Ask Fancy Anything(within reason)...

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whats it like being a dentist? do patients ALWAYS say that they hate the dentist?
do patients ever disrespect you? when asked what you do for a living, what kind of reaction do you get when you say you're a dentist?
 
musicplease said:
whats it like being a dentist? do patients ALWAYS say that they hate the dentist?
do patients ever disrespect you? when asked what you do for a living, what kind of reaction do you get when you say you're a dentist?
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Patients do tell me they hate the dentist, but that usually comes from a place of them having a past bad experience, or being scared of needles, or something of the sort. I tend to handle that by telling them that I too hate the dentist---especially since my dentist is my parent. (It's true, I HATE the dentist, I had the first dental work of my life a few months ago, a wisdom tooth extraction, and it was terrible. But I'm a non compliant patient and totally didn't follow post op directions-ha)

Thankfully I've encountered only a handful of patients who are actually disrespectful. One of the most important things to learn is case AND personality selection---sometimes taking on that awesome sounding super high production case is just not worth it because of how the patient acts or their personality. How you handle these types of people and cases is important.

I tend to tell people I work in healthcare, especially in social situations that are full of non physician or non dentist types. The inevitable response I get is something about how dentists all overcharge and how I must make so much money. It's ignorant and crass, and I have a somewhat bad temper, so I try to sidestep that stuff as much as I can.


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fancymylotus said:
Patients do tell me they hate the dentist, but that usually comes from a place of them having a past bad experience, or being scared of needles, or something of the sort. I tend to handle that by telling them that I too hate the dentist---especially since my dentist is my parent. (It's true, I HATE the dentist, I had the first dental work of my life a few months ago, a wisdom tooth extraction, and it was terrible. But I'm a non compliant patient and totally didn't follow post op directions-ha)

Thankfully I've encountered only a handful of patients who are actually disrespectful. One of the most important things to learn is case AND personality selection---sometimes taking on that awesome sounding super high production case is just not worth it because of how the patient acts or their personality. How you handle these types of people and cases is important.

I tend to tell people I work in healthcare, especially in social situations that are full of non physician or non dentist types. The inevitable response I get is something about how dentists all overcharge and how I must make so much money. It's ignorant and crass, and I have a somewhat bad temper, so I try to sidestep that stuff as much as I can.


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Click to expand...

.... i know how you feel... when I told a colleague I was applying to dental school, he said that I must love hunting animals cause of you know... Cecil the Lion.... :boom:

also, have you ever had to deal with a patient that has HIV/AIDS? how did you handle that? it was an interview question I saw before and didn't really know how to answer it.
 
jokersmiles said:
.... i know how you feel... when I told a colleague I was applying to dental school, he said that I must love hunting animals cause of you know... Cecil the Lion.... :boom:

also, have you ever had to deal with a patient that has HIV/AIDS? how did you handle that? it was an interview question I saw before and didn't really know how to answer it.
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Universal infection control protocols basically say to treat every patient as though they have a communicable disease, so the right answer would be "no different than any other patient"


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fancymylotus said:
I haven't seen a Bollywood movie in forever, most of what they've been putting out in the recent years has been total crap I'll think about this one and get back to you
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thanks for the reply, you're not missing much on Bollywood films, most are crap nowadays. I thought Whats your Rashee was cool (though anything with 12 kinds of Priyanka Chopra is going to be awesome = ] )
 
jeffk805dent said:
thanks for the reply, you're not missing much on Bollywood films, most are crap nowadays. I thought Whats your Rashee was cool (though anything with 12 kinds of Priyanka Chopra is going to be awesome = ] )
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I stopped watching as soon as they started flooding the industry with all those newcomers.
 
Is working as an associate a better gig financially than working in corporate in general?
 
dentistreason said:
Is working as an associate a better gig financially than working in corporate in general?
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If you can find an associateship where you aren't being taken advantage of and where your schedule is production heavy, then yes. Keep in mind that this may involve working at a number of different offices per week.


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jeffk805dent said:
thanks for the reply, you're not missing much on Bollywood films, most are crap nowadays. I thought Whats your Rashee was cool (though anything with 12 kinds of Priyanka Chopra is going to be awesome = ] )
Click to expand...


Trying to plan for a trip to India in the fall to go wedding clothes shopping so I really should be watching more Bollywood for inspiration! Although I'm fairly certain I know what I want already


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Wow!! People fly to India for that?? Is there a big market for that?

"Fancy's Indian Bridal Boutique"

Sounds like your days in dentistry are numbered...
 
schmoob said:
Wow!! People fly to India for that?? Is there a big market for that?

"Fancy's Indian Bridal Boutique"

Sounds like your days in dentistry are numbered...
Click to expand...

Huge market.
 
schmoob said:
Wow!! People fly to India for that?? Is there a big market for that?

"Fancy's Indian Bridal Boutique"

Sounds like your days in dentistry are numbered...
Click to expand...




Yes we get our wedding clothes in India. Not enough to open my own store, although that would be fun. My fiancé is not Indian so we are planning on a tamed down version of a full out Bollywood extravaganza


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studentdent00 said:
Is employee management something that you can learn while in dental school, or is it mostly trial-and-error stuff (i.e. best learned from mistakes/experience once in private practice)?
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Not to steal Fancy thunder here, but employee management is difficult to learn in any school. It's also not field specific, such as dentistry.
It's hard to find a balance, but necessary. Some employees are receptive to instruction in different ways. Some need to be coddled. Others require a hard line approach. Getting angry and throwing a fit doesn't get people on board all the time. But on the opposite end, they need to see that you are to be taken seriously.

-State your missions and philosophies clearly.
-Hold people accountable.
-Teach your employees.
-Learn from your employees.
-Make the work environment a safe and comfortable zone. Otherwise, those around the zone will feel the tension; in this case the patients/consumers.
-Ensure clear boundaries with employees. If the office manager becomes besties with the front desk, will he/she really be able to reprimand or discipline them if they have to?

Those are just SOME of the MANY things to keep in mind while in a supervisory position. Like I said, balance. This is all that can be learned. Some learn faster than others. Some never learn.

Again I didn't mean to step on Fancy toes here, but I'm sure she can provide a lot more detail as far as dentistry specific employee management. The great thing about it is that many of us predents come from all walks of life and have different experiences. I'm sure there are plenty of people reading this thread who can provide some solid input on your excellent question.
 
studentdent00 said:
Is employee management something that you can learn while in dental school, or is it mostly trial-and-error stuff (i.e. best learned from mistakes/experience once in private practice)?
Click to expand...


You learn exactly zero of this in school. Most of it you learn from your peers, from CE's and business classes, and from trial and error.

Most important to have everything in writing. Especially with employees. Remember somewhere earlier I said that they're harder to deal with than the most difficult patients?


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1. How long should I brush my teeth?
2. How long should I brush my tongue?
3. My sister told me not to get my teeth whitened because later on it will become darker/more yellow than one who didn't get their teeth whitened. Is this true?

(srs)
 
Outlanding said:
1. How long should I brush my teeth?
2. How long should I brush my tongue?
3. My sister told me not to get my teeth whitened because later on it will become darker/more yellow than one who didn't get their teeth whitened. Is this true?

(srs)
Click to expand...




I can't give out dental advice on sdn.


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As a dentist who doesn't get medical insurance from a job, how much will insurance cost for one person? Medical insurance primarily, also dental insurance(lol probably can ask a colleague right?)
 
JakeSill said:
As a dentist who doesn't get medical insurance from a job, how much will insurance cost for one person? Medical insurance primarily, also dental insurance(lol probably can ask a colleague right?)
Click to expand...


You can get cheaper plans but you have to look at deductibles as well as copays. Most of the "better" plans even with high premiums have high deductibles but lower to zero copays for most things. I think I posted what my premium plus my fiancé's is, somewhere in this thread

I don't have dental insurance.


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fancymylotus said:
You can get cheaper plans but you have to look at deductibles as well as copays. Most of the "better" plans even with high premiums have high deductibles but lower to zero copays for most things. I think I posted what my premium plus my fiancé's is, somewhere in this thread

I don't have dental insurance.


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Click to expand...
Ok so I should just divided by 2? Also, I understand copay and deductable but what are premiums?
 
Our insurance is higher than normal cost wise, our broker had info on plans that were half that cost, just FYI.


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fancy, do any of your peers practice clinical dentistry part-time to do other things? maybe to do some type of academic research part-time, take care of a new baby, have involvement in some other types of business or maybe even to take classes for an mph? do you think that practicing only part-time has a huge effect on a dentist's procedural skills straight out of dental school?

also, do you see yourself still practicing 6 days a week 10 years from now? what do you see yourself doing even farther out (in 15-20 years)?
 
and on some of your peers who may have not done so well during dental school or post-dental school - what do you think that they did wrong?
 
Did your school emphasize proper posture/form/ergonomics during clinical training? If so, do you think it helped at all?

Opinions on loupes (i.e., what to stay away from, what to look for, pricing, weight, etc.)?
 
ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz said:
fancy, do any of your peers practice clinical dentistry part-time to do other things? maybe to do some type of academic research part-time, take care of a new baby, have involvement in some other types of business or maybe even to take classes for an mph? do you think that practicing only part-time has a huge effect on a dentist's procedural skills straight out of dental school?

also, do you see yourself still practicing 6 days a week 10 years from now? what do you see yourself doing even farther out (in 15-20 years)?
Click to expand...


Yes, and I honestly think as long as you're working at least part time, you won't lose your hand skills completely. Obviously you might slow down speed wise, but it's hard to completely forget something you worked so long at

I'll probably work like this till we have children, and then cut back to 4 days a week.

Even farther out- around the same. I love what I do.


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ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz said:
and on some of your peers who may have not done so well during dental school or post-dental school - what do you think that they did wrong?
Click to expand...



They lacked common sense and business acuity, for the most part. It's astounding how many extremely smart people have zero idea of how to conduct themselves properly in social and professional situations


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kholley25 said:
Did your school emphasize proper posture/form/ergonomics during clinical training? If so, do you think it helped at all?

Opinions on loupes (i.e., what to stay away from, what to look for, pricing, weight, etc.)?
Click to expand...


It did emphasize this stuff, and it did not help me personally- the tendency to want to hunch over and do all sorts of things with direct vision was too great when I first started working. I paid for it (in terrible back and neck pain), then discovered Pilates, and I'm like 80% better now.

I like designs for vision and orascoptic. You want light loupes, so the sport frames were what I went with.


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do you personally think that its still worth it to become a dentist if you end up having to attend a $500,000 dental school like USC?
 
Is DermViser making it rain as a doctor yet? Is he also very handsome and a wonderful human being? I kid.

Have a majority of your dentist peers (or even yourself) considered working for a college part-time as an associate or clinical professor? Is this the preferred way of obtaining solid benefits from the government (health insurance for family, etc) as opposed to relying on an employer's plan?
 
fancymylotus said:
It did emphasize this stuff, and it did not help me personally- the tendency to want to hunch over and do all sorts of things with direct vision was too great when I first started working. I paid for it (in terrible back and neck pain), then discovered Pilates, and I'm like 80% better now.

I like designs for vision and orascoptic. You want light loupes, so the sport frames were what I went with.


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Click to expand...

Aside from back injuries, have you faced any other injuries like in the hands or wrists? Also, do you try to abstain from activities that have a high chance of causing damage to your hands like sports?
 
Symphonies said:
Aside from back injuries, have you faced any other injuries like in the hands or wrists? Also, do you try to abstain from activities that have a high chance of causing damage to your hands like sports?
Click to expand...

No hand or wrist injuries.

I am extremely careful about what I do. I dont lift heavy. I dont do crossfit. I dont stick my hands in elevator doors to stop them from closing.

I have several friends who are very into crossfit, I'm sure it gives great results if done correctly, but for me, its just not worth a career ending injury.
 
fancymylotus said:
Yes
Click to expand...
I don't have a question for you, but I really appreciate you taking time to answer all these questions. It's nice to know people out still there love the profession that I'm working so hard to get into... It's hard to see it sometimes when people have a tendency to go negative about the financial aspect or saturation or _______.
 
CareerNumTwo said:
I don't have a question for you, but I really appreciate you taking time to answer all these questions. It's nice to know people out still there love the profession that I'm working so hard to get into... It's hard to see it sometimes when people have a tendency to go negative about the financial aspect or saturation or _______.
Click to expand...





You're welcome!


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musicplease said:
what is the reasoning for why its still worth it with 500K debt?
Click to expand...



Because you'll be able to pay it off, because very few other healthcare professions afford you the same opportunities as dentistry, and it also provides you with a main stream of income that you can use to diversify and grow your wealth and assets.


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fancymylotus said:
Because you'll be able to pay it off, because very few other healthcare professions afford you the same opportunities as dentistry, and it also provides you with a main stream of income that you can use to diversify and grow your wealth and assets.


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Click to expand...

Hey fancy, you should put some fine print there !

Not everyone knows how to do business or grow wealth !

those who don't know, and sign for a $500K debt will be in for a sad-surprise !
 
tooth knockn said:
Hey fancy, you should put some fine print there !

Not everyone knows how to do business or grow wealth !

those who don't know, and sign for a $500K debt will be in for a sad-surprise !
Click to expand...



I hope that everyone knows how to Internet research---find a philosophy that works for you, get a good financial advisor, white coat investor, etc

Don't think I need any fine print for all you (smart) future professionals 🙂


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fancymylotus said:
Because you'll be able to pay it off, because very few other healthcare professions afford you the same opportunities as dentistry, and it also provides you with a main stream of income that you can use to diversify and grow your wealth and assets.


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Click to expand...
One more... I know that the idea of job prospects/salary has been a constant debate over sdn for the past few months in terms of paying off debt. However, I can't ever really glean what the case really is. In short, are new graduates just not allocating money properly, resulting in the constant remarks about how much the salary is dropping?
 
Symphonies said:
One more... I know that the idea of job prospects/salary has been a constant debate over sdn for the past few months in terms of paying off debt. However, I can't ever really glean what the case really is. In short, are new graduates just not allocating money properly, resulting in the constant remarks about how much the salary is dropping?
Click to expand...


Yes. At least that's what I think from what I've seen and heard. They also have unrealistic expectations for salary based on what kind of lifestyle that they want to live, etc.


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Fancy, in your own opinion what salary range should a general dentist look for after they have finished military active duty (4 years of dental experience)? Thanks!
 
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