 
Prepared applicants have something to smile about
By DEBRA CANO RAMOS, Special Advertising Sections Writer
Due to the continuing population growth and anticipated retirement of dentists educated during the 1960s and ’70s, the need for new dentists is expected to escalate over the next few decades, according to officials of the American Dental Education Assn. (ADEA).
But the number of applications to dental schools is also on the rise so it is going to take more than stellar grades to make the cut.
Popularity grows
“Dentistry is an increasingly popular career choice,” said Dr. Richard Valachovic, executive director of the ADEA, a nonprofit dental education organization based in Washington, D.C., that assists students interested in applying to dental schools.
“Revolutionary advances in genetics research, pain control, cosmetic dentistry and the relationship between oral and systemic health, not to mention the wealth of new technologies, have opened up a whole new world for what we now think of as ‘physicians of the mouth,’.” he said.
Also, Dr. Bruce Sanders, assistant dean of outreach and diversity of UCLA School of Dentistry, said the fact that a dentist can establish family-friendly working hours is appealing to many, including the large numbers of women entering the profession. (In 2003, about 40% of dental students were women, according to the American Dental Assn.)
While the cost to attend California dental programs is high (ranging from $160,000 to $260,000, including living expenses), salaries are also high. According to the American Dental Assn.’s 2002 Survey of Dental Practice, the average annual income was $173,140 for independent general practitioners and $275,270 for dental specialists.
Applicants obviously see the benefits of the profession. Last year, about 8,000 students applied for about 4,400 positions nationwide, according to the ADEA.
In California, dental programs are offered at three private universities (Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in Loma Linda; the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco; and USC School of Dentistry in Los Angeles) and at two public universities (UCLA School of Dentistry in Westwood and UC San Francisco School of Dentistry).
Rejected first time
It is not unusual to get rejected the first time one applies and have to try again, said Dr. Craig Yarborough, associate dean for institutional advancement at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. In fact, he said 24% of the school’s total applicant pool in 2004 had previously applied.
Admissions committees consider a variety of factors when deciding on which applicants to accept into their programs. These include Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores, grade point average (GPA), course work, personal essays and community volunteer work.
For instance, Loma Linda looks at the whole person, according to Fred Kasischke, associate dean of admissions and service learning at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry, part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s system of higher education.
“We look at a person’s character, work ethic, spiritual orientation, and [whether the person] is caring and has concern for people who are underserved,” he said.
Another key part of the package is DAT scores. The DAT has been offered on a national basis since 1950 by the American Dental Assn., a professional association of dentists committed to the public’s oral health, ethics, science and professional advancement.
Taking the DAT
The DAT is administered throughout the year at Thomson Prometric Test Centers (www.prometric.com) throughout the country. The testing program is designed to measure general academic ability, comprehension of scientific information and perceptual ability.
To prepare to take the DAT, aspiring dentists can take courses through such commercial test-preparation services as Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions (www.kaptest.com) and at individual schools, according to Anne Wells, ADEA associate executive director for application services. Books and CDs are also available to help one prepare.
Equally important in the prediction of success of a dental student is academic prowess, said Yarborough, a 1980 graduate of Pacific’s School of Dentistry who retired after working full time in a dental practice for 13 years. An applicant’s overall GPA and GPA trends are evaluated, as well as where the applicant went to school and how many science courses were taken per quarter or semester, according to Yarborough.
While many dental students majored in science in their undergraduate programs, students who majored in other fields can also be successful in dental school, as long they meet stringent pre-dental school requirements, including completing course work in general biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and English, officials said.
But admissions committees also might consider unusual criteria when selecting candidates.
“We look for applicants whose interests involve hand-eye coordination,” said Kasischke. “That’s what dentistry is: the ability to work with your hands [along with having] a love and thorough knowledge of science.”
Sanders, a retired oral surgeon who has taught at UCLA School of Dentistry since 1974, said he expects applicants to shadow a dentist at work or volunteer at a dental office or in a community clinic before applying to dental school.
Dr. Gabriel Enriquez, who received a doctor of dental surgery degree from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in May, said he shadowed a dentist who practiced in a small office and liked what he observed.
“I learned that every patient has unique needs — emotional, physical and dental,” said the 26-year-old Loma Linda resident, who has returned to the university for additional studies in the orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics program.
“Learning this was important to me as I decided whether or not to become a dentist. I discovered the field is not monotonous — a dentist never knows what a patient may come in the door with. I learned the importance of building patient relationships, and that a good dentist is versatile and is able to adapt to patients’ unique needs.”
Beware of doing too much
Katie Siemens, a second-year student at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, also encouraged aspiring dental students to tackle “any solid research or community service projects” that come their way, with one caveat.
“Make sure you balance your time well,” said the 23-year-old, who hopes to graduate in June with a doctor of dental surgery degree. “All the extra stuff won’t help if your grades are bad.”
Thanks to the Internet, the application process has become easier than ever. The ADEA offers a centralized online application service that enables an applicant to submit a single application — containing transcripts, essays and letters — to as many schools as he or she chooses, according to ADEA spokeswoman Lynn Whittaker.
Fifty-two of the 56 U.S. dental schools, as well as two Canadian schools, participate in the ADEA’s Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) and don’t accept applications any other way, Whittaker said. Students pay a processing fee of $195 for the first school; then they pay $60 for each additional school up to 10 total selections, $50 for each school for selections 11 to 20 and $20 for each school above 20 selections, Whittaker said.
Most students apply to at least eight schools, and it’s not uncommon to apply to more than 20 programs, admissions officials said.
Experts advise applying early in the application cycle (late spring or early summer of the year prior to anticipated enrollment) to increase the chance of getting personal interviews and being considered for admission.
It’s also important for applicants to establish relationships with the schools of interest, asking questions and attending open houses with the faculty and students to gauge whether particular programs and environments are right for them, said Sanders of UCLA. Siemens visited five of the eight schools that she applied to.
“I feel it is important to visit the schools you would like to attend,” said Siemens. “At all of my interviews I spent some extra time talking to faculty and students. It is important to see how the students feel about the school, and even though you would think they wouldn’t tell you the truth, most are frighteningly honest.”
Join a pre-dental club
Those interested in becoming a dentist often find it helpful to join pre-dental clubs.
Also, the American Student Dental Assn. offers membership to pre-dental students and guidance for individuals interested in starting a pre-dental club, Wells added.
Also to help with the application process, the ADEA publishes the “Official Guide to Dental Schools” ($35), which is updated each year and offers a wealth of information, including application deadlines, admission requirements, essay writing tips, interviewing tips, profiles of dental schools and opportunities in the field. The book can be ordered online through the group’s website, www.adea.org, and is available in libraries and bookstores.
Recent graduate Enriquez said he is thrilled that he took the plunge.
“I have felt that there is great self-satisfaction in the health professions” he said. “Being able to provide to patients a solution to their personal health and being able to see the difference it makes in them makes my life more meaningful.”
Siemens also said she is happy about her career choice.
“I have discovered that dentistry is a field that is constantly pushing the envelope and challenging those involved. Every year there are new and exciting discoveries making it far from an ordinary profession,” she said. “Plus, as a dentist you are [able] to form long and lasting relationships with your patients. When someone leaves your office smiling, you know you have done something to literally contribute to that.”
For more information about pursuing a career in dentistry, visit the American Dental Education Assn. website at www.ADEA.org, the American Dental Assn. website at www.ADA.org; and the American Student Dental Assn. website at www.asdanet.org.
Debra Cano Ramos is a freelance writer based in Orange.
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