Hi everyone!
So I was just dismissed from a dental school after completing my second year. The reason is my bad academic performance…I didn’t pass a remediation exam for one of my courses. I had also some family issues involved, but they obviously don’t care.
Anyway, I was wondering if there’s anyone who tried to re-apply to another dental school after dismissal? Are there are schools out there to be known for an “easier acceptance”?
Also wondering if there is a chance of omitting the fact of my past dental school experience, or will they find it out from somewhere?
Any piece of advise will be highly appreciated!
I honestly don’t know the first thing about dental school, but I don’t think there is any way you can omit your grades from your (former) dental school.
Is there any possibility you can petition your former dental school to take you back? The family issues, plus the pandemic, are significant reasons for a lot of students’ downturns. Schools can be very forgiving if they see that a student has a desire to be there. Even failing the remediation course is perhaps surmountable.
I don’t know your particular circumstances, but I would try very hard to sort things out with your old school if there was even a glimmer of a chance.
Again, take it FWIW. Good luck.
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You could talk with an educational lawyer. They should have something like a free consult call to get a suggestion of what to do.
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Yes, they will find out. There is a national database. Don’t attempt to hide this information. You need to be proactive. I’m assuming at this point t you’ve already invested considerable money and you clearly want to pursue a career as a dentist.
You say they don’t care. How do you know? Have you exhausted all avenues of appealing the dismissal? Have you had any discussions with the dean’s office to see if there are any ways to salvage your two years of dental school? If you’ve done all you can at your dental school, then yes, I think it’s worth consulting an educational lawyer too.
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yes, I would still like to pursue this career, I did not fail because I’m not smart enough or not hard working- otherwise I wouldn’t get in the program in the first place. I have a 2 year old child and it’s honestly been difficult, especially during this whole covid madness. I gave up so much for this degree that I can’t let it go.
I did petition my dismissal, however, their appeal policy is very strict and you can only appeal based on “procedural grounds”, which means you have to prove that the college did not act according to their guideline when dismissing me. I did consult a lawyer who won similar cases last year, but she told me that the college re-worded their guideline since then and there are no legal grounds to win this case. I still appealed, but the college denied my petition… this decision is final and cannot be appealed anymore.
Nothing is black and white when it comes to education. I would still try to get into your old dental school. Worst case: can you get a job with as a dental assistant (where you don’t need a licence unless you already have one), and build the case either for your old dental school or even a new one.
Like most who know better than me (I’m a lawyer, so my educational experience is not relevant to your situation), you cannot get away from your record.
That being said, educators are aware that bad things happen to good people. Can you speak to your advisor at your former dental school on a video call to explain your situation and your desire? Explore with them EVERY possible avenue that you can try to get back to the school. And if not that school, another school. After 2 years, I cannot believe that there is no caring person at your old school who wouldn’t try to help you out.
If there is a will, there is a way. Never, ever forget that. And never give up if dentistry is what you want to do. Never.
You are required to disclose all schools attended and provide transcripts.
Were your first year grades okay? Did they put you on probation first?
Having a two year old during COVID would be extremely difficult. Do you have anyone else living with you who could help, or were you alone, taking care of the child and trying to do school work? Did you let professors and administrators know you were struggling, and seek accommodations?
It’s too bad the process of appeal is finished. I would have hoped for an administrator to understand and help.
But we know nothing about how you did before COVID, or what help you sought during COVID. I know many professors were giving extra time and incompletes but don’t know if you sought any of those.
You could perhaps take some classes as a non-matriculated student, and prove you can do well. As someone else said, you could also work as a dental assistant to prove your commitment to the field.
Until COVID is fully resolved, the school would have trouble believing you could do better because the circumstances have not changed. Or have they?
Maybe you need to take some time for things to settle with COVID, your child, and your plans.
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