For my next school, I will be moving farther south into the historical city of Boston, Massachusetts. Tufts University has an esteemed program in the heart of the city. They too like UNE, are a private school with a small undergraduate population that is known for their sciences. Their dental school is quite large, usually taking classes sized in the hundreds. Their average DAT scores for students in their last class was a 20, which is a point above the national average. Their students’ cumulative GPA’s reflected a score of 3.42, and a cumulative science GPA of 3.33.
Mission and Core Values
At Tufts, they have three core values. Education committed to clinical excellence, provide knowledge to improve general and oral health, and provide care that creates a community. They’re able to achieve their mission and reach these goals by education on pre-clinical and clinical education on the newest techniques and technologies while satisfying patient needs. Their research programs allow for the continued knowledge and practice of oral health and general health, and through inclusivity the school creates a community feel for their patients.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine creates a climate that recognizes differences and commonalities. The student body has diverse ideological viewpoints, socio-economic statuses, racial/ethnicity, equity and more. They are committed to increase faculty and staff awareness of issues of diversity and inclusion through professional development programs. In their most recent class they were among the most diverse dental school classes in the country.
Cost
An education at Tuft’s University comes at a large cost. Of course, this is before aid but financial aid can only take away so much of the cost. When all of the costs are compiled for the first year, this not including any living expenses and books, the total comes out to $103,000. When including the cost of living in Boston and expenses for books the total rises to nearly $130,000. After four years, this total debt if not supported by financial aid would result in $520,000 in the hole.
Last Thoughts
The program at Tufts is the top of line, with a staff-to-student ratio below the national average, diverse classes, and great facilities, the school is truly top of the line. With this great school, there comes high tuition and the expensive cost if living in the city. Overall, if I were to be accepted at this school I would take it of course, but if there were less costly options then I would go with those. I would also rather not live in the city just based on my own current lifestyle.
If you or anyone you know is a current Pre-dental major thinking about schools, here is the link Tuft’s page.
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