17 year old prospective dentist, in need of advice and guidance.

[Amiens]

Before I start, I would like to say that I have done my fair share of research, etc.

I have decided to settle for Dentistry as a career.

I'm currently living in Sri Lanka, and I finished with my GCSE A-Level Exams recently and received the results in August. Well, I don't know how else to say this as I really am quite ashamed. I received decent results for my O-Levels (5As and 2 Bs) with just some last minute cramming. This feeling of overconfidence as well as other distracting factors led to me getting terrible A-Level results ( B, C, D).

This was the wake up call I needed, basically it is now imprinted in my mind that if I don't work hard, I won't get anywhere.

It's a dream of mine to live in the States. As a result, I started looking for ways to become a dentist practicing in America. Unfortunately, it's far too expensive for my family to afford it. However, then I learned about the Advanced Placement programs for internationally trained dentists. This pathway seems affordable, as it requires 2 years in most places before I can get licensed.

I know that I have to obtain my Bachelor of Dental Surgery/Dental Medicine, sit for NBE and TOEFL, and submit my application with my results to the schools I want to apply for. In case you're curious, Tufts would be my dream school to get into.

However, I am quite overwhelmed with so much information that I've had to digest.

Which would be the ideal place to obtain my BDS? I was considering China as it is very cheap, however I have read that it is not a good option, as even though they offer English medium programs, the clinical portion is of substandard quality, and they do not really teach you much of what you will need to get a good score on the NBE.

Would India or Malaysia be a better place to go to for obtaining my BDS? If so, what places in India would I be able to get into with my results (B,C,D) if any at all?

The road to becoming a practicing dentist in America seems very very difficult. However, I feel that if I dedicate myself I can make it for sure, I'm just not sure if I'll be able to get into a decent University, and I am not sure where I should be going for the first portion of obtaining my Bachelors.

I implore anyone who has "made it" so to speak, that is, gotten accepted into an AP program into a dental school in US to share their experiences, as well as what dental school they went to in which country.

Any advice or helpful words of any kind would be greatly appreciated, as even though I have researched things I still feel like I'm lost with no steady grasp on things.

Thanks very much for taking the time to read this.

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[Amiens]

61 views yet 0 replies?

 

[den25]

it never hurts to apply. call up dental schools in india and malaysia for more details. and you never know how the situation in USA will be by the time you graduate.. plan ahead but keep your options open. goodluck!

 

[jcdragon13]

Hello, I got my BDS from china and you are right, i wont recommend you to study in china. the tuition is cheap but the education is totally different from the western countries. first they taught everything in chinese and the system and the main points are different from the western countries. i had a hard time studying for NBDE. but i know someone graduated from china and got part 1 score over 90.

 

[Hope4]

Dear Amiens, let's start with the basics: what languages do you speak, and what's your country of citizenship?

 

[CHINAisPOOR]

Hello, I got my BDS from china and you are right, i wont recommend you to study in china. the tuition is cheap but the education is totally different from the western countries. first they taught everything in chinese and the system and the main points are different from the western countries. i had a hard time studying for NBDE. but i know someone graduated from china and got part 1 score over 90.

Tuition is cheap though ...

 

[Oralmagician]

Hey there! Looks like you have a good head on your shoulders and are determined to make a career for yourself, which is a great thing!

The two year program here in the US is not cheap by any means. It currently costs between $150-$250,000, which can be obtained through student loans from US banks. Since you are not a US citizen, you can obtain this if you have a US citizen or green card sponsor who can cosign your loan.

The way to get admission into this program is to complete four years of education from a "non-accredited" dental school (meaning any foreign school). Where you complete this is upto you. As long as you pass your exams with high enough grades, you are good.

The next step is to take either the NBDE Part I or the DAT. Once you pass this test, get your marksheets from the dental school you attended evaluated by a US evaluation agency, such as WES or ECE. Most schools require one or the other. You will also need to take the TOEFL exam.

After this, you have to fill out applications and wait to be called for an interview. You fill out a CAAPID application and an individual school application. A lot of schools also require a bench test where you have to work on a model of teeth to show that you can cut crowns or cavities or whatever they ask you to do.

Please note that each of these steps cost between $100-300. I believe the cost to take NBDE is in the $200 range, while the applications range in prices. Also, the WES or ECE evaluations cost around the same. So, just to apply to schools, it will cost you a lot.

As for doing your BDS in India, I know that if you take the centralized admission test, you can do your MBBS or BDS for minimal cost at the best colleges based on your ranking, but I don't know if that also applies to foreign students. It would be something you might have to do some research on.

Hope this helps you in making a decision! Good luck!!