What a Predicament

[theun4given]

For the past year and a half, all I've been thinking about is what it would be like to go into dentistry. I made the decision to apply to medical school for a lot of wrong reasons. As I got deeper and deeper into the app process, my heart fell more and more out of it. I've been observing many different dentists in my area and I am now confident that this is the right path for me. Trouble is, right now I feel very insecure. My grades were not up to snuff for medical school (thankfully) and I am not even sure if they are up to snuff for Dental (3.4 Cum, 3.2 BCPM, 3 grades of C's throughout the years in the sciences, plus I am a humanities major which I am beginning to see as a disadvantage because no med school gave a hoot about it). I know that I need to do REALLY well on my DAT, but I am unsure of how to untangle this mess of medicine I got myself into. Should I convey my transition to medicine in my essay, or should I just focus on why I think dentistry is for me. Another thing is that all my LOR were written for medical school. Would it be appropriate to go back to these prof. and ask them to modify them for dental school?

Thanks for any help out there, and if you've made the switch or were in a similar boat as me---please let me know!

(I also posted this in the Dental forums to get responses from not just pre-dents, but Dents as well)

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[Safado]

You will be fine! Do well on your DAT, and make sure you do a lot of extra-curricular stuff. Your grades are better than mine, and if I can do it, you surely can. Best of luck to you!

 

[wackiezackie82]

Hi theun4given,

I was basically in the exact same boat as you last year, except for my major, but it doesn't matter as much for dental school as long as you complete the required course work. As for your other questions...

- I had a similar cum gpa
- I went back to two of my letter writers from before to ask them to modify it. Then I got 3 new ones, from my current employer, another science professor, and the dentist I was shadowing.
- You can mention your transition from medicine in your essay, but you don't have to. Just be prepared for your interviews b/c that's the first question you'll get at every one of them. "Why did you change from medicine?" That's because they're afraid you're using dentistry as a back door to medicine. I had to explain that that's definitely not what I want to do and that my goal is 100% to stay in the field of dentistry. Some interviewers will really try to attack you on this, but just hold your ground and be honest.
- Do really well on the DATs and you'll be good to go.

By doing this I was accepted to two schools and I was waitlisted at three out of the five schools I interviewed at.

Good luck and don't worry!!

 

[Cymbidium]

You might want to get your LOR's re-written for dental school if your current letters reference anything about medical school - also see if you can get a letter from one of the dentist you shadowed. As far as your major goes- I have a degree in Art/Art History and I got into D-school. You'll be fine!
Good luck!

 

[lnsip9reg]

it's hard to do but REMEMBER this:

Do NOT focus on your essay or your answers on the negatives of medicine and why you don't want to go that path. At the most just hit on those points briefly.

Place the emphasis on why you want to do dentistry, and how dentistry is the sh**. You gotta make sure the adcoms know dentistry is not your second choice, but was right for you all along.

 

[theun4given]

Thank you all so much for your help and encouragement. I'm going to give it my all.

Thanks again.