Where Should I Apply to Dental School?

"Where should I apply to dental school?," seems to be a question on every pre-dental student's lips. If you've found this blog, maybe you're wondering it yourself. Unfortunately this is often a very difficult question to answer for a number of reasons, and the only person who really knows the answer is you. I know right now you're probably thinking, "now what kind of advice is that?," but it really is a question that no one but you can answer.

There are currently 65 accredited dental schools in 36 different states, the District of Colombia, and Puerto Rico, all of which American pre-dental students are welcome to apply to. In theory you could apply to all 65 schools, however this would be an incredibly wasteful process that is likely to jeopardize your chances of acceptance altogether. By applying to too many schools, not only will it be very expensive (over $6000 in application fees to apply to all of them, not to mention flying all around the country for interviews), but completing all of those secondary applications and interviews will likely demand more than a full time job. This will likely lead to sloppy work on your part; not a trait that dental schools are looking for. However, perhaps most importantly, you will likely be applying to a lot of schools which are just not the right fit for you.

"So where should you begin narrowing down the potential list?," I hear you asking. Well, the first place to start is by determining which schools are a good fit for you. This makes perfect sense because you want to make sure that you will be attending a school that will support you through your journey to become a dentist. As such, you want to determine which dental schools best fit your personality, beliefs, learning styles, and the like. Unfortunately, there is no objective way to do this. Setting aside some time to peruse dental school websites is likely the best approach. Is there anything that stands out to you about a particular school? Is there something that makes you feel that you wouldn't thrive in a particular dental school environment? Is this school clinically focused, or research driven? These are all the important kind of questions to ask and are all relevant. I suggest compiling a spreadsheet of all the dental schools in the country and assigning each with a rating from 1 to 5 of how well the school fits you personally. This alone will likely narrow down your list considerably.

Location is another important aspect to consider. Are you just leaving college and happy to live anywhere in the country? Or do you have a family and think it will be difficult to relocate? Either way, the location of a dental school should be a part of deciding where to apply, however it should not be the only factor. It would be foolish to apply only to schools in your state just because you can get in-state tuition, however, you might not be able to afford to attend dental school without it. These are all very personal questions to ponder.

Finally, one of the other big influencing factors for many people is the cost of tuition. It is generally thought that state schools are more affordable than private schools, however, at times this may be a sort of false economy. While state schools do generally have lower up-front tuition, there may be other benefits that will level the playing field. The University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, for example, is a very expensive private school to attend in San Francisco, a very expensive town. However, its three year DDS program will mean that you will finish a year earlier, opening up an extra year for you to practice dentistry. According to U.S. News, the median salary for dentists in 2013 was $146,340. If you take this into account, the University of the Pacific is now actually a more cost effective option than most other American dental schools.

Cost of dental school pie chart courtesy of The Curious Dentist.

In summary, there are many different options for where to attend dental school and it is only up to you to determine where you should apply. There are also a myriad of other factors that might influence you decision and the American Dental Education Association's Official Guide to Dental Schools is a perfect place to get all of this information.

Title photo courtesy of NCAA Logos on Pinterest.

My Favorite Piece of Interview Preparation Advice

Interviewing; It's one of those things that we all need to be good at but we very infrequently do. Something I've also noticed that pre-dental students are very concerned about when they apply is their interviews. There are literally hundreds of pieces of online advice for how to succeed in your dental school interviews and even courses and classes you can take. However, I have a slightly different view on how you should best prepare. In addition, if you want to be an attractive candidate for any professional school, you're likely going to have to interview for other positions before hand while gaining experience. This makes interviewing well an incredibly important life skill to possess, especially as a professional.

My entire premise for how to best prepare for any important interview is to practice. If I asked you to bake a cake for the president and you had only done it once before, you're probably going to want to practice. Interviewing is no different. But unlike many other skills, interviewing is not something that is very easy to practice on a day to day basis because the opportunity to interview doesn't arise on many occasions. However, this is easy to change if you choose to look at interviews in the way I do. An interview doesn't need to be thought of as an interview. An interview is simply a conversation where two (or perhaps more) people are meeting each other for the first time and want to become acquainted. By and large, this is very true and makes perfect sense. Think of applying to dental school like online dating, you've already submitted your application (your dating profile) and the school wants to interview you (the first date) to see if you will be a good match for the school and the school will be a good match for you. Again, this makes sense. If you've already read through someone's information, you have a good idea what they are like as a person, however, meeting them is the only real way to see just who they are.

Now that we've turned a huge, daunting interview into a simple introduction and conversation, how should you best practice? Well, in my personal experience, the best way to practice introductions and conversations is to meet new people. I'm not saying that every pre-dental student should head out to a bar tonight and try and start up a conversation, but it is an important skill to have. Not only is it important for interviewing, as future dentists we will be meeting new people every day and interpersonal skills are tremendously important for a good dentist. Still, you can target your audience. A great place to start is at school. This is a place where people share similar interests and will be conducive to creating conversation. What would be even better is if you can find out where the other pre-dental students hang out and start meeting them. This way you can also be asked and ask questions you would expect to encounter in a dental school interview. After all, the big "why are you interested in dentistry?," question is bound to come up and what better way to prepare for your interview by having to answer it a few dozen times in casual conversation.

If you've done what I've been talking about then perfect! You're well on your way to having a great interview day at your top choice dental schools. By now you've reduced the nerve wracking interview to a casual getting-to-know-you type conversation. Don't get me wrong, there are still many other important aspects to an interview, such as dressing professionally and having considered some of the more important reasons you want to become a dentist, however if you've mastered telling your story to strangers you're most of the way there.

Another little tip: see if any colleges or dental schools nearby offer mock interviews. These can be done just prior to your interviews to help you hone your skills and are absolutely invaluable. And most of all, remember to be yourself and have fun! Good luck and please feel free to leave any pieces of advice you have in the comments section below.

Photos courtesy of:
1) snagajob.com
2) Derrick McCann

UC Davis Pre-Health Professions Conference

Being local to San Francisco, about a month ago I was fortunate enough to attend the 13th Annual Pre-Medical and Pre-Health Professions National Conference over the weekend of October 10th. "What's a Pre-Health Professions conference," I hear you ask? A pre-health professions conference is a gathering of like-minded pre-health students, including pre-dental students of course, to attend a variety of different keynote speeches, panels, workshops, exhibitions and more. All of these are aimed at giving the budding dentist information that will not only help them decide if the profession is a right fit for them, but also to give useful information about the application process, what to expect, and how to get the most out of pre-dental activities. The remainder of this post will give a brief synopsis of my experience at the conference will provide some other little tips along the way for those thinking about attending next year.

After registration and breakfast, which was provided, I attended the main conference speeches. These were delivered by many esteemed members of the health-professions and although heavily focused on speaking to pre-medical students, I felt that there points were still applicable to dentistry.

However, after the main conference speeches were over, the real pre-dental really fun began. The two keynote speeches, presented by Dr. Friedrichsen, Dean of Western University's dental school, and Dr. Featherstone, Dean of UCSF School of Dentistry, were both informative and inspirational. Both had the general overarching theme of describing how the role of dentists is changing as healthcare becomes more integrated. The primary focus of this is that as future dentists, we will not be working in isolation. Instead, we will be working as a part of a larger healthcare team, aimed at providing a holistic approach to both healthcare and dentistry simultaneously. I would definitely recommend attending the keynote speeches in the future.

Immediately following the keynote addresses were a series of panels. First was a panel of members from admissions committees from dental schools around the country. Attending this panel was great way to get the perspectives from many different schools on what makes a successful applicant and how to best go about applying. Although there is far too much information for me to mention here, a few of the biggest mistakes that they said that dental school applicants make when submitting their applications are in not completely proof reading their personal statements and applying late in the cycle. The consensus of the panel was that having grammatical and spelling errors in a personal statements say a lot about the applicant. It says that they either lack the attention to detail that dental schools are looking for in future dentists, or worse still, that the applicant simply does not care enough to compile a contentious and thoughtful submission. Either way, if you want to get accepted you can not fall into either of these two categories. Dental school applications also open for submission on June 1st. The panel made it clear that even if you submit on the first day admissions open, it will be some number of weeks before your application is complete, which are usually held up waiting for letters of recommendation. Therefore, if you submit your application even three months after applications open, say around the beginning of September, by the time your application has been processed and reviewed, it is probably already into December. With rolling admissions this places you at a great disadvantage because not only are you now competing against a larger pool of applicants, some schools have already accepted half of their class (UCSF admits half of their incoming class in December)!. Although it is long, below is a video of the 2013 dental admissions panel.

Following the panels I had lunch, which was also provided, and then spent the remainder of my day attending workshops and the exhibition. The workshops were a fantastic way to get information about more detailed topics within dentistry and applying to dental school. They are also an excellent time to have your questions answered by people who definitely know that they're talking about. In all, the workshops were engaging, useful, and interesting and I would definitely recommend that you attend them if you come to the conference next year. In addition, make sure you set aside some time to attend the exhibition. Here you have the opportunity to talk to multiple schools directly, one after the other, and have any questions you have answered. Often I was able to talk not only to admissions staff, but also to students from the schools. In my opinion these are very valuable opportunities.

In summary, I found that the conference was both engaging and interesting. I also was sure to take notes which I'm sure will serve as an invaluable resource on the long road to dental school. A word of advice though, make sure to plan your day in advance: there are so many great workshops to attend that fitting them all in without a plan would be impossible. To give you an idea of what the workshops entailed, check out page 142 - 149 of the 2015 program.

What on Earth is a Dental Specialist?

Many students considering a future career in dentistry often only consider general dentistry, and this makes sense. Most people have been to a dentist, hopefully on a regular basis, for most of their lives. They've become very familiar with the idea of dentists performing check-ups, fillings, crowns and the like. In reality, there are literally hundreds of other procedures that a dentist can perform. However, due to the wide range of procedures, it is practically impossible for a general dentist to develop and maintain competence in all of them. This is why there are dental specialties.

According to the American Dental Association (ADA), a dental specialty is any area of dentistry that has been formally recognized by the ADA. The ADA will recognize a dental specialty to protect the public, the nature and the art and science of dentistry, and to improve the quality of care delivered to the patient. Currently, the ADA recognizes nine different dental specialties. Below is a brief introduction to all nine of the recognized dental specialties:

Dental Public Health: is the science and art of the prevention and control of dental diseases and the promotion of dental health through organized community efforts.

Endodontics: is the branch of dentistry concerning the dental pulp. Endodontists are the dentists known for specializing in the root canal procedure.

Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: is the dental specialty that deals with the identification and management of diseases concerning the face and mouth and are most well known for the diagnosis of oral cancers.

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology: deals with the production and interpretation of dental x-rays and other image scans of the mouth and face.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: this is the specialty within dentistry which involves surgical treatment of disease, injury, and birth defects of both the hard and soft tissues of the mouth and face. These are the specialists most well known for removing wisdom teeth, placing dental implants, and performing facial reconstruction surgery.

Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics: this is the dental specialty that involves correction of peoples bites and skeletal abnormalities. These are perhaps the most well known of all the dental specialists and they often use braces to straighten peoples' teeth.

Pediatric Dentistry: is an age-defined specialty which concerns its self with the treatment of infants, children, and adolescents.

Periodontics: is the specialty which encompasses the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease of the gum and bone tissues surrounding the teeth. Often, people will see a periodontist for treatment of gum and bone diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis.

Prostodontics: the last in our list of dental specialties, which is centered around the restoration of oral function associated with missing or deficient teeth and tissues. These dentists are most well known for... 

A general dentist is still allowed to practice all areas of dentistry, including those areas covered by a specialty, however, they must ensure that they still perform the procedures to deliver the same standard of care as a specialist would. With that said though, competent dentists know when they are not the best doctor for the job and will instead refer patients to specialists. For most dentists, this is where their knowledge of the specialties ends, but how can you become a specialist anyway?

Becoming a dental specialist is no short and easy road to travel. After completing a doctorate of dental surgery or a doctorate of dental medicine at dental school, you must then be accepted into and complete a residency program. These programs differ in duration and requirements. They range from three additional years of training for most specialties to up to six years of training after dental school to become an oral surgeon. This means that to become a dental specialist it could take you up to 10 years after you start dental school. Additionally, specialist residency programs are highly competitive and often only select the most qualified candidates.

So, when considering your path to a dental career it is important to consider all of your options. Many will be happy as general dentists but there is an option to specialize. With that said, there are many years between now and when you might finish dental school and even have to consider specializing. This is why I believe it is very important to start dental school with an open mind and gain exposure to as many dental specialties as possible before making a decision. Either way, whether you specialize or not, the profession of dentistry has never been more exciting than it is right now.

Photos Courtesy of:
1) Toothmingle.com
2) dooey.net
3) American Association of Orthodontics

To Post-Bacc or Not to Post-Bacc?

So you've just decided that you want to become a dentist? That's great! But, whoever you are you're going to have to get into dental school first. This however is no mean feat. Many students plan their road to dental school throughout their entire undergraduate careers. But maybe that's not you? Maybe you're a latecomer, like me, or maybe you spent a few too many years involved in undergrad shenanigans.

After the profound realization of your future career in dentistry you sit down to work out just how you're going to get into dental school. You could be lucky and already have taken prerequisite courses required by most dental schools. If this is you, that's great! Just a year of studying for the DAT, applying to schools, and some volunteering and you could be well on your way. Unfortunately, for many of us it isn't that simple. Fortunately, if you haven't completed all (or any) of the prerequisites, or if you're GPA is less than stellar, there's still a way: more schooling.

The Inescapable Reality: A Lot More School!

  

You might be lucky and have a year or so left in your undergrad studies. If this is the case, great! Take this opportunity to take the classes you need while you're still there. But, if you've already graduated you're going to need some sort of a post-bacc. Postbaccalaureate studies (or post-bac for short), are the studies you will have to undertake after you've graduated with an undergrad degree to get into professional school. Whether you need to take the prerequisite classes, or improve your GPA, there are two different ways to do a post-bacc, formally and informally.

If you've only got a few classes you need to take, or your GPA only needs a little boost, an informal post-bacc might be for you. Informal post-bacc studies are taken outside of any official program, usually at either community colleges or state schools. The best way to do this is to sign up with a university as an open university of extended learning student (Link to my school's Open U page). However, I should mention that a lot of academic advisers from dental schools advise applicants not to attend community colleges. These programs are also a good option if money is tight.

On the other hand, if you need to take a lot of classes or your GPA needs a real boost, a formal post-bacc program (link to my school's formal program) is probably the way to go. According to the American Association of Medical Colleges, formal post-bacc programs are generally the best way to go: They've even compiled a database of all the post-bac programs in the country: 192 of them at last count. The advantages of a formal program are: highly structured, small class sizes and guaranteed class enrollment, individual advising and program support (my program even has a therapist), and committee letters. Not to mention you'll also be able to make friends with the people in your program group. These are all really good reasons that make a formal program an excellent choice, however, there are a few disadvantages. Expect to pay more for tuition, I pay almost twice the amount of a normal student per unit. You can also expect that classes are only offered during certain semesters with the intent that you follow the program from start to finish, usually two years. Other than that, I think that a formal program is the way to go.

Thanks for reading my first post, if you've got any questions or comments please feel free to leave them in the section below and I'll reply as soon as I can. Also, if you're interested be sure to check out the links I've included in the post and most importantly, good luck and stay tuned for future posts!

Photos courtesy of:
1) credit.com 
2) LA College of Music