Why some students fail out of dental schools?

[Kirow]

Is that about them not studying as hard as they could or just too tough?
I heard that once you are in there they will (as well as med schools) try to do what they can to keep you there, (If you fail) even including a remediation strategy.

Btw, what are board exams are like?

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[tomhrxbfg]

They either slacked off or didn't really liked dentistry...

 

[KittySquared]

Some are due to family problems. Don't estimate how emotional/family issues can affect your ability to succeed in such a rigorous and regimented schedule.

 

[jigabodo]

Is that about them not studying as hard as they could or just too tough?
I heard that once you are in there they will (as well as med schools) try to do what they can to keep you there, (If you fail) even including a remediation strategy.

Btw, what are board exams are like?

People drop out for a variety of reasons; and failing is just one of them. There will be people that physically can't cope with the rigors of dental school, and there will also be some that just don't have enough hand skills to get by.

Board exams were pretty similar to DAT in my opinion, you still take them in Prometric centers. There was just a lot more stuff to study for dental boards compared to DAT. Part 1 is an 1 day test and part 2 is split into 2 days.

 

[Jbrowndds]

People drop out for a variety of reasons; and failing is just one of them. There will be people that physically can't cope with the rigors of dental school, and there will also be some that just don't have enough hand skills to get by.

Board exams were pretty similar to DAT in my opinion, you still take them in Prometric centers. There was just a lot more stuff to study for dental boards compared to DAT. Part 1 is an 1 day test and part 2 is split into 2 days.

What do you mean by hand skills?

 

[dsoz]

I would think that it means small motor skills required for delicate work, like drilling into someone's teeth!

It would suck if you have the shakes while drilling... OOPS! I didn't mean to destroy your molar. Sorry. Let me just pull that one out and you can have a gap in your mouth...

dsoz

 

[RaeRae0903]

What do you mean by hand skills?

Hand skills meaning the ability to actually perform dental tasks. Like shaping restorations, crowns, removable prosthetics, etc. some people just aren't good with their hands which is why they ask in some supplemental apps for examples of proof of hand skills (like playing an instrument, knitting, sculpting, etc.) You've got to be able to perfect fine motor skills and really need to have decent tactile sensitivity.

 

[sacapuntas]

The dean at columbia said a dude failed out by doing too much day trading...he spent more time playing the market than learning dentistry.

On the bright side, the guy that failed out is probably making a lot more money than his dental counterparts.

 

[Jbrowndds]

Oh okay cool. I can crotchet, I am a cosmetologist, currently a dental assistant student, speed textr. I got this one in the bag. If the ask me to sculpt a tooth though ill freak. I'm investing in a year of sculpting courses at my cc though.

 

[Jbrowndds]

@raerae0903 I wanted to be an dental hygienist first then a dentist later on but my counselor told me if I wanted to be a dentist go ahead and do it. She said that dental school don't really care if you are a dh and don't really take preference. What are your experiences with being a dh and applying and interviewing. Was the DAT harder? Did you have to take additional classes?

 

[RaeRae0903]

@raerae0903 I wanted to be an dental hygienist first then a dentist later on but my counselor told me if I wanted to be a dentist go ahead and do it. She said that dental school don't really care if you are a dh and don't really take preference. What are your experiences with being a dh and applying and interviewing. Was the DAT harder? Did you have to take additional classes?

Agreed. If you want to be a dentist, don't waste your time in hygiene school. I went hygiene because I was young and wasn't ready to commit to such a long program. Wish I would have just gone for it from the start but then again I'm sure I wouldn't appreciate it the same. I didn't want to be "old" when I got married and had kids. Lol Now it's a million times harder. Anyway, basically I still have to be just as strong/competitive as everyone else. If all that adds up...THEN hygiene is a slight advantage. Yes - I had to take a lot more courses beyond hygiene. If fact, very few classes I'd taken prior to hygiene school were prerequisites for dental school. I had a year of basics before the 2 year hygiene program and now it's another 3 to finish my bachelor's degree. So, see how hygiene wastes 2 years? I am happy I did it. I think I have a huge advantage knowing the ins and outs of dentistry and such...but definitely could have saved a lot of time going straight through. I've been doing hygiene for over 8 years now so that does play a part in their decision because they know I KNOW it's what I want to do without question and didn't just decide on a whim, but changed my entire life around to go back to school...especially with children.

As far as the DAT - was it harder? I don't think so. I mean, I only studied REALLY about 4 days. Lol I know that sounds terrible but I was swamped with a full course load, work, kids etc so I didn't get a chance to set aside time to really focus on it. Had I spent weeks/months I'm sure I could have totally knocked it out of the park. But my score still got me an early interview. Plus my school knows me. I researched with the head of the admissions committee in the spring as well and he wrote one of my LORs. It's definitely a "who you know" as well as what you know in this game (so if you haven't already, get in there, get to know the big wigs in your school and maybe even try to research with someone there - research looks great on an app). Anyway, I think in my position, being a dental hygienist is an advantage because I have done it so long. I don't think being a new hygienist would be as strongly considered though.

Sorry for the lengthy reply. I'm kinda detailed if you can't tell... Lol But if you have any more questions I don't mind helping. BTW I only applied to one school which puts me at a huge disadvantage as far as the numbers game goes with this process, but those are just the cards I've dealt myself being a mom and needing to be local. :-/