Nova. If you want to practice somewhere else go to Buffalo.

 

[haisha ni narou]

pick Nova. I have an interview with Buffalo and need the seat! 🙂

 

[jackbauer!]

the weather in FL, for the most part, is horrible. it's like living in a sauna for 8 months a year. another deterrent is the snobby/superficial/white trash crowd that south florida draws. i spent 22 years of my life there and never plan on moving back.

go to Buffalo. save a boatload of cash and your soul.

jb!🙂

 

[ChronarchB]

JB your exaggerating FL is nice and I lived on the East coast, west coast, in the south and FL is the best of all.

 

[DrReo]

the weather in FL, for the most part, is horrible. it's like living in a sauna for 8 months a year. another deterrent is the snobby/superficial/white trash crowd that south florida draws. i spent 22 years of my life there and never plan on moving back.

go to Buffalo. save a boatload of cash and your soul.

jb!🙂

This hilarious!