Guide for Preparation to Dental School

1. Guide for Preparation to Dental School

2. Step 1: Picking the right school • Location • Specialty programs at school? • How new is the school? • Chances of getting in • i.e how do you stack up for the application process • Consider board certifications • Would you live here, or are you planning on moving?

3. ADEA Guide to Dental Schools 2013 -E-text available online. -Great resource for stats and research on each individual school.

4. Step 2: Volunteering and Dental Experience • As much volunteering as possible! • Service Learning • Shadow a GENERAL dentist • Some schools require you to have a minimum requirement of observation hours • i.e U of M requires 100 hours BEFORE the application. • Working does not count

5. Shadowing Opportunities • Service Learning • Common etiquette • Dress appropriately! • Visit the office in person, face time is important!

6. Step 3: DAT Preparation • Kaplan class • Topscore • Chad’s Videos • Crack the DAT/ PAT • Orgoman DAT Destroyer • Princeton Review • Cliff’s AP Bio

7. DAT Preparation • About 2-3 months in advance: • Obtain for DENTPIN • http://www.ada.org/dat.aspx • Click ‘Register for a DENTPIN’ • Name must match EXACTLY • Look at DAT guide (same website) • “Apply” for DAT • Sign up to test at www.prometric.com • Pay for DAT

8. DAT preparation • DAT PRICES • DAT Fee $385 • Rescheduling Fees • $100- Day before to 5 business days prior • $60- 6 to 30 business days prior • $25- 31+ business days prior

9. DAT Structure • Arrive to Prometric Center 30 mins early • 2 ID’s (1 w/ pic and signature, 1 w/ name and signature), finger print, picture taken, metal detector scan • Provided 2 white boards with skinny black marker • “Permanent” marker • Test on PC; not very HD (bad for angle ranking)

10. Dat structure

11. Step 4: Applications • Applying is expensive! Get a list of schools you can see yourself going to. • Apply to as many / as little as you are comfortable. • Most people apply to 10 schools or less • Roughly ~$200 per school

12. AADSAS • Application opens June 1st • iPhone application to keep track of progress • Rolling admissions, so complete the application ASAP!

13. Inputting grades into AADSAS • AADSAS uses a different grading scale (A, AB, B, BC, etc) instead of our scale. • The “grade” section is how it appears on your transcript, “AADSAS grade” is how it appears with this conversion • Transcript matching forms must be sent to AADSAS • Download via AADSAS, print out, fill out, email or send with official transcripts to AADSAS • Search AADSAS conversion for the actual conversions (4.0 = A, 3.5 = AB, 3.0 = B, etc)

14. What is considered “Science”? • AADSAS makes you classify what classes are science and non-science classes. • ADEA provides a comprehensive list to what specifically is classified as science and non-science

15. Professional Experience • AADSAS has a section to allow you to list observation specifically. • Provide a brief description of “activities” • There is a section for extracurricular activities / volunteer / community service • Lastly, there is a section to fill out any work experience you may have had

16. Personal Statement • Opportunity to tell your story • Why dentistry? What is your passion? Journey that has led you where you are today • Be creative! Admissions want to see that you can write and that you are different than every other applicant! • Get 4500 characters to do so

17. Letters of Recommendation • Seek professors out early! • Check ADEA guide for specific requirements for each school. • Generally speaking, get one biology, one chemistry, one general dentist whom you have shadowed, and one from whomever you think would write a good letter! • Interfolio is convenient for storing letters before applying.

18. Interfolio • Pay a yearly fee to interfolio, and they hold your letters for you until you are ready to send. • Each letter is kept confidential • When a person is willing to write you a recommendation, input their email into interfolio and they will get emailed a list of instructions on how to upload it to the site. • On AADSAS, if using interfolio, reference type is “paper”. • Be sure to print out matching forms for each evaluator, sign them, scan them back into your computer, and send them with the letters to AADSAS.

19. Class requirements • General Idea • Chem 1 and 2 with labs • Bio 1 and 2 with labs • Orgo 1 and 2 with a lab • English (LB or WRA) • SOC (any) or ISS 215 • Biochem (401 or 461/462) • Microbio (MMG 301) • Psychology (any) • Physics 1 and 2 with labs

20. 4 year Class schedule • Freshman Year • Chem 1 and 2 with labs • English/SOC/PSY • Summer-Orgo (Sterling Heights, Grand Blanc, Yipsilanti)/PSY • Sophomore Year • Bio 1 and 2 with labs • Orgo 1 and 2 with labs • Physio (PSL 310 or uppers)-------will be helpful for DAT • SOC/English/PSY • Summer- STUDY FOR DAT (no classes)

21. 4 year Class schedule • Junior Year • Biochem • Microbio • Physio • Senior Year • Physics 1 and 2 with labs • Class load • 15-17 credits if NOT working • 12-14 okay if working

22. Preparation for Interview • Have a good idea of what you want to say for 2 minutes if they ask “Tell me about yourself” • Be able to honestly answer “Why dentistry?” and “Why [school name]” • Student Doctor Network- Old interview questions • My Spartan Career- You can sign up online for a mock interview at the stadium • Helps to know how you interview • Research the school and have questions prepared • ie) I noticed a group of dental students went to Kenya this year, is that opportunity available each year?

23. Interview Attire • Men • Suit color- usually black or dark grey • Add a pop of color- either with a colored shirt and black tie, or white shirt and colored tie • Dress shoes, simple socks • Ironed/pressed/dry cleaned suit • Make sure you have tried it on recently… • Clean shave or solid but trimmed beard- no in between • Optional- cuff links, tie clip (personal favorite)

24. Interview attire • Ladies • Nonsuit: Professional dress with a suit jacket • Suit: either black, navy or dark grey • Pants- not too tight • Skirt- at/below the knee • Less specific with the shirt- button up, or a nice blouse • NO cleavage… none! • Panty hose = MUST • ~3 inch black heel • Jewelry = Simple! Necklace-pearl, earrings- studs • Be cautious on rings and bracelets- nothing gaudy • No fun piercings! ie) tragus, industrial, tongue • Brief bag- optional • Hair: “You want them to remember you, not the do”

25. Interview attire • Both • Make sure you feel COMFORTABLE • “The smell of success is scentless” • Rule of thumb- unbutton suit jacket whenever sitting, and re-button it when standing • Gum: good to freshen breath, but NO chewing • NO phone, turn it off and get a watch • Bring a portfolio

26. Interview- umich mmi • Multiple Mini Interview “Speed Dating” • Process: 10 stations that are one-on-one (with either faculty, dentist, alumni, or student); read prompt and discuss for 8 minutes, wait 2 minutes, move on • Questions: A few about you/application, more about ethical situations in the health field • Provides document with met/unmet requirements that you need to turn in; flash drive with all presentations; a mini portfolio

27. Interview- umich mmi • Surprise: While the journey to dental school always feels like you’re trying to prove yourself, the interview day felt like the dental school was trying to prove itself… totally different perception  • “If you have an interview, they already want you” • 64% of all Michigan residents who interviewed were accepted (taken from ADEA book) • That is over 2/3!! • Closed- Interviewers do no see your application before hand

28. Interview- umich mmi • Structure of 8:30am-3:30pm on Fridays • 8:30-9: Introductions of all 30 interviewees • Note: Granola bars and water provided • 9-10:30- ~4 presentations • 10:30-11:30- tour of dental school from students • NOTE: These may be the same students doing interviewers • 11:30-12: Lunch provided • 12-2: MMI’s; 3 sets of 10 stations in one huge room • Time flies by unbelievably fast • 2-3:30: Presentations about financial aid and DDS/PhD

29. Interview- uDM • Process: two faculty members with one interviewee • Structure: Open interview (they are able to see your application before interviewing you) • More personal questions about application • One ethical question • Relaxed atmosphere -- felt more like a conversation with the faculty members rather than an interview

30. Interview- uDM • Interviews are on Saturdays 8:00am- 12:30am • 8:00-8:30 check in • 8:30-9:00 Welcome/introduction • 9:00-9:30 Curriculum Presented and Student Panel • 9:30-10:00 Interview • 10:00-10:50 Dental School Tour • 10:50-11:00 Break • 1100-11:30 Question and Answer with Dr. Jeffers • 11:30-12:00 Student Affairs faculty member speaks about activities outside the classroom offered • 12:00-12:30 Closing/Final Q&A