Dental vs. Optometry

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ailakb6

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Hi everyone, (i posted this thread on the pre-opt page but wanted to post on here to get a variety of answers)
I've been doing a lot of research on optometry and dental schools recently. I'm currently an undergraduate student majoring in sociology but currently working on my prereqs and retaking some classes that I want to get better grades in; hopefully looking into taking either the OAT or DAT end of this year or beginning of next year and applying July of 2017 when applications open. First off, I know they are completely different fields but I guess some opinions from current/post students would be super helpful.
If I were to do optometry, I would definitely look into vision therapy and pediatrics opto.
I have shadowed one before and I did like the set up as it seemed very casual and chill but I'm scared that I would just not have AS much patient interaction...the optometrist at the location was just doing the exams, which is laid back. The actual patient therapy was done by the certified vision therapists on job. I don't want to sit in a retail optometry office and do general contact and lenses fitting all day. With dental I would look into pediatrics as well, and there just seem to be more options like possibly working in a hospital setting. In comparing prices, I know schools are expensive and dental school is pricier obviously (you do make more than an optometrist would) but that's something i'm willing to take on if it means building a bright future. Although income is obviously a factor, I'm stuck because I want to like what I do. I have shadowed maybe one or two doctors in each field and I think more shadowing and advice will help. An orthodontist I shadowed, was saying that insurance is basically horrible for dentists right now and his wife is a general dentist with no residency and she only makes $0.40 for every dollar she makes.... I don't feel so strongly about orthodontists specifically though and think residencies are important if you want more career opportunities..not sure.
Any help would be great :)
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If you want to be a pediatric dentist you must do a 2 year residency after dental school.
Unlike medical school, residency for dental school is not free..... if you cannot get a stipend you have to pay tuition for residency.
This can be anywhere between 100K - 300K for residency alone (dental school itself averages at 400K including living expense).
Pediatric dentists make more than general dentists on average, so you will be well compensated as long as you're flexible with
where you want to practice. If you want patient interaction, you will have plenty in dentistry.
 
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Nobody on a forum can decide your career path for you.
 
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ailakb6 said:
his wife is a general dentist with no residency and she only makes $0.40 for every dollar she makes...
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This is called overhead- paying for practice note, rent, supplies, paying the other team members, etc.

Usually overhead for a general dentist's practice hovers around 50-60% of the gross collections.
If you go corporate (Aspen, Kool Smiles, etc.), they pay you 33% of your collections.

So I don't think her making $0.40 for every $1 that she collects is a bad sign.
 
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JLT223 said:
Nobody on a forum can decide your career path for you.
Click to expand...
I know, I'm just asking for general advice from post-grads or current students on their experiences in school and what they honestly think about it
 
Incis0r said:
This is called overhead- paying for practice note, rent, supplies, paying the other team members, etc.

Usually overhead for a general dentist's practice hovers around 50-60% of the gross collections.
If you go corporate (Aspen, Kool Smiles, etc.), they pay you 33% of your collections.

So I don't think her making $0.40 for every $1 that she collects is a bad sign.
Click to expand...
Good to know, thanks!
 
you may want to look at pharmacy school pharmacyforme.org The prereqs for optometry and dental school are similar (not precise, but fairly close). You can also apply to pharmacy school without a B.S. Lastly, there are over 200 areas of specialization for pharmacy (according to a COP recruiter I talked to a while back). They have pediatric pharmacy too. Hope this helps, or at least gives you more to chew on.
 
200 areas of specialization? where only 80-90% of the jobs are retail pharmacy that dont require any residence time for specialization.
 
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Hmm you need to do a little more research on your expectations in dentistry. Comparing optometry to dentistry is like comparing apples and oranges. You have to figure out which one you are most comfortable with doing on your own. Obviously, most of us are pretty invested in dentistry so finding a bias opinion will be a rarity here. They tell you to shadow so you can understand the job you are investing in doing. Good luck with your decision.
 
Why someone would advise another person to go into pharmacy given the job outlook is beyond me.
 
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pharmacy currently has near 150 schools with nearly 15 000 graduates every year (nearly equal the amount of US MD doctors graduating every year) yet the scope of work of pharmacist is very narrow and limited (again, 80% is retail)

sometimes, residence in pharmacy hurts pharmacist rather than help because when they apply for retail, retail does not favor them due to the thinking they will switch to hospital clinical work once given the opportunity but again, in hospital environment, their residence may not be fully used. but somehow, residence is still required for floor clinical pharmacist in hospital (which takes a whopping 5% of total job markets, estimate only)

of course OP, pharmacy schools will boasts u provider status through patient consultation (aka you examine patients and advise them how to use med) thus justify for the increase of pharmacist graduates. but wake up, this line of work is going to the PA/NP that work under the direct supervision of medical doctors. with big chains (CVS, walgreens, Riteaid, target) consolidating, the future is super bleak. The fact that a doctoral degree program does not require a BS for entry is beyond me. I dont look down on people without BS but pharmacy schools accept students who do minimum prereq at community colleges for 2 year and go straight to pharmacy schools without going to a 4 year universities.
 
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pharmacy is so bad that in a discussion of dentistry vs optometry, pharmacy still gets dissed
gg no re
 
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Aramis said:
you may want to look at pharmacy school pharmacyforme.org The prereqs for optometry and dental school are similar (not precise, but fairly close). You can also apply to pharmacy school without a B.S. Lastly, there are over 200 areas of specialization for pharmacy (according to a COP recruiter I talked to a while back). They have pediatric pharmacy too. Hope this helps, or at least gives you more to chew on.
Click to expand...

what? for a field with so many options to specialize, an awful lot are in retail.
 
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frozenicecreamDMD said:
pharmacy currently has near 150 schools with nearly 15 000 graduates every year (nearly equal the amount of US MD doctors graduating every year) yet the scope of work of pharmacist is very narrow and limited (again, 80% is retail)

sometimes, residence in pharmacy hurts pharmacist rather than help because when they apply for retail, retail does not favor them due to the thinking they will switch to hospital clinical work once given the opportunity but again, in hospital environment, their residence may not be fully used. but somehow, residence is still required for floor clinical pharmacist in hospital (which takes a whopping 5% of total job markets, estimate only)

of course OP, pharmacy schools will boasts u provider status through patient consultation (aka you examine patients and advise them how to use med) thus justify for the increase of pharmacist graduates. but wake up, this line of work is going to the PA/NP that work under the direct supervision of medical doctors. with big chains (CVS, walgreens, Riteaid, target) consolidating, the future is super bleak. The fact that a doctoral degree program does not require a BS for entry is beyond me. I dont look down on people without BS but pharmacy schools accept students who do minimum prereq at community colleges for 2 year and go straight to pharmacy schools without going to a 4 year universities.
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Not all dental schools require a BS/BA either.
 
ktran17 said:
Not all medical schools require a bs/ba either.

Having a bachelor is pretty much required because of competition. There are exceptions
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No. It is not pretty much required if the school does not require it.
A strong science GPA and solid DAT along with an excellent PS, strong endorsements and leadership/community service make a good candidate. That is the norm, not the exception. Those are the focuses of dental schools, not whether or not they finished their BS. Some schools require it, others don't. But if it's not required, then it's not required. The ones that don't require it usually want at least 90 credit hours.
 
schmoob said:
No. It is not pretty much required if the school does not require it.
A strong science GPA and solid DAT along with an excellent PS, strong endorsements and leadership/community service make a good candidate. That is the norm, not the exception. Those are the focuses of dental schools, not whether or not they finished their BS. Some schools require it, others don't. But if it's not required, then it's not required. The ones that don't require it usually want at least 90 credit hours.
Click to expand...

The point is, pharmacy schools accept more students without bachelors than medical or dental schools. This is due to the lack of competitive applicants. A matter of supply and demand.

In the case of dental and medical schools, yes it's not a de facto requirement, but it's a de jure one.
 
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The real point is that being a pharmacist is stupid and quite possibly the worst career choice anyone can make..
 
smurfeyD said:
The real point is that being a pharmacist is stupid and quite possibly the worst career choice anyone can make..
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lol I'm sure many, many people would say that about being a dentist. I'd guess more people hate going to the dentist than going to the pharmacist.
 
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having a BS/BA degree is not a requirement for all dental schools but when a dental school accepts an applicant without a BS, it is usually the applicant is almost near the finishing line but choose to save a year and leave undergrad ( I assume only, of course). the same would probably be for medical school

however, have you known any med student/dental students that only take the required prereq and a few GEs and then get accepted to multiple schools? <= this is happening to pharmacy

I find it hard to believe anyone get into dental school with only 90 units
 
frozenicecreamDMD said:
having a BS/BA degree is not a requirement for all dental schools but when a dental school accepts an applicant without a BS, it is usually the applicant is almost near the finishing line but choose to save a year and leave undergrad ( I assume only, of course). the same would probably be for medical school

however, have you known any med student/dental students that only take the required prereq and a few GEs and then get accepted to multiple schools? <= this is happening to pharmacy

I find it hard to believe anyone get into dental school with only 90 units
Click to expand...

A lot of students even get accepted to pharmacy schools right out of high school through 6 year programs! Though I am jealous because they get out of school 2 years earlier.
 
Hyunin1210 said:
A lot of students even get accepted to pharmacy schools right out of high school through 6 year programs! Though I am jealous because they get out of school 2 years earlier.
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But that happens when they can't find a job? I'd take 2 more years of school for an increased chance at a steady career anyday.
 
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Hyunin1210 said:
A lot of students even get accepted to pharmacy schools right out of high school through 6 year programs! Though I am jealous because they get out of school 2 years earlier.
Click to expand...

some people do graduate from pharmacy schools in 5 years (2 years for prereq, some AP credits, then 3 year pharmacy)

wonderland
 
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Hyunin1210 said:
A lot of students even get accepted to pharmacy schools right out of high school through 6 year programs! Though I am jealous because they get out of school 2 years earlier.
Click to expand...
This also happens for some medical and dental schools, though I think the programs are still the same length
 
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Hyunin1210 said:
A lot of students even get accepted to pharmacy schools right out of high school through 6 year programs! Though I am jealous because they get out of school 2 years earlier.
Click to expand...
There are students getting into dental programs the same way.
 
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