Words of Encouragement

For many of you, Dec 2 cannot come fast enough. A day you either dread or anticipate, either way I am sure everyone is brimmed with anxiety and impatience. Even if you have not yet been offered an interview, the familiar feeling of uneasiness persists in your mind.

Although you may each be at a separate phase of aspiration (for example, I just wanted to fill a seat anywhere) - no need to panic, and no need to pray. 

As an average-to-slightly-above-average-ish application for the 2011 cycle, I made an empty promise to myself (or whoever was up there) that I would improve myself if I could just make it this year. If I just made it to dental school, I would no longer skip my classes or leave my assignments behind. My work ethic throughout undergrad (and before that, let's be honest) was abysmal at best. I know most young adults can relate to my constant struggle to find motivation and remain undistracted. I wanted to go out with my friends, spend time with family, or even just sit on my ass and watch useless TV or bicker with my then-boyfriend; I would prioritize this over studying for exams and my achievements suffered for many years. Because I didn't realize I wanted to apply to dental school, I hadn't a goal to work toward and thus I became the "average applicant" at the end.

Many people told me I wouldn't make it, because my grades weren't good enough, I didn't have any experience, and that I couldn't prove that this was where my passion was. I was so close to scrapping my plans to apply because I was faced with too much discouragement. I researched entrance stats and listened to other peers' stories of a lifelong commitment to dentistry and was convinced I didn't make the cut. In my second year of graduate studies performing laboratory research, all I knew was that I didn't want to stop at a dead end. Even while I felt there would be a huge chance of rejection, I went ahead and filled my requirements for dental school anyway. At this point, my time was limited. While putting in my 9-5 for gradschool, I studied for the DAT and killed it off within 2 months, took a couple weeks off to shadow as many hours as I could, and signed up and fulfilled my missing prerequisite courses - all within a span of 6 months, in order to make the June 1 AADSAS opening day. I wrote several drafts of my personal statement and kept in close contact with my 4 LORs. With my application in, I continued with my life (with as much normalcy as I could being anxiety-ridden) and just waited it out. I admit that I was so shocked when my first interview invite came at the end of August. Even more surprised when the rest of them came.

Looking back, I wish someone had convinced me that I could have confidence in myself and not worry about every stat, sentence, or story that I submitted. I wish I had the discretion to read everything with a grain of salt and believe that if I wanted something, I could have it. 

They told me I couldn't make it, and I made it on my first try.

As for you, whether you are the top contender or the underdog - if your heart is in the right place, you'll get there. Whether you are one of those "lifelong committers" or a late bandwagon hopper like me, our aspirations are to help people (hopefully written in a less cliche manner in your application). I admit, most days I am wasting my time on Facebook while in class and drowning behind in the current in terms of studying - not the most rewarding experience at the moment. But once in a while when I have the opportunity to work with patients, I'll get a reminder here and there that my work getting here was worth it.

From the free pediatric mouth guard clinic in my 1st year, a patient wrote us:

As per the words in our application, making a little bit of a difference brought us to where we are, and that makes us in exactly the right place.

Believe it! xx

What's Dental School Like?

Aside from application anxiety, the most common spark of anticipation stems from the curiosity of what life in dental school is like. I regret having missed the boat on photo-documenting my first year, but hopefully I can catch you up on the insights of having been a DS1 --> DS2.

Grading System
My education here has been different from my experiences at an undergraduate school in Canada - the first noted distinction being the GPA conversion. While I was used to an 80%+ scoring a 4.0 back home, I now grow accustomed to the same grade converting to a 3.0 (B-). I also never feared failure because scoring below a 50% on an exam was a rarity; however, in dental school, every student must achieve atleast a 70% on an exam in order to pass. I won't lie, failure is not uncommon and even I have had to remediate a written exam or competency exam. Don't be frightened, the school will ease you into their system gradually and will do their best to prevent you from falling behind.

Workload/Difficulty
Very briefly, dental students will agree that examinations are not difficult, but plentiful. From last year to this year, I am not shocked that I am still constantly studying for a quiz every other day. On the plus side, I have never run out of time to finish a quiz or exam - a struggle for me when writing exams in undergrad, as well as during the DAT. What becomes more stressful are competency exams eg. anatomy bell-ringers, wax-ups, caries preps & restorations, crown and bridges. These you cannot be tardy or truant for, and time management is key.

Attendance/Presence
I cannot speak for all schools, but I stress that my school takes attendance and dresscode very seriously. We use a clicker system for participation and attendance check, and have been in conflict with the Dean for academic misconduct when students were swapping clickers. Students are required to have clean/pressed scrubs or business attire, and can be sent home if this criteria is not fulfilled.

Outside Life/Time Management
I will be the first to admit that if dental school was my entire life, I would go insane. Unfortunately, free time has become less prevalent than in my undergrad/grad school days. That is not to say that I am studying every day. While I can still proclaim to be doing well in school, I am not one to stay on top of my workload. Examination period seems to drag on forever, but during those in-between days, myself and my classmates will take advantage of our time and become young, belligerent delinquents when well-deserved ;) Even during exams, I make it my priority to nap, frequent the gym, and stay in touch with my friends back home.
It is nice to remember that all your classmates are suffering the same schedule, so if it is time to be a hermit, they're all hermitting with you.

If you are a predental student, I advise you not to jump the gun and prepare by reading up on books or volunteering. Enjoy your time before DS1, because the one thing I lack now is sufficient vacation time to travel. Your whole life will become teeth and mouths come fall semester. When I get a break, it is relieving to pretend that I know nothing about oral health, if only for a couple of weeks.

Cheers from the girls of DS2 <3

Interview Prep

With love-hate fondness, I am reminded of my predental anxiety in my school's interview roster for this cycle. I roll my eyes as I recall my naivety - a DS2 observing my ghost of interview past. Like any prepared predental student, I did my research and followed every rule to succeeding in an interview: from suiting up to engaging eye contact and note-taking,  I wanted to show off my dedication and commitment. 2 years later, having seen the light and reflecting on the other side, I hope my words of encouragement and deterrence will share in the insight of the interview process.

1. Don't be too overzealous 
A tough concept to overcome, I'm aware. This pointer encompasses many facets - one of them being how exaggerated your interaction is. I stress the importance of appearing genuine. Yes, the faculty tends to crack jokes to invoke comfort, but a forceful chuckle is no better than a smile of acknowledgement. Furthermore, a response of laughter is void if not accompanied by witty banter. Reciprocate jokes (within limits of course), this will make for better rapport.
Secondly, no need to be that eager gunner who brings a briefcase, business pad and pen with them. Trust me, there is no purpose for note-taking on an interview. Also, chances are you will have to drag them with you all over the school during the tour and at the end of the day, you are that fool with a notebook without notes (or useless notes...). You need nothing for this day but yourself and your words.
Attire-wise, don't stress. A conservative outfit is appreciated, but no need to overdo it. As a female interviewee, I was informed by peers that wearing a skirt without covering your legs is a business faux-pas. By my last interview (late summer), I was sporting a miniskirt and heels with a shirt/blazer and nothing else. Not that I condone this, but the idea is that no matter what you wear, you will probably end up blending with everybody else anyway. Of all things to reap your worries, clothing should not be of top concern.

2. See the big picture
Dental education is a mass money-making industry. Yes, you are an individual and the school recognizes you as a person, but having hosted so many students over the years, their primary concern is that you will graduate having paid 4 full years of tuition to sustain their business. Dental school is a funny place; it's like a sweatshop of students paying thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars to work for free.
The bottom line is: if you've got an impressive GPA - flaunt it. Schools know that a solid GPA translates into a successful graduate, thus making it less likely you will bail out and leave a void in their classroom/wallet. It goes without saying that arrogance is not an effective route. Emphasize your work ethic, or illustrate an event where you overcame hardship. If you have specific examples, storytelling is to your advantage.
Most people will tell you that great stats alone will get you nowhere. Anyone in dental school will tell you that there are students who are assholes or awkward who slip through the cracks and make it through the day. If you are one of those candidates, you better stick to your stats.

3. Don't be afraid to stand out
You may be meeting your panel for the first time, but you are definitely not the first they've seen. In fact, you will be one of a dozen interviewees that day, probably close to thousands of clones just like you that professor has seen in his or her tenure. You will want to be literally, a needle in a haystack. Dental-related volunteering, job shadowing, even externships will certainly not harm your application, but compute the stats for a second and realize just how many predents there are just like you. In some of my interviews, I was uninhibited in expressing my totally non-dental related experiences as a fashion photographer. But ensure that you can back up your outside interests with an achievement, don't include flavour-of-the-week hobbies - an admissions board is very experienced at detecting bullshit. 
On the other hand however, if you are already an expert in all things dental-related, try out some impressive terminology that you've acquired (in modesty) to get a discussion going. Be cautious - you better know your shit because if your interviewer is a prof, s/he is an experienced dental professional and will mentally flinch any moment you sound like an idiot.

4. Don't go crazy checking admissions rates
Seriously, salvage your sanity. Fluctuations and changes happen. Admissions boards can do whatever they want and accept whomever they want. Yes there are trends, but it doesn't mean the stats are against you. If you have interviewed already, the best option for you is to sit back and relax. After all, what's done is done, no need to replay the meeting in your head if you know where your improvements lie.

5. A follow-up "thank you" is pleasant but not necessary
If you are culturally inclined to express gratitude, a post-interview thank you email can't hurt you. However, its effectiveness is generally proportional to the time that has passed since your meeting, and your memorability. Chances are that without your file in their faces, interviewers have already lost the ability to match a face to a name. Even then, as professors they are bombarded with needy emails from us students, other staff, and let's not forget the massloads of messages from organizations and events that we're all privy to - it's possible your heartfelt appreciation may not even get the chance to be read. There are far too frequent forum posts regarding the notorious "post-interview thank you," and if this was an intention that slipped your mind, again I advise that you be rational and stay calm - this is not an issue worth stressing.

If you were like me and are frantically acquiring tips and tricks for interview prep on the Internet, then you are already investing too much mental effort. I noticed a substantial difference in my interview confidence levels before my first acceptance and afterward. In my mind, a good candidate is someone who is personable and collected. If you are not these qualities, go travel the world and force yourself to learn them - or else be prepared to act your ass off. If you make the cut - good job, you're in the right place. All that should happen will happen.

Best of luck xx

Introduction

I find myself in a state of haphazard disorganization as I input the first words of my inaugural entry. At the age of 26 - over a decade since I started my first blog, I've lost the inherent nature to log online and scribble my incoherent teenage angst over the years. From bad boyfriends to bad grades and everything in between, I never thought I'd find myself at a point where I could finally speak of my professional experiences. My dearest friends can attest to my disastrous diaries where I've bellyached the most mundane of trivialities (and we have all been there); but at some golden age of maturation (not that I'm there yet) where the postings halted and I grew some skin (some of the wisest words of advice to me - "shit happens, don't sweat the small stuff!), I felt for once I could convey a resource of some sorts. If there were young people out there somewhere like myself, I would maybe have something small to offer to them. If not, then at least I can preserve what literacy I have left as a writer.

Hovering in my second year of dental school, it was a bit of a lucky draw for me to get where I am. In my personal statement, I would never be one of those applicants who can illustrate a lifelong dream of becoming a dentist. In honesty, I imagine very few children becoming so enchanted at the prospect of cleaning and pulling teeth that they would make an aspiration of it. My motives to applying into dentistry were completely unromantic. I enrolled in science like a typical undergrad, which autopiloted into a Master's project, and toward the end of grad school it was, "now what." Like much of my post-secondary years, I crammed. My requirements, DAT scores, prerequisites all went in within months and I applied hoping for the best. As a Canadian outcompeted by my own colleagues, I had limited selection applying in the US and knew that any options down south would reap my wallet forever. I regretted my lax study habits and was convinced by mentors and forum strangers that I wouldn't make it, but nobody knew the facts. A hidden gem known as the US-Canada GPA conversion salvaged my application and I was on par with my competition. I could scroll on forever about the months of waiting, interviewing, waiting again, climactic moments of acceptance, preparing, and finally parting with my hometown - but my intentions are to advise predental students intermittently as the arduous application cycle revolves.

For now, I take advantage of days I can sleep in, get a workout in, have a laugh or two, or anything that reminds me I'm still human (while avoiding the streets of Detroit when it gets dark around here past 5pm). Even now, I am still learning not to sweat the small stuff. 

Good luck :)