Hello,
Taking a year off will mean different things to admission committees.
They will wonder why? do you really want dentistry? are there any problems you are not telling them about?
With that said... I will first give a personal statement, then what the committees will look at ( from the standpoint of have being on two committees at two schools and having friends at others... in fact will see them next week at the ADEA meeting (Amer Dental Educators Assoc)
I finished Queens College, NY undecided but leaning to Dentistry. I worked in a hospital part-time and did not like the death/dying I saw (little did I know I would become a full time hospital dentist and deal with that daily... so medicine was low on my list, though I won the NY Regency scholarship for both dentistry and medicine). I was active in politics... it was the 60s. I took so law courses in college and did not like that 1+1 equals 3 before one judge and equals what ever you want in another if you pay.
I decided to take a year off to decide and applied for and got into VISTA. (the current Americorp-- Volunteers In Serve To America).... BUT my parents asked me to apply anyway. I did, very late, and was placed on altnered lists without interviews. One school accepted me for the following year... Great I was all set.
Come Sept. I was in VISTA and openings developed... the school... my first choice... had openings and decided that I should come immediately and my acceptance for the following year was null and void... They said VISTA was not an educational year and they would consider my refusal to come, that I really did not want dentistry,,,, I went..... so much for my personal story.
Now for the schools....
A year of study, especially to learn a foreign language... excellent
A year to help in poverty/third world country or US is now the IN thing.
A year to earn money to pay for dental school... excellent (especially in health care, ie a dental lab(
The Military to help to pay for education.. excellent
A year.... buming around... doing nothing, may lead them to wonder ... can you put up with four hard years.
In summary,,,, If you have plans, a reason, in should be good.
By the way... I want to dental school, was mentored by some of the best which lead me into Oral Medicine, Oral Path, Hospital Dentistry... and death and dying.... and I never gave up my "roots"... I travel with Operation Smile, Health Volunteers Overseas, Partners for Peace, etc. I presented at the 40th reunion of Peace Corps/Vista and am a member of the Governor's Commission on Community and Volunteer Service... amoung other things... and will be heading to Cambodia in about 2 weeks... and now give back more than I ever could have when I was just a college grad....
any questions,,, just email me.... It is hard to check in here often.
bob arm