I suck at dental school

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ElPedorro

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Friends, I'm concerned: I suck at dental school. Seriously, two months in and I'm on track to get B's in everything, which will put my in the bottom of the class. I really do try, I just don't have the attention span, organization, or raw intelligence to get those A's. Starting to feel like I'm not cut out for this and that I'm going to suck as a dentist. The whopping loans and job market uncertainty don't help either. I think my hand skills are fine, but we do so little with our hands during the first semester it's hard to even say. Maybe it's just a mid-semester slump, but I'm feeling really down and overwhelmed with school. It's hard to imagine getting through another 7.5 semesters of this. Can anyone offer any words of encouragement?

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Dentistry is about working with your hands and have the concept of the treatment in your head, doing this in front of an ill patient, so it highly needs patient management skills and self-confident.
Dont worry about your grades, you came to den. School to be a dentist, not a goodgradewinner
 
But what about residency? I want to get into a GPR or AEGD to develop those skills (pt mgmt, treatment planning, complex cases, etc) and that probably won't be possible with crap grades, no?
 
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GPR and AEGD residency requirements depend on the school. I've read here and there most schools are pretty lax about gpa and rank when applying for these residencies.
B's aren't crap grades. It really is a different level of thinking and studying compared to undergrad. I can't sit and study every night for 4-6 hours like some of my classmates and I'm making Bs.
Dental school is already tough enough without the anxiety that comes with trying to be in the top ten.

Now if you wanted to specialize, like Ortho or OMFS then yea, you would have a lot more difficulties.
 
Why waste money on AEGD? Those skills you speak of are developed during school and once you graduate.

And Bs are not bad..

C's GET DEGREES

WHAT DO THEY CALL THE PERSON IN YOUR CLASS WHO GRADUATES LAST? A DENTIST

Take it easy, bro.
 
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I'm getting an average of 95% in my biomedical science classes but I still feel that I suck in dental school? Why? I am behind with all the works in the sim lab. Part of it is because most of them are totally new to me but it is mostly because I have to figure most things by myself. Yeah, too bad for me that I am attending a state school that charges tuition fees higher than some private schools but we are given instructional videos that are no different than those found in youtube. Having clinical faculty that tells you different ways to do things does not help either
 
Don't worry. I myself nearly flunked out first year ds. It gets easier.
 
I'm getting an average of 95% in my biomedical science classes but I still feel that I suck in dental school? Why? I am behind with all the works in the sim lab. Part of it is because most of them are totally new to me but it is mostly because I have to figure most things by myself. Yeah, too bad for me that I am attending a state school that charges tuition fees higher than some private schools but we are given instructional videos that are no different than those found in youtube. Having clinical faculty that tells you different ways to do things does not help either
Are you paying oos tuition?
 
@ElPedorro Currently a first year too- And I feel the same way! I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar that there are people who were exactly in our position their first year that were able to make it all four years, and into a successful residency. Dental school seems to be a new kind of rodeo, and I think it's really just about finding the most efficient way to study and learn all the skills in a way that you're able to be successful, and still have time to yourself. Don't lose hope; feel free to DM me if you ever need to talk.
 
You will learn to embrace the suck.
 
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Are you paying oos tuition?
No, I'm paying in-state tuition fee. In a way, the expensive tuition is being off-set by the very low cost of living in this area.
Regardless, most people in my class feels that we do not get what we pay for. Our campus does not have a library nor a cafeteria in addition to being located in a bad area. Our wet lab's size is designed only to fit 20% of our class size and it gets really messy and chaotic when we all have to finish projects at the wet lab.
 
No, I'm paying in-state tuition fee. In a way, the expensive tuition is being off-set by the very low cost of living in this area.
Regardless, most people in my class feels that we do not get what we pay for. Our campus does not have a library nor a cafeteria in addition to being located in a bad area. Our wet lab's size is designed only to fit 20% of our class size and it gets really messy and chaotic when we all have to finish projects at the wet lab.
Hah... If it weren't for the price I'd say it sounds like we go to the same school.
 
You will learn to embrace the suck.

every day dental school tries to kick you in the nuts. some days, you dodge. most days, you don't.
 
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every day dental school tries to kick you in the nuts. some days, you dodge. most days, you don't.
eventually you'll just put your hands behind your head and just let it kick you straight in the nuts, over and over and over...
 
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i've always wanted to sing soprano
 
Learning to embrace the mediocrity already makes it easier for me. That, and large amounts of gelato.
 
Are you studying all day and making those Bs, are you making Bs and having a life? Why do you have to have As? There's certainly nothing wrong with a B. You're in dental school, surrounded by brilliant people. It's not meant to be easy. Getting a B in a course is more than acceptable!

Also... what are you doing in the wet lab? We're basically just waxing at this point... tooth after tooth after tooth.

I also kind of feel like I stink at dental school. Not because of my grades or hand skills... Heck, both of those things are going well. However, I haven't found a good school-life balance, and I'm spending too much time stressing. I'm trying to have more realistic expectations of myself. It's getting better every day, but it isn't easy!

I think that many people feel uneasy at first. You aren't alone. We can handle this. :)
 
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