dent vs. med school

[Guest 4shattered4]

just wondering, in general...is dental school a bit less competitive to get in than med school or about the same? or maybe it is more?:\

[Guest epzi]

I think for either one you need good grades ie. >3.7, but dentistry is all numbers, you need a solid DAT and gpa but it really depends on the pool of applicants I guess. As some other posts have indicated, extracurriculars can really pad your interview and help you get over that last hurdle. I've never applied to med but for sure you need competative grades for your gpa and MCAT but often once you make a cutoff, your interview is everything. I think med schools are more interested in getting "well-rounded" individuals rather than all grades. But this is a very general statement and not all schools will fall under it.

[Guest DentGirl2004]

I personally feel that gaining admission into dental school is just as competitive as gaining admission into med school. Although the minimum required GPA to apply to dental school is a few points lower than it is for med school, there are fewer spots and fewer schools in Canadian dental schools so that makes getting in all the more competitive!

 

[Guest twistedbrain]

I agree with you, DentGirl2004, I think dentistry is just as competitive as medicine.

it might seems that more people are applying to medicine, but that's probably due to the tuition for dental is almost twice those of medicine (there might be other reasons) and in general, when you enter university, like 80% of the individuals that sat beside you in a biology class most likely said the same thing about wanting to become an MD, it might somehow influence you into thinking medicine is more competitive too! Just look at the number spots available versus number applied for MD versus DDS/DDM in canada, u'll see it's very competitive in DDS too.

[Guest smooth operater]

how about US Dental school vs US/Canadian Med school ?

 

I heard US dental schools esp. the private ones are easier to get if you are willing to shell up high tuition.

[Guest LestatZinnie]

for sure, US dental schools like USC, Boston U, and NYU are quite easy to get in provided you're ready to pay about $200kUSD tuition for your degree. Basically the private schools don't care about your nationality- they only see green $$. One of the schools I applied (forgot NYU or BU) asks that I prove to have $70k in the bank. I thought it was pretty ridiculous and even if I got in those schools I'd feel I bought my way in rather than I'd achieved something. just mho.

[Guest TheDDSDude]

it all depends on what u value more. to those who want md, i tell them to stick with md...

 

to those who want dds, smart move, imo. doctors get capped on how much they make. dentists don't.

 

 

if i were an MD, once i reach my quota i'd go on vacation...pssssh working for free...

 

lol

 

that's why i'm not a doctor and odn't wanna be one. I don't have that kinda passion.

 

 

More power to ya if you like it. I dont.

 

 

in terms of payng my way rather than achieving...well, if that is what it took hypothetically, i'd still feel good about it, because at the end of the day, you are still DDS. And no one can take that away from ya.

[Guest jughead09]

"Buying" your way isn't the most respectful thing to say regarding those Canadians who get thier dental education in the States.

 

It suggests that non-deserving, inadeqate students are accepted to places like NYU or BU simply because they are willing to pay. Maybe a better way to phrase this would be to say that there are more places given to students because the schools do not have limits on the # of international students they are willing to accept. Does it cost an arm and a leg? Yes. And if you can afford it, you have a great chance? Yes. However, these private schools int he states still accept smart, competative people. So please don't put down the idea of attending a private school in the states, it's a bit disrespectful to those Canadians who deserve to become dentists, but aren't permitted to do so in Can because of lack of spaces.

 

I have a great GPA, did very well on my DAT. I am waitlisted at UWO and it doesn't look like I have a shot this year. I intend to apply to BU and NYU and others down south and I don't look at it as buying my way, thank you very much. Sorry to sound harsh, but I took offense to your comment.:\

[Guest LestatZinnie]

i apologize if anyone were offended. I certainly do not think that students who attend those schools are not qualified to go other places else. My statement about 'buying the way'' refers to how 'myself' would feel if I were to go there, and is not a blanket statement that people go to these schools only because they paid $$. It's like saying I'd feel like a show-off if I drove a porsche, but that doesn't mean I think that all porsche drivers are show-offs. I hope this makes sense.

 

Anyways again I apologize and hope that everyone gets into the school of their choice, canadian or US.

[Guest naloori]

gotta say..i took offense to ur statement as well...but if ur the same 'LZ' from stud doc.. then i believe some others took offense to comments you made awhile back about canadian students who don't get into canadian school and that they should suck it up and work harder if they want admission...something along those lines...interesting what happens to you once you get in...seems like you forget the struggle to make it... i know people with great gpa's that did NOT get into boston or NYU... but again its ur opinion and ur certainly entitled to it... for me i guess i look at it as drive to becoming what u've dreamed of and willing to do whatever it takes... and that includes applying to schools far away from family and friends and dealing with a larger debt... guess i'd put more of a positive spin on things... i'm making a future for myself.. no one is gonna do it for me ..and i'm certainly not gonna give it up because canadian schools don't have the room to give admission to hundreds of qualified individuals...

 

as for asking for $$ proof... BU did that..and that was only AFTER admission... they don't want students who can't hack it financially.. makes sense to me..if tuition is that much and you want to be there..u gotta be able to pay for it...what is so ridiculous about that... and u don't even have to show straight cassh in your account..u just need to show some proof that u'll have support financially... sounds logical to me

[Guest Saint Seiya]

Even though it's after admission, I would still think people buy their education. People who are accepted but have insufficient funding HAVE TO leave their seats for those people who are less qualified but financially capable. Do you see the point?

 

That's why students in Canada urge governments to have more funding for the student loans to establish equal opportunities based on people's performance, not $$$.

[Guest naloori]

see 'buying ur education' to me sounds like u flash the cash and your in...its just a negative way to describe the process and it puts a negative spin on the intentions of students applying to the states.. makes them sound somehow undeserving because they chose this route...

 

 

you still have to be enrolled as an undergrad to get into these schools, you still have to write the dat, you still have to be able to converse appropriately in an interview... i didn't send my checkbook to adsaas when i applied .. little bit more to it..

 

and yes sadly being accepted means you have to be able to pay for it.. that's the case with undergrad and also with grad..i'm sure there are highschool grads out there making the same argument about students being able to pursue post-secondary education that they themselves can't afford ... in both cases there are loans for those who cannot...at private dents i'd bet the majority are loaning it..

 

anyway like i said b4..point is.. i'd rather look at the decision as a positive approach to fulfulling a dream

[Guest TheDDSDude]

hey saint seiya, you can always give them your pegasus meteor fist and kill them all..you know raise your cosmos lol

 

I mean you're the saint of hope, all u gotta do is have hope and then no one can defeat you no matter how many times they knock u down lol..speaking of which did you see the new Saint Seiya movie?

 

I haven't had a chance yet/ heard it was good.

 

 

 

Ok going back to LZ's comment. I think everyone is entitled to their opinion. I've read many of LZ's messages in the past. I see where she's coming from. She busted her ass and acheived great things but feels that those who did not still ended in similar position as her (dental student) and it ticks her off coz they have the cash to pay for it. To her it feels unfair. LZ, we all know u great and u did good s*** and feel that your work had been discredited, but it doesn't, coz you know that u could do it. In the world, it will always be unfair, but you ain't in bad shape in terms of dental school, so why bother what ohter ppl are doing when you are doing well yourself. Life isn't fair. So just make sure you are getting a piece of the pie.

 

And u are...

 

Naloori, you are quite a character i'll tell ya what. U have bashed me before for talking @#%$...but i agree with ya this time. You did what you had to do to get a piece of pie and i applaud u for it. Different people have different values and different goals, so long as you're not blantantly hurting anyone, and can live it up to yourself, do as you wish. Society always places an emphasis on certain things making ppl think a certain way, act a certain way, etc. If you can transcend upon that and not care what ppl think then you are free to do anything.

 

but unfortunately there are still rules in society so there are and may be consequences unnecessary ones for unnecessary actions.

 

 

To people I say, do what you like, and do as you please. In the end you are accountable to only yourself. F*** what other people think, because you should live life for yourself.

 

..I just do what i have to do to survive. People applaud me for my actions people condemn me. It don't matter as long as I feel right about it.

[Guest naloori]

thx for the applause ddsdude...right back at ya!...

 

didn't mean to make a huge fuss... its just that there is a feeling of accomplishment when you start something like dental school... and hearing things like 'buying your education' really feels like a direct slam..

 

and yes its ur personal opinion of how u'd feel lz...and like i said..ur certainly entitled to it...

[Guest jughead09]

I worked just as hard as anyone who made it into the Can schools this year. And I would like to point out that I too busted my ass off to get a cumulative GPA of 3.89 and Dat scores all above 22 (I think the interview is what brought me down). I don't have a penny to my name, and therefore will take out the mother of all loans to go to dental school here in Can OR the States. But here's the thing....all Can. students going to the states can attain a loan. Therefore, the argument that those who can't afford it, don't get to and those that do pay have bought thier way in. This isn't about the haves and have nots. It's about you willing to take out a loan. We are all going to be in debt when we graduate anyhow. I know all of us have our opinions, and I am not out to change anyone's. It just really bugs me when some people think more highly of themselves without anything substantial to back it up. It is sort of like how many med students feel they are better than dent students, or how UT students (and I am a former UT student:b ) think they are the @#%$. Unless you can provide me with a list of the students who are accepted into these private US schools along with thier GPA's and DAT scores and prove to me that thier scores suck, then I will beleive that people BUY thier way in. And just to let you know, the phrase "buying your way in" denotes someone who isn't qualified to be there, but gets in because they hand out $$$. If you think that Can students do this, then I really think you really need a reality check. :\

[Guest LestatZinnie]

ok this is really getting our of topic. Opinions are like a**holes- everybody has one and I think a little debate now and then is healthy.

 

by the way I'm not a 'she' but a 'he'. Goodluck to all those going to dental schools and let's all enjoy piece of the pie together.

[Guest kellyl20]

Know of a close family friend that has low GPA and low DAT score and applied to all the Can schools and to all the US dental schools that accepts Canadians. The only offer he got was from NY. Did he buy his way in?.....not sure but his dad is a dent and he certainly can afford it.

He will be a dent next year. I guess life does not seemed fair to someone who worked hard (oops, let me rephrase that).....the person who got into NYU probably worked just as hard as LZ but he just doesn't have the GPA to show for it, no matter how hard he tries. This is all he is capable of and so it was a great relief for him and his family that he's accepted somewhere. Now the big test for him is when he starts practicing.

[Guest toothy jr]

I don't even think it's such a big deal to "buy your way in", because you can't "buy your way out". No matter where you go, you have to have the ability to pass all the courses and boards and have adequate skills for the outside world.

 

It was mentioned earlier that some people aren't able to attend canadian schools because there weren't enough spaces. That's only true to an extent. Unlike physicians, there is no shortage of dentists. Just look around the streets of Toronto or Vancouver. We're not exactly starving but other dentists are more like competitors than colleagues. We wouldn't be doing a great service to society by accepting every qualified applicant. A certain number of us will have to look for greener pastures south of the border and that's fine with me.

[Guest noncestvrai]

You need a higher GPA on average to get into medschool, at least in Quebec. The the DAT is a different test than the MCAT (I only took the later, so I can't say which is more difficult).

 

AND

 

I would not want to be a dentist because of personnal preference. What did Seinfeld say about dentists...hehe.

 

noncestvrai

[Guest TheDDSDude]

i like how toothy thinks lol which school are u going to again? U of T is it?

 

you know what is really funny?

 

There is a shortage of docs yet they make med school so hard to get into....lol

[Guest digit]

Imo, i think med is more competitive. On average the gpa required is higher and extra curricular activities are required, just not grades. Also I don't think the lower number of seats makes dent more competitive. The percentage of those accepted to med compared to the number who apply is lower in the majority of cases when compared to dental.