The University of California - Los Angeles

UCLA School of Dentistry selects only the most qualified applicants with the best DAT and GPA. Then they typically instill a sense of inadequacy that is difficult to overcome even after years of clinical expertise. I would still recommend UCLA dentistry to anyone looking for a great reputation and planning on going on to post-doctoral work but most of the graduates who go directly into clinical work feel that they should associate or work in a clinic to build up their skills rather than start out from scratch or buying an existing practice.

I taught at the dental school in Oregon and was struck by the difference in dental student confidence there. They felt that they could do a good job for their patients and were not overwhelmed with the pursuit of some unrealizable "perfection" that UCLA seemed to demand.UCLA has a reputation that is enviable and it gave me valuable skills that make my life wonderful but I have never felt compelled to donate because they never made me feel good about myself there, even as I excelled.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000

UCLA was a bit of a let down academically after transferring from a community college, surprisingly. The extremely large lower division classes made meeting the professors impossible and the TA's difficult. The administration always treated me like a number and I guess with the size of UCLA, that is not unreasonable. I just wished that I had felt more acknowledged- of my existence, my abilities, etc. Luckily, I did well and was able to go on to grad school, probably helped by UCLA's reputation.

Alumnus Male -- Class 2000