I feel like the future is in these 3 year schools. They can still charge 100k+ per year, but students are only coming out with 300k-400k of debt rather than 400-500k debt at a similar 4 year school. I'd go to the three year at that cost.
Idk, UoP is around 150k a year, so that’s 450k before interest is even applied. But I agree a 3 year program may be beneficial, but I can’t imagine the stress of cramming 4 years into 3
couldn't agree more. That's why Roseman went to a 3-year program; to decrease student loans by 25%. They are charging the same tuition as their 4 year program, but increasing their class size 36% to make up for the lost income. I would not be surprised to see more dental schools doing the same thing
lol what's the point of going to dental school, doing all that work, spending all the money and time if you don't want to do the dental work/become a dentist
Because you don't know if you'll like it until you're in dental school.
You should have a pretty good idea before going to dental school though. Interviewing dentists, shadowing, taking summer dental prep courses (through dental schools), and working as a dental assistant or RDH. I think this would be the case for anyone going into dentistry, experiencing the field to get a good idea as to what they are getting themselves into.
Honestly, I haven't seen that or heard of that before, but I can image that being brutal both physically and mentally. The dentists that I've talked to or shadowed weren't operating like that, and I don't think anyone would/could enjoy working in an environment like that.
You gotta start somewhere. The 4 days week with chill schedule comes later in life
I would not go if you are not receiving some sort of financial help(parents, own savings, etc). You haven't even included your cost of living yet.
I will be receiving help from my parents for cost of living. But I might end up taking a fraction of the cost of living loan the school provides us
Seeing the work done and doing it are totally different. A good example in school: I know of literally like 5 people who enjoy doing RCT, almost every else can't stand it. You just don't know until you have to do the work yourself
Would you be living alone?
I completely agree. Dentists have the ability to make everything look extremely easy. When you are shadowing a dentist, you really don't know what they are doing inside the mouth. You can't see a thing lol, but it's more of an opportunity to interact with the dentist to find out what they like & dislike about dentistry. Get a good idea of what your life would look like if you pursued a career as a dentist.
I will be living with a roommate and trying to live frugally.
You don’t realize how hard doing dental work is until your in dental school lol…people go into it oblivious.
Yeah, dentists make everything look easy lol. When I was shadowing an OS he would spend a maximum of 20 seconds per wisdom tooth. I was shocked. He made it look so easy the way he popped them out it was incredible. Obviously, OS is difficult and hard on your body, but he made it look so simple; like anyone could do it without training. He refused to use a handpiece too lol (at least in the cases that I saw - something about the recovery being easier for the patients when you don't use a drill).
When I did the math for UoP w/ the more specific numbers they gave at the interview, it came out to $514k pre-interest. And doing the math is simple addition so I don't think I messed that up. That's tuition and cost of living for all 3 yrs. And I'm sure they underquote for SF cost of living. I've heard that the monthly quote for standard rent is based off of 3 students living in a 2 bedroom apartment. Insane.
www.studentloanplanner.com
$514k pre-interest is indeed an insane price to become a dentist. Don't do this.
Yeah, if you are accounting for living expenses at Roseman, it will be around $400k give or take.
Because it’s hard. A lot of dentists can’t physically work 40 clinical hours a week. Sometimes you can only do it for a few years before your body starts to fall apart.
how do you not know if you like dentistry until you're in dental school.. did you not shadow? honestly a bit shocked you got accepted bc so many students know their passion and still dont get into any schools...
Shadowing doesn’t equal practice
i guess, but like you should have some idea if this is what you want to do for the rest of your life.
How do you know if you like it if you never done anything hands on? Most of us have enjoyed watching someone else do something, but we wouldn't enjoy it until we do it ourselves. Likewise with dentistry, you can shadow all you want, but you won't know you like it until YOU do it.
ok ok i guess yall r right. i mean i've assisted and i enjoy that, and i also like working with my hands. there are many aspects i love about dentistry but ig i dont know if i will truly love it until im in it. but honestly thats a big what if to take on all that debt ur first year of school to not like it.. imo once ur in ur in unless u have rich parents or parents that r dentists and can pay off ur loans for u
...... noted. ig the right way for me personally to word it is instead of saying i have passion for dentistry, i have passion to serve disadvantaged communities and dentistry is just one pathway where i can do that.
hoping the admission committees at the schools im applying to dont feel the same as u lolYou would be surprised. It baffles me too. Unfortunately dentistry selects for these “work balance” types that are used to a high standard of living.
It’s hilarious isn’t it? The ADA is always talking about increasing access to care and trying to push for dentists to work in rural areas. What do the schools do? In my experience the students around me aren’t “country folk.” They will be headed straight for suburbia or the city. They will also be looking to work 4 days a week. These are the students that are selected. If they wanted to increase access to care maybe they should choose students that exhibit interest in outdoors activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, etc, and also students that can talk about an extensive WORK history. And maybe living in a rural zip code. But that would make too much sense.
or make school cost cheaper. I'll go back to a rural place if my loans were less than !00k
Then you can do PSLF or NHSC loan repayment programs.
Or just go practice where there's more of a possibility to make more and not be tied down to anything.
That's my point. It's easier said than done. Most dental students nowadays are not willing to make a sacrifice living in rural areas or work for the government(military). You can say all you want about going rural if your debt was reduced to 100k or if tuition was cheaper but that's bull crap. I know 99% of students have the same mentality as you(wanting to work 3-4 days a week, make good money, and awesome social life). The reality is not every single one of them are going to make bank after graduation but all of them will have roughly the same amount of debt(400K+).
where do students get this idea they will only need to work 3-4 days a week... im applying rn and i definitely do not have that idea at all... maybe down the line when im a lot older and my loans are paid off but not anytime soon. no dentist i shadowed practiced 3-4 days a week.. most had two offices and would split the week half and half
