Specializations After DMD/DDS

[hh24]

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I have a few questions about specializations after DMD/DDS. Besides knowing that they're difficult to get into (you need to be the top 5% of your class? correct me if I'm wrong), I don't know much else about it. I appreciate any information in additional to the questions below.

1) What is the process of getting into specializations? Do people usually enter immediately after, or do they go out and work...do research...residency etc...
2) Are certain schools better than others for pursuing specializations? If so, which ones and why? How big of a factor is attending school A over school B if one is interested in pursuing a specialization?

Thank you!

 

[Typical Average Student]

It's not required that you be the top % of your class, though, the higher your class rank: the easier it is to get in. You should waltz on over to the dental/residency forums and take a look at their threads so you'll get an idea of what the process is.

But to answer your remaining questions:
1. You take your NBDE part 1 and 2, pass them with high marks. Get involved in internships/externships, research, volunteering, clubs, and get high grades. Starting 2016 or so, the new ADAT will be used by a number of residency programs to obtain a numerical score for acceptance into their program (this is because the NBDE is now moving to a pass/fail system.) Some people can work and do research or do an internship after graduation and decide to go into a specific residency later on.

2. All dental schools are not treated the same, some schools (ie. Harvard) or UCSF will have more students from lower rankings selected than others (ie. newer schools like LECOM) this is simply due to programs wanting to take on the best of the best dental graduates into their residency programs. Harvard and UCSF usually puts out a good number of specialists (I believe more than 40% of the class get placed into residency, the other 60% aren't interested in specializing, so pretty much if you want to specialize, you'll get in, contingent that you get high marks on everything else). Newer schools on the other hand, have not established a name for themselves yet so it'll be difficult to know whether or not the person coming out has adequate training or have they just gained the minimum. So overall, choose a school that has an established reputation but also fits your finances and preferences.

 

[hh24]

It's not required that you be the top % of your class, though, the higher your class rank: the easier it is to get in. You should waltz on over to the dental/residency forums and take a look at their threads so you'll get an idea of what the process is.

But to answer your remaining questions:
1. You take your NBDE part 1 and 2, pass them with high marks. Get involved in internships/externships, research, volunteering, clubs, and get high grades. Starting 2016 or so, the new ADAT will be used by a number of residency programs to obtain a numerical score for acceptance into their program (this is because the NBDE is now moving to a pass/fail system.) Some people can work and do research or do an internship after graduation and decide to go into a specific residency later on.

2. All dental schools are not treated the same, some schools (ie. Harvard) or UCSF will have more students from lower rankings selected than others (ie. newer schools like LECOM) this is simply due to programs wanting to take on the best of the best dental graduates into their residency programs. Harvard and UCSF usually puts out a good number of specialists (I believe more than 40% of the class get placed into residency, the other 60% aren't interested in specializing, so pretty much if you want to specialize, you'll get in, contingent that you get high marks on everything else). Newer schools on the other hand, have not established a name for themselves yet so it'll be difficult to know whether or not the person coming out has adequate training or have they just gained the minimum. So overall, choose a school that has an established reputation but also fits your finances and preferences.

Thank you for your response, extremely helpful!! 🙂

 

[PointEstimate]

You take your NBDE part 1 and 2, pass them with high marks.

The national boards are P/F. You only get a score if you fail them.

 

[JLT223]

The ADAT sure will be interesting

 

[Advance]

The ADAT sure will be interesting

Do you know if the ADAT will replace the CBSE for specializing in OMS?

 

[allantois]

Do you know if the ADAT will replace the CBSE for specializing in OMS?

I did a lot of reading on OMFS and it seems that the answer to that is a no because CBSE basically tells programs that the applicant will be able to pass USMLE, as it is the shortened version of it.

 

[Advance]

I did a lot of reading on OMFS and it seems that the answer to that is a no because CBSE basically tells programs that the applicant will be able to pass USMLE, as it is the shortened version of it.

Ah, makes sense.

 

[Loving123]

So to keep our option in specialization, we need to have 1. High GPA 2. Research 3. Great LOR 4. High GRE score 5. High ADAT score ?? Am I missing anything? (I haven't decided whether I am interested in specializing so on my case, I don't know whether I can keep up with these ideal requirements:S )

 

[hh24]

When do students usually start applying for specializations? Is it in D3/D4 similar to what we are doing now during our Bachelor degrees?

 

[BetaHelix]

Class rank, extracurricular involvement, LOR's , and where you went. I interviewed at some schools and they full on went out and said "we don't make specialists we make general dentists". You go where you get in. Work as hard as you can and cross that bridge when you get there.

 

[hh24]

Class rank, extracurricular involvement, LOR's , and where you went. I interviewed at some schools and they full on went out and said "we don't make specialists we make general dentists". You go where you get in. Work as hard as you can and cross that bridge when you get there.

Thank you for your reply. Do you happen to know if attending NYU is good for specializations after?