specialty placement?

[pacbum]

what makes one school have a better specialty placement rate than another? is it seriously just the name of the school, or do you think it's their curriculum? i mean if you do well at whatever school you get into, wouldn't you be able to specialize? if someone can please shed some light on this, it'd be appeciated.

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[Flyingdentist]

You may want to pose this question on the Dental forums where there are a greater number of dental students there.

 

[1992Corolla]

be in the top 10-15% (even maybe ~20...but that is cutting it close) of your class.

If your class size is 30 student large then you have to be the top 3-5 in the class. If your class size is 150 then you have a little more leeway...but more people to compete against.

Any school is going to be hard. Some programs are tailored better than others. Some work you to death the first two years and then you take a few classes and work on patients the last two. Some start off nice and easy and then lay it thick for 2nd and 3rd year...etc.

Figure out what you like (if you have a choice of schools) and pick the one that is best.

 

[TONItheSURFER]

be in the top 10-15% (even maybe ~20...but that is cutting it close) of your class.

If your class size is 30 student large then you have to be the top 3-5 in the class. If your class size is 150 then you have a little more leeway...but more people to compete against.

Any school is going to be hard. Some programs are tailored better than others. Some work you to death the first two years and then you take a few classes and work on patients the last two. Some start off nice and easy and then lay it thick for 2nd and 3rd year...etc.

Figure out what you like (if you have a choice of schools) and pick the one that is best.

top 3-5, wow i never thought of top 10-15% that way, crap..

 

[1992Corolla]

top 3-5, wow i never thought of top 10-15% that way, crap..

well I AM a genius.

 

[ou_jay]

Top 10%-15% is a bit of an exaggeration. Many programs have cutoffs for GPA and board scores. Some have very high standards, but I have heard of some that will look at all application in the top 40% with >85 board scores. For these types of programs it is your research, leadership, and interviews that matter. So being in the top 10% may increase your options, but it is not absolutely necessary to enter a specialty program.

 

[harvarddent]

At schools with pass fail system, board score and extra curricular activities count a good portion of you application. School name also carries weight in terms of matching.

 

[dentchick12345]

At schools with pass fail system, board score and extra curricular activities count a good portion of you application. School name also carries weight in terms of matching.

Which dental schools are seen as better in the matching system??

 

[jackbauer!]

Which dental schools are seen as better in the matching system??

harvard, penn, columbia....ucsf, ucla, uf, umich....

 

[toofache32]

Top 10%-15% is a bit of an exaggeration. Many programs have cutoffs for GPA and board scores. Some have very high standards, but I have heard of some that will look at all application in the top 40% with >85 board scores. For these types of programs it is your research, leadership, and interviews that matter. So being in the top 10% may increase your options, but it is not absolutely necessary to enter a specialty program.

True. It depends on the specialty you're talking about. Some want top 5-10% (Ortho) while others just require your pulse to be regular.

 

[jillbert]

what do you think would get me into a better ortho program, buffalo or stony brook?

 

[ou_jay]

I disagree that all ortho programs are only looking for the top 5-10% class rank. Each program has their own criteria with some variation between programs. Many may want the top 5-10%, but several are looking at apps further down the list and looking more at other factors too.

With that being said, most programs rank the criteria about like this:

Class rank & NBDE scores
Leadership postitions
Extracurricular activities & service
What school you went to

The school you choose will have a lot less effect on your application than what you actually do at that school. So go somewhere that you can succeed. Go where you feel comfortable. Go where there are lots of opportunities to be a leader and to get involved in extracurricular activities.

 

[lifeisgood]

I have to agree. I was just in Maryland and a guy that was ranked 36th (or 32nd) had just been accepted into an ortho program. So it is possible, but the higher ranked you are and the better you perform on the boards the better off you will be.

I disagree that all ortho programs are only looking for the top 5-10% class rank. Each program has their own criteria with some variation between programs. Many may want the top 5-10%, but several are looking at apps further down the list and looking more at other factors too.

With that being said, most programs rank the criteria about like this:

Class rank & NBDE scores
Leadership postitions
Extracurricular activities & service
What school you went to

The school you choose will have a lot less effect on your application than what you actually do at that school. So go somewhere that you can succeed. Go where you feel comfortable. Go where there are lots of opportunities to be a leader and to get involved in extracurricular activities.

 

[jillbert]

oh, alright that is interesting. So you don't think it matters if I choose buffalo over stony brook if I want to specialize? Because people have been saying the opposite.

 

[jpollei]

I disagree that all ortho programs are only looking for the top 5-10% class rank. Each program has their own criteria with some variation between programs. Many may want the top 5-10%, but several are looking at apps further down the list and looking more at other factors too.

With that being said, most programs rank the criteria about like this:

Class rank & NBDE scores
Leadership postitions
Extracurricular activities & service
What school you went to

The school you choose will have a lot less effect on your application than what you actually do at that school. So go somewhere that you can succeed. Go where you feel comfortable. Go where there are lots of opportunities to be a leader and to get involved in extracurricular activities.

True not all ortho programs want top 5-10%, but going "further down the list" isn't much below that...barring the occasional exception. Getting into ortho (and probably some other specialties as well) is infinitely more competetive and stressful than getting into dental school. Just something to keep in mind.

Word of advice to jillbert: don't pick a dental school just because it will get you into a specialty. 4 years is a long time if you are miserable. Find somewhere you feel comfortable, and enjoy. That will do more to get you into a residency (if that's what you elect to go for after first experiencing dentistry) than coming from one specific name program.

 

[Istr8nthem]

what do you think would get me into a better ortho program, buffalo or stony brook?

The programs will both prepare you to be a DENTIST. It is ultimately up to YOU to get yourself into ortho school. I can tell you I was successful getting into an ortho program from one of those schools and every ortho interview I went on I heard what a strong clinical program I came from and just how well prepared I was to enter their program, but ultimately, it's not the schools responsibility to "get you into" a program, it all rests on your shoulders as the biggest determinating factors are GPA/class rank, Board scores, research, extracurriculars, schools clinical reputation, etc etc down the line. Look at the first few criteria, those are totally dependent on the student, and ultimately YOU are responsible for your own success. Good luck, and if you have any further questions feel free to ask or PM me.

 

[Ething]

ok, lets keep this thread going bec i think its important and not really clear. i have a sheet from penn that shows what specialty people got into over the past few years and on avg it seems that about 30-35 percent go on to specialize. i thought this was a little low for penn (for 80 grand a yr). I know for sure that i want to specialize and i will pay that 80 grand if it significantly increased my odds. But 30 percent from an ivy league dental? i thought that was a bit low. I hear harvard is 100 percent. anyone know columbias?

 

[toofache32]

ok, lets keep this thread going bec i think its important and not really clear. i have a sheet from penn that shows what specialty people got into over the past few years and on avg it seems that about 30-35 percent go on to specialize. i thought this was a little low for penn (for 80 grand a yr). I know for sure that i want to specialize and i will pay that 80 grand if it significantly increased my odds. But 30 percent from an ivy league dental? i thought that was a bit low. I hear harvard is 100 percent. anyone know columbias?

Nobody is 100%....unless you consider GPR/AEGD a "specialty". Not everyone wants to specialize in the first place.

 

[blankguy]

While specialty rate is good to know. As a predent I don't call the shots as to which school I'm going to end up(it is up to the admissions committee) so I concluded that any school can place you into a specialty so long as I am competitive. I don't know what dental school curriculum is like because I haven't experienced it so for me it is brash to talk about specializing. If people really want to know some of the ortho programs have listed residents with their school that they got their DDS/DMD so look at those and make your decision. Me I'm focused on getting in and looking at the curriculum of each school. If do spectacularly well then I might consider it but for now why worry about this.