career choice and advise!

[c4pt]

---

Members do not see this ad.

hi, im 20 years old, freshman year at a community college and i wanted to inquire about a career in dentistry. i've recently picked this up as a career option, but at the end of this semester i will have to make the choice of either majoring in a science field (plus 4 years of dentistry school)
or entering a nursing program (what parents are pushing for). i currently work in retail and enjoy helping people and hope that this will translate well to either of the health fields ive mentioned. my concerns are that im a little intimidated by the business side of dentistry. a lot of my thoughts are how can i better prepare to open up a successful practice. im probably thinking far ahead of myself, as i have yet to take a business class, but i just want to know what im getting myself into. money on paper seems to be a big factor for me, but not necessarily out of greed, as my short term goals out of college are to live comfortably while still paying loans, housing, insurance, ect. at the end of the day i don't aim to be rich, i just want a nice boat in a small fishing town in Florida, pop 12,000 (neighboring town i grew up in). how would the patient/dentist ratio work out in a town
like this? i did a google search and found 6 dental offices in that area. anything could change in 8 years, but i guess my question is aimed at
current conditions. am i thinking to much? should other factors be more important? will the answers come naturally throughout dental school? i figured dentistry consists of many financial risks, opening up your own practice, but would this be a safe route to assume considering a good work ethic, living within your means, ect. i have a tendency to create envisions for my life, but i guess its better to have a plan than without one. my decision should ultimately be based upon what ill be happy doing, but living where im happy definitely wouldn't hurt. right now im unhappy living in a town off of Chicago where btw i see dental offices practically neighboring each other. i apologize if my questions are premature as i am just now browsing these forums for knowledge and advice!

 

[Ninja9]

Have you shadowed a dentist or a nurse at all? I think that should be your first step. See what you like and don't like about each profession.

My best friends mom was a nurse practitioner, and every time I asked her for advice concerning my future career, she told me NOT to become a nurse.

Actually, she told me to go to med school, so you see how well I listen.

 

[dentalWorks]

Nursing vs dentistry = apples vs oranges

there is nothing similar about them, however, I agree with the post above, you should shadow them and see what they are about.

As for what you should major in before you start dental/nursing school, it really doesn't matter. Major in ANYTHING you find interesting (history, language, math, or any science field).... the MOST important thing about your undergrad schooling will not be your major, but your GPA. Your GPA can make you or break you. So focus all your attention to GPA, try to 3.5 (or higher) any course you take. After you got the GPA in position, you can make the call as to which program you want to go into.

this is the biggest advice I tell youngers who are now starting college and want to someday go after a healthfield carrier... "KEEP THAT GPA AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE"......

If your really thinking about dentistry, trust me, the bussiness side of it is the LAST thing you should worry about cause thats the easy part lol. If worst comes to worst, then you hire an "expert" manager, and he/she will run your office, all you have to do is work with your patients, and your manager (if he/she is awesom) will run all the bussiness side of things

 

[TheLoveMD]

Have you shadowed a dentist or a nurse at all? I think that should be your first step. See what you like and don't like about each profession.

My best friends mom was a nurse practitioner, and every time I asked her for advice concerning my future career, she told me NOT to become a nurse.

Actually, she told me to go to med school, so you see how well I listen.

paramedics tell you to become a nurse; nurses tell you to become a doctor; doctors tell you to become a dentist; dentists tell you to start working on your golfing skills early

my 2 cents

 

[Ninja9]

paramedics tell you to become a nurse; nurses tell you to become a doctor; doctors tell you to become a dentist; dentists tell you to start working on your golfing skills early

my 2 cents

👍

 

[c4pt]

how do i go about scheduling a shadow session? do i just ask the receptionist at any dental facility? do they usually accept any individual? geez i dont even have enough money to schedule a clean to say the least. the reason i mentioned nursing is because its only 4 years of schooling, less hassle on my savings, and its good money from the start. but it seems less rewarding and a somewhat limited career, well unless you specialize. thanks for the advice so far!

 

[mariz]

Sometimes its hard to decide on what career path you wanted if you listen to others. Instead research on your own, explore the profession and think within yourself if its really what you wanted.