Will the equivalency process every stop/slow down?

[happychapter]

I am currently in the process of thinking about applying to dental school, but talks of oversaturation are worrying me to no end and I heard the equivalency process plays a part.

 

Supposedly the process was open in the past(?) but then it closed again, and finally reopened in 2010. Right now in the NDEB website: https://ndeb-bned.ca/en/dental-programs/historical-pass-rates , the rate at which dental graduates are being certified seems crazy. 10 years ago there were 664 new dental grads, 8 years later there are 1143. The dentist:population ratio has also dropped significantly in that time frame, and I'm started to get really worried about my future. is there any chance that NDEB will stop certifying international grads in the forseeable future or is the upward trend going to continue? I will be finishing my dental degree in 5 years, and the change that has happened only in the past 8 years is really scaring me

[Stethescope]

Assuming you're open to other professions, try medicine first as supply of physicians is based on residency spots which is better regulated in terms of physician:population ratio (compared to dentist:population ratio).

The impact of the equivalency process will be felt soon and corporate will be ready to take advantage of the profession by that point, making the situation similar to what Pharmacy is experiencing.

Statistically, medicine is more difficult to get into so preparing for medicine should set you up for dentistry as an option as long as you take the DAT and shadow a dentist for a reference letter on top of the other extracurriculars needed for medicine. 

Again, this is assuming you're okay with any occupation and just want a safe route to an adequate salary. 

Refer to the slow decay of dentistry thread for marginally interesting debates.

 

[Everclear]

The applications for the equivalency process was at unprecedented record numbers last year.

https://ndeb-bned.ca/en/news/article/applications-rise

“The NDEB has seen an unprecedented rise in applications in 2019, particularly for the Equivalency Process.”

 

They are now developing a challenge exam for dental specialists.

https://ndeb-bned.ca/en/news/article/ndeb-welcomes-new-director-examinations

 

This might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Oral surgeons and paediatric dentists putting patients into moderate-deep IV sedations, trained from unaccredited programs. Something is bound to go very very wrong.

The sad thing is that ITDs already face discrimination when trying to find associate jobs. I can only imagine that the specialists would face similar discrimination as general dentists might not refer patients to them. This is sad because most ITDs are very well trained.

[Stethescope]

1 hour ago, Everclear said:

 

This is something new I learned today, thank you for sharing.

This is actually big news, especially for oral surgeons as OS is the only GME funded specialty in dentistry in the States (which is where majority of the grads working in Canada are from). 

With this new exam, the barrier to practicing oral surgery in Canada has decreased since the 4-6 year residency program whose seats were determined by government funding was the only thing keeping the saturation of oral surgeons from getting worse

[happychapter]

2 hours ago, Everclear said:

The applications for the equivalency process was at unprecedented record numbers last year.

https://ndeb-bned.ca/en/news/article/applications-rise

“The NDEB has seen an unprecedented rise in applications in 2019, particularly for the Equivalency Process.”

 

They are now developing a challenge exam for dental specialists.

https://ndeb-bned.ca/en/news/article/ndeb-welcomes-new-director-examinations

 

This might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Oral surgeons and paediatric dentists putting patients into moderate-deep IV sedations, trained from unaccredited programs. Something is bound to go very very wrong.

The sad thing is that ITDs already face discrimination when trying to find associate jobs. I can only imagine that the specialists would face similar discrimination as general dentists might not refer patients to them. This is sad because most ITDs are very well trained.

wow that really sucks. i guess ill try my luck with medicine then, which sucks since I really wanted to do dentistry but both careers seem to be around the same, except job outlook seems to be going up for medicine and downward for dentistry, at least from what i see

[Stethescope]

5 minutes ago, happychapter said:

 

I would have a hard time arguing medicine's outlook is going up, but I feel it will take longer before its decline like Pharmacy and Dentistry.