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Applicants are always asking, "If I want to specialize, what programs should I apply to?" or some variation of this question. I had this same question when I was applying. I knew I wanted to pursue a certain specialty and wanted to know if the program I graduated from made any difference in the process. I got the same answers over and over again, some of which were more correct than others.
However, having these conversations in comment sections on facebook posts or online forums can lead to people speaking half-truths in order to defend their programs or the programs of others. This article will answer some common questions pertaining to the topic at hand, lay out the different types of programs to which you could apply, and explain how those types of programs affect your ability to specialize.
Does my class rank matter? What about Pass/Fail programs?
Many specialties highly value class rank. Program directors want you to be roughly in the top 10-20% of your class, depending on the specialty and program. They want to see that you have a great dental school GPA. However, not every program publishes a class rank, and students at Pass/Fail (P/F) programs don't even have a GPA. Many applicants are often told that not having a class rank/GPA will hurt your chances of specializing because program directors don't just want to see that you "passed" your classes. This is only partially true. The fact of the matter is that not all P/F programs are created equal: passing all your classes at Columbia looks different than passing all your classes at Roseman. That's what most people in comment sections and forums are uncomfortable saying, but it's true. Program reputation and clout matter. Whether or not it should matter is a different debate (more to come on that in a little).
It can't be overstated: a P/F curriculum will give you substantially more free time than a GPA/ranked system. It doesn't take nearly as long to study to the level of a 70% exam score as it does to study to a 95-100% exam score. You can use this free time however you want, meaning you can be conducting research, studying for residency-required exams, or otherwise improving your application. These things matter to varying degrees depending on the specialty you are pursuing, but you will undoubtedly have more time for them at a P/F program. But remember than not all P/F are created equal and program directors may not take you as seriously as a student with a high class rank and GPA if you went to a less reputable P/F program.
TL;DR: Going to a P/F program will give you a lot of free time to improve your residency application, but P/F programs are not created equal. If you go to a program with class rank/letter grades, work hard and get the best grades you can, because residencies will definitely be interested in your rank and GPA.
Will I be able to specialize if I go to Program X?
Hear ye, hear ye! Let it be known that anyone can specialize from any dental program!
This is definitely true. But, as in most things, there is a sliding scale. While anyone can specialize from anywhere, it is certainly easier to get into some specialties than others from specific programs, but not simply because of the program's name itself.
Business and law schools are all about reputation. Who you know and your professional pedigree often mean everything in those fields. That simply is not true of dentistry. So in what ways does the program matter? Simply because each program provides things that others do not! Some provide more free time (P/F programs), some provide better research opportunities, others provide exceptional clinical training and some programs are home to faculty influential in a specific specialty. Some have a strong history of matching applicants into a certain specialty, so residency program directors have learned to trust students from proven dental schools. For example, the oral surgery program at Iowa seems to consistently take students from VCU Dental. In this way, program name and reputation do matter. However, that is certainly not the most important factor on a residency application.
TL;DR: Selecting the best program from which to pursue a specific specialty can make your path easier, but no matter where you go, you can make it into any specialty; it just might require a good-deal more work and stress.
Real-World Examples
Let's take what we have learned so far and see how it applies to some real world examples. We are going to look at 3 different programs that each fit into different categories of helping students specialize.
Columbia is a P/F program with a great reputation for placing students into nearly every specialty. There are a number of other schools that are in this same category. Attending Columbia (or any other program in this category) would provide you the advantages you would expect if you read the above: lots of free time to bolster your application, research opportunities galore, and a program name that carries some weight. That being said, these programs also have their unique downsides (check our student reviews for more). Having no class rank or GPA really won't hurt your residency application if you're applying from a program in this category.
Note: Some of these programs take their basic science courses with the medical school, which can help students interested in oral surgery in their preparation for the CBSE. However, this is not exclusive to category 1: many schools in the second category also have courses combined with the medical school to some degree or another.
UNC fits into our second category. The vast majority of dental schools fall somewhere in this category. These programs have a class rank and GPA, meaning you will work really hard and stress a lot over your grades and rank. But if you do well, this will open some residency program director's eyes! UNC (and other upper-echelon second category programs) will have ample research opportunities and a great reputation among specialty programs. The biggest difference between category 2 and category 1 programs is the amount of work and stress involved in getting into a residency program.
Because the majority of dental programs fall into this category, it is important to remember that there is variance between one category 2 school and another. Some have great reputations among specialties and a lot of research opportunities, while others have little research and lesser reputations with specialties.
Roseman is a P/F program without the reputation of more established schools, and is our example of category 3 programs, of which there are not many. Coming from these programs, having no class rank and no GPA can hurt your application. They also don't have a great reputation with specialty programs. However, you will have lots of free time to bolster your application if you so choose. Different from Roseman, but still in category 3 would be programs like Midwestern. Students at these programs get unparalleled clinical experience, but at the expense of other aspects that, in the end, make it more difficult to specialize. There are fewer research opportunities, no specialties on campus, and it can be difficult to get time off for externships. The heavy didactic and clinical workload can also make it harder for students to bolster their residency application simply because they are strapped for time. These programs are seen as general dentist factories for a reason.
In Conclusion...
This article is not meant to tell you what to do; we just want to give everyone the facts in plain language. From there, you can form your own plan. Many factors must be taken into account: your preferences, financial situation, aspirations, work ethic, and personal likes/dislikes. While you are on interviews, think about asking the dental students at that program what the program's track record is with your specialty of interest. You should also read the GradSchoolGrades reviews of any programs you are curious about. From these reviews you will get a better idea of which of the above categories each program fits into!