Is attending a school with no specialties bad if you want to specialize?

[hopefuldentist]

I've just been accepted to Creighton, UNLV, Nova, Pitt, Case, and Buffalo. I'm thinking I may want to do OMFS in the future.

I've read other threads that say that it doesn't matter which school you go to if you want to specialize - it's more about the quality of student you are. But my question deals with attending a school that has absolutely no specialties. Creighton is my top pick, and they don't have any.

1) Since they have no specialties, will a pre-doc student like myself get more OS type cases, since there aren't post-doc students to send them to?

2) ... or would this mean that the school doesn't do as many OS cases because they don't have the staff and facilities?


I guess my main point is... will I get more experience due to their lack of specialties, or will I get less? And will any of that make any difference in my ability to get into an OMFS program?

Thanks -

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[GPR2B]

I've just been accepted to Creighton, UNLV, Nova, Pitt, Case, and Buffalo. I'm thinking I may want to do OMFS in the future.

I've read other threads that say that it doesn't matter which school you go to if you want to specialize - it's more about the quality of student you are. But my question deals with attending a school that has absolutely no specialties. Creighton is my top pick, and they don't have any.

1) Since they have no specialties, will a pre-doc student like myself get more OS type cases, since there aren't post-doc students to send them to?

2) ... or would this mean that the school doesn't do as many OS cases because they don't have the staff and facilities?


I guess my main point is... will I get more experience due to their lack of specialties, or will I get less? And will any of that make any difference in my ability to get into an OMFS program?

Thanks -

I would go to the school without specialties. You will get a ton more experience. I wish that I had gone to a school like that. Everything that is slightly difficult is sent to a postgraduate student. It gets to be very frustrating.

 

[HupHolland]

If anything, going to a school w/o speciality programs increases your chances. You will get far more experience at these schools. There is an endo resident at our school who performed over 80 RCTs (or was it canals?, either way.. a lot of endo!) at his school which had no endo program. At my school, our requirements are any 1 tooth 3rd year and any tooth + a multi canal tooth 4th year. Do the math- you can graduate from my school doing only 4 canals!!!

On the other hand, if you attend a school with a specialty program you're interested in, then you can spend time in the department which gives you an advantage when applying (if you're not a tool).

Hup

 

[TJNova2011]

I would go to the school without specialties. You will get a ton more experience. I wish that I had gone to a school like that. Everything that is slightly difficult is sent to a postgraduate student. It gets to be very frustrating.

x2. Creighton has a really strong clinical program. There have been some posts with regards to RCT that some of the students get to do... Plus it's cheap and living in Omaha is easy on the wallet.

 

[Regmata]

On the other hand, going to a school with the specialty program means that you are able to become known to the faculty of the program and express your interest to them throughout dental school. This will hopefully increase your chances at your home school program and elicit their support for admission to other programs.

 

[Marker008]

Just came back from an interview at ASDOH in November. They had 26 of the 54 graduating students there apply for residency programs. All 26 got in to their top choice according to the Dean, Dr. Dillenberg (super cool guy by the way). He cited the huge clinical experience is the reason due to the lack of residency programs in-house.

 

[Regmata]

Residency or specialty? I find it hard to believe that out of 26 students, every single one matched into their dream slot

 

[Quattro DMD]

Residency or specialty? I find it hard to believe that out of 26 students, every single one matched into their dream slot

They had 3 students last year match into OMS, and I'm sure a few matched into ortho at our school. I think he meant residencies overall, but I don't think too many of the graduates from our school do GPRs/AEGDs.