Need Honest Advice from Current Dentists.

[MedSnow]

Hi docs,
I am a D1, my goal is to become a general dentist. For basic science classes, I am pretty good, although I don't give much attention to them. However, for dental-related classes, especially for restorative class (fillings), I constantly got Bs/Cs on the sim lab assignments regardless how hard I try to get an A or perfection in my work. Several times I failed because of one single critical error. Sure, as a general dentist, Cs get degree, but I only have that mentality with basic science classes. For dental-related classes, I am all in for the A. I understand that I am in no way talented with my hands, just enough to get by.

So the question is, what kind of dentist I am going to be later if I can't even do well on the things I care the most in dental school, which is dental-related sim lab work, honest speaking from your experience? What should I do to improve? I am just not sure if I am going to be better in the future, but sometimes I get super tired practicing late in lab yet still could not get the grade/the level of perfection I wanted for my future patients. In other words, it is not the Bs/Cs that bothers me, but because of the constant thinking of I am going to be a bad dentist, with my chronically mediocre hand skills, will drive me insane one day.

Thank you for your time and help.

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[TanMan]

Hi docs,
I am a D1, my goal is to become a general dentist. For basic science classes, I am pretty good, although I don't give much attention to them. However, for dental-related classes, especially for restorative class (fillings), I constantly got Bs/Cs on the sim lab assignments regardless how hard I try to get an A or perfection in my work. Several times I failed because of one single critical error. Sure, as a general dentist, Cs get degree, but I only have that mentality with basic science classes. For dental-related classes, I am all in for the A. I understand that I am in no way talented with my hands, just enough to get by.

So the question is, what kind of dentist I am going to be later if I can't even do well on the things I care the most in dental school, which is dental-related sim lab work, honest speaking from your experience? What should I do to improve? I am just not sure if I am going to be better in the future, but sometimes I get super tired practicing late in lab yet still could not get the grade/the level of perfection I wanted for my future patients. In other words, it is not the Bs/Cs that bothers me, but because of the constant thinking of I am going to be a bad dentist, with my chronically mediocre hand skills, will drive me insane one day.

Thank you for your time and help.

In classes that deal with the foundation of dental knowledge, I think you're on the right track of knowing and understanding the how, what, and most important, the why of dentistry. However, the simlab/pre-clinical aspects are not as cut and dry and barely passing is more indicative of your potential board performance rather than real world performance. You will have to get over your frustrations of being perfect so early in the game, you have a lifetime of practice to get there. Otherwise, it will impede your professional growth, rather than help you. Also, nothing in life is perfect. You're going to restore teeth and structures in one of the most unhospitable and utilized parts of body. Combined with patient compliance, medical issues, etc, perfection is usually a snapshot on the time of delivery, not for the life of the patient.

 

[2TH MVR]

Agree with @TanMan. Don't try to predict your future by how you perform now. Dental school is just that. A school. Real life situations will teach you so much more. Experience will lead to improvement and confidence. Hard to get that in DS. You never stop learning btw. I've been practicing 27 plus years and I still take final records on my patients to see what I could have done better. You're always learning and with that .... you provide better treatment for your patients. Just be patient and breathe.

 

[BKBIGGIE10]

Don't beat yourself up. DS is a long road and you will get through it. Focus on doing your best each day and the results will follow. The profession is a marathon and no one expects you to have it all figured out as a D1.

Plus no patient has ever asked their dentist how they did in sim lab. Work on improving your hand skills and ask for a tutor if needed. Stay positive.

 

[schmoob]

You can’t judge your hand skills so early because you don’t have enough practice. It’s no indicator of your aptitude in dentistry. It’s no big deal if you don’t have an absolutely perfect axiopulpal line angle on a real patient, and you won’t be restoring cusps back to perfection using resin composite, you’re going to be restoring masticatory function. Understanding why you need to restore a tooth a certain way will drive the “how.”
Just make sure you break contact, that doesn’t change.

 

[LaughingGas]

Just keep that mind set: always trying to improve. I was decent in handskills by grade. I saw some fillings I did when I was a dental students and I said to myself " this is garbage". Just keep that mentality. It's hard to not beat yourself up in a dental school environment but I applaud you for the right mentality.

 

[TanMan]

You're gonna hear the terms "clinically acceptable" many times in your life and just smile each time.

 

[beannaithe]

The more reps you do, the better you'll get. Like any other skill, it takes time to get better at something. When I first got into preclinic, I was not good. Like bottom 10% of the class. I spent lots and lots of hours in the preclinic drilling plastic tooth after plastic tooth. It took a few years, but I got better by the time I got into clinic. Just keep practicing, you'll get better.