ENDO CYCLE '20 Q&A

[FutureDent020]

Do I stand a shot at endo?
Stats:

-Will have had 4 years of experience in the navy
- gpa: 3.63
- 3rd year cumulative class rank: 43/81
-4th year cumulative class rank : 53/81

Not planning on taking the adat.

Thanks

You’ll get a good number of interviews as long as your recommendations are solid. From there it’s on you. Just need for the program director/ chair to like you. I know someone from the military with similar stats and a good resume who didn’t get in... But had a handful of interviews.

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[Stanelz]

For the dental students interested in endo... How on earth would you know you want to specialize in endo? I'm really curious about this. You're twisting wires in bleach all day. For the next 30 years. How do you express your interest to an adcom? Or to yourself?

I'm not trying to be rude, I'm genuinely interested.

Well to be honest you could apply the same logic to dentistry as whole couldnt you? or really any field of medicine or any speciality within medicine (i.e surgery). How did we convince an adcom that we wanted to be a dentist? There's nothing in the world that we could have done prior that is similar to it.

I mean who knows for sure that they will like drilling teeth for the rest of their life? No one aspired to be a dentist when they were ten years old, we pursued it because it was a good field that we were interested in that would allow for a good life. If dentists only made 50k a year i dont think any of us would be pursuing it. We took a gamble with our lives when we started dental school and took out those hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.

For me personally I assisted for a few years prior to dental school and became interested in the field so i shadowed a handful of endodontists over the course of a few years and began to research the techniques, instruments, and research regarding endo before dental school even started.
As far as clinically I really enjoyed the course.

I would rather make myself competitive and if I hate doing it on live patients I will just not apply or if I am unsure I can do an AEGD. Why sit back and do nothing and realize later that I want to specialize and have nothing to show on my application?

I think I have spent enough time around endodontists over the last few years to know that I am definitely interested in this field way more than any other speciality. Seeing the way they work and the type of work they do is something I can definitely see myself doing.

But like I said, if I get to the clinic third and fourth year and realize I hate doing it on live patients then I will just not pursue it.

 

[srynotsry]

Current D4 who is realizing maybe too late they should have specialized. How do I go about applying for endo a year into practice? What different things will programs look for?

 

[Torshammer]

Current D4 who is realizing maybe too late they should have specialized. How do I go about applying for endo a year into practice? What different things will programs look for?

One thing you have going for you is that you are still in school and in direct contact with faculty. Foster relationships to get strong letters and talk to the endo faculty.

It may be an advantage that you will be applying with some private practice experience under your belt. Many programs will not consider D3's who apply.

 

[Sbosu]

Current D4 who is realizing maybe too late they should have specialized. How do I go about applying for endo a year into practice? What different things will programs look for?

It's definitely not too late. Practice for a year as a general dentist before you make a decision, it will not only give you time to see if endo is what you really want to do, it will also make you a better endodontist. I would talk with the endo faculty, predoc endo director and residency program director before you graduate and explain that you are interested in endo, but you will be working for a year or doing a gpr, and ask for their advice on what you should focus on in that year. Not only will you get some great advice, but you will put yourself on their radar, so when your application comes up in the pile you will stand out and they will remember you. Just be humble and honest about your situation.

 

[rifrafero]

The opening of the 2020 (that seems weird to say) PASS Application Cycle is fast approaching. For all of you aspiring endo candidates, feel free to ask any and all questions regarding the PASS process, various programs, the interviewing road, etc.

I will do my best, and hopefully some other successful past applicants will chime in as well, to pass along my advice and wisdom from previous application cycles.

Keep it friendly, and please don't post your stats on here and ask whether we think you have a shot of getting in. We don't know you, and that's not our place to say. Keep it to specific PASS-related, program-related inquiries.

Go get 'em.

Once I have my transcript and everything uploaded onto PASS, can I submit my application to programs while I am still waiting for reccs to come in?
Will the programs still receive them after I submit my application? I always thought I had to wait for every letter prior to submitting but this past cycle I hear ppl did differently.

Thanks

 

[Torshammer]

Once I have my transcript and everything uploaded onto PASS, can I submit my application to programs while I am still waiting for reccs to come in?
Will the programs still receive them after I submit my application? I always thought I had to wait for every letter prior to submitting but this past cycle I hear ppl did differently.

Thanks

PASS allows 3-5 letters. You are able to submit once you have at least 3 letters uploaded. You can update your app with more letters - programs will get a notification email once you do so.

Also, at least this last year, if 5 letters are uploaded on your behalf, you are unable to designate which of those letters to submit to specific programs - they will all be submitted. I requested 5 letters before discovering this, but I did not want to un-request any because I did not want to upset my letter writers. So think carefully before you ask your writers!

 

[Torshammer]

Hi everyone, I am applying for endo next cycle and I had a question. Do you think it would be a good idea to get one of my LOR from an endodontic resident I have been shadowing/assisting very often at my dental school's PG endo clinic.

I don't think that is a good idea, a letter from an instructor will carry much more weight.

 

[FutureDent020]

Hi everyone, I am applying for endo next cycle and I had a question. Do you think it would be a good idea to get one of my LOR from an endodontic resident I have been shadowing/assisting very often at my dental school's PG endo clinic.

Yea, it won’t do much. Regardless of a Resident’s ability or experience they are still a “resident”. And in an academic environment, this puts you at the bottom of the totem poll. You need an actual endodontist.

 

[Torshammer]

I agree, it is kind of iffy. I forgot to mention that endo residents supervise us sometimes so she has seen my clinical abilities. Does that change anything? I’m thinking of asking her if I have an extra spot for a LOR. Otherwise an actual endo faculty would be much better. What do you think? Is it better to just leave it out?

Yeah I would leave it out

 

[wplumlee83]

I disagree, I applied as a dental student to mostly state programs and got 7/9 interviews (accepted at top choice). If you are a good applicant (top 15%, OKU, etc), you will get interviews and acceptances. Someone told me to apply to mostly private programs as well when I was applying- I didn't listen and it paid off. Good luck to everyone applying and don't be discouraged if you don't have real world/GPR experience, everyone is in the same boat when residency begins.

You totally proved my point by telling us your OKU status.

 

[Stanelz]

gpr vs aegd anyone?

 

[phileag555]

gpr vs aegd anyone?

bears no difference in choosing either. choose a program that offers more endo experience

 

[shmebeble]

yes, but majority prefer experience.

 

[cmjacks5]

Well to be honest you could apply the same logic to dentistry as whole couldnt you? or really any field of medicine or any speciality within medicine (i.e surgery). How did we convince an adcom that we wanted to be a dentist? There's nothing in the world that we could have done prior that is similar to it.

I mean who knows for sure that they will like drilling teeth for the rest of their life? No one aspired to be a dentist when they were ten years old, we pursued it because it was a good field that we were interested in that would allow for a good life. If dentists only made 50k a year i dont think any of us would be pursuing it. We took a gamble with our lives when we started dental school and took out those hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans.

For me personally I assisted for a few years prior to dental school and became interested in the field so i shadowed a handful of endodontists over the course of a few years and began to research the techniques, instruments, and research regarding endo before dental school even started.
As far as clinically I really enjoyed the course.

I would rather make myself competitive and if I hate doing it on live patients I will just not apply or if I am unsure I can do an AEGD. Why sit back and do nothing and realize later that I want to specialize and have nothing to show on my application?

I think I have spent enough time around endodontists over the last few years to know that I am definitely interested in this field way more than any other speciality. Seeing the way they work and the type of work they do is something I can definitely see myself doing.

But like I said, if I get to the clinic third and fourth year and realize I hate doing it on live patients then I will just not pursue it.

Great response!

 

[qwerty0987]

Are the ADAT and GRE required?

 

[gentlerwave]

Are the ADAT and GRE required?

I don't know of any program that requires GRE - that's more for ortho. Some endo programs make ADAT a requirement while others only "recommend" having it especially if your dental school curriculum is pass/fail. For the 2020-21 application cycle, a lot of programs did waive the ADAT because testing centers weren't open. This might not be the case anymore for the next cycle, so if you're interested in applying it's not a bad idea to take the ADAT in advance to be sure.