Being a Dentist - with bad teeth?

[SteinmetzMD]

So I'm interested in becoming a Dentist, and I'll be honest. I'm 17 now and didn't take the best care of my teeth when I was a kid (probably like a lot of kids).

My teeth are fairly straight (never had braces) and fairly white. I'd say they're pretty average teeth. However, I do have one upper right canine that never fully came down, I forget the technical term, but it is higher up on my gum than the rest of my teeth.

Would this affect me being able to be a Dentist? Are dentists expected to have PERFECT teeth? Or could I possibly even have some of it improved in dental school?

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[Hillo]

Your teeth sound fine.
No, dentists are not expected to have perfect teeth.
Yes, you can get them improved in dental school.

 

[SteinmetzMD]

The proper term is an impacted (stuck) canine by the way..... Any of type Dentists know if this can be fixed without braces?

 

[experiment626]

So I'm interested in becoming a Dentist, and I'll be honest. I'm 17 now and didn't take the best care of my teeth when I was a kid (probably like a lot of kids).

My teeth are fairly straight (never had braces) and fairly white. I'd say they're pretty average teeth. However, I do have one upper right canine that never fully came down, I forget the technical term, but it is higher up on my gum than the rest of my teeth.

Would this affect me being able to be a Dentist? Are dentists expected to have PERFECT teeth? Or could I possibly even have some of it improved in dental school?

LOL imagine going to a dental school interview where the interviewer is all like, "Hey let me see your teeth. Oh I'm sorry your teeth are not qualified for our school." You're fine!

 

[SteinmetzMD]

LOL imagine going to a dental school interview where the interviewer is all like, "Hey let me see your teeth. Oh I'm sorry your teeth are not qualified for our school." You're fine!

Dental Schools get more competitive every year! Every little thing counts

 

[xbite]

A large part of dentistry is esthetics. It's not a big deal that you have an impacted canine, but it's going to be a lot harder to educate your patients the importance of correcting it- for cosmetic and orthodontic reasons-- if you're doing fine with it. The same goes for any dental problem.

In terms of patients ignorantly judging your skill based on your teeth, I think it does happen, unfortunately. But we can't blame them - we're our own walking billboard in every profession. You'd be hard pressed to find people going to a fat personal trainer, or a poor investment banker. It's all about practicing what you preach.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

Well, my personal opinion is that as a dentist you should make a conscious effort to maintain your oral health. Does that mean your mouth should be decked out with veneers and what not? No, not by any means. But it should at least look like you take the time to take care of yourself. I mean think about it this way--would you expect people to visit/take advice from a nutritionist who habitually eats junk food and chain smokes? Probably not.

As a healthcare provider, you've gotta lead by example.

 

[dentalicious010]

I have an underbite which I will need a corrective surgery. I got into several programs with my jaw like this and you are worried about compacted canine lol.

 

[tommyinVA]

Well, my personal opinion is that as a dentist you should make a conscious effort to maintain your oral health. Does that mean your mouth should be decked out with veneers and what not? No, not by any means. But it should at least look like you take the time to take care of yourself. I mean think about it this way--would you expect people to visit/take advice from a nutritionist who habitually eats junk food and chain smokes? Probably not.

As a healthcare provider, you've gotta lead by example.

eh, yes and no. i think reputation has a LOT more to do with it.

i got my lasik from a guy who was THE person to go to in the entire state and apparently one of the premier surgeons in the country. he was one of the pioneers of the procedure and had done over 10k eyes at a time when those that were considered the "best" had done maybe 2k....

...and he wore glasses.

all the time.

 

[CedarZ4]

eh, yes and no. i think reputation has a LOT more to do with it.

i got my lasik from a guy who was THE person to go to in the entire state and apparently one of the premier surgeons in the country. he was one of the pioneers of the procedure and had done over 10k eyes at a time when those that were considered the "best" had done maybe 2k....

...and he wore glasses.

all the time.

No ophthalmologists have LASIK done on themselves... If they need vision correction it's usually through glasses or contacts. What does that tell you about the procedure? Besides, spectacles makes you look wiser, anyway

Sorry, OT.

 

[tommyinVA]

No ophthalmologists have LASIK done on themselves... If they need vision correction it's usually through glasses or contacts. What does that tell you about the procedure? Besides, spectacles makes you look wiser, anyway

Sorry, OT.

it tells me that i went from being 20/250 to 20/10 and 20/15. been that way for 14 years now. i have absolutely no problem with knowing i'll need reading glasses when i'm older if it means i'm no longer dependent on glasses or contacts for everyday life.

to the OP, don't worry about it. it won't keep you from getting into dental school (unless maybe you're MISSING teeth...) and by the time you really start practicing you'll probably have a myriad of options for improving the appearance of your smile

 

[dentalWorks]

So I'm interested in becoming a Dentist, and I'll be honest. I'm 17 now and didn't take the best care of my teeth when I was a kid (probably like a lot of kids).

My teeth are fairly straight (never had braces) and fairly white. I'd say they're pretty average teeth. However, I do have one upper right canine that never fully came down, I forget the technical term, but it is higher up on my gum than the rest of my teeth.

Would this affect me being able to be a Dentist? Are dentists expected to have PERFECT teeth? Or could I possibly even have some of it improved in dental school?

Ankylosed tooth?

and fyi, a good number of dental students don't have perfect teeth.... far from it. I think our teeth are very similar to the normal hygienic public: some cavities, some fillings, some with stained yellow (such as myself)... but nothing too atrocious as we tend to know how to brush and floss more effectively. It seems to me you have normal teeth.

 

[Surgeon_cowboy]

I have an underbite which I will need a corrective surgery. I got into several programs with my jaw like this and you are worried about compacted canine lol.

at my UMich interview, the first thing my first interviewer mentioned to me was that I had a Class III bite. hhaha. And now, I'm attenching UMich School of Dentistry. You'll be ok OP.

 

[SteinmetzMD]

Thanks everybody! And if worse comes to worse, at least I'll be trained in how to fix any problems I may have once I'm a Dentist

 

[dentalicious010]

at my UMich interview, the first thing my first interviewer mentioned to me was that I had a Class III bite. hhaha. And now, I'm attenching UMich School of Dentistry. You'll be ok OP.

Dude you still have it? I have braces now.

 

[Surgeon_cowboy]

Dude you still have it? I have braces now.

yes. I plan to get braces and corrective surgery at UM since I wanna go into OMFS. Or I'm going to just get to know the faculties in those two departments and get hooked up as a patient for the residents.

 

[SteinmetzMD]

yes. I plan to get braces and corrective surgery at UM since I wanna go into OMFS. Or I'm going to just get to know the faculties in those two departments and get hooked up as a patient for the residents.

So you actually can get work done by fellow students and residents in Dental School? Hopefully at a lower cost

 

[Surgeon_cowboy]

So you actually can get work done by fellow students and residents in Dental School? Hopefully at a lower cost

well, they're gonna need patients for those cases from somewhere. might as well be some students at the school itself

 

[UCLAzy]

many students get work done while going to school. i always see a lot of ucla dental students with braces

 

[SteinmetzMD]

Do you always have to have braces for two years? Or does it vary on the situation?

 

[Baba Yaga]

Do you always have to have braces for two years? Or does it vary on the situation?

It depends on the situation, I think.

I know it's not the same as braces, but one of my good friends did invisalign for a year. She didn't have any big problems, though.

 

[Baba Yaga]

Being a dentist one should have a perfect teeth if not perfect it should be clean and healthy.

My teeth are made of iron, does that count?

 

[ATG20]

My teeth are made of iron, does that count?

Mine are of wood, so I think you're safe. They're a hardy persimmon wood brown, but I'm considering upgrading to a light balsa.

 

[dentalicious010]

.

 

[dentalicious010]

yes. I plan to get braces and corrective surgery at UM since I wanna go into OMFS. Or I'm going to just get to know the faculties in those two departments and get hooked up as a patient for the residents.

Sweet I might do the same.

 

[KittySquared]

I have gorgeous teeth that'll light up any room. No one can deny me when they see me smile.


/vain betchin

 

[positivevibes2]

Guys. I have 3 extracted teeth in the lower jaw (molars) and some fillings at the molars at the upper jaw. Soon I will have implants so I could get my teeth fixed... can I still be a dentist even if I dont have natural teeth?

 

[cacajuate]

Guys. I have 3 extracted teeth in the lower jaw (molars) and some fillings at the molars at the upper jaw. Soon I will have implants so I could get my teeth fixed... can I still be a dentist even if I dont have natural teeth?

Nope you cant. Just like you can't be a doctor if you have had surgery.

 

[yoyoyoyangyang]

Docs get health problems.. OP you are fine

 

[allantois]

Guys. I have 3 extracted teeth in the lower jaw (molars) and some fillings at the molars at the upper jaw. Soon I will have implants so I could get my teeth fixed... can I still be a dentist even if I dont have natural teeth?

Stop asking the same question in 10 different threads.

 

[DentalLonghorn2014]

Guys. I have 3 extracted teeth in the lower jaw (molars) and some fillings at the molars at the upper jaw. Soon I will have implants so I could get my teeth fixed... can I still be a dentist even if I dont have natural teeth?

Lol