Choosing another career?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Get help with your application

Use all the free resources available to you from SDN: articles, guides, expert advising, forums discussions, and school research.

theteethgeek

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
For as long as I can remember I've wanted to go to dent school. Up til now however I have really had some doubts behind it. Did anyone choose to go another career path? What did you do if you didn't get accepted?
 
I was interested in being a cop for a while but then I watched Brooklyn's Finest and that idea went out the window. I also wanted to have my own business too and have the opportunity to be my own boss. I saw my self becoming bitter too.

Being a mechanic/ home maintenance guy tickled my funny bone too, but I wanted something more intensive and I could also do those things on my own car/house. I also wanted more people interaction. Loved the hands on aspect though.

Surgery was an interest of mine too, but in any ways, it really becomes your life. I didn't want to go down that road.

Dentistry provides me a happy medium with all those things.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
i doubted myself after my first application attempt in 2008. i bombed the dat and didn't think i would ever get accepted. after graduation i was waiting tables and later found a job as a medical device sales rep. hated it. i worked 40 hours a week and had to still wait tables fri night - sun. i lasted 6 months and then went back to school. i retook the dat and upped my score from a 17 to a 22.
the biggest factor for me was getting more involved. i was very naive in undergrad and aside from work, the only thing i had to put on my app was about 40 hours of shadowing. i am now much more involved in the community and volunteer at two different dental clinics. every time i go i can picture myself doing the procedures and i can't wait until that day comes.
i guess it would depend on the doubts you're having, for me i needed time to grow up and work out my priorities.
 
One of my backups was to be a physician, but that's only because I wanted to stay in healthcare. However, the lack of autonomy kept me away.