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San Diego State University
Preprofessional Health Advising Office
Bridge at sunset

SPRING 2009

BIOLOGY 250B Schedule 00385

TOPICS IN DENTISTRY


Monday 4:00 to 4:50 p.m., Room LS-132 (except where noted*)


Co-Coordinators:
Tommy Farrell


Barbara W. Huntington, Director
Preprofessional Health Advising Office
GMCS-323, Phone 594-6638


Prerequisites--An interest in dentistry as a career.

Course Purpose: This seminar course is designed to teach you about the dental school admissions process from the point of entering a predental program until you are accepted into dental school. Dental specialists and dental school admissions officers are invited to speak each spring to give you a realistic view of the profession. If you have already taken this class for credit, you are welcome to visit and listen to the speakers on a space available basis. This class is run by students with the professor acting in the role of facilitator. There are specific requirements to pass the class, but your input and enthusiasm are vital to making it a strong learning experience for you and your classmates.

Learning Objectives:

As a result of this class, students will:

Required Text:

Huntington, Barbara and Masse, Linda, 2003. Writing About Me: A step by step guide to developing a powerful personal statement for your application to schools of medicine, dentistry, chiropractic, optometry, pharmacy, physician assistant, podiatry and veterinary medicine.

Recommended Texts:
ADEA (American Dental Education Association), Official Guide to Dental Schools-This is published annually--Verify you have the latest edition.

Iserson, K.V.. 1997. Get Into Medical School
Medley, A. Sweaty Palms. 1992. Ten Speed Press.


Course Evaluation: C/NC based on:

1) Attendance (based on weekly journal

Since it is not polite to invite a speaker and then have no one show up  because of studying for a final in another class, ONLY ONE UNEXCUSED ABSENCE IS ACCEPTED. It must be made up by submitting a one-page paper on the topic that was missed no later than one week after the absence. Excused absences (illness, death in family) must be  submitted in writing to Barbara Huntington.  Submission of your journal each week at the end of class substantiates your attendance.
2)  Timely submission of assignments and weekly journal.
Homework must be typed and is due at the beginning of each class and the weekly journal must be submitted before leaving class.   In cases of excused absences, homework will be accepted up until the next class meeting. Please retain copies of all assignments.

Use this guideline for papers assigned in this class: Writing Guideline

Weekly Journal: This assignment will be due immediately after the speaker's presentation, since it is used for
attendance. Please print and bring to class:  Speaker Review Sheet

Assignments:

 

Health care professionals are held to high ethical standards. Please be aware of the school's policy on academic dishonesty requiring professors to report all cases of academic dishonesty.

Due Date Assignment
January 26 First day of class--Access AADSAS Application and create an account.
February 2
  • Send Barbara Huntington (bhunting@sunstroke.sdsu.edu) an e-mail stating your major and the year you plan to enter dental school. Please cc:  Ben Schaefer and Tommy Farrell
  • Purchase Writing About Me
  • Turn in comleted AADSAS Application (Goes offline on February 1)

February 9

  • Read and complete Chapters 1 and 2 in Writing About Me
  • Begin brainstorming and writing your personal statement rough draft
February 16
  • Read and complete Chapter 3 in Writing About Me
  • Continue to work on personal statement
February 23

Read and complete Chapters 4 and 6 of Writing About Me

March 2
  • Personal Statements Due (2-3 pages double spaced).
  • Bring 3 copies of personal statement to class for group peer reviews
  • Class of 2010 Dental Specialty papers due (in lieu of personal statement for current applicants)

March 9

No assignment
March 16

Assignment (Paper Topic Thesis):

1.) Finish research on the ethical issue you signed up for at the first class.
2.) Find and list three sources on your ethical issue. (Record in APA format)
3.) Write a thesis statement on your ethical topic. (1 paragraph)
4) Keep a copy of your topic thesis to assist you in preparing for the ethics discussion and your rough draft. Be sure that your references are from authors with opposing viewpoints.

March 23

No Assignment

March 30

Spring Break

April 6

Check out the following websites:
www.adea.org
www.asdanet.org
www.ada.org

April 13

Assignment due - Paper: Submit a three to five page (double spaced, 12 pt.) essay on the topic you were assigned on the first day of class. Be sure to provide citations for all ideas and quotes within the text with a list of references at the end. Regular and/or on-line journals may be used. A minimum of three references must be used. Be sure to include references from both sides of the issue (not one side's viewpoint of the other side). Include at least one reference from an on-line source. Be sure to follow the guidelines for listing a web source.

Note: Refer to "Writing a Paper for the PPHA Office" and "Ethics in the Age of the Web

April 20

 

 

No assignment

April 27

 

 

No assignment

May 4

FINAL ASSIGNMENT
Submit your portfolio for this class. It should include:

1) Your completed AADSAS application (including a revised applicant essay and all completed and planned coursework)

2) A paragraph delineating other careers that could be pursued by someone with a predental curriculum background.

3) Your completed class evaluation form.

May 11 Ethics Discussion Panel--Be ready to discuss your topic
May 18

Mandatory Final (4 pm in LS-132) followed by optional Dental Roundtable in Lipinsky Student Services Center 5:30-7:00 PM

Please retain copies of everything you turn in. Be sure your name is on each document.

..................................................................................................................................................................................................... Schedule for Topics in Dentistry

January 26
  • Introduction to Class
  • Go over syllabus
  • Choose paper topic
  • The Application Process (AADSAS): Introduction on how to set up the AADSAS online and what to fill out.
February 2 *(Meet in Calpulli Center at 5:30pm) Kevin Fitzpatrick, DDS, MS--Chief Dentist, SDSU
February 9

Mary Lynch, University of the Pacific School of Dentistry Admissions

February 16 Desmond Edwards--Navy Scholarships for Dental School
February 23

David Chotiner, DMD -- The Business Side of Dentistry

March 2 Peer Review of Personal Statements
March 9 Gregg Beaty, DDS --Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
March 16 LA-76

C. Anne Turhollow, SDSU Life Sciences Librarian--Writing a Scientific Paper
Meet in the library, LA-76

March 23

Studying for the DAT-- Ethics Review

March 30 SPRING BREAK
April 6

Mr. Preston Chipps of the Career Services office.

April 13

Jeffrey Gray, DDS-- Cosmetic Surgery

April 20 Thomas Farrell, MD --Anesthesiology--Being a Professional
April 27 TBA

May 4

David Kennedy, DDS
Public Outreach Information Chair, Past President
International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology
Preventive Dental Health Association

May 11

Ethics discussion.  Be prepared to discuss your ethics topic in class. (Course evaluation)

May 18 Mandatory Final (4 pm in LS-132) followed by optional Dental Roundtable in Lipinsky Student Services Center 5:30-7:00 PM
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