UOP Vs UCLA

[chouzhixuan]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I am deciding between these two awesome schools. Help me decide. As of now i have no interest in specializing, but no one really knows until they start dental school. I have a job in northern California after I graduate so i guess these factors point towards UOP, but UCLA is such a great school. What do I do?

 

[DazzlingSmile87]

Both amazing schools, good luck with your decision!

But since you're gearing more towards general + your job in SF...I would say UOP...great clinical program and you're done in 3 years!

 

[nanilla]

I thought UoP was great. The facilities were nice, as were all the faculty and students. Out of the schools I interviewed at these two places by far and away seemed to have the happiest students, so I really do not think you can go wrong. I am choosing UCLA due to it being a 4 year program, strong didactics, p/f, the weather and location, as well as it being attached to the undergrad.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Osity]

I agree, of I was in your position, I would be heading to UoP. Being done in three years would be awesome, plus if you already have a job up there, it seems like that would be a pretty sweet set up.

I have heard a bunch of good stuff about UCLA, but I didn't apply there (or UoP for that matter). My opinion is being done in three years is better than four.

 

[321931]

I am deciding between these two awesome schools. Help me decide. As of now i have no interest in specializing, but no one really knows until they start dental school. I have a job in northern California after I graduate so i guess these factors point towards UOP, but UCLA is such a great school. What do I do?

Both are really good schools; however, I didn't apply to UCLA for one big big reason. SAN FRANCISCO, although expensive, is quite possibly the best city in the world to live in!

 

[Oracle DMD]

I have not heard good things about UCLA's patient pool or clinic, and i've only heard good things about UOP so I'd choose UOP

 

[Tufts R Us]

uop since you have a job waiting

 

[peerless218]

UCLA WILL offer you a strong didactic foundation and a very high specializing rate. However, I have friends who graduated from UCLA the last couple years, none of them wanted to specialize and they wish they didn't go to UCLA due to its lack of patient pools and they felt like their handskills aren't where the level needed to be. One other thing they didn't like was the competiveness among their classmates. Of course, I think this varies from class to class.

What I heard was from a few individuals who went there is just a small % of the students of the school. Who knows, things might have changed a bit in the last 2 years.

UOP on the other hand, you can't go wrong with the choice if you want to be a general dentist. It will prepare your handskills and knowledge well down in the clinic. From my required observation, the staff at our clinic are experienced in teaching and MOST are friendly dentists and specialists who enjoy teaching.

 

[DrTank]

UCLA!

Its CHEAPER, pass/fail = less competition, better weather and will give a better opportunity to specialize if decide to change your mind.

You can always go back to Norcal and take on that job waiting for you.

Oh and Im going to bet its more fun because of the undergrad campus and sports.

 

[UCSFDentistry]

UCLA!

Its CHEAPER, pass/fail = less competition, better weather and will give a better opportunity to specialize if decide to change your mind.

You can always go back to Norcal and take on that job waiting for you.

Oh and Im going to bet its more fun because of the undergrad campus and sports.

I do believe p/f is usually less competitive. But at UOP I just don't think the schools atmosphere is competitive in nature. They have a really "humanistic" approach as they call it. Students seem to be always happy. If you want to get dental school over with...pay an xtra 100k+ and go to UOP. If your at all interested in specializing choose UCLA. The school has a great reputation. Also, if your a name person choose UCLA. But as a dentist, to the patients it wont really matter where you graduated from.

 

[Montserrat]

I am deciding between these two awesome schools. Help me decide. As of now i have no interest in specializing, but no one really knows until they start dental school. I have a job in northern California after I graduate so i guess these factors point towards UOP, but UCLA is such a great school. What do I do?

Armorshell, a moderator here, would probably have an aneurysm if he read this. He is a resident at one of the most storied OMS programs in the country and he graduated from UoP. I could understand liking p/f systems. But as far as specializing goes, I don't see how you could go wrong with either school.

 

[321931]

Armorshell, a moderator here, would probably have an aneurysm if he read this. He is a resident at one of the most storied OMS programs in the country and he graduated from UoP. I could understand liking p/f systems. But as far as specializing goes, I don't see how you could go wrong with either school.

Agreed. In order to specialize, you gotta have a strong work ethic/scores. There's no way around it, and every class in every school will be competitive at the top 10%. That being said, I would actually argue that UOP is less competitive. UOP is known for its' general dentistry and therefore, people attend UOP in order to get excellent clinical skills for general dentistry. In conclusion, not many people don't want to specialize which leaves a less cutthroat environment. Of course, this is all opinion.

Edit: After reading what I posted, I feel as though my grammar is so atrocious. I haven't written a paper in about a year or so. Ahh! The internet has depreciated my grammar!

 

[armorshell]

Armorshell, a moderator here, would probably have an aneurysm if he read this. He is a resident at one of the most storied OMS programs in the country and he graduated from UoP. I could understand liking p/f systems. But as far as specializing goes, I don't see how you could go wrong with either school.

Sorry, I don't know what an aneurysm is because of my inferior dental school education.

 

[CADentGal]

Both schools are awesome! Being from the area, I can tell you that sf is (90% of the time) foggy and chilly. UCLA has much better weather. From what I've seen, students are very happy at both schools. If you are looking to keeping your options more open for specializing, go UCLA. If you are confident that you want to stay general, UOP. UCLA has much stronger research too if that's a consideration. But, it's pretty sweet to be done in 3 years.

Good luck with the decision!

 

[armorshell]

Both schools are awesome! Being from the area, I can tell you that sf is (90% of the time) foggy and chilly. UCLA has much better weather. From what I've seen, students are very happy at both schools. If you are looking to keeping your options more open for specializing, go UCLA. If you are confident that you want to stay general, UOP. UCLA has much stronger research too if that's a consideration. But, it's pretty sweet to be done in 3 years.

Good luck with the decision!

LA has better weather, but SF is a better city. Again, you can specialize from either school and probably with a similar amount of effort. As far as research, I wouldn't discount Pacific. I published in JADA before I graduated so I think I managed to do alright there.

 

[BShimel]

Sorry, I don't know what an aneurysm is because of my inferior dental school education.

Yeah, it takes at least ten of us to screw in a lightbulb. God help us if it's one of those tricky halogens...

 

[peerless218]

Yeah, it takes at least ten of us to screw in a lightbulb. God help us if it's one of those tricky halogens...

It's our 3rd quarter now, which way to the sim lab again?