School of Dentistry Student Voices
In this chapter, you will find advice, tips, tricks, and insight from School of Dentistry alumni. Any non-University resources included in their statements have not been reviewed and are not endorsed by the University of Minnesota or the School of Dentistry. Students are encouraged to use their best judgement when utilizing non-University resources and determining what academic support and social engagement opportunities are best for them.
Advice for new students
Making the most of your study time
Dental school is not hard, but the volume of information we are required to master is hard. This arrangement necessitates effective time management and the utilization of active study techniques. Re-watching lectures and re-writing notes become time-consuming. The occasional all-nighter is possible but will undoubtedly make for a challenging rest of the week.
Active study methods include flashcards, case studies, and creating your question decks. Ask classmates to share notes and utilize those condensed summaries to formulate questions that you can reference. Review the wrong answers as well and understand why they are wrong.
Research shows that sleep and exercise help with memory consolidation, so take care of your body. Be protective of your free time. You want to allocate a reasonable amount of time to studying. An 8-hr study session with 4-hrs of internet browsing isn’t a good use of your resources. Our work can easily stretch to fit our schedule, so reflect and improve upon your study habits. Morning or night does not matter but stay consistent. Your class schedule will be in your google calendar, so you can use this to allocate time for other aspects of life; keep your agenda organized.
Ask for help. The pre-clinic has a tutor system in place, and your classmates will be your biggest resource day-to-day. Instructors are receptive to feedback and prompt with answering questions. Take the experience one day at a time and remember that thousands of people have completed the dental school program. It’s not easy, but it is possible. The results make it worth it.
Good luck.
– Sukhmani, DDS class of 2022
Kishore D., DDS Class of 2021
This video talks about mixing and matching activities, organizations, and resources to get the most out of your time at the School of Dentistry. It was recorded in 2020.