The Grounds

it was regarding dental school hoss

At your service...

I myself am not a dentist, but my wife just went through dental school & residency a few years ago and is now on faculty at a dental school. What is it that you want to know?

I wouldn't worry too much about taking a semester off. Lots of people take time off before going to dental school for various reasons. My wife took a year off prior to starting, as did a number of her dental school classmates. I'd make your decision based on where you want to go. If you don't want to go to Liberty, then I'd take the time off to get your grades in order so you can go to the school you'd prefer.

As for schools like Liberty being "frowned upon," I guess that depends. I probably wouldn't concern myself as much with the acceptance rate as I would with the general reputation of the dental school. If they accept 97%, but have a reputation for turning out good dentists & are able to send a number of their students to specialty schools, then that's just fine. However, my suspicion is that if they're accepting 97% of applicants, they probably don't have a terribly great reputation....otherwise, everybody would be going there.

I've been in practice for 41 years and graduated from MCV in Richmond. Back when, UVa students actually had a better shot at being admitted and graduating from Dental School. In a class of 80 dental students, 8-10-12 would be from UVa. They used to say that you should only take the courses recommended for Admission and not to get into Dental School courses, that they would teach you those. I don't know about that advice?

The key in college has been to do well in your Major and do well in the Sciences required. Another important point used to be taking the Dental Practical test where you carved selected figures in chalk sticks. You had to practice beforehand, and I guessed the figure that was required to be cut into the chalk. Not sure if they still do it.

You might want to talk, after hours, to your family dentist about Dental School. Veteran dentists take a particular interest in patients pursuing the dental profession, and you will need favorable recommendations to apply to Dental School from at least 3 people, hopefully people that the School is aware of. You might want to make an appointment with an Admissions person for a chat at MCV in Richmond.

The most important thing that I did, though, after acceptance, was to get into the Naval Reserve as a Direct Appointment Dental Officer, and retiring from it after 33 years. You can do your dental work/patient care and serve your country at the same time. The Armed Forces has some $$$ for scholarships when the windows are open, and at those times when the Services need dentists. They also have some $$$ for General Dentists after they've been in practice and decide to enter the Reserve programs later. You would need to contact a Reserve Officer Recruiter or an Active Duty Officer Recruiter, depending on the way you would want to go. Most youthful dentists start out in the Reserve Component.

I used to work in DC at the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and processed these applications for Commissioning on my Reserve Duty from 1996-2004, and there were times where it was impossible to get in and at other times where anybody could get in and/or get scholie $$$$: a real moving target. We had a few applicants that were in debt up to $200K with a family, and that made it hard to access them on LT's pay for full-time Active Duty. The message is to get a lot of contingency plans to activate if you are going to try to get into the dental profession. ><

Hey VB, my dad went the same route as you. Graduated from MCV in '79 or '80 and then went into the Navy dental corps and retired at a Lt. Commander. Y'all might have crossed paths. He did time on the Guam and Coral Sea and had his residency up in Great Lakes.

anything would be useful, especially insider info. appreciate it

what were your credentials? what is the average number of volunteer hours?