retaking DATs for specialty

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

dental wahoo

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Messages
80
Reaction score
1
hey sdn community,

i've read the threads on specializing and it seems the general consensus of the SDN on specializing is to "keep your options open by performing well in dental school [extracurricularly and academically] and to make your decision on whether or not you want to specialize only after 3 or 4 years of dental school."

to keep the options open for now [as an applicant for the fall 2011 class], i was wondering how much, if at all, the DAT plays into matching for specialty programs. would it be advantageous to retake the DAT before [hopefully] matriculating to dental school to try for a higher mark if I do decide to specialize down the road?

-wahoo.

Members don't see this ad.
 
i wonder where people are getting the idea that standardized tests for predoctoral admissions have anything to do with postgraduate placement - it's more common than you'd think.

rest assured my friend that your DAT score will mean absolutely nothing once you have received your first acceptance to dental school.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
i wonder where people are getting the idea that standardized tests for predoctoral admissions have anything to do with postgraduate placement - it's more common than you'd think.

rest assured my friend that your DAT score will mean absolutely nothing once you have received your first acceptance to dental school.

Maybe cause some postgraduate programs use predoctoral tests, such as the GRE. I guess since the nbde is going pass/fail, everyone is guessing on what will be the filler test. The only specialty that has this covered seems to be OMFS, which will be using the nbme (I heard that interns are taking this test now for testing purposes).
 
i wonder where people are getting the idea that standardized tests for predoctoral admissions have anything to do with postgraduate placement - it's more common than you'd think.

rest assured my friend that your DAT score will mean absolutely nothing once you have received your first acceptance to dental school.

thank you all for the helpful responses.

the thought came to me when trying to understand ways residency programs could quantitatively asses your application. especially with the boards going to a binary grading system.
 
Top