Tatyana Fortune

It is a well-known fact that the application process for residency is wildly overwhelming, and even though it might be a distant thought, it’s good to keep residency in the back of your mind as you go through dental school. Keep in mind that a perfect GPA doesn’t guarantee residency acceptance, but good grades can open doors and give you more choices. Many students choose to perform general dentistry because they can pick and choose what procedures they want to perform, including the specialized ones. The flexibility and diversity of the job make it very fulfilling as well.

Pre-Dental

– Shadow at a general dentistry practice
– If you have time, visit some specialty offices

First Year

– Study and work hard
– Get involved in extracurriculars (student organizations, research, volunteering). Remember, quality over quantity.

Second Year

– Begin gathering basic information about residencies that interest you. Look at things like program length, patient population, lifestyle after graduation, and any requirements for additional testing
– You may want to begin looking into taking common tests like the ADAT, the GRE, or the CBSE.
– Look into externships so that you can plan ahead if you need to take off time during your third year.

Third Year

– Complete externships
– Talk to current and former residents from programs that interest you
– Work on your CV and personal statement. Consider having trusted professionals proofread.
– Ask for letters of recommendations
– Once the Postdoctoral Application Support Service opens, double-check that you have all of the required supplemental materials.
– Register for MATCH (a program that pairs applicants with a residency).

Fourth Year

– Now, you wait.
– Throughout the fall, you will hopefully have interviews (maybe some in new cities)!
– Wait until MATCH day in January
– Then all that’s left is to graduate the 21st grade!