Army after Dental School
Started by PedioDr0185
Don't listen to any of the people on this board. Go over to the "military dentistry" forum on SDN. The winey little mamas boys on this site will tell you that you shouldn't take the scholarship because you may have to move away from your mommy.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=178
If you want my two cents, then do not take the scholarship if:
1.) You don't think the money is worth it.
2.) You are opposed to getting deployed.
3.) You don't feel like you would be doing your country a service by being a dentist in the army (One idiot on this site said that he/she could make a bigger contribution by paying taxes than serving as a dentist).
Take the scholarship if:
1.) You want to get your school, books, and supplies paid for and get a stipend.
2.) You want to follow in the footsteps of the great people who put in time to serve this country, even at personal expense.
3.) You want to get good experience for 4 years after school and don't mind moving to get it.
And don't listen to anyone who hasn't taken the scholarship. Many civilians will criticize the military without knowing a thing about it. Thanks!
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=178
If you want my two cents, then do not take the scholarship if:
1.) You don't think the money is worth it.
2.) You are opposed to getting deployed.
3.) You don't feel like you would be doing your country a service by being a dentist in the army (One idiot on this site said that he/she could make a bigger contribution by paying taxes than serving as a dentist).
Take the scholarship if:
1.) You want to get your school, books, and supplies paid for and get a stipend.
2.) You want to follow in the footsteps of the great people who put in time to serve this country, even at personal expense.
3.) You want to get good experience for 4 years after school and don't mind moving to get it.
And don't listen to anyone who hasn't taken the scholarship. Many civilians will criticize the military without knowing a thing about it. Thanks!
I was seriously thinking about the army, myself...although I'm in England...the same disadvantages should be applicable
I'm nearly forty so I had an issue with the "family" side of the army but the other 2 issues that will affect anyone:
1) Experience gained in the army
Apart fm the lack of elderly patients (removable prosthodontics experience) I have know, from serving dentists, that the amount of patients seen per day is limited (less than 10 per day). This will not prepare young dentists well for civillian practises with a high number of patients per day.
2) What to do after the military contract is expired
Over here, after 5 years service you can apply for promotion....but there's only need so many chiefs. It is typical over here that when you're contract is up, it will not be renewed. So check if the same applies in the USA, this is sad if you like the lifestyle but then aren't allowed to stay on.
If you fancy a relaxed lifestyle and lots of sports....and you accept that the payback will be to be deployed periodically....then I'm sure it's a good life.
An ex-army dentist wise words to me were "only join if you want to be a soldier...don't do it if your ONLY thinking about you're dental career"
Excuse me if these issues do not apply to you.
I'm nearly forty so I had an issue with the "family" side of the army but the other 2 issues that will affect anyone:
1) Experience gained in the army
Apart fm the lack of elderly patients (removable prosthodontics experience) I have know, from serving dentists, that the amount of patients seen per day is limited (less than 10 per day). This will not prepare young dentists well for civillian practises with a high number of patients per day.
2) What to do after the military contract is expired
Over here, after 5 years service you can apply for promotion....but there's only need so many chiefs. It is typical over here that when you're contract is up, it will not be renewed. So check if the same applies in the USA, this is sad if you like the lifestyle but then aren't allowed to stay on.
If you fancy a relaxed lifestyle and lots of sports....and you accept that the payback will be to be deployed periodically....then I'm sure it's a good life.
An ex-army dentist wise words to me were "only join if you want to be a soldier...don't do it if your ONLY thinking about you're dental career"
Excuse me if these issues do not apply to you.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
So, we should stay away from people who already have "the military" or we might catch it?
As far as civilian life goes, I don't think that military dentists will have a shortage of patients to see in a day, I've heard that the army medical slogan is "do more with less" because recruiting numbers are down and my hunch is that the same would go for the dental corps. I would imagine that once you get out into private practice you'd be like, "sweet, I get a day off every week" - buy you're right in that as a business-minded dentist you'd be more concerned with efficiency than a dentist who's working on Uncle Sam's dollar, but, I don't think it's that big of a factor to consider.
I have a friend who has already given 3 years back doing dentistry in the airforce on a base in another country. According to him, one of the downsides is that a lot of your treatment is dictated by the supplies that his clinic is stocked with. The clinic is on a tight budget as is any govt sponsored activity. As a result, there are many products like certain resins and things of that sort that he couldn't get his hands on.
Again, do not take advice from civilians.
That's funny because one of their big recruiting tools is not having to have the quality of your work depend on the patient's ability (or inability) to pay for it. I think the guy on the website talks about always being able to give the ideal treatment being one of the things he loves about the airforce.
I spent the last several months working on my AF application and found out this week that they discontinued the 2-year scholarship so, basically, I'm out.
