UCLA DDS to Ortho Residency

[user2222]

hey all,

i am considering doing ortho after i finish dental school

i currently go to ucla dental and i was wondering (besides passing my classes), what extracurriculars should be prioritized when going the ortho residency route. basically I was wondering if ortho residency matches are looking for anything in specific.

also i prefer going to a california residency program, but i would also consider out of state options like new york, nevada, arizona as well.

Also, Let me know any tips and other advice! thank you!

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[charlestweed]

Do research and try to publish it. I’ve seen many people with OK grades and still got in because of research.

Do well on the GRE and ADAT (hopefully by the time you apply, the ortho programs will start looking at the ADAT score). I took the GRE but did very poorly (English is not my first language) so I only applied to non-GRE programs. Most CA programs require GRE.

Ucla doesn’t rank the students but if you get a lot of honor passes, the school will rank you and your chance of getting accepted to UCLA’s own ortho program will be much higher than your un-ranked classmates.

Don’t be picky. Apply to as many programs as possible….and not just the programs in CA, NY, NV, AZ. The #1 guy in my class only applied to 5 programs because he was so confident that UCLA would accept him….he ended up doing a year of GPR because he didn’t get accepted to any of the 5 ortho programs he applied to. That year, UCLA ortho accepted another classmate of mine, who did and published a very good research project.

 

[wengerout]

Why do you want to do Ortho? I'd only do it if your debt is in check and you don't plan on staying in the saturated parts of California.

 

[Babytoof]

Observed trends:
1) Programs are looking for someone who has been involved in some kind of research process. Unfortunately, the "research" that I have come across are mere "projects", essays, or presentations that are completed by motivated candidates to add onto their CV. If you have conducted or currently conducting legitimate research (IRB approval, prospective data collection, and publication), you are an automatic standout.
2) Consider completing the ADAT/GRE if the program requires it or you think it will help you stand out further. The ADAT is still mostly "recommended" but not "required." The GRE is a required examination at many programs, but again, mostly "recommended" not "required." These requirements may continue to evolve so keep your eyes open for program updates as the cycle opens up. If you do not perform well on these exams, my personal opinion is that it does absolutely nothing to help your application and may actually end up hurting you.
3) Wake up! If you're going to put yourself through this rigorous process of taking additional tests, applying to ortho residencies, and ultimately pursuing what you are saying is your deepest passion in dentistry, DO NOT limit yourself. Get outside of your bubble, move to a new community, state, region, etc. Your learning experience in residency is not only limited to the content of the specialty training curriculum. Learn to treat a different community of people and appreciate the similarities and differences between the communities you have resided in. Challenge yourself in order to gain perspective and maturity. Ortho is also arguably the most competitive specialty in dentistry and only accepts high quality candidates. Get your information out there and make a real attempt. I would rather decline interviews than not have enough interviews.
4) Personal statement, CV, and interview - your personal statement and CV is your interview on paper. Submit a well-written, professional, and concise PS with NO grammatical errors. Your CV should be informative and paint a professional picture of your accomplishments. PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW! This is not an informal meet and greet. Enter the interview in your fanciest suit, with hair done, and knowing all the answers to every question you think can be asked of you.

Hope this helps and good luck.