What does O.Chem have to do with dentistry?

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blueyes34

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Organic chemistry is known for being a "weed out class" for graduate schools. But, will we actually need to apply anything from O.Chem in the field of dentistry? Are there any reactions that we would apply? Just wondering what other people think because it is a rather tough class. :)

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Of course it applies. First you need o-chem to grasp biochemistry, which is a pre-req for many dental schools and is also taught in dental school. Organic chemistry is helpful for studying pharmacology in dental school. Organic chem is on the DAT. Organic chem IS applied when you're practicing dentsitry such as light reactions when you're curing a prep tooth with that blue light during a filling. The list goes on, it's necessary.
 
yes, I also agree it is necessary. YES! it sucks! it's tough and it's tedious work. But it really does help you to develop your study skills in order to compete and be successful in class. Also, it helps you develop problem thinking skills which i think is crucial in any science related field...

personally, i think physics is a waste of time...but that's just me...:D
 
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i may be wrong....but i have talked to students currently in dental school and have been told by an admissions committee member that you can basically say bye bye to organic chem in dentistry. It would apply to dental research though. the national board exams will cover such science classes as biochem, microbio, etc....but not organic. But, it is a pre-req for those classes for a reason so you will have to understand its material to succeed in the other areas. its a hard class, get an A in it once and you won't really have to worry about it again, unless you still have to take the DAT, then it sucks to relearn something you learned 2 years ago. :eek: but you won't need to be a pro at stereochemistry to make an awesome dentist
 
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haven't you figured it out yet...... for the most part everything we do (starting in elementary school and continuing until dental school) is just another hoop to jump through to reach the final prize: becoming a dentist. if it were easy, everyone would do it!

jb!:)
 
lets not kid ourselves. you are not going to be thinking about molecular polymerization of bis-GMA matrix when you are light curing a freakin composite.

no, you will not be applying anything that has to do with o-chem in real practice. but you are taking o-chem anyway for 2 reasons.

1. others have taken it for a long time before you did; you have to pay your dues
2. o-chem helps you develop analytical thinking skills, which i think is the major point of o-chem to begin with
 
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Of course it applies. First you need o-chem to grasp biochemistry, which is a pre-req for many dental schools and is also taught in dental school. Organic chemistry is helpful for studying pharmacology in dental school. Organic chem is on the DAT. Organic chem IS applied when you're practicing dentsitry such as light reactions when you're curing a prep tooth with that blue light during a filling. The list goes on, it's necessary.

that is such BS. You don't need orgo to grasp concepts in biochem....and you dont really need all that much biochem to do dentistry. You'll find out in dental school that alot of crap you learn are completely pointless.
 
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i think the original poster was talking about the field of dentistry or practice of dentistry, not dental school. all of those pdfs wont make you become better at prepping a tooth.

collegeboy was just bein a smartass :)

jb!
 
i think the original poster was talking about the field of dentistry or practice of dentistry, not dental school. all of those pdfs wont make you become better at prepping a tooth.

"Polarnut" did you read what I posted????

'Take time and read the following to answer your question as to why Organic Chem is or isn't relevant to D-School...'

And if you saw the PDF, it clearly shows little to no correlation w/ Organic Chem scores and Preclinical operative techniques.

READ IT!
 
"Polarnut" did you read what I posted????

'Take time and read the following to answer your question as to why Organic Chem is or isn't relevant to D-School...'

And if you saw the PDF, it clearly shows little to no correlation w/ Organic Chem scores and Preclinical operative techniques.

READ IT!

oh ok. didnt catch that. calm down though.
 
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Dental Student here, and thus far, I have gotten along without any Ochem knowledge...You only need some basic regular chem to get the concepts...and although ochem can be helpful when you're doing pharmacology, you can definitely get by without and do really well!!

in short, what does ochem have to do with d school??? almost nothing!!
 
The last time you will need Organic Chemistry (OC) is when you take your ACS exam or the DAT. That is the truth. Biochemistry sound fancy and complicated, but its very simple once you grasp the concepts.

OC is only used to weed out the unqualified. Think of if this way, if you can manage OC and get a decent grade, the school knows you will be able to handle other "charming" subjects such as these.

Edit: To answer your question, OC has virtually nothing to do with real world dentistry. Biochemistry however does, so pay attention in that class!!!
 
Getting down to the core of why you take all these classes, is to fundamentally understand all aspects of dentistry and your patient. A dentist knows what a living thing is, how it works, what its made out of, etc. This is necessary to grasp the ENTIRE picture when treating patients, making diagnoses, prescribing medication, the list goes on. No debating that.
 
ochem?? that's EASY compared to Physics and Physical Chemistry....Shouldn't you be complaining about those?? lol...
 
ochem?? that's EASY compared to Physics and Physical Chemistry....Shouldn't you be complaining about those?? lol...

No, physics I and II are easier than organic IMO. Physical chem, thats a diff story.
 
ochem?? that's EASY compared to Physics and Physical Chemistry....Shouldn't you be complaining about those?? lol...

Last time I checked pchem wasn't required for dental school.

LIEK OMG HOW CAN YOU SAY PHYSICS IS HARD LIEK YOU SHOULD TAKE ADVANCED BIOPHYSICAL ENGINEERING 713 iT IS LIEK TEH HARDEST CLASS ON MINE CAMPUS LOLOLOLO
 
I was speaking from a chemistry major's perspective...OChem is nothing compared to Pchem etc. Most predents are either Bio or Chem majors so they know it too...




Last time I checked pchem wasn't required for dental school.

LIEK OMG HOW CAN YOU SAY PHYSICS IS HARD LIEK YOU SHOULD TAKE ADVANCED BIOPHYSICAL ENGINEERING 713 iT IS LIEK TEH HARDEST CLASS ON MINE CAMPUS LOLOLOLO
 
Organic 1 sucked, Organic 2 was my favorite class in undergrad. I took Pharmacology my senior year and O Chem was a prereq...and it was necessary! Pharmacology in Dental School will be the same way (I'm guessing).
 
You guys will be suprised that 3/4 of what you take in dental school won't be used in private practice either...

Basically undergrad gets you used to jumping through hoops.

The only difference is dental school is more interesting than physics or ochem.:thumbup:
 
I am writing a research paper to graduate, I am doing inorganic-organic hybrid resins. There is a crazy amount of O-chem, yes an average General dentist doesn't care about the mechanism his composite resin uses, but there is organic chemistry.

Ochem can be interesting and challenging and ultimately a postive experience. Just get through it remember 1/3 of the scienc DAT will be on Ochem. Its just chemistry.
 
haven't you figured it out yet...... for the most part everything we do (starting in elementary school and continuing until dental school) is just another hoop to jump through to reach the final prize: becoming a dentist. if it were easy, everyone would do it!

jb!:)

AMEN TIMES A MILLION TRILLION
 
You will never directly use o-chem as a practicing dentist, but o-chem is a very important class (just like all the basic science classes) because it lays the groundwork and lets you understand dental concepts at the most basic level.
As a dentist is important to understand how the dental biomaterials that you are using work (e.g. composites and impression materials, some o-chem for ya) and how the caries process works (i.e. demineralization/remineralization). There are many more, these are just two examples that I could think of off the top of my head.
I know pre-dents may think otherwise, but trust me, after you complete four years of dental school and have been out practicing, you will understand why you had to take chemistry and biology.
 
I think this was the non-sarcastic, great answer I was looking for. Thank you :D
 
you talking about my response?? you are welcome
 
i sat in on a dental school class 2 weeks ago...and i thought it was organic chem lecture!!!! i was like NO WAY we really do need to know this...it was a class the instructor was rambling* on about cements and liners, hydroxyl groups, carbon double bonds...um yeah of course it was totally neat cause i was like i know what he's saying.

*i say rambling cause as dull as organic is to me, this guy made it worse than i could have imagined, i looked around and it looked like everyone around me was IM-ing someone on their labtops, and not paying attention.

ahhh can't wait for dental school, so we can relax.
 
absolutely nothing. heck, most of the stuff learned in orgo are learning tools and a slanted truth at best. best thing I learned from orgo was in using both sides of white paper.
 
Hmm, I wouldnt have that attitude.


how did i know if i didn't put just kidding i'd push the wrong buttons with someone wow in less than 5 minutes...ok it's not just you iceman its everyone always looking for a reason to attack someone, to scream, NO YOUR WRONG, like already on the defensive waiting to yell...chill people chill, i'd say that at least freaking 90% of the people on here have some common understanding on somethings
1. its not easy to get in and
2. it doesn't get any easier once your in.

if we wanted easy we would have all chosen some other profession, that did not require tutors, late night studying, $1200 dollar kaplan course, and where we could make straight C's

now of course someone will respond and tell me "grades aren't everything you can get straight c's this and that go into it, blah blah blah"

i'll have someone respond that they didn't need kaplan, tutor's or studying...
it's an random example based on my opinion don't attack it
get up walk away from the computer, sit down, take a deep breath before your fingers touch those keys!!!
 
My two cents: knowing some organic chemistry will make certain classes in Dental school a little easier.. and what better way to test our aptitude and see if we're up to snuff


Oh an this is a little pet peeve of mine...
...someone on their labtops, and not paying attention...
Its LAPtop.. :D
 
What does school even have to do with life?
 
My two cents: knowing some organic chemistry will make certain classes in Dental school a little easier.. and what better way to test our aptitude and see if we're up to snuff


Oh an this is a little pet peeve of mine...

Its LAPtop.. :D


I"M sorry!!!:D

i swear if i proof read i would have caught that!!! i'm so sending you my personal statement to read
 
I am writing a research paper to graduate, I am doing inorganic-organic hybrid resins. There is a crazy amount of O-chem, yes an average General dentist doesn't care about the mechanism his composite resin uses, but there is organic chemistry.

Ochem can be interesting and challenging and ultimately a postive experience. Just get through it remember 1/3 of the scienc DAT will be on Ochem. Its just chemistry.

true, different types of bonding material, compostie etc. do have lots of ochem in them...it would def help if you knew your ochem! then you could better predict the properties of why this veneer came off while the other one didn't etc etc...but most people are not worried about this stuff in dental school!
 
I"M sorry!!!:D

i swear if i proof read i would have caught that!!! i'm so sending you my personal statement to read
Oh it was a typo? Lots of folks say Labtop instead of Laptop..
I wouldnt have corrected a typo.. thats a no-no around here.. especially since I make so many of them myself, as is evident below:D

...Oh an this is a little pet peeve of mine...

Its LAPtop.. :D
 
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