Residency Admission

[shaby]

Hi everyone:
Does anyone know what Part 1 score and GPA should a US trained dental student have to get accepted to a good program for the following specialties? Ortho, Endo, Perio, Pedo
I just want to get an estimate of where I am right now, and how competitive are these specilaties. Thanks for your help

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[crazy_sherm]

GPA doesn't matter as much as class rank, because each school had different grading. If your school doesn't rank, then it comes down to board scores and conveying the fact that you're really interested - research, externships, good recs, etc.

Ortho is the probably the most competitive of all specialties - so mid to high 90s would get you the best chance.

Most endo programs require a fair amount of endo experience, either from private practice/GPR, a school with a faily strong undergrad endo program, or just someone who was really proactive in learning a lot about endo. Getting in straight out of school is difficult, so you're looking at mid-90s.

Pedo is fairly competitive as well, but usually less so than endo or ortho. Most people I know got low 90s on their boards.

Perio is much less competitive. I know people that got in with low to mid 80s.

 

[shaby]

so are these averages for board scores for the old format...

I know scores are fairly lower from 2007. So does anyone know about the average part 1 scores accepted to ortho, pedo, and perio?

 

[54807]

so are these averages for board scores for the old format...

I know scores are fairly lower from 2007. So does anyone know about the average part 1 scores accepted to ortho, pedo, and perio?

Based upon my score, the scores posted recently, and my class as a whole, I am pretty confident scores are up....sad but true.

So maybe for awhile the scores dipped but by and large, our class average feels higher with lots more claims of 90+. This is just heresay but the people at the top of last year's class had very good scores, and this years top of the class have VERY good scores....subjective I know, but it's a 1 year 'trend' if you want to call it that. Comparing late 2007/early 2008 to late 2008/early 2009.

So, now there are old, new, and really new scores for programs to deal with! I think you should not worry about what the 'averages' are and just go for it. You'll have strength and weaknesses compared to others and just make sure you score hits their published minimum if they have one.

The poor ortho wannabes seem to have it rough...high 90s and top few spots in each class. One bad grade in operative or fixed and say bye bye to your ortho dream!!

 

[shaby]

are you saying exams format has changed again? or people are trying harder??

 

[Guy Smiley]

Based upon my score, the scores posted recently, and my class as a whole, I am pretty confident scores are up....sad but true.

So maybe for awhile the scores dipped but by and large, our class average feels higher with lots more claims of 90+. This is just heresay but the people at the top of last year's class had very good scores, and this years top of the class have VERY good scores....subjective I know, but it's a 1 year 'trend' if you want to call it that. Comparing late 2007/early 2008 to late 2008/early 2009.

So, now there are old, new, and really new scores for programs to deal with! I think you should not worry about what the 'averages' are and just go for it. You'll have strength and weaknesses compared to others and just make sure you score hits their published minimum if they have one.

The poor ortho wannabes seem to have it rough...high 90s and top few spots in each class. One bad grade in operative or fixed and say bye bye to your ortho dream!!

I wouldn't say that. Speaking from experience, you might be able to get into ortho with a "bad" grade if you really want it.

 

[karan]

Hi!
I'm a foreign trained dentist,interested to specialize in orthodontics.
Please share your experience regarding getting into this competitive specialty.I have couple of publications in international orthodontic journals, will that have any positive impact on my application?
thanks.

 

[PracTxDentist]

I spoke with a personal friend of mine yesterday (Ortho director at the Harvard program) who told me that he hardly sees NBDE 1 scores in the mid 90's anymore. He told me that they automatically adjust scores from the new format down 5 points compared to the old NBDE 1 scores because of the consistent score differences they have been seeing......
He told me that a score of 85 to him would be considered a decent score.

 

[shaby]

Hi DMD Student,
Thanks for your help. Did your friends tell you anything about score going up again? I wrote my exam a month a go, got my score back yesterday (87), but not sure how competitive this score is, I know it wouldn't be quite a good score in the old format, but I just have some hope because I think the exam was the new format. Please let me know if you have any experience with the new format scores & recent residency admssions. Thanks.