bio250b

San Diego State University
Preprofessional Health Advising Office

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:

Ben Schaefer

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:

Gain exposure to the various specialties of dentistry

Develop some knowlege about, and be able to discuss, the requirements for admission into dental school

Gain role models in dentistry

Have a realistic view of dentistry today and what it may be like in the future

Network with working dentists

Gain knowledge of support/club organizations as well as extra curricular and leadership opportunities

Become familiar with the application process

Complee a personal statement

Explore current issues in dentistry

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:

Writing Assignments: The writing assignments will be collected at the beginning of each class period and will require the following formatting:
· Times New Roman Font Size 12
· Margins 1”
· Double Space
Please retain copies of all assignments.

Guidelines: Papers must include references to peer-reviewed journals. Wikipedia or other mass media may be used originally for background material, but should not be quoted or otherwise used as references. Guidelines for Writing Papers for this class. To find out what a peer-reviewed journal is, go to the Applied Health Sciences Library or http://www.systems.wsu.edu/bin/libdocs/instruction/PeerRevJourn.pdf

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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