Applying to Dental after leaving medicine

Does anyone here have any experience about applying to Dental School after withdrawing from medical school?

I withdrew from medical school 3 yrs ago due to family circumstances that made me lose focus. Since then those issues have resolved. I know I cannot go back to medicine but I am science/math inclined. I want to do something health related and earn a decent living. I am thinking of Dental School. Do you have any sincere advice?

I've read some of your previous posts in the medical forums. I honestly think you should still stay focused on medicine and becoming a physician. If that's still your dream, you should pursue it or at least give it another chance. I would say reapply to a few allopathic and more osteopathic schools this year and see what happens. You said you called a few osteopathic and they won't care too much about your dismissal. If you don't get any interviews or acceptances, then I would consider jumping ship to dentistry or another healthcare career.

First of all thank you for replying. AwesomeTeeth your reply is very encouraging and gives me hope. I wish there was a way for me to back to medicine. I had an impeccable academic record and extracurriculars until my failures on the clerkships. If I had not taken a remediation year and had not failed again, I think I would've had a chance at reapplying. I have thought about it all for about 3 years now and I see there no hope in medicine for me even though I have great aptitude for it. It is one of those tragedies in life. Someone who never attended medschool would have a better chance than I do now.
This leaves me to worry about my future and the future of my wife and child. I would rather have a steady job/profession instead of what I am doing now. Thus I find only Dental School to be the next best thing to interest me.

Toothsayer - I am doing this not to have a lot of money but for stability. A guarantee that I will not have a source of income wiped out from under me.

I forgot to mention that I would have to take the MCAT anyway. I would rather take the DAT and start at a new career.

Does anyone know whether I can use a 10 yr old undergrad education to apply to dental school?

Originally Posted by ra14206

I forgot to mention that I would have to take the MCAT anyway. I would rather take the DAT and start at a new career.

Does anyone know whether I can use a 10 yr old undergrad education to apply to dental school?

You need to go back to school for maybe a year (junior college/state college) to show adcoms that you can handle the coursework. 10yrs is really long ago and I'm not sure if they'd be able to use your GPA from undergrad to judge your application.

Dentistry is different from other professions OP.

I am very worried about how you're looking at dentistry and medicine. I suggest you do two things A. If you do want to pursue dentistry you will need to shadow extensively as it is to build your application. Your medical school issue will not easily be overlooked by adcom. You must volunteer as well. Many schools have requirements for hours. This will enable you to perhaps realize that "better than now" may not be worth it if you're simply interested in providing for your family. This is an honest desire that everyone has. It's very commendable you want to do better, but you must think clearly and thoroughly. As a practicing dentist, your hand skills will dictate your life. Are you good with working with your hands? Have you had experience in this area? Adcom looks for this. While nothing you do out of dental school can prepare you for dental hands-it will help- With the PAT especially. Also, would you want to work in other people's mouths? Some would rather not. Others, don't mind it.

OP, with 10 years of undergrad behind you. I would consider another profession all together and I would shadow all options. You are a science person? Consider engineering, physician's assistant, physical therapy, or pharmacy. Engineering is very respectable, you earn a great income, you have job stability, you do not need to take a test, you can work straight out of undergrad, it will not take nearly as long, and it won't be nearly as expensive. Similarly, PA and PT are 2 year programs. No test required.

Pharmacy school is a lot cheaper, it's very science orientated-more so than dentistry I would say. It's very stable income. 90-100k out of pharmacy school is not uncommon. It isn't as competitive as dental or medical school, so you will be able to still spend time with you family while in undergrad(in terms of building EC). It is a very respectable career with good benefits. They may be more lenient towards your medical school problem. Pharmacy school isn't as strict on taking courses at a uni. Many people go to community college for two or three years and enter pharmacy school.

The reason why I suggest this to you is because dental school is a huge commitment. Besides the few years of intensive undergrad and the four years of intensive dental school, money is an issue. You will be around 150-400k in debt straight out of dental school. You will not simply start making 500k+ you will work as an associate for a few years until you build skill and reputation. After this, you may open up a practice(a 600k investment). Keep in mind that overhead will also curb your income for a short while. People think dentist make a steady salaried income, this is not the case. Depending on your business skills, location, staff, schedule, clinical ability, time, and personality you may very well end up making 90k a year with all that debt. It does happen. As with all professions, dentistry too is becoming competetive with older dentists delaying retirement and the market saturating. Consult the BLS for more general information.

Consider the above, and everything all the other posters have said. I have seen many people trying to jump ship to dentistry or medicine or pharmacy to "provide for their family." It isn't that simple or straightforward.

Originally Posted by ra14206

I would rather have a steady job/profession instead of what I am doing now. Thus I find only Dental School to be the next best thing to interest me. Toothsayer - I am doing this not to have a lot of money but for stability. A guarantee that I will not have a source of income wiped out from under me.

That kind of tells it all. You mean a DDS/DMD comes with a guarantee?

Better than what I am doing right now!

Originally Posted by ra14206

Better than what I am doing right now!

Precisely!

Originally Posted by ra14206

I had an impeccable academic record and extracurriculars until my failures on the clerkships. If I had not taken a remediation year and had not failed again, I think I would've had a chance at reapplying. I have thought about it all for about 3 years now and I see there no hope in medicine for me even though I have great aptitude for it.

Unfortunately, this record will also follow you to dental school. You have to report transcripts from all colleges and universities. So dental schools will see you flunked out of med school and it will raise some serious red flags on your application.

I think the best thing to do, would be to contact some individual schools that you are interested in and explain your situation. They would probably tell you the best plan of attack or if there is a better option for you.

Best of luck!!

I would not enter either profession for money.

If being a physician is what you want to do then you must pursue that. Dentistry and medicine are not as related as one might guess. Your dismissal may even reach dental school admissions. I would follow the above poster's advice and reapply to medical schools. You will have to take the DAT to apply to dental schools and this will take time. If you honestly do not believe you will not get into medical school, then study for the DAT while you reapply. Worst comes to worst, the DAT studying will prep you a little bit for the second run at medical school.

Originally Posted by ra14206

My question is this, if I shadow a dentist and get a recommendation, get my past preceptors and professors to write a recommendation, and I do well on the DAT, do I have a chance without going back to undergrad?

You have to call the dental schools and ask them. I think its important that they're aware of your situation as well. I don't think anyone here can give you a definitive answer, and I'm sure every school will have a different opinion.

In addition to the above posts, consider other career choices and/or options. I think this will be more clear to you as you begin to outline the next few years for you. In our current economic state, you're absolutely correct. A peace of mind and financial stability often go hand-in-hand.

Best of luck

I thought this thread was going in the downward direction but I'm glad it ended well. I'm really touch by all the good advice.

OP, I see you're in a very unique situation and agree with the above poster about contacting the schools and getting a definite answer. I know every school requirements are different but I think it will give you a general idea of where you stand on your potential path to dentistry. From the looks of things ,OP, I say you have so much potential and that you should give Dentistry a go if everything else workout. Best of luck and keep us updated

How about podiatry? Seriously, people mention pharmacy and engineering before podiatry?

Originally Posted by Poetic Silence

How about podiatry? Seriously, people mention pharmacy and engineering before podiatry?

Careful. Your post is almost condescending. Pharmacy and engineering are both very difficult, respectable career paths.

Originally Posted by TheToothsayer

Careful. Your post is almost condescending. Pharmacy and engineering are both very difficult, respectable career paths.

I think he was coming from the perspective that podiatry has many more similarities to medicine than do pharmacy or engineering and thus lying within the OP's interests.

People, if he wanted to do another career, he would of said so. He is here asking about dentistry. So what he left medical school? He had his personal circumstances and i'm sure dental school will be understanding if he explained to them (that's if they even bothered to ask). Either way OP, you'll need to shadow a dentist so you'd know that this is something you're willing to do and so you can put it on your application (some schools have minimum 100 hours shadowing experience). About the DAT, since you've been out of school for 10 years, you're probably rusty in some areas but if you are determined, you'd do fine. I have no clue why some people are just trying to discourage you.

Originally Posted by BrutalViking

People, if he wanted to do another career, he would of said so. He is here asking about dentistry. So what he left medical school? He had his personal circumstances and i'm sure dental school will be understanding if he explained to them (that's if they even bothered to ask). Either way OP, you'll need to shadow a dentist so you'd know that this is something you're willing to do and so you can put it on your application (some schools have minimum 100 hours shadowing experience). About the DAT, since you've been out of school for 10 years, you're probably rusty in some areas but if you are determined, you'd do fine. I have no clue why some people are just trying to discourage you.

^

Originally Posted by trinstudent

I think he was coming from the perspective that podiatry has many more similarities to medicine than do pharmacy or engineering and thus lying within the OP's interests.

Not only that, but podiatry schools are more likely to accept older college credits and give advance standing for medical school credits.

Thanks for the input guys. I appreciate you taking out the time to read this thread. I have considered podiatry, but haven't gotten around to ask questions about it yet.

Lets say I were to get in to and graduate from dental school, do you think employers care to know I withdrew from medical school? I ask this to compare to ERAS profiles that would show this information.