[ooobaby]

I'm a future dentist also. right now I'm on my 2nd semester of my first year of college. I plan to major in biology than go to Louisiana state university's dental school. I'm very nervous because I failed my chemistry class last semester and I have to retake it next fall semester. I have yet to shadow a dentist but I plan to do that this summer to see if this is really what I want to do. I was just wondering if a d.d.s. and general dentist is the same? What field of dentistry does everything but surgical stuff like pulling wisdom teeth?

[mallamut]

my sis is a dentist...I hate dental stuff!

................

[<BK>]

I've gotten mix reactions about taking stats. Did you find it helpful to take the course while in undergrad? I do plan to apply to BU and Harvard (I'm from Boston and currently doing undergrad in Boston) so calculus is something I have to take. I'm a chemistry major, so it's required. May I ask where you go to dental school and what schools were you accepted/where did you apply?

Well I took stats because it was a pre-req for taking Genetics at my university, so that is why I took it. I applied to about 12 schools and got into USC, NYU, Indiana, and Midwestern, and am waitlisted at UCSF. I am planning on going to Midwestern which is in Arizona. I didn't choose NYU because of its large class size. NYU has 250 students in the class, which is sorta insane for a dental class (most schools only have around 50 - 100 students). It has the largest class size, and my friend who is there said it is like a zoo. I didn't choose USC & Indiana due to the way they teach, which is PBL (Problem Based Learning). USC, Indiana, Harvard, and Case Western teach in PBL format, which that style of teaching is not for me. Some like it, some don't. The other dental schools teach in the traditional lecture style.

For those that do not know what PBL is, its basically you don't get a traditional lecture from a professor. Your given a problem, you work as a group, and you try to solve it by looking up it up, researching from books, etc. This process I heard takes way too much time with not much accomplishment. So its almost like a self study. I didn't want to pay $50,000 per year to study on my own. My physics class at my university was taught in a PBL way, and I hated it, because it was very frusterating when the profs wern't teaching us anything.

hello soon or awhile to be dentists.

im a sophmore in high school right now and i am really interested in entering the dental field. I've always wanted to be a dentist ever since I was young, not for money purposes(although it can be good) or bragging rights, i feel as if being a dentist was a calling for me. I loved going to the dentist as a child and i still do now, and that is why. if anyone is curious.

so my question to all you people are what are the classes i should be taking in high school right now? like for grades 11-12. what would well prepare me for college or bring interest to the dental colleges out there.

Another question is what are some of the top colleges where it is good for dentistry. i will take advice from the college and career centers that my school offers but it would be real awesome if i can have your feedbacks.

and it would be very good if i got some other details about schooling and dentistry. for example like, how much years of school and how good do i have to be right now in high school to be accepted to these colleges. i have A LOT more questions which i cant think of right now, so i will be visiting this thread a lot. =D thanks!

If your in highschool right now, the best way is to concentrate on your science classes such as general chemistry, biology and physics. Not to say you won't achieve your goals, but if you are a sophomore in highschool, you still have a lot of time where your career decisions could change. I've seen numerous freshmen students in college that are determined to go into dentistry, and decide otherwise after taking their 1st quarter of general biology, or Organic chemistry. But yeah, my best advice is enjoy your highschool years, and study hard in those science classes!. good luck!

I think that you ARE allowed to retake those classes that you got a C in, but it's just that the grades you get after retaking those courses don't replace your original grade in regards to your GPA (and I forget but I don't think that they count for credits either).

Regardless of what your school does, your GPA will be re-calculated by the application service AADSAS, which is an online application for all the dental schools. Some universities factor in a retake grade in your gpa, some don't. Dental schools will NOT see your gpa that your university gives you. They will see the gpa that AADSAS calculates for you. AADSAS factors in ALL grades, including ones you failed, or retook. So lets say you got a C, and you retook it, your C will still be seen by dental schools, and will also be factored into the gpa that dental schools see.

I'm a future dentist also. right now I'm on my 2nd semester of my first year of college. I plan to major in biology than go to Louisiana state university's dental school. I'm very nervous because I failed my chemistry class last semester and I have to retake it next fall semester. I have yet to shadow a dentist but I plan to do that this summer to see if this is really what I want to do. I was just wondering if a d.d.s. and general dentist is the same? What field of dentistry does everything but surgical stuff like pulling wisdom teeth?

If you retake a class, besure you get at least an A, or an A-. Dental schools do not favor students that get a B in class they are retaking. So if dentistry is what you really want to do, I'd suggest to literally give up your social life for that one semester, and really kick butt in the class you are retaking and get that A. I'm being serious in this too. I myself got a C+ on my 2nd quarter of Organic Chemistry. I retook it and I got a solid A+ in the class. That quarter I remember, I literally closed all contacts with my friend. I never studied that hard in my life. My O.Chem professor was amazed at my performance, and he ended up writing my letter of recommendation, saying how I have determination to pull of an A+ in the class, especially when the average of the class was a B-. Dental schools also were impressed at my performance of that as well.

There are 2 types of degrees you can get, one is a DDS and one is a DMD. Both are exactly the same, DMD is offered at newer dental schools. If you are a DDS, DMD you are a general dentist. A general dentist does everything. Even a general dentist can technically pull wisdom teeth. A general dentist can also technically even do braces. Its just its not their speciality, and most people go to specialty dentists for their wisdom teeth & braces. However getting your wisdom tooth pulled out at a general dentist, is WAY cheaper (this goes the same for braces as well).

[~S2~]

how r my fellow dents goin??? esp freshers!!!! 36contact hrs. joy~ -.-

[tinasarangg]

If you retake a class, besure you get at least an A, or an A-. Dental schools do not favor students that get a B in class they are retaking. So if dentistry is what you really want to do, I'd suggest to literally give up your social life for that one semester, and really kick butt in the class you are retaking and get that A. I'm being serious in this too. I myself got a C+ on my 2nd quarter of Organic Chemistry. I retook it and I got a solid A+ in the class. That quarter I remember, I literally closed all contacts with my friend. I never studied that hard in my life. My O.Chem professor was amazed at my performance, and he ended up writing my letter of recommendation, saying how I have determination to pull of an A+ in the class, especially when the average of the class was a B-. Dental schools also were impressed at my performance of that as well.

A+ in Organic 2?
I bow down to you.

Any tips? Organic 2 is wayy tougher than Organic 1 =(

[moley]

=( I'm an undergrad at Marquette University majoring in biomedical sciences. I'm planning to go to Dental School for grad but we'll see how things go within the next couple of years. =( This is my second semester as a freshman... got a B in Chem and a C in Bio last semester. I'm trying to pull better grades this semester though...

[Krnuckfan]

I know someone who got into Detroit dental school and he his average was in the 70s. Are the required averages that low or is that just an anomaly?

[Jiae]

I'm deciding between Medical School, Dental School and Pharmacy School.
Is there any pre-dental/dentists here that wouldn't mind sharing their experience both in school and at work?
Thanks in advanced!

[<BK>]

A+ in Organic 2?
I bow down to you.

Any tips? Organic 2 is wayy tougher than Organic 1 =(

Yea, Organic 2 is a lot tougher than Organic 1. My motivation was at its highest ever, I knew if I didn't get an A+ in this class, especially since I was retaking it, it would jeapardize my future. So yeah, a lot of motivation and tenacity.

=( I'm an undergrad at Marquette University majoring in biomedical sciences. I'm planning to go to Dental School for grad but we'll see how things go within the next couple of years. =( This is my second semester as a freshman... got a B in Chem and a C in Bio last semester. I'm trying to pull better grades this semester though...

If your in undergrad @ Marquette, you'll have a pretty good chance to get into Marquette School of Dentistry (SOD). I heard that Marquette SOD reserves a lot of seats specifically for undergrad students from Marquette University. Now that doesn't mean your grades can be horrible though, you still have to pull your weight. A "C" in bio might hurt you though. A "C" in anything for that matter, "C+, C, C-" anything C is not looked favorably. A lot of schools don't even consider students with anything that looks like a C. B- I think is the lowest you can go. Try to get all your grades in the A+, A-, B+ range and a few B's, and one or two B-'s at most.

I know someone who got into Detroit dental school and he his average was in the 70s. Are the required averages that low or is that just an anomaly?

People with low gpa's like your friend, might have had a very high DAT (Dental Admissions Test) score. Dental schools look at 2 #'s your DAT and your GPA. If you have a pretty high DAT score, it will really help out an average GPA.

I'm deciding between Medical School, Dental School and Pharmacy School.
Is there any pre-dental/dentists here that wouldn't mind sharing their experience both in school and at work?
Thanks in advanced!

How old are you if you don't mind asking?? Those 3 fields are really separate distinct fields. What I know about dental schools is, dental schools like to see students that are serious about dentistry. They do not like students that arn't sure what they are getting into, or use dental school as a back up. How to prove that you are serious about dentistry is volunteering, shadowing at a dental office. I would suggest you to go shadow a dentist and see if you think you would be happy doing this for the rest of your life.

[starch]

im a first year undergrad

what did you guys do during your early college years? anything that helped out?

for the summer, im trying to get an orthodontist and optometrist internship...should i try to intern for a normal dentist eventually? or is ortho enough?

[<BK>]

im a first year undergrad

what did you guys do during your early college years? anything that helped out?

for the summer, im trying to get an orthodontist and optometrist internship...should i try to intern for a normal dentist eventually? or is ortho enough?

You probably should also intern for a general (normal) dentist as well, since what you will be learning at dental school is general dentistry. Remember orthodontistry is a speciality. To go into orthodontistry, you have to be in the top 10% of your dental class in dental school, so its really competitive and hard to get into. Also some of the dental schools require a certain amount of hours specifically spent at a general dentist office on your applications.

[Krnuckfan]

How do you get to be a intern at a dental office?
Do you just go and ask your family dentist?

[MizzprEEETy]

I have a quick question. I'm doing dental hygiene. For the professors recommendation, I was wondering, would it look bad if I ask an English professors or it's better I get a science professors?

[<BK>]

How do you get to be a intern at a dental office?
Do you just go and ask your family dentist?

You basically just answered your own question. You start by meeting one dentist, and ask them to introduce to maybe other dentists, and you continously network that way. I started off with my general dentist, who is a close family friend, and from that in 4 years I got to know around 10 or so dentists.

I have a quick question. I'm doing dental hygiene. For the professors recommendation, I was wondering, would it look bad if I ask an English professors or it's better I get a science professors?

Do you mean your trying to go into dental hygiene school? Or do you mean you you are doing dental hygiene currently, and trying to get into dental school? For dental schools, some schools specifically ask for one or two letters from a science professor, a letter from a dentist and so on. Each school has its own requirnment. But if you had the choice between an English or Science professor, it all depends which one knows you better and who can write you the strongest letter. A letter from a science professor looks better than an English professors letter ONLY IF the science professor writes you a very strong letter. If you don't know the science prof too well, they will just write you one of the generic recommendation letters such as " <Insert Name Here" is an excellent student. He/She got a <insert grade here> in my class, etc". You don't want those kinds of letters. Hope this helped.

[Jiae]

^What if I don't have a familiy dentist? I go to a dentist that is covered by my health plan. I don't have ONE dentist. The people that work there rotate off i suppose.
And the trips there are only for yearly cleaning unless something big--like cavities come up (ugh. i have weak teeth)

So how else can I find a way to be able to Intern at a dental office?

I can't just go and ask, "hey, can i intern for you?" when i'm getting my yearly teeth cleaning. >.>

[seaweed333]

i have a question coz im interested in doing dentistry
do you have to go to college in america & do all the pre-requisites before going to dental school there?
or can i do a degree in science here & then go to dental school there?
coz im from melbourne and it'd be pretty expensive to go to america for college & dental school & i dont wanna be overseas for like 6 years

i think i might go to adelaide for dental school coz the requirements there are much lower
i only need to get above 90 for vce according to their website
whereas in melbourne you cant even get in to dentistry if u get like 99.5
im only in yr 10 but i really need to start studying T_T
i need to get some goals to aim towards

[gnolmik]

^Yeah I'm currently at Adelaide Uni Dent School and you need a VCE of 90+ a good umat score and a good interview. There's not a lot of placements in melbourne uni dent school so its crazy hard to get into. But if you get a higher VCE it's easier to get in. Coz they've changed it so that entry is less interview based and more academic and umat score based.

[seaweed333]

^Yeah I'm currently at Adelaide Uni Dent School and you need a VCE of 90+ a good umat score and a good interview. There's not a lot of placements in melbourne uni dent school so its crazy hard to get into. But if you get a higher VCE it's easier to get in. Coz they've changed it so that entry is less interview based and more academic and umat score based.

thankss so much for replying
omgg thats so good
coz theres a possibility that i can get above 90 for my vce score but im definitely not the type of person to get 99+
& now at melb theres that college thing which is annoying
how many placements are there at adelaide?
im going to do work experience at a dentist coz i have somewhere to go & see what its likee

soo did u go to high school in adelaide or melb or somewhere else?

[onesleepygirl]

What major should people take if they want to become a dentist?

Please reply. Thanks Thanks.

[Din87]

You can major in anything you'd like. That's a common question and the same can be said for minors.

A question regarding math...
My advisor strongly recommends that I take Calculus II. From doing my own research and reading from this board, it doesn't seem that Calculus II is that important. Is it? I"m not sure if I'm mistaken. I would MUCH rather take a statistics course and not risk getting a low grade.
Is this a plausible idea?