bio250b

SPRING 2008

BIOLOGY 250B Schedule 04082

TOPICS IN DENTISTRY

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

Co-Coordinators:

Annie Mai

Rana Potrus

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

Prerequisites--An interest in dentistry as a career.

Course Content: 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.

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 Objectives:

To provide an opportunity to refine critical thinking skills which dental schools want to see in students.
To explain what opportunities exist for gathering experience in dentistry. To provide role models in various facets of dentistry.
To give information regarding dental specialties

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
February 4	Send Barbara Huntington (bhunting@sunstroke.sdsu.edu) an e-mail stating your major and the year you plan to enter dental school. Please cc: Annie Mai and Rana Potrus Purchase Writing About Me Read and complete pages 1-20 in Writing About Me
February 11	Check out the following websites: www.adea.org www.asdanet.org www.ada.org Finish Chapters 2 and 3 in Writing About Me Begin brainstorming and writing your personal statement rough draft
February 18	Read Chapters 4 and 5 in Writing About Me 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.
February 25	Complete reading Chapters 6 and 7 of Writing About Me
March 3	Submit Personal Statement Rough Draft (2-3 pages double spaced) Class of 2009 Dental Specialty papers due
March 10	Finish reading Writing About Me
March 17	No Assignment
March 24	No Assignment
March 31	Spring Break
April 7	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 14	Submit the coursework section of your application to professional school. This should include past, present, and planned work. Use the application that you downloaded previously. Read Writing About Me, Chapters 5 and 6
April 21	Peer review workshop. Bring three copies of your personal statement (double-spaced). Submit any other sections of your professional school application besides course work.
April 28	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 evaluation of each class session.
May 5	Dental Roundtable in Calpulli 4104
May 12	Final--4:00 in LS-132

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

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

January 28		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 4		Preston Chipps, SDSU Career Services---The Dental School Interview
February 11		Desmond Edwards--Navy Scholarships for Dental School
February 18		SDSU Students talking about the application process (Shiva and Dan)
February 25 *(Meet in LA76)		C. Anne Turhollow, SDSU Life Sciences Librarian--Research: Citations of Peer Reviewed Articles
March 3		Jeffrey Gray, DDS-- Cosmetic Surgery
March 10		Mary Lynch, University of the Pacific School of Dentistry Admissions
March 17		Eric Dixon, DDS--Pediatric Dentistry
March 24		Mr. Philip Aftoora--Case Western School of Dentistry
March 31		SPRING BREAK
April 7		James Koelbl , Dean--Western University of the Health Sciences School of Dentistry
April 14		Will Gary, USC D.D.S coordinator
April 21		Peer review workshop. Bring three copies of your personal statement (double-spaced).
April 28		Ethics discussion. Be prepared to discuss your ethics topic in class. (Course evaluation)
May 5 4:00-4:50		Santiago Surillo, DDS, MS---Pedondontics and Orthodontics
May 5 (5-7 pm)		Calpulli --4104 Potluck Roundtable with Preventive Dentistry. Students who have been interviewed and/or accepted for the dental school class of 2007 will present their experiences.
May 12		4-4:30 pm-- Be sure to check your grade and pick up your assignments.

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