When to think about specializing?

[toothapp]

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I just started my D2 year, and I'm not 100% sure if I want to specialize or even what speciality I would want to go into. I think that perio and endo interest me so far, but I would also want to take a few years to work as a GP post grad. Would this make things harder for me than if I were to apply and go straight into a residency after graduation?

My grades are fine so far and my class rank is #18. I don't know how much I should be focusing on things like research and involvement and how much those things matter if I were to apply later with a few years of experience rather than as a dental student.

Does anyone have any insight?

 

[Hockey_Ortho]

Most endodontic programs want to see people practicing GD for a few years before accepting them.

 

[JacquesVallee]

I just started my D2 year, and I'm not 100% sure if I want to specialize or even what speciality I would want to go into. I think that perio and endo interest me so far, but I would also want to take a few years to work as a GP post grad. Would this make things harder for me than if I were to apply and go straight into a residency after graduation?

My grades are fine so far and my class rank is #18. I don't know how much I should be focusing on things like research and involvement and how much those things matter if I were to apply later with a few years of experience rather than as a dental student.

Does anyone have any insight?

Keep it in the back of your head while you're learning dentistry. In all likelihood you'll be a GD. It's hard to know if there's something you're going to like until you're actually in clinic. Just keep your class rank as high as you can to keep all doors open. The main specialty you need to know early is OMFS. Just about every other specialty really values real world experience. I'm starting residency now and in all of my interviews, they mentioned how much they valued my GD experience.

 

[toothapp]

Keep it in the back of your head while you're learning dentistry. In all likelihood you'll be a GD. It's hard to know if there's something you're going to like until you're actually in clinic. Just keep your class rank as high as you can to keep all doors open. The main specialty you need to know early is OMFS. Just about every other specialty really values real world experience. I'm starting residency now and in all of my interviews, they mentioned how much they valued my GD experience.

Thank you! Do you think that your extracurricular activities in dental school mattered after you had a few years of experience?
I'm deciding how involved I want to be this year and I don't know if it's important to do as much as possible, or just a couple of additional things going on would be fine?

 

[JacquesVallee]

Thank you! Do you think that your extracurricular activities in dental school mattered after you had a few years of experience?
I'm deciding how involved I want to be this year and I don't know if it's important to do as much as possible, or just a couple of additional things going on would be fine?

My research was brought up and was a huge positive. I presented at a national conference and had a fantastic LoR from my PI. Whatever field you have an inkling for, do a research project in that field D3 year. That way, you can get a LoR from them down the line and it looks good for your resume. When you graduate, you'll also want to find mentors in the field you're going into. That's at least what I did.

Don't write off GD. Even if you love one field, you can still do as much molar endo or ext as a GD as you feel comfortable and refer out the super hard cases or difficult patients. You have no idea how nice it is to refer. You won't have that luxury as a specialist.

 

[2TH MVR]

I just started my D2 year, and I'm not 100% sure if I want to specialize or even what speciality I would want to go into. I think that perio and endo interest me so far, but I would also want to take a few years to work as a GP post grad. Would this make things harder for me than if I were to apply and go straight into a residency after graduation?

My grades are fine so far and my class rank is #18. I don't know how much I should be focusing on things like research and involvement and how much those things matter if I were to apply later with a few years of experience rather than as a dental student.

Does anyone have any insight?

If I recall .... you haven't started any actual patient interaction or very little at the start of D2. You went to DS to become a general dentist. Start there 1st. You need some actual experience with general dentistry before you can decide if you want to specialize or not.

What is important is to keep your options open by keeping a high rank and involving yourself with research, interaction with the specialty depts, etc. This way ... you'll have options. Realistic residency financial options. If you have limited options (average stats) for a specialty .... then the financial burden of attending these "For Profit" residencies will not be wise.

 

[ncide]

Endo is a bit different than other specialties in that it tends to favor clinical experience as a GP. It is becoming a very competitive specialty, so having good class rank and, for some programs, a good ADAT score, is going to help you get an interview invitation.

I would recommend a GPR/AEGD program after dental school. There you can be exposed to lots of specialty procedures, and then really decide if specializing in one field is something you'd enjoy. Networking with your endo department or establishing good rapport with your attendings in your GPR/AEGD so that you can have good letters of recommendation when time comes to apply is also very helpful.