VCU, UMN, UTHSCSA students/graduates

[drdoe]

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Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some help from anyone who's a current student or alumni of any of these 3 schools: VCU, UMN, UTHSCSA. I'm trying to decide btw these schools. I have read previous posts about them individually & being compared to other schools. I don't think there is a post that compares these schools together.

• I will be joining as advanced placed D3 with a preliminary program of 4-5 months which comprises the whole of D1 & D2 classes in all the 3 schools. (I am a foreign-trained dentist, but the requirements to graduate will be exactly the same as a traditional dental student.)
• All 3 schools have small class of 10 students which later join the regular D3.
• I've been told all 3 are great in terms of clinical experience.
• All 3 have post-doctoral programs.
• I will be paying non-resident tuition in all of them. But from what I understand the tuition is least at UTHSCSA < UMN < VCU. (I understand going to the cheapest school makes sense in terms of loan repayment.)

1. I am trying to find out which school would be the best to graduate from in general?
2. Which school has the best clinical experience, probability to do complex cases?
3. Which school has the best patient pool?
4. Which school helps best to prepare for the licensure exams? (Not National Boards, I've already taken those)
5. Which school has the best option for post grad program? (I might do Pediatrics/AEGD/GPR)
6. Which school might struggle the most with finding chairs /completing requirements?
7. Which school is more technologically advanced?
8. VCU & UMN has Dentsim virtual reality technology simulation. Is it an advantage over UTHSCSA or is it something one can live without? How good is UTHSCSA's evidence based dentistry program & CATs?
9. Which school's community outreach program is the most helpful?
10. Which school would be best in terms of student life, faculty, alumni etc.?
11. Which place would be better to live in esp. in terms of safety &#8211; VCU, Richmond is not very safe and UMN & UTHSCSA have extremes of climate.

I'd really appreciate any input from anyone to help me in deciding btw these schools as I need to make a decision soon.
Thanks a lot!!

 

[UCSFx2017]

I don't find those three choices of schools to be that different from each other. The differences between graduating out of either one of those three is marginal at most. I would attend the most affordable school given those choices. Not one of them has a significantly differentiating selling point that would put one school over the others. I'm biased towards VCU and I know with certainty that its curriculum and objective is to make competent general dentists, not have the highest specialization rate or make the leading dental scientists. They put you in the simulation seat/mannequin chairs on day 1.
By the way, if you're a foreign-trained dentist, I see no reason why you should be so concerned with the American dental school curriculum considering how you've already been trained. That's more reason to attend the most affordable school.

 

[drdoe]

Thank you for your reply.

I too felt that the three schools are almost similar. Thats why I was looking for a diiferent perspective, trying to find out anything I might have missed.

Regarding the American school curriculum - since I am going to be following the exact same curriculum as traditional students, the requirements for graduation also remains the same. Meaning, if I dont complete the requirements & competency exams - I dont graduate; irrespective of me being a dentist & trained already.
So, since I am going to dental school all over again, I would like to go to one in which I would get the maximum benefits. And yes, I guess it might be easier the second time around 🙂

 

[doc toothache]

Regarding the American school curriculum - since I am going to be following the exact same curriculum as traditional students, the requirements for graduation also remains the same. Meaning, if I dont complete the requirements & competency exams - I dont graduate; irrespective of me being a dentist & trained already.
So, since I am going to dental school all over again, I would like to go to one in which I would get the maximum benefits. And yes, I guess it might be easier the second time around 🙂

Claiming the "exact same" as trad students is incorrect, (grammatical redundancy included), since you will be starting as D3

 

[drdoe]

Point duly noted.

I meant to say that I will join as D3 and then the curriculum is same.

 

[Halcion]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some help from anyone who's a current student or alumni of any of these 3 schools: VCU, UMN, UTHSCSA. I’m trying to decide btw these schools. I have read previous posts about them individually & being compared to other schools. I don’t think there is a post that compares these schools together.

• I will be joining as advanced placed D3 with a preliminary program of 4-5 months which comprises the whole of D1 & D2 classes in all the 3 schools. (I am a foreign-trained dentist, but the requirements to graduate will be exactly the same as a traditional dental student.)
• All 3 schools have small class of 10 students which later join the regular D3.
• I’ve been told all 3 are great in terms of clinical experience.
• All 3 have post-doctoral programs.
• I will be paying non-resident tuition in all of them. But from what I understand the tuition is least at UTHSCSA < UMN < VCU. (I understand going to the cheapest school makes sense in terms of loan repayment.)

1. I am trying to find out which school would be the best to graduate from in general? Any of the three
2. Which school has the best clinical experience, probability to do complex cases? At San Antonio, the ability to do complex cases is available depending on clinical success (i.e. if you are doing well or better than the rest of the students in your clinic group, then you might have a better chance to do tougher cases because your faculty will feel as though you can tackle those cases) or you can take any of a number of electives to broaden your experiences-- (i.e. molar endo, crown lengthening, implant placement, etc)
3. Which school has the best patient pool? not sure about the other two schools, but San Antonio has a reasonable patient pool-- not the biggest, but not the smallest, I would imagine it's probably average when compared to all schools in the country, you will have the patients to fulfill your requirements, so requirements are harder than others, but if you are organized and manage your time, you will be fine
4. Which school helps best to prepare for the licensure exams? (Not National Boards, I’ve already taken those) Aside from your daily clinical experiences, San Antonio has a mock WREB exam where the senior students will go through a practice WREB exam. The faculty will grade you like WREB for restorative, endo, perio, and treatment planning. I definitely think it helped as far as knowing the procedural ins and outs for the exam.
5. Which school has the best option for post grad program? (I might do Pediatrics/AEGD/GPR) San Antonio has one of the best pediatric programs around. Well-known faculty, etc. The VA AEGD is also one of the best in the country.
6. Which school might struggle the most with finding chairs /completing requirements?
7. Which school is more technologically advanced? San Antonio is pretty technologically advanced-- electronic records, digital x-rays, access to cone beam CTs, etc.
8. VCU & UMN has Dentsim virtual reality technology simulation. Is it an advantage over UTHSCSA or is it something one can live without? How good is UTHSCSA's evidence based dentistry program & CATs? I think you can live without those, especially since you are already trained. The evidence-based dentistry program is good, but not a reason to choose or not choose a program. You will have a class during third year, and that will be your exposure to the evidence-based dentistry program unless you pursue any research opportunities.
9. Which school’s community outreach program is the most helpful? I don't know about VCU and UMN, but I would imagine San Antonio is the most helpful. From my understanding, San Antonio has one of the best community dentistry/public health outreach programs in the country. Students rotate through clinics and do community outreach all 4 years. As a senior dental student you will have a two week rotation in South Texas (Laredo or Harlingen), you will have pediatric rotations in community clinics in San Antonio, sealant day with elementary schools-- and you have the opportunity to do additional outreach rotations between 3rd and 4th year in public health/community clinics, mobile van, etc. CMDA is a big organization at San Antonio, very active, tons of mission trips in Texas and they have started doing some abroad in other countries over spring break/summer break. Lots of outreach opportunities!
10. Which school would be best in terms of student life, faculty, alumni etc.? It's what you make of it. Intramurals and the Dental Olympics are a big part of student life for many of the students. There are also other organizations-- ZIPS, HSDA, Pediatric Dental Society, etc.
11. Which place would be better to live in esp. in terms of safety – VCU, Richmond is not very safe and UMN & UTHSCSA have extremes of climate. San Antonio's dental school is in a nice part of town-- not downtown like most schools.

I’d really appreciate any input from anyone to help me in deciding btw these schools as I need to make a decision soon.
Thanks a lot!!

Hope this helps. I graduated from UTHSCSA in 2011.

 

[drdoe]

Thankyou Halcion for the helpful info!

 

[toothfairyqueen]

Please see in the quote info for VCU

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for some help from anyone who's a current student or alumni of any of these 3 schools: VCU, UMN, UTHSCSA. I'm trying to decide btw these schools. I have read previous posts about them individually & being compared to other schools. I don't think there is a post that compares these schools together.

• I will be joining as advanced placed D3 with a preliminary program of 4-5 months which comprises the whole of D1 & D2 classes in all the 3 schools. (I am a foreign-trained dentist, but the requirements to graduate will be exactly the same as a traditional dental student.)
• All 3 schools have small class of 10 students which later join the regular D3.
• I've been told all 3 are great in terms of clinical experience.
• All 3 have post-doctoral programs.
• I will be paying non-resident tuition in all of them. But from what I understand the tuition is least at UTHSCSA < UMN < VCU. (I understand going to the cheapest school makes sense in terms of loan repayment.)

1. I am trying to find out which school would be the best to graduate from in general? VCU
2. Which school has the best clinical experience, probability to do complex cases? As a foreign trained dentist, you would never get complete 2 years of patient based experience and clinical exposure as in VCU. It cannot be explained here in words. I feel blessed to have chosen VCU over schools like Loma linda and UMDNJ
3. Which school has the best patient pool? VCU
4. Which school helps best to prepare for the licensure exams? (Not National Boards, I've already taken those) SRTA ADEX are prepared mock boards and then the board exam is held in school itself. School does special screenings to help students to get mock board and real board patients.School faculty take special effort to help students with board exam practice sessions.
5. Which school has the best option for post grad program? (I might do Pediatrics/AEGD/GPR) VCU has AEGD and Ped's. Both really strong.
6. Which school might struggle the most with finding chairs /completing requirements? there are ample chairs for everyone.And school staff is very helpful always to adjust you same day appt.
7. Which school is more technologically advanced? VCU. every chair has computer with electronic record system. besides remote access on your ipad, laptop, mac or whatever. School has Computer lab with about 50 computers for student use anytime. Library issues ipad's and other tabets for few week just like books. Online access to almost everything.
8. VCU & UMN has Dentsim virtual reality technology simulation. Is it an advantage over UTHSCSA or is it something one can live without? It definitely has good grading sklls, helps to make you ore ergonomic.
How good is UTHSCSA's evidence based dentistry program & CATs?
9. Which school's community outreach program is the most helpful? we have almost every quarter Mission of Mercy camps, Give kids a smile, then multiple 2 week rotations to various parts of southern virginia, school also has a volunteering project in Jamaica, many D4 students go each year. Do you think any other school has same level of community service including international?
10. Which school would be best in terms of student life, faculty, alumni etc.? VCU experience has been great. Alumni come back and present various sessions telling us about their experiences after school, guide the students for an after school life. Virginia Dental association is closely associated with VCU, and being the only dental school for the state many benefits in terms of mentorship and CE courses can be seen.
11. Which place would be better to live in esp. in terms of safety &#8211; VCU, Richmond is not very safe and UMN & UTHSCSA have extremes of climate.
Richmond might have statistics but VCU police is very helpful. They provide escort service to students anytime. You have great areas like West End to live alost 10 miles from school with free express GRTC bus service for VCU students, if you feel uncomfortable about downtown Richmond.

I'd really appreciate any input from anyone to help me in deciding btw these schools as I need to make a decision soon.
Thanks a lot!!

 

[drdoe]

Thank you Toothfairyqueen for the useful info on VCU!

 

[aznboi89x]

UTHSCSA is in a very nice area but no where near extreme. Its not hot AND humid like Houston. UTHSCSA will be cheaper for you since OOS tuition in texas is cheaper than most other OOS. UTHSCSA's location is surrounded by millions of affordable apartments (500s) and plenty of outdoor stuff to do (if you're outdoorsie person). It is near the Riverwalk, Alamo, Six Flags, Sea World, San Marcos (infamous outlet mall), Austin (hour away), Houston (3 hours away), and Natural Caverns. The point I'm trying to make is that San Antonio has so much to offer. UTHSCA has a patient pool of majority that are hispanics and you will never run short of patients. UTHSCSA has all the residency programs and top notch research in the country. UTHSCSA is known for research and academia (you should have known that).

Only bad thing I can think of is that ALL faculty has served in the military and the school has a very strict militarized curriculum and atmosphere.

 

[SAspurs]

UTHSCSA is in a very nice area but no where near extreme. Its not hot AND humid like Houston. UTHSCSA will be cheaper for you since OOS tuition in texas is cheaper than most other OOS. UTHSCSA's location is surrounded by millions of affordable apartments (500s) and plenty of outdoor stuff to do (if you're outdoorsie person). It is near the Riverwalk, Alamo, Six Flags, Sea World, San Marcos (infamous outlet mall), Austin (hour away), Houston (3 hours away), and Natural Caverns. The point I'm trying to make is that San Antonio has so much to offer. UTHSCA has a patient pool of majority that are hispanics and you will never run short of patients. UTHSCSA has all the residency programs and top notch research in the country. UTHSCSA is known for research and academia (you should have known that).

Only bad thing I can think of is that ALL faculty has served in the military and the school has a very strict militarized curriculum and atmosphere.[/QUOTE]

As a student here, I'd have to disagree with you on that. San An is a good retirement spot for some military folk which is the reason why SOME our faculty are ex-military. Our curriculum is not militarized, I don't even know what you mean?? Lol. Unless I asked my faculty if they were in the military, I wouldn't know. It's not like they have us marching through the halls yelling 'yes sir, no sir'

 

[aznboi89x]

UTHSCSA is in a very nice area but no where near extreme. Its not hot AND humid like Houston. UTHSCSA will be cheaper for you since OOS tuition in texas is cheaper than most other OOS. UTHSCSA's location is surrounded by millions of affordable apartments (500s) and plenty of outdoor stuff to do (if you're outdoorsie person). It is near the Riverwalk, Alamo, Six Flags, Sea World, San Marcos (infamous outlet mall), Austin (hour away), Houston (3 hours away), and Natural Caverns. The point I'm trying to make is that San Antonio has so much to offer. UTHSCA has a patient pool of majority that are hispanics and you will never run short of patients. UTHSCSA has all the residency programs and top notch research in the country. UTHSCSA is known for research and academia (you should have known that).

Only bad thing I can think of is that ALL faculty has served in the military and the school has a very strict militarized curriculum and atmosphere.[/QUOTE]

As a student here, I'd have to disagree with you on that. San An is a good retirement spot for some military folk which is the reason why SOME our faculty are ex-military. Our curriculum is not militarized, I don't even know what you mean?? Lol. Unless I asked my faculty if they were in the military, I wouldn't know. It's not like they have us marching through the halls yelling 'yes sir, no sir'

i have 4 friends that attend UTHSCSA (2 are 4th years, 1 is 3rd, and 1 is 1st year) and they do feel like its military boot camp. However, they had nothing but good things to say about UTHSCSA. Great curriculum and its changing (they added the occlusions course to Dental Anatomy). They never had an actual occlusions course. Its so awesome that the president of the whole UTHSCSA campus is an actual DENTIST! its so unheard of that a dentist is president of a health campus. Dr. K