What do you like about UCLA?

[TonsilStone]

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Does UCLA have a good program? What is special about it? I can't find any information about the curriculum besides the classes offered. Some schools offer a ton of information about their programs, for example WesternU offers interprofessional education, USC does a lot of group learning, UOP also offers small-group case-study learning, but UCLA doesn't discuss what the program is about. Does it have anything similar? Is there anything else that stands out about this dental school?

 

[oralcare123]

Cost of the tuition

 

[oceanangel4]

H/P/F grading system is also a plus.

If you are asking about the curriculum in particular, it's mostly lecture based and the sciences are taught in systems.
You can actually find the entire curriculum/academic schedule here:
https://www.dentistry.ucla.edu/calendar/curriculum

 

[TonsilStone]

when do you guys start seeing patients?

 

[LuckyTangerines]

Yes, UCLA has a good program. You can get involved as much or as little as you want to be to make it the right program for you whether you decide to specialize or pursue general dentistry. As far as some of the other schools you mentioned and what they offer, UCLA does offer it. Inter-professional Education starts in the Fall of 3rd Year with the School of Medicine and School of Nursing on assigned days. Small group/Case-based learning is integrated in the Systems course during 1st year as well as Oral Pathology during 2nd year.

We start seeing patients as soon as Fall in your 2nd year beginning with prophies, periodontal maintenance, and scaling & root planing for patients in your clinic team. By Winter of your 2nd year, you can start doing direct restorations and indirect restorations under the guidance of the 4th year on your clinic team.

 

[TonsilStone]

Yes, UCLA has a good program. You can get involved as much or as little as you want to be to make it the right program for you whether you decide to specialize or pursue general dentistry. As far as some of the other schools you mentioned and what they offer, UCLA does offer it. Inter-professional Education starts in the Fall of 3rd Year with the School of Medicine and School of Nursing on assigned days. Small group/Case-based learning is integrated in the Systems course during 1st year as well as Oral Pathology during 2nd year.

We start seeing patients as soon as Fall in your 2nd year beginning with prophies, periodontal maintenance, and scaling & root planing for patients in your clinic team. By Winter of your 2nd year, you can start doing direct restorations and indirect restorations under the guidance of the 4th year on your clinic team.

Thank you for your answer! Now I have a lot more understanding of the program I'm really excited about the early patient care!!

 

[KillaCam]

Don't get excited yet.

The above description by Lucky is a bit jaded. The Interprofessional Education is boring on a good day and is not assigned to every student so not everyone will even participate in this even if you're excited about it. Its like 10 days for your entire schooling/curriculum so it's not even worth mentioning as part of the curriculum.

Secondly, starting your 2nd year, you do 1 prophy in fall, a few more in winter and a few more in spring. I believe you need to have 10 done by end of summer of 3rd year, which is still hardly anything. The direct and indirect procedures are not done by all students as it requires schedules to work out between the 4th year, the 2nd year who is often in class and lab, and the patient. I know of many including myself that never did a direct procedure with their 2nd year.