Top Schools?

[ovega03]

Hey everyone. I am a sophmore and i am researching dental schools. I already have a guaranteed spot at VCU school of dentistry but i really want to apply out to keep my options open. Because it is difficult to find rankings and reviews of dental schools, i was wondering if anyone had any comments on at least the 10 top dental schools in the East or Midwest. I would greatly appreciate a response. thanks.

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[MrBenny]

hey , you're obviously new to this site, so welcome.

unfortunately, the topic you have brought up has caused significant strife on these boards, and many sensitive people have responded to this topic in very harsh words. you can do a search.

the fact of the matter is that there are no rankings for dental schools. each one has its own pros and cons, but in the end, they are all supposed to prepare you adequately for a career in the dental field.

do some research. btw, if you're still a soph, how do you have a guaranteed spot in dental school already?

 

[Dukie]

Hey everyone. I am a sophmore and i am researching dental schools. I already have a guaranteed spot at VCU school of dentistry but i really want to apply out to keep my options open. Because it is difficult to find rankings and reviews of dental schools, i was wondering if anyone had any comments on at least the 10 top dental schools in the East or Midwest. I would greatly appreciate a response. thanks.

This thread has been covered many, many times. Do a search and you will find some users' opinions. Keep in mind that they will be fairly biased, however.

 

[ovega03]

my bad, didnt mean to post a question that aparently has people twisted over. i was just curious like many others and wanted some input, so anyone who has some feel free to talk. i apologize again for annoying anyone.

 

[airvent]

According to the Dead Sea Scrolls, University of Michigan is the best Dental school in the world and has been for thousands of years. There are even tales in south east Asia that tell of Buddha reaching enlightenment as he had his teeth cleaned by a D2 in Michigans hallowed halls.

 

[ovega03]

lol, good one. and i would have to say that i heard nothing but good things from michigan. awesome area as well.

How are the clinics?

 

[Tooth Fixer]

Dental schools are are all the same. The only difference is the environment, do you like sun, do you like rain, snow or both. Other than that same bs, they teach you how to fix teeth what do you expect you learn to fix teeth not to make miracles happen. From my experience at volunteering at different schools thats what i've seen so far. Its not one of those fields where you go to school get a paper and work time come you won't know what to do. Its all about location location location. Thats where you sit and decide what location suits you the most and your comfortable with.

 

[SillyRabbit]

Since there's no official ranking...here's my top ten: anyone else have a top 10?

Columbia
UPenn
UMaryland
UOP
UConn
Harvard
UNC
UCSF
UF
UMDNJ

 

[airvent]

Dental schools are are all the same. The only difference is the environment, do you like sun, do you like rain, snow or both. Other than that same bs, they teach you how to fix teeth what do you expect you learn to fix teeth not to make miracles happen. From my experience at volunteering at different schools thats what i've seen so far. Its not one of those fields where you go to school get a paper and work time come you won't know what to do. Its all about location location location. Thats where you sit and decide what location suits you the most and your comfortable with.

Awesome, I sometimes post when I'm drunk too

 

[delicious]

Ovega, welcome. You ask a very good question, however, most people are very politically correct in this forum. Not me though. I feel that there are better schools than others. Some of the best in my opinion include:
UPenn
UMichigan
UNC
UWashington
Harvard

Other great schools include: SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Buffalo, UCLA, & UCSF

Enjoy!!

 

[Tooth Fixer]

Awesome, I sometimes post when I'm drunk too

Honestly where am I wrong. The rest is just details, good professors this bad proffessors that, competitive this competitive that, research this research that, clinical this clinical that. Its just little difference here and there its all yada yada yada. Just go wherever location sets you straight, and then work hard. Wherever you go if you don't work hard your not gonna be as successful simple as that.

P.S. I will be drunk tonight though

 

[Tooth Fixer]

Ovega, welcome. You ask a very good question, however, most people are very politically correct in this forum. Not me though. I feel that there are better schools than others. Some of the best in my opinion include:
UPenn
UMichigan
UNC
UWashington
Harvard

Other great schools include: SUNY Stony Brook, SUNY Buffalo, UCLA, & UCSF

Enjoy!!

My god just list all of them why don't you.

 

[delicious]

My god just list all of them why don't you.

That's only nine!! Fatty!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tooth Fixer]

That's only nine!! Fatty!!!!!!!!!!

 

[delicious]

You wanna step outside?!!! grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[vertical bite]

You wanna step outside?!!! grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!

hahahahah reminds me of two fat kids that got into a fight in highschool.

The one that wins is the one that doesnt need his inhaler first.


got fatties !!!

 

[Tooth Fixer]

hahahahah reminds me of two fat kids that got into a fight in highschool.

The one that wins is the one that doesnt need his inhaler first.


got fatties !!!

Were you talking to someone!

 

[Tooth Fixer]

You wanna step outside?!!! grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frosted flakes Their grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr eat.

 

[delicious]

Were you talking to someone!

 

[airvent]

Were you talking to someone!

no one listens to him he talks to himself all the time

 

[paolorossifan]

Heres my non-biased opinion, though I think CU =#1:

1. Harvard
2. Columbia
3. U CONN
4. U PENN
5. LLU
6. UCSF
7. UCLA
8. UOP
9. UW
10. UNC (?)

 

[Profchaos]

Heres my non-biased opinion, though I think CU =#1:

1. Harvard
2. Columbia
3. U CONN
4. U PENN
5. LLU
6. UCSF
7. UCLA
8. UOP
9. UW
10. UNC (?)

Ivylicious my friend, but there's nothing wrong with that. UW should be higher in my mind.

 

[USUaggie]

Here's my biased opinion:

#1 UMaryland or Loma Linda

Sheesh! Where should I go?

Ok, other schools I think are great:

UNC (wish I would have applied there)
UOP (waiting to hear, very skeptical at this point)
CU (should have applied to see if I would've gotten in)
Harvard (ditto)

Definatly consider weather, city, things other than school's rep.

 

[delicious]

Heres my non-biased opinion, though I think CU =#1:

1. Harvard
2. Columbia
3. U CONN
4. U PENN
5. LLU
6. UCSF
7. UCLA
8. UOP
9. UW
10. UNC (?)

No offense man, but any list that doesn't have UMichigan in the top 5 (let alone the top 10) is absolutely ******ed.

 

[delicious]

Also, why do you say that you think columbia is #1, but list it as second. You're just reinforcing the stereotype that everyone at columbia is a harvard reject. I mean, if you wanted to, you could make the argument that columbia is better than harvard because NYC is infinitely cooler than Boston.

Also, am I the only person that thinks UConn sucks?! I like that they're medically based and that they have high board scores and everything; but does that make up for the fact that they're in the middle of nowhere and that the state of connecticut sucks my delicious?! I have only been to connecticut once, and it was for my UConn interview; and I hope that I never have to drive through that cursed state ever again. Go to hell Joe Lieberman!

As for UoP. I like that school. I would want to go there just so I could say that I go to Pacific. Sounds really cool.

 

[paolorossifan]

Also, why do you say that you think columbia is #1, but list it as second. You're just reinforcing the stereotype that everyone at columbia is a harvard reject. I mean, if you wanted to, you could make the argument that columbia is better than harvard because NYC is infinitely cooler than Boston.

Also, am I the only person that thinks UConn sucks?! I like that they're medically based and that they have high board scores and everything; but does that make up for the fact that they're in the middle of nowhere and that the state of connecticut sucks my delicious?! I have only been to connecticut once, and it was for my UConn interview; and I hope that I never have to drive through that cursed state ever again. Go to hell Joe Lieberman!

As for UoP. I like that school. I would want to go there just so I could say that I go to Pacific. Sounds really cool.

My list was partly my own preferences and partly popular belief. To me any dental school you go to should be number one to you, the only one that matters. U Mich. is a sweet school. It just doesn't seem as renowned as the other top 10. Still a good school though. Conn is a great state, so peacefull and serene. Conn's curriculum is very much like Columbia's so thats why its great!

 

[Dukie]

Heres my non-biased opinion, though I think CU =#1:

1. Harvard
2. Columbia
3. U CONN
4. U PENN
5. LLU
6. UCSF
7. UCLA
8. UOP
9. UW
10. UNC (?)

I fully agree that Michigan must be in the list. I would list them as follows:

UCSF
UNC
Michigan
UConn
UCLA
Maryland
UPenn
Harvard
UW
Columbia

 

[onetoothleft]

Those are good lists--I agree with them (heck I am going to Columbia too!) But most dentists want to go into primary care, so maybe we should make a list of the best clinical schools, since that is (IMO) the most important factor behind academics.

Good Clinical schools:

1. Arizona
2. Tufts
3. Temple
4. LLU? UCSF? ACLA? Wash? others . . .

What about schools with the best location?

1. NYU
2. Columbia
3. everything else

 

[niceteeth]

I'm trying to chose between UPenn and UCLA, and reading these post have caused even more confusion in my mind..

 

[mtabibian]

IMO University of Pacific is the best. It is 3 years instead of 4 years.

I wish I could get there. Ba$$***** didnt even accept my application saying you applied very late. Please apply next year. (Applied on Jan 26th, and they returned my application unreviewed!)

 

[airvent]

I'm trying to chose between UPenn and UCLA, and reading these post have caused even more confusion in my mind..

These posts are mostly subjective and nonsense.

But to simplify things you can divide the 50 or so schools in half. the top 25 or very close quality of education and the differences will boil down to wether you like big cities or not, Place to park or need to ride the bus.

The bottom 25 or still good schools. Wellactually I would divde it more like top35/lower15. So the lower 15 will likely be schools with small budget and old equipment/facilities.

I base this on my imaginationl, and what I was told by Elvis.

 

[captaintripps]

#1 = UConn

 

[niceteeth]

It's funny to see how people rank X as #1 dental school and when you scroll down, you find that they go to X.

I agree that most of these posts are biased and not helpful at all. I find people who critique their own school more helpful than those who flaunt them.

 

[nothen2do]

I'm trying to chose between UPenn and UCLA, and reading these post have caused even more confusion in my mind..

Come on Niceteeth, we all know you're going to choose UCLA, especially if you're from California. The money you'll save plus the great weather here will tip the scales.

 

[ecrdoubles15]

if you look at other threads i and other people have mentioned it before. if you want the true rankings that ADA puts out, it was given to us durign our interview at UCSF (but only the top 3 for the 2 main categories)

clinical: LLU, ?, UCSF
research: UCSF, UCONN, ?

i forgot the #2 clinical and #3 research

so those are the true rankings. of course everyone is going to have their own rankings, but in the end it just depends on where you want to go. we are all going to learn the same things it just depends how you use that. laters.

 

[niceteeth]

Come on Niceteeth, we all know you're going to choose UCLA, especially if you're from California. The money you'll save plus the great weather here will tip the scales.

Haha, u're very intuitive.. I am leaning more towards UCLA.. but damn, how could you not think twice about PENN??? and that's what i'm doing, thinking long and hard.... my head is starting to hurt like a fat kid's brain after slurpin too much icy.

 

[bspeedy00]

if you look at other threads i and other people have mentioned it before. if you want the true rankings that ADA puts out, it was given to us durign our interview at UCSF (but only the top 3 for the 2 main categories)

clinical: LLU, ?, UCSF
research: UCSF, UCONN, ?

i forgot the #2 clinical and #3 research

so those are the true rankings. of course everyone is going to have their own rankings, but in the end it just depends on where you want to go. we are all going to learn the same things it just depends how you use that. laters.

I dont think those are right. Odd how UCSF ranks in the top three of both categories, oh yah that's right, because they made up the rankings themselves. Probably some UCSF secretary picking names out of a hat.

 

[niceteeth]

if you look at other threads i and other people have mentioned it before. if you want the true rankings that ADA puts out, it was given to us durign our interview at UCSF (but only the top 3 for the 2 main categories)

clinical: LLU, ?, UCSF
research: UCSF, UCONN, ?

i forgot the #2 clinical and #3 research

so those are the true rankings. of course everyone is going to have their own rankings, but in the end it just depends on where you want to go. we are all going to learn the same things it just depends how you use that. laters.

I think your ranking may be off.. Read Thread "CA Dental Schools" //Post number #63 by J2AZ .

 

[niceteeth]

I dont think those are right. Odd how UCSF ranks in the top three of both categories, oh yah that's right, because they made up the rankings themselves. Probably some UCSF secretary picking names out of a hat.

LOL.... weird coincidence indeed.

 

[Rezdawg]

It's funny to see how people rank X as #1 dental school and when you scroll down, you find that they go to X.

Haha, no kidding. I noticed that too...and to keep up with the trend, here is my list:

1) Boston U.
2) Columbia
3) Penn
4) UConn
5) UCLA
6) UW
7) Harvard
8) Michigan
9) UT San Antonio
10) UOP

Just kidding.

 

[ecrdoubles15]

ask a dean of another school and see if he can tell you. UCSF was the only school that released this info becasue they have reason to because they are in the top tier. if you still dont believe me then find out for yourself. my dentist knows someone from ADA and he also confirmed with me that they are true, since I was not sure as well. so there you go. laters

 

[delicious]

U Mich. is a sweet school. It just doesn't seem as renowned as the other top 10.

Michigan doesn't seem as renowned as UoP, LLU, or UConn?!! Gimme a break!! Aren't you from toronto? You should know about UMichigan.

 

[niceteeth]

ask a dean of another school and see if he can tell you. UCSF was the only school that released this info becasue they have reason to because they are in the top tier. if you still dont believe me then find out for yourself. my dentist knows someone from ADA and he also confirmed with me that they are true, since I was not sure as well. so there you go. laters

To say that UCSF is somewhere in the top tier is believable, and probably true. But to rank the school in the top 3 for both clinical and research based on what the dean told you is somewhat jumping the gun.

Read what J2AZ wrote:
The UCSF dean does not talk about clinical "output" (dont talk about something you have no knowledge off... ) He talks about Clinical "productivity." I sat through his presentation and I still do not know what he meant by this. To assume it means number of patients seen is a guess (I am offended that you are using hearsay to make a point you are clueless about...hilarious...ridiculous... ). This topic has already been covered in another thread. IMHO I do not believe it has a direct correlation with quality of education. What I stated in the other thread and will state again is that UCSF is a great school that will train you to be both a good scientific and clinical DDS. However, I believe the top 3 ranking in clinical productivity to be misleading. My belief is that it is an indication of income generated. I believe this b/c UCSF students must produce ($) a certain amount per year. Thus, a school could charge its patients twice as much and "produce" just as much as a school that has lower fees but sees more patients. If one wants to rank higher they just increase their fees.


Personally, I'm unclear as to what clinical productivity means or if it has any correlation to the quality of clinical education the school can provide. Even someone who had been to an interview where the dean gave the talk was still confused.

As for ranking in research. Does more research dollars necessarily mean better academic curriculum? Professors who are more into their research will less likely have time to tend the needs of their students.

 

[ecrdoubles15]

To say that UCSF is somewhere in the top tier is believable, and probably true. But to rank the school in the top 3 for both clinical and research based on what the dean told you is somewhat jumping the gun.

Read what J2AZ wrote:
The UCSF dean does not talk about clinical "output" (dont talk about something you have no knowledge off... ) He talks about Clinical "productivity." I sat through his presentation and I still do not know what he meant by this. To assume it means number of patients seen is a guess (I am offended that you are using hearsay to make a point you are clueless about...hilarious...ridiculous... ). This topic has already been covered in another thread. IMHO I do not believe it has a direct correlation with quality of education. What I stated in the other thread and will state again is that UCSF is a great school that will train you to be both a good scientific and clinical DDS. However, I believe the top 3 ranking in clinical productivity to be misleading. My belief is that it is an indication of income generated. I believe this b/c UCSF students must produce ($) a certain amount per year. Thus, a school could charge its patients twice as much and "produce" just as much as a school that has lower fees but sees more patients. If one wants to rank higher they just increase their fees.


Personally, I'm unclear as to what clinical productivity means or if it has any correlation to the quality of clinical education the school can provide. Even someone who had been to an interview where the dean gave the talk was still confused.

As for ranking in research. Does more research dollars necessarily mean better academic curriculum? Professors who are more into their research will less likely have time to tend the needs of their students.

i did read it and if you read my postit is bs. and the dean and my dentist told me, whether it is clinical producitivity or output or input or whatever, the bottom line is that 2 main categories are ranked: research and clinical. of course everyone has their own rankings and maybe their are some other godd school not in the top 3, but they might be 4,5, or 6. the facts remains that those are the top rankings, and i confirmed it with ADA. so the subject should be closed. rankings are always going to be subjective. laters

 

[ItsGavinC]

Closing. Somebody starts a "rank the schools" post at least once a week and it disintegrates into name-calling and foolishness.