Temple Dental Vs Upenn Dental

[Rencho1]

Hello everyone!! I am stuck deciding which school to pick:{ I was wondering if current students/dentists can provide fresh perspective and help me decide. I have less then a week left to pay the deposit at Penn, and have paid deposit at Temple. I know Penn is good specializing and Temple for general, but tbh I do not know if i want to specialize just yet. However if I do, does temple have that bad of a match rate? COST is not an issue because I have the HPSP army scholarship, which makes this decision even harder haha. I am def concerned about the safety at Temple. Penn is a cut throat environment..Are there opportunities I might miss out on if I pass on on IVy league education?? Very mixed thoughts here, some pros and cons would def help!! Thanks a lot everyone!!!

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[Svart Aske]

If cost is not a factor and you are open to specializing, go to Penn. Even if you're going to be a GP, Penn will still provide a fine education.

Every school is going to have gunners. My experiences at Penn was that despite the competitiveness, it was still a fairly collaborative environment.

 

[O&MFS]

Temple’s match rates are pretty high as well. I think almost everyone matched into their first choice, outside of maybe OMFS. I think that’s the one advantage Penn will give you is med school classes that prepare you for the CBSE. Temple is MUCH better clinically though. Area of both aren’t ideal, penn is a little better. No one in my class ever had an issue, aside from some car break ins. If you don’t park you car on the streets up there, that won’t happen. Just pay for a pass.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Penn takes their basic science classes with the medical students. I think their curriculum is based on organ systems though, which is nice.

 

[Life of Pablo]

If you have HPSP, go to Penn. The benefits of going to Temple would be price if you’re in state (but you have HPSP) or maybe the slightly better clinical experience (but the difference is insignificant). Although there may be gunners at Penn, the way they rank their students makes it so that gunning isn’t as much of an issue.

 

[Likkriue]

Temple’s match rates are pretty high as well. I think almost everyone matched into their first choice, outside of maybe OMFS. I think that’s the one advantage Penn will give you is med school classes that prepare you for the CBSE. Temple is MUCH better clinically though. Area of both aren’t ideal, penn is a little better. No one in my class ever had an issue, aside from some car break ins. If you don’t park you car on the streets up there, that won’t happen. Just pay for a pass.


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Don't know about this year but temple didn't match ANY into oms for 2 years in a row for the matches previous to this year and the year before. Even the interns from temple didn't match during those years. Something was up with the oms department during those years. Hopefully it changed this year.

 

[Warran E. Namel]

Don't know about this year but temple didn't match ANY into oms for 2 years in a row for the matches previous to this year and the year before. Even the interns from temple didn't match during those years. Something was up with the oms department during those years. Hopefully it changed this year.

2 people matched into OMS this year from Temple

 

[2thsaver]

If you have HPSP, go to Penn. The benefits of going to Temple would be price if you’re in state (but you have HPSP) or maybe the slightly better clinical experience (but the difference is insignificant). Although there may be gunners at Penn, the way they rank their students makes it so that gunning isn’t as much of an issue.

I go to Temple and have many friends at Penn. The difference in clinical experience is a lot more than slight. I know this from firsthand experience talking to them. By the time they completed their first few restorations, I had done over 20 (that's with half my patients not even showing up). Not trying to argue or anything. Penn is a great school, but they're just more focused on research and specialties than clinical experience.

 

[surfline]

I go to Temple and have many friends at Penn. The difference in clinical experience is a lot more than slight. I know this from firsthand experience talking to them. By the time they completed their first few restorations, I had done over 20 (that's with half my patients not even showing up). Not trying to argue or anything. Penn is a great school, but they're just more focused on research and specialties than clinical experience.

so, just because you did 20 fillings (something a typical dentist can do in under a month) you feel you will be that much more ahead of a penn grad?

 

[Life of Pablo]

I go to Temple and have many friends at Penn. The difference in clinical experience is a lot more than slight. I know this from firsthand experience talking to them. By the time they completed their first few restorations, I had done over 20 (that's with half my patients not even showing up). Not trying to argue or anything. Penn is a great school, but they're just more focused on research and specialties than clinical experience.

I’m saying the difference is insignificant because after 1-2 years of practicing dentistry, everyone is on the same level regardless of how much more clinical experience their school offered. At the end of the day, each dental school teaches their students just enough not to be dangerous, so there’s no point in picking a school based on which one has better clinical experience (in my opinion).

 

[yaya97]

Go to Temple. I go to Penn. The community at this school is terrible. You’ll be a better dentist coming out of Temple and will get way more patients. You can still specialize, just work hard to get good grades.

Can you please expand on why you think the community is terrible?

 

[887194]

Penn

 

[surfline]

Penn

Is that where you went to dental school, Doctor Tak?

 

[887194]

Is that where you went to dental school, Doctor Tak?

That's where I will be attending.

 

[I-hate-alginate]

Since you're doing the hpsp, go to wherever you felt more comfortable. Price won't matter, experience won't matter, since you'll be getting clinical experience and paying back your loans during the 4 years after DS.

 

[Miss Resilience]

Hello everyone!! I am stuck deciding which school to pick:{ I was wondering if current students/dentists can provide fresh perspective and help me decide. I have less then a week left to pay the deposit at Penn, and have paid deposit at Temple. I know Penn is good specializing and Temple for general, but tbh I do not know if i want to specialize just yet. However if I do, does temple have that bad of a match rate? COST is not an issue because I have the HPSP army scholarship, which makes this decision even harder haha. I am def concerned about the safety at Temple. Penn is a cut throat environment..Are there opportunities I might miss out on if I pass on on IVy league education?? Very mixed thoughts here, some pros and cons would def help!! Thanks a lot everyone!!!

Which school did you end up deciding on?

 

[O Gaúcho]

Which school allows you to place implants and handle more advanced cases?

 

[GimmeTheScalpel]

Which school allows you to place implants and handle more advanced cases?

Temple. Perio residents take over implants at Penn 100%, not even OMFS residents get implants at the school. They have to go to the VA

 

[2thsaver]

so, just because you did 20 fillings (something a typical dentist can do in under a month) you feel you will be that much more ahead of a penn grad?

I haven't been on this forum for awhile, but damn people are even more touchy than before. Like I said, I'm not trying to argue. I was just pointing out that the average Temple student has more than a "slightly better clinical experience" before they graduate compared to a Penn student. Both schools will pump out great dentists and over time, of course they will level out (depending on comfort level). But Life of Pablo did not mention in their original post that the difference was insignificant "over time." The post makes it seem like they were referring to the clinical experience "in school." But initially, yes. I would feel ahead of a Penn grad after graduation given neither of us do a residency. Experience speaks for itself. But as stated, over time, everything would probably even out.

 

[2thsaver]

I’m saying the difference is insignificant because after 1-2 years of practicing dentistry, everyone is on the same level regardless of how much more clinical experience their school offered. At the end of the day, each dental school teaches their students just enough not to be dangerous, so there’s no point in picking a school based on which one has better clinical experience (in my opinion).

I totally understand, and I respect your opinion. Personally, I chose Temple because of their clinical experience. I'm a few years older than your average dental student so I wanted a school that was going to prepare me the best without having to do a residency (especially for those first few years). If I was younger I may have had a different mindset, however I would like to get my life going and get out of school ASAP. But hey, everyone's situation is different. And from my experience so far, I feel pretty comfortable handling any case that comes my way. And if I've learned anything, comfort and confidence are huge in dentistry. So overall I'm happy.

 

[Life of Pablo]

I totally understand, and I respect your opinion. Personally, I chose Temple because of their clinical experience. I'm a few years older than your average dental student so I wanted a school that was going to prepare me the best without having to do a residency (especially for those first few years). If I was younger I may have had a different mindset, however I would like to get my life going and get out of school ASAP. But hey, everyone's situation is different. And from my experience so far, I feel pretty comfortable handling any case that comes my way. And if I've learned anything, comfort and confidence are huge in dentistry. So overall I'm happy.

I completely respect that, and I'm glad you're enjoying your time at Temple! 🙂

 

[Arti Mistry]

Which school allows you to place implants and handle more advanced cases?

Temple. I go there now and it works in our favor that we don't have a Prosthodontic speciality program. We get to restore implant bridges/ singe crowns over dentures etc. and we get to restore SOME of the more of the advanced cases that require removable. For example- pts with collapsed bites etc

 

[Rumple]

I’m saying the difference is insignificant because after 1-2 years of practicing dentistry, everyone is on the same level regardless of how much more clinical experience their school offered. At the end of the day, each dental school teaches their students just enough not to be dangerous, so there’s no point in picking a school based on which one has better clinical experience (in my opinion).

This is my favorite thing that gets brought up by Penn students ALL the time. I promise you that after 1-2 years of practicing everyone is not on the same level. But I digress, if you have HPSP, take your pick... I don’t really care. Same city, same restaurants. But if you are paying for school with loans, there is literally no reason to pay more for Penn unless you love the fact that it’s ivy. Look at it as an investment, cause it is. Would you pay more for a school, where you PRACTICE (it’s all about practice with supervision) less of what you are going to do for the rest of your life? Makes absolutely no sense to me. If you want to do OS, go to penn. They have the right connections to get you in, but you’ll do more extractions at Temple (super counterintuitive, but hell its ivy). Any other specialty you’ll be fine at Temple. You just might have to work a little harder for it cause your accountable for a letter grade.

I know this post is old, but this comparison comes up more often than I’d like to see.

 

[Will Jun]

Can you please expand on why you think the community is terrible?

I don't know what GimmeTheScalpel is sayin lol people get shot near temple and i have heard of people getting shot at least near penn.... such a false info.... lol may be slightly really slightly better clinical experience due to more patient compared to penn, but temple is not safe ..

 

[Rumple]

I don't know what GimmeTheScalpel is sayin lol people get shot near temple and i have heard of people getting shot at least near penn.... such a false info.... lol may be slightly really slightly better clinical experience due to more patient compared to penn, but temple is not safe ..

People get shot in West Philly too, not to mention UPenn has a much higher rate of sexual assaults than at Temple. In my 4 years there were no incidents regarding violence towards a dental student. Yes, cars got broken into..... but thats what happens if you are unwilling to pay for a parking pass. Most dental schools are in very rough neighborhoods, guys. It's by design.... expect it unless you go to a new private school that costs 500k+. You are also in the minority of people at Penn (including faculty, and graduates) that think the difference in clinical experience is "slight". It's a lot more than slight, I promise you that.