Took the DAT 3x and I applied to Dental School 4x -- I Just graduated as a Dentist -- AMA

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JoelLastofUs2

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Well, like the headline states, I had a difficult time getting in. I had a 19AA, low Undergrad GPA which had an increasing trend and graduated Cum Laude, did a Masters with a 3.9 GPA, and it took me 4 attempts to get into Dental School. I was told I'd fail out and no way I can tackle the exams in school.

I was told I'd for sure fail the boards if I had trouble with the DAT.

I passed the NBDE Part 1 and Part 2 and my Licensure Boards on the first attempt.

I am now a Dr. Dentist. :)

Ask me Anything

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Congratulations Dr.
  1. What are you planning next? AEGD?
  2. Do you feel prepared?
  3. What general advice do you have for D1-D4 now that you are out of dental school?
 
Congratulations Dr.
  1. What are you planning next? AEGD?
  2. Do you feel prepared?
  3. What general advice do you have for D1-D4 now that you are out of dental school?
1. Working in Private Practice
2. Nope and I don't think anyone does. It takes many years to become an expert and proficient at these things.
3. Survive and get out lol but in all honesty, get as much experience as you can (even though the curriculum makes it tough because you got a million other things to do by deadlines)
 
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Well, like the headline states, I had a difficult time getting in. I had a 19AA, low Undergrad GPA which had an increasing trend and graduated Cum Laude, did a Masters with a 3.9 GPA, and it took me 4 attempts to get into Dental School. I was told I'd fail out and no way I can tackle the exams in school.

I was told I'd for sure fail the boards if I had trouble with the DAT.

I passed the NBDE Part 1 and Part 2 and my Licensure Boards on the first attempt.

I am now a Dr. Dentist. :)

Ask me Anything
Congrats! This is awesome!
I am currently a pre dent student and trying to tackle all of my pre reqs at a community college. I have had self doubt because I feel that I am not "smart enough" and have had to drop or retake classes due to failing them which has now extended my time in trying to graduate and proceed to the next step to becoming a dentist. I'm worried that I won't be a good candidate when I do apply. I've been a dental assistant for 6 years and that is why I decided to go back to school to be a dentist, I love it!
How did you prepare for exams and what helped you study better? I can't seem to remember anything :(
 
Congrats! This is awesome!
I am currently a pre dent student and trying to tackle all of my pre reqs at a community college. I have had self doubt because I feel that I am not "smart enough" and have had to drop or retake classes due to failing them which has now extended my time in trying to graduate and proceed to the next step to becoming a dentist. I'm worried that I won't be a good candidate when I do apply. I've been a dental assistant for 6 years and that is why I decided to go back to school to be a dentist, I love it!
How did you prepare for exams and what helped you study better? I can't seem to remember anything :(

I attended Community College too. I think most people feel they aren't "smart" enough unless you're one of those pompous, arrogant students from a bloodline of doctors and dentists. Let me tell you that "imposter syndrome" is very real among a lot of students in both dentistry and medicine. Google it, it's very interesting.

Dropping and retaking is not a deal-breaker. Most people do this, but few talk about it.

The best advice I can give you is to have a high GPA in your pre-reqs and then overall. Figure out which schools may not accept community college credits or might not favor them.

Your DA for 6 years makes you stand out so that's a plus.

I used the Pomodoro method and word association. You can google the first one and I'll give an example of the second one:

Propofol is used in sedation dentistry. What counteracts it in an emergency if needed? Physostigmine. When there's dozens to memorize by exam day and that's a small chunk of the exam, it's just too much info. So I think of a cartoon character with the letter P who looks like a fool and walking into a Pfizer building. This makes no sense to anyone, but to me I'll remember Propofol (P the fool) and Physostigmine (Pfizer).

Neostigmine is used for Myastania Gravis. Neo from the Matrix saves you when you are in a Grave condition.

This is how I studied. There's also a thing called memory palace and Netflix documentaries of the champions of memorization using these techniques.
 
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You just made me feel so much better about taking community college credits because of the cost of pre-reqs! I took upper levels at the university and just completed a post-bacc this month. I re-took the DAT and got a 20AA and 20 TS. I am applying next month and wanted to know how schools view a post-bacc
 
I attended Community College too. I think most people feel they aren't "smart" enough unless you're one of those pompous, arrogant students from a bloodline of doctors and dentists. Let me tell you that "imposter syndrome" is very real among a lot of students in both dentistry and medicine. Google it, it's very interesting.

Dropping and retaking is not a deal-breaker. Most people do this, but few talk about it.

The best advice I can give you is to have a high GPA in your pre-reqs and then overall. Figure out which schools may not accept community college credits or might not favor them.

Your DA for 6 years makes you stand out so that's a plus.

I used the Pomodoro method and word association. You can google the first one and I'll give an example of the second one:

Propofol is used in sedation dentistry. What counteracts it in an emergency if needed? Physostigmine. When there's dozens to memorize by exam day and that's a small chunk of the exam, it's just too much info. So I think of a cartoon character with the letter P who looks like a fool and walking into a Pfizer building. This makes no sense to anyone, but to me I'll remember Propofol (P the fool) and Physostigmine (Pfizer).

Neostigmine is used for Myastania Gravis. Neo from the Matrix saves you when you are in a Grave condition.

This is how I studied. There's also a thing called memory palace and Netflix documentaries of the champions of memorization using these techniques.
I really appreciate your feedback. I
I attended Community College too. I think most people feel they aren't "smart" enough unless you're one of those pompous, arrogant students from a bloodline of doctors and dentists. Let me tell you that "imposter syndrome" is very real among a lot of students in both dentistry and medicine. Google it, it's very interesting.

Dropping and retaking is not a deal-breaker. Most people do this, but few talk about it.

The best advice I can give you is to have a high GPA in your pre-reqs and then overall. Figure out which schools may not accept community college credits or might not favor them.

Your DA for 6 years makes you stand out so that's a plus.

I used the Pomodoro method and word association. You can google the first one and I'll give an example of the second one:

Propofol is used in sedation dentistry. What counteracts it in an emergency if needed? Physostigmine. When there's dozens to memorize by exam day and that's a small chunk of the exam, it's just too much info. So I think of a cartoon character with the letter P who looks like a fool and walking into a Pfizer building. This makes no sense to anyone, but to me I'll remember Propofol (P the fool) and Physostigmine (Pfizer).

Neostigmine is used for Myastania Gravis. Neo from the Matrix saves you when you are in a Grave condition.

This is how I studied. There's also a thing called memory palace and Netflix documentaries of the champions of memorization using these techniques.
thank you for that info and strategies on studying! I will definitely will be using them! Again, I appreciate the response :)
 
You just made me feel so much better about taking community college credits because of the cost of pre-reqs! I took upper levels at the university and just completed a post-bacc this month. I re-took the DAT and got a 20AA and 20 TS. I am applying next month and wanted to know how schools view a post-bacc
I think more and more schools are understanding of the cost of increasing tuition--not to mention the pandemic as well hurting families and their pockets.

I haven't heard any school looking down on a post-bacc. I would just make sure you do well in them. There's a lot of variation in post-bacc programs, some do it informally, some do the Biomedical Sciences program, some do a traditional Masters. End result is just do well in it and showcase your capability. Don't do a post-bacc informally to boost your undergrad GPA if you have too many credits. It won't boost the GPA much.
 
I think more and more schools are understanding of the cost of increasing tuition--not to mention the pandemic as well hurting families and their pockets.

I haven't heard any school looking down on a post-bacc. I would just make sure you do well in them. There's a lot of variation in post-bacc programs, some do it informally, some do the Biomedical Sciences program, some do a traditional Masters. End result is just do well in it and showcase your capability. Don't do a post-bacc informally to boost your undergrad GPA if you have too many credits. It won't boost the GPA much.
Good point! I did a Biomedical Sciences post-bacc at a pretty rigorous college in the midwest. The pandemic definitely made things difficult, but I ended the spring semester with a 3.35 and semester GPA if 3.9. Im definitely taking advantage of the COVID statement in AADSAS !
 
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Good point! I did a Biomedical Sciences post-bacc at a pretty rigorous college in the midwest. The pandemic definitely made things difficult, but I ended the spring semester with a 3.35 and semester GPA if 3.9. Im definitely taking advantage of the COVID statement in AADSAS !
Sounds like you're well on your way to becoming a dental student. Best of luck and I hope everything goes well for you! :)
 
After the large time and financial investment, are you happy with your profession and choice? Is there one best tip you'd like to give for a student to get through dental school?
 
After the large time and financial investment, are you happy with your profession and choice? Is there one best tip you'd like to give for a student to get through dental school?
Yes and no. If I didn't do it, I would probably have spent my entire life viewing myself as a failure and wasted talent. Dental School was very tough. It is cut-throat as well. I thought that a lot of the competition ended once accepted, but nope. It makes sense because those that get in are usually very determined and cut-throat. Most people that make it to the top are.

What I do enjoy about dentistry is that I make an impact on patients and their lives. I had a real job before dentistry and, even though I made good money, the dynamics of the workplace and the politics are heavy. If you don't have a solid degree, you can get fired or laid off at any time. Those that became dentists without going into the real world never appreciate the fragility of the work world.

But now with the degree, I have options that I didn't have before and I am not worried about finding a job. I can travel anywhere I want and I know I have income to support a family. The older you get with a DMD/DDS degree, the more knowledge and skills you obtain so even if you stop practicing, there's many other things you can do.

BEST TIP: Utilize apps that can warn you how many days you have until the next exam or project or practical. Also apps that utilize your time best. It is easy to burnout if you don't have a good technique and it is easy to fall into a trap of having a million things due and if you didn't plan ahead, you can crash hard. Do what you need to graduate on time and not fall behind on requirements. Make friends that are similar to you so that you can bootcamp your way through DS.

It is hard to do DS alone unless you have a photographic memory and don't ever need to take notes or review lectures. Yes, we had some people like this and I think most people envy that ability.
 
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Well, like the headline states, I had a difficult time getting in. I had a 19AA, low Undergrad GPA which had an increasing trend and graduated Cum Laude, did a Masters with a 3.9 GPA, and it took me 4 attempts to get into Dental School. I was told I'd fail out and no way I can tackle the exams in school.

I was told I'd for sure fail the boards if I had trouble with the DAT.

I passed the NBDE Part 1 and Part 2 and my Licensure Boards on the first attempt.

I am now a Dr. Dentist. :)

Ask me Anything
Amazing, congratulations doc! I just got rejected from every school I applied to this cycle, my undergrad gpa is 3.5, 19AA as well, 23 OG, 22GC, 19Bio, 18 QR, 17RC, 16 PAT, President of my dental club in undergrad, numerous volunteering hours, worked part time, commuted, experience working as a DA for 3 years. What do you recommend I do, just re-take the DAT? Or do a post bacc- masters program as well? Any advice would be appreciated, thank you!
 
Amazing, congratulations doc! I just got rejected from every school I applied to this cycle, my undergrad gpa is 3.5, 19AA as well, 23 OG, 22GC, 19Bio, 18 QR, 17RC, 16 PAT, President of my dental club in undergrad, numerous volunteering hours, worked part time, commuted, experience working as a DA for 3 years. What do you recommend I do, just re-take the DAT? Or do a post bacc- masters program as well? Any advice would be appreciated, thank you!
do a WAMC template
 
What does that mean?
How to format your WAMC thread:

Suggested information to include when creating a WAMC thread are as follows:

Date of submission:
Overall GPA:
Science GPA:
Bio-Chem-Physics GPA:
DAT score (include AA and all sections):
It is very hard for people to give you feedback without a score.
State of Residence: put either the state or Canada or International

Undergrad Attended: if you want to include this
Major: If double major, list both here
Minor: If double minor, list both here
Minority? Yes/No- Asians are NOT a minority
Reapplicant? Yes/No
Nontrad? Yes/No- Do not select yes if you took a gap year (or years) OR if you're doing a Masters; nontrads are usually career changers or military

Shadowing Experience: Hours and type
Volunteering Experience: Hours and type
Employment: Hours and type
Research: Hours and type; any publications or presentations? How many?
Other Extracurriculars: Hours and type; includes athletics, military, leadership, etc.
Relevant Honors or Awards:
LOR type and strength:
Misc Info/Things not stated elsewhere/Red Flags:
School list:
Please include a list of schools you are interested in applying to! It is much easier for users to help you when you have taken the time to construct your own school list first!
 
Well, like the headline states, I had a difficult time getting in. I had a 19AA, low Undergrad GPA which had an increasing trend and graduated Cum Laude, did a Masters with a 3.9 GPA, and it took me 4 attempts to get into Dental School. I was told I'd fail out and no way I can tackle the exams in school.

I was told I'd for sure fail the boards if I had trouble with the DAT.

I passed the NBDE Part 1 and Part 2 and my Licensure Boards on the first attempt.

I am now a Dr. Dentist. :)

Ask me Anything
Hi Dr. Dentist!

Congratulations on your success! Your post was very inspiring towards my own journey of becoming a Dentist. You see my gpa is particularly low at the moment. I am aiming towards finishing my under grad with a cGPA of 3.0. I plan on doing either a post b or a masters to help further improve my gpa and help prepare myself for the work ethic that is required in dental school.

Could I ask you what was your low undergrad gpa? and then what was your final cGPA? and How did you decide on a Masters Program?

Thank you!

-M
 
Hi there,

So I'm a pre-dental student that has applied 3x so far and taken the DAT 3x. I have a low undergraduate GPA, dental schools have rejected me almost instantly without taking a look at my experiences or LOR's etc(3.01 cum/2.69 science). Many reps and advisors have told me I shouldn't pursue any further (UF advisor laughed at me for even calling them when I asked how to improve my application) and to be totally honest it was hard to keep going but I really want this(I'll never give up).

Last years cycle I got an interview with the GPA and DAT score above. I had 4 LOR's from a dentist, Lab Supervisor, and two science professors (that I wasn't really close with honestly just got A's in their class). I have a strong PS as well but I didn't secure the spot and now I'm in this years application cycle and I have heard nothing.

Updates I did to my application this cycle:

So, I began my 30 credit masters program in biomedical science early in summer when I technically wasn't a student in the college of medicine yet. I took two of the graduate courses as an undergraduate with approval from the college of medicine to take those grad courses. After this fall semester my masters "status" will be posted to my official transcript with the other grades being transferred over from summer (I did this to save a semester and graduate on time before dental school would start incase I got an acceptance). My current masters GPA is a 4.0. I have been working as a dental assistant for the past year, I got a teaching assistantship through my graduate program teaching undergraduate students microbiology lab as well. I applied this spring to do research on prostate cancer and to interview for a committee letter through the college of medicine. I also got an LOR from a professor on the medical schools admission committee and my supervisor in the biology department. I want to know if there is anyway I can make myself stick out so that whats left of the dental schools this cycle will see that I am capable to handle their classes and complete my DMD/DDS. I want to know how I can better myself to become a very competitive applicant and get in this cycle so I don't have to waste more years and money reapplying. UF is my dream school and I really want to go there, but at his point ill take what I can get. What should I do?
 
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