Best dental schools in the US, best area of specialization?

I would like to know if there is a leading dental school in the US and what the most fulfilling area of specialization might be. Maxillofacial surgery sounds interesting but I would love to hear someone else's opinion. Thank you very much in advance! And please, any dentists reading this, tell me your opinion about the profession and specialization options.

Best dental schools in the US, best area of specialization?
There are many very good dental schools in the US and all are required to give you the same basic education. That being said, some are much better than others. While investigating schools to attend some factors to keep in mind:


Speciality training - Is the school interested in churning out general dentists or do they support speciality training


Location - Some school's are in crappy locations and cities.


Tuition - In-state tuition at the average school can cost ~$10-15 K per year while out of state can to~$40K.


Student happiness - Talk to students from each class and find out the pros and cons





With regard to speciality training, the ones most difficult to get into are those with the best lifestyle ie Orthodontics and Endodontics. Both are good specialities and pay very well, but the work can become monotonous after many year. Pediatrics is a good choice and easier to get into and is rewarding working with children, but can be difficult because many kids can be scared. Periodontics is a speciality of the past in that when people get severe periodintal disease we don't try and heriocally save them anymore. Dental implants have really changed this practice. Prosthodontics is thriving in the face of the dental implant revolution. Finally Oral and Maxillofacial surgery is the most diverse, dynamic and challenging of the specialities. Its scope of practice ranges from dentoalveolar surgery (wisdom tooth extractions), trauma (broken facial bones ie noses, jaws), cancer surgery, orthognathic surgery, facial cosmetic surgery as well as temporomandibular joint surgery. You can choose to practice in one or all of these fields, work in or out of the hospital setting and work as many or as few hours as you desire. If you choose you may also earn an MD degree in addition to your DDS to further augment your training and hospital presence.
Reply:I do not know of the best dental school, but being in Indiana, of course I will say Indiana University!


I always tell high schoolers that are interested in a specialty that ortho is good to go into, because it is clean, you don't do much work with your hands, you mostly use your education and problem solving. But if you don't mind the blood, oral surgery can be fulfilling, if you specialize in a particular area or work at a research hospital. Because most oral surgeons end up extracting 3rd molars most of the time! That would get boring, and people aren't usually that thankful of that procedure (but they should be!).
Reply:dental schools are not ranked. they're all basically the same so go to the one in your state or the state you want to live in. start studying though because it's harder to get into than med school now.





as far as specialty, if you've ever made a B in your life, it's too late to specialize. you are going up against the smartest minds in the entire world. even if you work as hard as you can, remember you are going up against someone who is doing the same thing AND they have a photographic memory AND one of their parents probably went to school with the dean.





just become a general dentist and do whatever you want. GD's can do anything that a specialist does. the only problem lies if you screw up. the dental boards hold you to the specialty standards.





plus, can you imagine doing the same exact procedure all day, every day? screw that.