LECOM School of Dental Medicine at Bradenton
Bradenton, FL
Dental Schools | Private Non-Profit
Overall, how satisfied are you with this program?
What was the zip code of your residence in high school?
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 55,849.00 | 3 |
What do you like most?
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I absolutely love the clinical experience. They get you in the clinic for vertical integration D1 year. Additionally, because of their use of PBL, almost the entire 3rd and 4th are completely clinical. 8 hours per day 5 days a week treating patients. No specialty program, but lots of great specialists so the D3 and D4 students get a lot of opportunities to do specialty procedures that are normally taken by specialty programs at other schools. Great school for anyone who is interested in possibly specialising because you get a lot of clinical experience with every specialty. Additionally PBL is super useful preparing students for clinical practice because the approach to learning not only teaches you the necessary info for practicing dentistry, but also how to properly think through real patient cases. No classroom environment can give you that.
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Clinical experience
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The clinical experience. Not to cowboy, but definitely a lot of procedures including more advanced skills. Also the ability by the end to set your schedule and maximize your day.
What do you like least?
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The academic calendar and absence policy can be tough, but it kinda has to be that way to get the top quality clinical and didactic educational experience. It’s important to make the decision on if it’s worth it to you before you enrol. With that being said, the official policy is tough, but the faculty really care about the students and will work with you as best they can if you are going through a hardship. My wife and I are having a baby this year and they have been more than accommodating for me to go to all of her appointments. Several students have been pregnant or had a pregnant spouse in school as well and the faculty are very accommodating. Not an easy situation, but they are accommodating.
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Their draconian attendance policy that makes it very difficult to be sick or have any sort of life outside of clinic hours. And, if you do miss class with an "excused absence," they still require you to make up that time with approved volunteering. Sometimes they require you to come in over your break to attend clinic to make up time.
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It was a new school when I was there so dealing with CODA was not particularly enjoyable.
Does the student body seem cooperative or competitive?
Does the environment seem supportive for underrepresented minorities?
Does the environment seem supportive for lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual students?
Does the environment seem supportive for married students?
Does the environment seem supportive for students with disabilities?
Does the environment seem supportive for older/non-traditional students?
Do you/did you feel well prepared for your board exams?
How approachable are faculty members?
What are the facilities and clinics like (old/new, well maintained, etc.)?
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Very well-maintained. The school policies for maintenance and cleanliness ensure that things stay in pristine condition.
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Relatively new
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New and very nice. Very good equipment.
How do students from this program do after graduation - are they adequately prepared for practice?
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Very well prepared. I had multiple job offers by the beginning of my D3 Spring semester. A lot of the dentists I spoke with were impressed at how extensive our clinical experience was.
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You graduate with adequate experience to start working
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I’m never against post grad education but I felt very prepared. I ended up, along with others, going into residency because of the experience in the clinic. But I also know many who went out into private with great success.
What are rotations like?
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We rotate with various private practices in the area. There are opportunities to rotate with cleft lip/palate teams, and local oral surgeons.
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Don't think you can do externships for OMFS. This school will never approve time off of clinic to attend externships.
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4th year is off campus if you will and similar to what you would expect at a typical AEGD. There were some private practice rotations but not sure if that is still going on or not.
How do students from this program do in the Match?
Any other information you want to share?
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Lakewood Ranch is an absolutely awesome and safe community. It is a great place to spend 3 years of dental school. I made some lifelong friends in this community. Also the area itself has so much to offer: the UTC area, St. Pete, Tampa, Sarasota, Florida beaches, and tons of outdoor activities. There is a good chance that I will be back to practice here in the future.
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I was scared when I first started this program because it was so new. But after being at other schools and seeing everything I have, I am very happy I went here and would not change where I went given the chance to go anywhere. It is not only a great school, but a great place to live and that goes a long way in my book. Thanks for the memories.
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