An undergraduate with a question...

[premedfever]

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Hey everyone,

I'm a first year working on getting prerequisite courses out of the way. I'm still undecided if I want to be more "pre-med" or "pre-dent", so I'm just trying to satisfy both requirements until I start shadowing a dentist. (I've been shadowing a surgeon for 3 months now)

My main question is:

Is the outlook for dentistry as good as some people make it out to be compared to being a physician? I've seen numerous articles advising people to go down a dentistry path over a medical one.

I was also hoping to get opinions on what people in the field or interested in the field think about the ACA. Mainly in regards to compensation. I've read the article on the American Dental Association site, but it mainly confused me.

(By the way- If my question has been answered a million times-- could you provide me a link to the thread? I tried searching and couldn't find the answer I was looking for)

Thanks!

 

[DentalDoge]

By the time you graduate from med school. You'll be lucky if you can find a job.

 

[Danielqta]

I think it depends are what area of dentistry you get into and where you end up practicing. I know that it can be a little harder to get established here in California, but it may be easier in Seattle where you are. I think you need to figure out if this is something you can see yourself doing for a long time. I had my bouts with both medical and dental. I was lucky to have a job that required me to jump back and forth being medical and dental. Although I loved doing medical work, I couldn't see myself doing it long term. Plus, the dental side of the house was always more laid back and straight to the point.

 

[premedfever]

I think it depends are what area of dentistry you get into and where you end up practicing. I know that it can be a little harder to get established here in California, but it may be easier in Seattle where you are. I think you need to figure out if this is something you can see yourself doing for a long time. I had my bouts with both medical and dental. I was lucky to have a job that required me to jump back and forth being medical and dental. Although I loved doing medical work, I couldn't see myself doing it long term. Plus, the dental side of the house was always more laid back and straight to the point.

That makes sense. Ideally, I'd love to get into doing oral surgery possibly, but even if I never went down that road, I'm perfectly content with being a general dentist. Do you think being somewhere more "rural" would be better? Not like the plains of the midwest, but somewhere like Boise, ID?

If I may ask, have you applied to Dental Schools/Will be applying soon?

 

[Danielqta]

That makes sense. Ideally, I'd love to get into doing oral surgery possibly, but even if I never went down that road, I'm perfectly content with being a general dentist. Do you think being somewhere more "rural" would be better? Not like the plains of the midwest, but somewhere like Boise, ID?

If I may ask, have you applied to Dental Schools/Will be applying soon?

I do think rural areas will be better. Usually, those areas aren't heavily populated with dentist, so you have a better chance at getting established and less competition.

I finished my application last week, and it gets mailed out tomorrow. I applied to all CA schools, except Loma Linda; I have no religious affiliations. I am a non-traditional applicant so my family sets restrictions on where I can go.