You Need To Decide Quick! Dental Schools Take Back Their Offer

How to Choose a Dental School
If you were lucky enough to get an acceptance in early December congratulations. But wait, with congratulations in order, you may also be dealing with a dilemma. Which dental school program do you accept if you have received multiple offers?

Every year around eleven thousand applicants apply and on December first, some applicants receive an acceptance. Most dental schools fill up just over half of their available seats knowing that students will make an acceptance at other programs. With that said, spots will open up at certain schools hence why programs conduct interviews post December.

But what about the students that get multiple acceptances and place down multiple deposits at different programs? Usually on March 1st, all dental schools that participate in ADEA AADSAS will report the names of students who placed a holding deposit for their entering class. Then on March 5th, the names of students that placed multiple deposits will be reported back to the schools. At this point, dental schools will contact the individuals and ask them to make a decision as soon as possible. Furthermore, dental schools will have the ability to rescind their offer if the student does not make a decision in a timely manner.

This highlights the need for students to make their decision quickly and we are here to help.

A few considerations should go into your decision making process. While one factor may be more important than another, these are some that students have considered in the past to make their decision.

Number 1 - Tuition and Cost of Attendance
It’s no secret that attending dental school costs a lot. Over half of Dental Students surveyed in 2020 expected their debt to be $400,000 on average. With added interest, students could expect to pay over half a million after graduating from dental school. For that matter, some students may choose to apply to schools with the lowest tuition. The smilesforyoo team has compiled the tuition and total cost of attendance for you to download through this QR code.

Number 2 - Location
No doubt dental school is stressful. More the reason why just below half of dental students say that being close to family and friends is important to them. Think about the school’s proximity to the airport and how easy it will be for you to travel back home. It is crucial for mental wellness that you stay close to your support system.

Number 3 - Graduate/Board Statistics
Evaluate if the program has a good rate of graduating their dental students and what their board pass rates are every year. While finding information for the latter may be difficult as all dental schools are now switching to the new Integrated National Board Dental Examination- the integrated board of dental education* asking the school directly may help you with this.

Number 4 - Curriculum and Culture
Verify if the school that you are considering has a mission that aligns with your values. As stated in other videos, schools fall into three general categories. Schools based in clinical skills, volunteerism, and research. Additionally, speak to the current students at each school through instagram or reddit. Ask about their happiness and the pros and cons of their program. You will be surprised how many dental students are willing to speak with you.

Number 5 - Extra Opportunities
If you see yourself specializing after dental school, it is important to seek out what types of extracurricular activities the school offers. Your experiences aren’t limited to the time you spend in class but also extends into what you do to set yourself up for success in the future.

For more helpful information, we have included links down below. Best of luck on your decision and see you again soon.

Links:
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/prehealth/...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33638...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32686...

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*[Use At Your Own Risk Disclaimer] Please note that although I am a WesternU Dental Student, in no way am I affiliated with WesternU interviews and admissions. The provided information are personal anecdotes intended to aide pre-dental students for educational purposes only. Any action you take upon the information is strictly at your own risk and no one affiliated with this website, WesternU, and myself can be responsible for your use of the information contained herein.