Apprehension

[jgirlcsemom]

Hello,

I have thought about going to dental school a million times over the years but have always been reluctant about it because I don’t feel like I have the prettiest teeth.

I have some staining and a slight gap in between my teeth from being non compliant with wearing my retainer after braces when I was a youngster.

Honestly, this pandemic has put it back in my head because now we’re in this time where we all have to wear masks and so I’m slightly more comfortable.

Another hang up is, I’m 37. I have my associates degree and have been working in diagnostic testing in a hospital for the past few years, but by the time I get my bachelors I will be 39-40.

Starting a dental career so late in life, Inmean, do people actually do this? I really am actually quite interested in orthodontics, so with my research I am looking at 4 years of dental school and 2-3 years of a residency program.

If I did everything right, and got accepted into a program right off the bat, I wouldn’t be completed with school until I was 46-47.

Am I absolutely nuts or reaching for a goal that isn’t achievable. Do you know of anyone who waited until this point in their life to shoot for the moon and go back to school?

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[doc toothache]

2014 Age and DS 2006-2013

Roughly 5% of the 2013 entering class is over the age of 30. The percentage may a little skewed since a few schools (Western, Minnesota, and Puerto Rico) appear to have reported erroneous numbers. For 2013, the youngest was 18 (UCSF) and the oldest 52 (Indiana). Over the period 2006-2013, the...

forums.studentdoctor.net

 

[Ivy.ch]

Hello,

I have thought about going to dental school a million times over the years but have always been reluctant about it because I don’t feel like I have the prettiest teeth.

I have some staining and a slight gap in between my teeth from being non compliant with wearing my retainer after braces when I was a youngster.

Honestly, this pandemic has put it back in my head because now we’re in this time where we all have to wear masks and so I’m slightly more comfortable.

Another hang up is, I’m 37. I have my associates degree and have been working in diagnostic testing in a hospital for the past few years, but by the time I get my bachelors I will be 39-40.

Starting a dental career so late in life, Inmean, do people actually do this? I really am actually quite interested in orthodontics, so with my research I am looking at 4 years of dental school and 2-3 years of a residency program.

If I did everything right, and got accepted into a program right off the bat, I wouldn’t be completed with school until I was 46-47.

Am I absolutely nuts or reaching for a goal that isn’t achievable. Do you know of anyone who waited until this point in their life to shoot for the moon and go back to school?

Don’t do it. School is too stressful and too expensive. You don’t have the working years left to make the endeavor worth it. I know one person who went to dental in their 40s. It was a very unique situation involving a dentist spouse and they were already very wealthy. He/she thought about dropping out nearly every week.

Your teeth don’t mean anything. But your age is the killer. Sorry, but I’m voting for “Dear god don’t do it”

 

[2TH MVR]

I agree with the above poster. Unless you're independently wealthy and can pay for your dental education .... it's not going to be worth it. You'll be spending your "golden" yrs servicing a sizeable debt. When a person gets into their 40's they should be building wealth .... not taking on more debt.

Spending 4 yrs and less debt service to be a general dentist may be a better option than going to school for 7 yrs to be an orthodontist.

And please. If you cannot get into a less expensive dental school (around 300K) .... then dentistry is not the right economic path for you.

I'm in my late 50's. Trust me. This is a time to enjoy life .... not worry about bills.

Oh. and btw. Shame on you for not wearing your retainer.

 

[MLC45]

Another hang up is, I’m 37. I have my associates degree and have been working in diagnostic testing in a hospital for the past few years, but by the time I get my bachelors I will be 39-40.

Starting a dental career so late in life, Inmean, do people actually do this? I really am actually quite interested in orthodontics, so with my research I am looking at 4 years of dental school and 2-3 years of a residency program.

If I did everything right, and got accepted into a program right off the bat, I wouldn’t be completed with school until I was 46-47.

Am I absolutely nuts or reaching for a goal that isn’t achievable. Do you know of anyone who waited until this point in their life to shoot for the moon and go back to school?

I'm a 49 year old DS3. There is nothing wrong with going back to school this late in the game, but make sure you understand everything about it.

1) It is much harder to be a student in your 40's than it ever was in you 20's. I have to study more than most students just to do half as well.
2) I'm a female so I have my husband's employment to help pay for living expenses. If you're providing for the entire household it's going to be much more challenging. I'll have about 300K in debt when I start working and my entire paycheck can go towards the bill.
3) There is nothing worst than looking back in your life and realizing you settled for something you didn't want. I thought being a dental assistant was enough, but after 15 years I couldn't stand it anymore. I loved dentistry, but being a "spit sucker" for some new kid 5 years out of school was horrible, especially because I knew more about dentistry than he did.
4) What makes you think your reaching for a goal that isn't achievable? Anything is achievable if you want it bad enough. You'll just have to work incredibly hard.
5) I agree with 2th Mvr when he said think more about being a GP than a specialist. I thought about doing a speciality for about 6 months. After that I realized the challenges that come with age and changed my mind.

There are several older student at my school right now. Besides myself we have a 42, 41, and two 40 year old students that are DS2's and a 38 that is a DS1. If it's something you really want to do than do it. Also you can have your teeth fixed if it bothers you that much.

 

[doc toothache]

I'm a 49 year old DS3. There is nothing wrong with going back to school this late in the game, but make sure you understand everything about it.
1) It is much harder to be a student in your 40's than it ever was in you 20's. I have to study more than most students just to do half as well.
2) I'm a female so I have my husband's employment to help pay for living expenses. If you're providing for the entire household it's going to be much more challenging. I'll have about 300K in debt when I start working and my entire paycheck can go towards the bill.
3) There is nothing worst than looking back in your life and realizing you settled for something you didn't want. I thought being a dental assistant was enough, but after 15 years I couldn't stand it anymore. I loved dentistry, but being a "spit sucker" for some new kid 5 years out of school was horrible, especially because I knew more about dentistry than he did.
4) What makes you think your reaching for a goal that isn't achievable? Anything is achievable if you want it bad enough. You'll just have to work incredibly hard.
5) I agree with 2th Mvr when he said think more about being a GP than a specialist. I thought about doing a speciality for about 6 months. After that I realized the challenges that come with age and changed my mind.
There are several older student at my school right now. Besides myself we have a 42, 41, and two 40 year old students that are DS2's and a 38 that is a DS1. If it's something you really want to do than do it. Also you can have your teeth fixed if it bothers you that much.

You must have attended an elite hygiene school. Wait until you employ a da/hygenist who thinks he/she has dentistry wrapped up around his/her little finger.

 

[MLC45]

You must have attended an elite hygiene school. Wait until you employ a da/hygenist who thinks he/she has dentistry wrapped up around his/her little finger.

I worked 13 years for a dentist that was a part time instructor at the dental college. He taught me like he taught his dental students.

 

[doc toothache]

Armed with all that knowledge, were you able to clep out of any courses?

 

[MLC45]

Armed with all that knowledge, were you able to clep out of any courses?

Are you kidding? They made the hygienist in our class take Beginner Perio. About 12 of us had our x-ray certificate (which was taught to us by the same teacher) and we had to redo it. We couldn't opt out of anything.

 

[jgirlcsemom]

I agree with the above poster. Unless you're independently wealthy and can pay for your dental education .... it's not going to be worth it. You'll be spending your "golden" yrs servicing a sizeable debt. When a person gets into their 40's they should be building wealth .... not taking on more debt.

Spending 4 yrs and less debt service to be a general dentist may be a better option than going to school for 7 yrs to be an orthodontist.

And please. If you cannot get into a less expensive dental school (around 300K) .... then dentistry is not the right economic path for you.

I'm in my late 50's. Trust me. This is a time to enjoy life .... not worry about bills.

Oh. and btw. Shame on you for not wearing your retainer.

Lol well not so much that I didn’t wear my retainer, but more that my retainer got broken the first weekend I had it and I was too scared to tell my parents so I just wore it broken 😅