Premed to predent

[dark__prince]

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Hi as title says I'm kind of thinking about dental school because of OFMS. I
I’ve shadowed an OMFS in both the office and hospital setting and I have been hooked on the complexity and investment into each patient. Ever since I got to see a split osteotomy planning and actual 8 procedure I just want to do more with it. Seeing a full TMJ surgery was an incredible experience and I’ll never forget when the surgeon detach the upper maxilla while he had me stare as close as allowed.

Problem is my app has been geared towards medicine my whole academic career. I started undergrad in 2013 at a community college w/ a weak gpa (2.7), transferred to a priv uni (3.1) then again at another priv uni (3.85). I also completed my masters at rutgers w/ nearly a 4.0. I work as a scribe at a general surgery clinic and was able to shadow the surgeons there as well as an orthopedic surgeon.

I've even talked to an NJMS admissions dean and she stated my gpa and experience looked good but my interviewing skills need work and I need to take the mcat.

I understand that OMFS applicants have to take the cbse (mock step-1) which seems interesting since it provides both worlds of dentistry and medicine combined.
My personality type wants to specialize so I would ideally want to aim for that. However I understand that I need to get in first.
How bad would it look that I shadowed gen surg, orthopedic surg, neuro, emergency med, and ofms w/ scribing and I still want to go into dental school?

Ideally I would be aiming for rutgers since its cheap and my state school. I will try to speak with the dean of admissions there but they haven't answered my emails yet.

 

[macsak]

Hi as title says I'm kind of thinking about dental school because of OFMS. I
I’ve shadowed an OMFS in both the office and hospital setting and I have been hooked on the complexity and investment into each patient. Ever since I got to see a split osteotomy planning and actual 8 procedure I just want to do more with it. Seeing a full TMJ surgery was an incredible experience and I’ll never forget when the surgeon detach the upper maxilla while he had me stare as close as allowed.

Problem is my app has been geared towards medicine my whole academic career. I started undergrad in 2013 at a community college w/ a weak gpa (2.7), transferred to a priv uni (3.1) then again at another priv uni (3.85). I also completed my masters at rutgers w/ nearly a 4.0. I work as a scribe at a general surgery clinic and was able to shadow the surgeons there as well as an orthopedic surgeon.

I've even talked to an NJMS admissions dean and she stated my gpa and experience looked good but my interviewing skills need work and I need to take the mcat.

I understand that OMFS applicants have to take the cbse (mock step-1) which seems interesting since it provides both worlds of dentistry and medicine combined.
My personality type wants to specialize so I would ideally want to aim for that. However I understand that I need to get in first.
How bad would it look that I shadowed gen surg, orthopedic surg, neuro, emergency med, and ofms w/ scribing and I still want to go into dental school?

Ideally I would be aiming for rutgers since its cheap and my state school. I will try to speak with the dean of admissions there but they haven't answered my emails yet.

the dean of admissions at most schools are busy with admitting the D1 classes and starting the current cycles
don't expect much communications from many schools
the time to make these types of inquiries is the first 6 months of the year...

 

[macsak]

Hi as title says I'm kind of thinking about dental school because of OFMS. I
I’ve shadowed an OMFS in both the office and hospital setting and I have been hooked on the complexity and investment into each patient. Ever since I got to see a split osteotomy planning and actual 8 procedure I just want to do more with it. Seeing a full TMJ surgery was an incredible experience and I’ll never forget when the surgeon detach the upper maxilla while he had me stare as close as allowed.

Problem is my app has been geared towards medicine my whole academic career. I started undergrad in 2013 at a community college w/ a weak gpa (2.7), transferred to a priv uni (3.1) then again at another priv uni (3.85). I also completed my masters at rutgers w/ nearly a 4.0. I work as a scribe at a general surgery clinic and was able to shadow the surgeons there as well as an orthopedic surgeon.

I've even talked to an NJMS admissions dean and she stated my gpa and experience looked good but my interviewing skills need work and I need to take the mcat.

I understand that OMFS applicants have to take the cbse (mock step-1) which seems interesting since it provides both worlds of dentistry and medicine combined.
My personality type wants to specialize so I would ideally want to aim for that. However I understand that I need to get in first.
How bad would it look that I shadowed gen surg, orthopedic surg, neuro, emergency med, and ofms w/ scribing and I still want to go into dental school?

Ideally I would be aiming for rutgers since its cheap and my state school. I will try to speak with the dean of admissions there but they haven't answered my emails yet.

the first thing you need to do is shadow general dentists
you go to dental school to become a general dentist
to have a shot at OS, you need to be at the top of your class, ace the CBSE and be able to take advantage of all the externships/rotations in dental school, and interview well
you need to find out if you like general dentistry just in case you don't get a chance to specialize...

 

[Mr.Smile12]

How bad would it look that I shadowed gen surg, orthopedic surg, neuro, emergency med, and ofms w/ scribing and I still want to go into dental school?

How many hours are we talking about?

As my colleague said, you need to be shadowing and working for general dentists. Compile as many hours working in dental offices as you have with your clinical experience as a premed. Dentistry isn't orthopedics for teeth. If this is what you want to do, go all in. Wait a couple of years, and ace the DAT.

 

[Ryxndek]

Need to shadow a few general dentists. OMFS isn’t a guarantee, and like @macsak said, you need to at least be under the impression that you’d be okay with be a general dentistry first and foremost if this is the route you want to take. Schools graduate general dentists, it’s not their job to get you into a specialty like it is for medicine. So recognize you will have to put a ton of work in and out of the classroom if OMFS is your end goal

I personally wouldn’t put your medical shadowing hours on your dental app, that doesn’t seem like the best of ideas. But if asked why dentistry in an interview you can certainly speak about your shadowing experiences related to medicine. But again, you are applying to dental school, not medical school, so focus on that.

 

[dark__prince]

How many hours are we talking about?

As my colleague said, you need to be shadowing and working for general dentists. Compile as many hours working in dental offices as you have with your clinical experience as a premed. Dentistry isn't orthopedics for teeth. If this is what you want to do, go all in. Wait a couple of years, and ace the DAT.

EM - 80-100
Neuro - 60
Cardiology - 150 as scribe
Gen surg - almost 2 years as a scribe, shadowed in OR for 3 surgeries
Ortho - shadowed in OR for 3 surgeries

Waiting a couple years? I mean I can apply next cycle, and shadow in the dental office. I know of people who shadowed a dentist for less than 100 hours, just took the dat and got in. Couldn't I just explain that I liked working in the dental office more and the idea of OMFS is appealing due to the knowledge of both?

 

[Maxnantucket]

I admire your strong interest in OS! I'm a 4th year dental student, however, and I'll say: DO NOT do this if you are soley wanting your end goal to be oral surgery. Like someone above said, you need to make sure you really like general dentistry just in case in dental school things go different for what they need to be to compete for a spot in an OMFS residency (such as - you don't end up anywhere near top of your class, with classes you find out OFMS really isn't all that it seems, etc.)
I personally wouldn't list any of those medical shadowing hours on your application (other than the OMFS one since its at least dental-related and possibly list your job as a medical scribe). Instead, at interviews when they ask "why dentistry?" you can then tell them that you've seen the medical side of things and it drew you more to dental. That will be a good talking point. I got into 9 schools with a little above 70 shadowing hours, most of which were done at a pediatric office and various general offices.

Make sure you would be happy making dentures, delivering crowns, education patients on preventative measures, and doing fillings for the rest of your career if you do not get into residency. My school has an OS rotation, and we have to pull 22 teeth at a minimum to graduate. So they do give oral surgery content, but it is very, very limited.
I hope this helps! 🙂

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

***IF YOU WILL NOT BE CONTENT BEING A GENERAL DENTIST, DO NOT GO TO DENTAL SCHOOL!!!***

The Match rate for OMFS is probably around 50%. Are you going to be OK basing your life off of a coin toss?

Big Hoss

 

[Mr.Smile12]

🤦‍♂️🤦‍♀️

 

[_omfs_resident_]

I have an unpopular opinion but I 100% was set on Omfs prior to dental school and made it happen. I was as far down the med school route as buying MCAT prep books and made a switch last second and took the DAT and applied to dental school without ever shadowing a dentist. TBH I got to D2 year and was learning what a crown was for the first time, had no idea dentists even did crowns until D2. Just lay out a plan and make it happen.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Just lay out a plan and make it happen.

Big Hoss

 

[_omfs_resident_]

View attachment 393723

Big Hoss

Just be Mike Tyson and not the other guy. Simple

 

[Mr.Smile12]

View attachment 393723

Big Hoss

Of course, you should plan to see your dentist and wear a mouthguard. 🙂