Dentistry as a career change

[docious]

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So I'll be starting dental school next year (in all likelihood at Temple) at the ripe old age of 28.

I was a science major in college, and after spending a few years in various careers in writing, marketing and public relations, I've decided I had enough, did some reserach and am now ready to embark on a career in dentistry.

Is anyone else in the same boat, where going to dental school marks a significant carrer change? If so, why did you choose to go into dentistry?

 

[PegaNinguem]

27 now, will be 1st year at 28 years old.

Undergrad in finance, but no one warned that if I wanted to crunch numbers and not be a used car salesman, I had to be a physics or math major. So masters in computer science. Worked at Microsoft as a software tester and now in Miami as a developer in test. (Same crap.)

Working in an office with an inanimate object all day is for the birds. Potential mates with office jobs have all turned out to be horrible. (Sounds right, if you hate your job, how can you admire people who work that job?) Did the same research you did and time for a change...

Needless to say, I'm scared ****less...

So I'll be starting dental school next year (in all likelihood at Temple) at the ripe old age of 28.

I was a science major in college, and after spending a few years in various careers in writing, marketing and public relations, I've decided I had enough, did some reserach and am now ready to embark on a career in dentistry.

Is anyone else in the same boat, where going to dental school marks a significant carrer change? If so, why did you choose to go into dentistry?

 

[docious]

Needless to say, I'm scared ****less...

...agreed. I like to think I"m cautiously optimistic.

a lot of dentistry's appeal to me, is that you actually get to help people, rather than trying to sell them something.... Not like those two things HAVE to be mutually exclusive, but they usually are.

 

[donkeywhisperer]

So I'll be starting dental school next year (in all likelihood at Temple) at the ripe old age of 28.

I was a science major in college, and after spending a few years in various careers in writing, marketing and public relations, I've decided I had enough, did some reserach and am now ready to embark on a career in dentistry.

Is anyone else in the same boat, where going to dental school marks a significant carrer change? If so, why did you choose to go into dentistry?

I tried to make it as an artist for a while, but I think you have to make some money at it before you can call it a carreer, so maybe I don't fit the profile. I'm also 28, but I'm married and have two kids. I guess I just wanted to make something of my life and dentistry felt like the right fit for all kinds of reasons: Interactions with people, making a positive impact on a community, having time to spend with my kids, THE CASH $$$, I'm good with my hands, the challenge of owning a buisness, bla, bla, bla, all the standard stuff.

 

[docious]

I hear ya donkey...

While to an extent I enjoyed writing and PR - areas perceived to be 'creative' fields - the reality is that they are a grind just like any other profession, and not typically well paying ones at that..

I figure that as a dentist, not only will I be using my background, but the flexible allows will permit me to write on the side... not to mention the potential of working for myself.

 

[Mysteree]

Similar story, w/a little twist. I was also a sci major as an undergrad, got a grad degree in a business field, and then ended up working in real estate, quite accidentally. After a few years I realized that this was soo not the field for me. I was missing the human interaction. I could stand sitting at a desk staring at a screen any longer. It also happened that around this same time I came in contact w/ a few dentist my age and the more I thought about it, the more I realized that dentistry would offer me the kind of career and lifestyle I had envisioned for myself all along.(more free time, than other professions might offer)

 

[PDizzle]

You can't get more diverse then me!!

I was in the military for 6 years (US Navy) and went to over two years of electronics school (Tomahawk missle maintenance and operation...actually launched 61 of them in Desert Storm). Got out and went to UC Berkeley and studied BioChemistry.

After graduation, I worked for a web design company for a year then created my own company. Had that for 5 years and now am going to D-School.

That's a lot of 180's in life. Hopefully my last one!

BTW, I'm 35

 

[docious]

That's a lot of 180's in life. Hopefully my last one!

...you got that right. So how did you arrive at going to dental school PDizzle?

 

[PDizzle]

...you got that right. So how did you arrive at going to dental school PDizzle?

My buddy, whom I went to CC and then to Berkeley with, became a dentist (UCSF Class of 2004). He loves it and had a lot of good thing to say about the profession.

The reason I left web design is because I never liked designing for other people. It's a creative type of thing that's not fun when other people tell you what to do. I love to program (as you might tell from PreDents.com) but allways just wanted to do my own stuff. Just the fact that so many people like and are using PreDents.com is all the payment I need.

Dentistry kicks a$$. You get to eventually own your own business, which I have done and like very much. You are kinda out there on your own, just doing your thang by your own rules (as compared to MD's). I think of a dentist as a specialty MD that actually helps their patients ALL the time and gets paid more.

 

[jmac44]

You can't get more diverse then me!!

I was in the military for 6 years (US Navy) and went to over two years of electronics school (Tomahawk missle maintenance and operation...actually launched 61 of them in Desert Storm). Got out and went to UC Berkeley and studied BioChemistry.

After graduation, I worked for a web design company for a year then created my own company. Had that for 5 years and now am going to D-School.

That's a lot of 180's in life. Hopefully my last one!

BTW, I'm 35

Graduated undergrad in 97 with a degree in mech engineering. Spent 4 years designing power steering systems for the heavy duty trucking industry. Then in 2001 I moved to Florida where I got my USPTA certification and began teaching tennis full time. I became the tennis operations manager at one of the largest country clubs in the country when I decided to go back to school for dentistry. Next fall I'll be at Nova and I'll be 31 in September. I chose dentistry because I'll get to solve problems and do something scientific (like engineering) yet I'll also get to help new people every day (like tennis). It's the best of both worlds with more freedom and a better earning potential.

 

[isurus22]

Graduated undergrad in 97 with a degree in mech engineering. Spent 4 years designing power steering systems for the heavy duty trucking industry. Then in 2001 I moved to Florida where I got my USPTA certification and began teaching tennis full time. I became the tennis operations manager at one of the largest country clubs in the country when I decided to go back to school for dentistry. Next fall I'll be at Nova and I'll be 31 in September. I chose dentistry because I'll get to solve problems and do something scientific (like engineering) yet I'll also get to help new people every day (like tennis). It's the best of both worlds with more freedom and a better earning potential.

Nice to here jmac44. I think we have alot in common. I also have a Mech Eng degree in 98. Ive been designing medical products for the last 8 years or so. Im taking classes Bio I, II, Organic I, II and even an English. My big concern is doing well on the DAT. Ive been taking the Kaplan tests but my score is pretty low. I haven't had Organic yet (starts this summer). Im hoping that my resume, medical experience and Engineering background help out my ok GPA 3.4 and DAT scores (TBD July 12). I hope to go to Temple b/c my wife works in philly. What to I need on my DATs?

 

[aggie-master]

I originally wanted to be a dentist, but I had too many people telling me how hard it would be to get in and how I should major in something that could get me a job out of college because it would suck to major in biology and then not get into dental school.

Then while in college I chose M.I.S. as my major because it was the hot thing at the time and my dental plans were forgotten about.

Two and a half years after I started working in my field (a.k.a. staring at a computer screen all day) I realized that I messed up and should have stuck with dentistry all along.

I've been doing the prereqs while working for the past few years and I'm applying next month and finishing my prereqs this summer.

I'll be 26 when I start dental school.

Edit: My original plans were to apply last year, but I was behind on shadowing, letters of rec, and other stuff and I decided not to apply late. I also have a decent paying job so it will be one more year for me to save up for dental school.

 

[Yah-E]

Many great stories! As you can start to see, many walks of life will compose the demograpic of your individual class. I've even witnessed lawyers and even medical students switching to dental school to become a dentist. Regardless of what your working history or educational background is, you all will not regret dentistry as a profession!

Many colleagues and I were talking after our licensure board examination this past weekend how excited we all are about the career path we had chosen. I absolutely love dentistry! I had a great self appreciation experience after I made a beautiful prep (shaping of a tooth by removing cavity) on a tooth during my board exam where I thought I would have a lot of problems. After witnessed of what I had accomplished on that particular procedure, I was really proud of myself!

If Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) hadn't workout for me, then I would love to do general dentistry without hesitation! Dentistry is all about instant gratification and results, I freaking love that about this profession. BTW, I started dental school when I was 27. I'll graduation this May and I'm 31 now. I won't finish my OMFS residency until I'm 37.

Age is not an issue as long as you enjoy what you do.

 

[Fulcrum77]

Wow, it seems there are lots of engineers switching to dentistry out there!

Got my BS in Computer Engineering in 2001. Worked in the telecom field for a while and hated it. I had similar reasons to everyone for choosing dentistry. Wanting to be own boss, helping people, not staring at an electronic box all day, etc.

I turn 28 in a few weeks and I start D-school in July. I'm so excited it almost hurts!

 

[jmac44]

Nice to here jmac44. I think we have alot in common. I also have a Mech Eng degree in 98. Ive been designing medical products for the last 8 years or so. Im taking classes Bio I, II, Organic I, II and even an English. My big concern is doing well on the DAT. Ive been taking the Kaplan tests but my score is pretty low. I haven't had Organic yet (starts this summer). Im hoping that my resume, medical experience and Engineering background help out my ok GPA 3.4 and DAT scores (TBD July 12). I hope to go to Temple b/c my wife works in philly. What to I need on my DATs?

I think I read somewhere on SDN that Temple offered interviews to anyone with at least 3.0 and 18 on the DAT's. My overall GPA was 2.96 before i took the prerequisites so I knew that I needed to kill my pre-req's and DAT. I think with your GPA and experience you can get away with 18/19 but 20 or above should be the goal especially since you have a specific school in mind. I'm sure you'll do fine on the QR and PAT just spend your time studying the sciences. When I took Kaplan I always did worse on the practice science sections then when I took the real thing (22 TS) so keep studying and good luck.

 

[JamieMac]

You can't get more diverse then me!!

I was in the military for 6 years (US Navy) and went to over two years of electronics school (Tomahawk missle maintenance and operation...actually launched 61 of them in Desert Storm). Got out and went to UC Berkeley and studied BioChemistry.

After graduation, I worked for a web design company for a year then created my own company. Had that for 5 years and now am going to D-School.

That's a lot of 180's in life. Hopefully my last one!

BTW, I'm 35

I’ll throw my hat in the diversity arena... While in undergrad I coached gymnastics at a small private school to help with the bills. The gig eventually blossomed into a real business venture before I graduated. Once I graduated (degrees in Finance and Accounting), I took a job as an accountant for a small engineering/skilled trades recruiting firm...while at the same time coaching at my little gym that was bursting at the seams. A year and a half later, I opened my own recruiting/contract business. Two years after that I moved the gym into a large building (of which I outgrew the first year). Within 5 years my contract company had grown enormously – 80+ employees. Instead of blowing the cash, I used much of the profits towards investments in real estate, etc. I built a state of the art gym facility and preschool, and have acquired additional commercial properties of which I lease out. My contract company has seen better days, but its all good. I'm currently developing an exit strategy (for the contract company) slated for the end of this year, after which I hope to be headed toward dental or med school the following year. How is that for a crazy ride?

For what its worth, I love hearing about where other non-traditional students come from. I believe that many of us pursuing endeavors such as this are able to offer experience as well as a little character to our environments. Best of luck everyone.

 

[L8DYV]

as a youth, i was always curious about dentistry and totally wanted to be a dentist while growing up. however life doesn't always take you to your dreams immediately. like many, i had my share of detours (or shall i say valuable experiences) that have ultimately cultivated me as an individual and arrived me to my childhood desire to be a dentist... so through all my work experiences, academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities and professional associations...I can finallly say that I'm embarking on my one of my many dreams...

..and she lived happily ever after....the end.

 

[ElMudo]

I got my chemical engineering degree and began working in industrial water treatment. After a number of months of working 80+ hours/week, I decided to make a run at dentistry. I am 28 and will be starting dschool this year. It was a big risk quiting my job to go back to do the prereqs not knowing if I would get in or not, now that I'm in... I am so glad I took the risk!

 

[JamieMac]

I got my chemical engineering degree and began working in industrial water treatment. After a number of months of working 80+ hours/week, I decided to make a run at dentistry. I am 28 and will be starting dschool this year. It was a big risk quiting my job to go back to do the prereqs not knowing if I would get in or not, now that I'm in... I am so glad I took the risk!

Hey ElMudo,
I was just wondering if you were concerned with your gpa at all, and if it was questioned in any of your interviews. My undergrad gpa is about a 3.2, but my sci gpa is almost a 3.5. I am hoping that my numbers will eventually give me a shot. I haven't taken the DAT or MCAT yet. Looks like your DAT was pretty good. Congrats on your acceptance.

 

[scottyhoop]

I'm doing post bacc. after ten years of teaching HS music...yes, I'll be 35 when I goto dental school. I AM OLD!!!!
Scott

 

[aggie-master]

Are most of you other non-traditional students just planning on being a general dentist or do you want to specialize?

 

[scottyhoop]

Are most of you other non-traditional students just planning on being a general dentist or do you want to specialize?

General Dentistry for now...but who knows. OMFS sounds pretty darn cool too...
Scott

 

[HermeytheElf]

I'm doing post bacc. after ten years of teaching HS music...yes, I'll be 35 when I goto dental school. I AM OLD!!!!
Scott

Ten years of teaching high school and now you'll finally have a way to make those darn kids shut up. Congratulations.

 

[kpy2101]

Are most of you other non-traditional students just planning on being a general dentist or do you want to specialize?

.

 

[mochafreak]

I'm a former chemical engineer. I sized safety relief valves for natural gas plants, helped with design on a few pharmaceutical projects, and did process engineering work for Coors. My quote for summing up my engineering days is, "same spreadsheet, different day". I have never regretted resigning my engineering position.

I became a volunteer firefighter and paid EMT. Eventually, I realized that I wanted a professional healthcare career. Went back and made up for my dismal engineering gpa (2.7 overall and 2.4 sci. before post-bacc) by getting two years of 4.0's in my post-bacc. Made the wisest decision of my life by choosing dentistry and will be attending Creighton this fall at the age of 32.

 

[scottyhoop]

Ten years of teaching high school and now you'll finally have a way to make those darn kids shut up. Congratulations.

Thanks!! Maybe I'll knock a few teeth out my last day and have some future patients!!! :-D

Scott

 

[ElMudo]

Hey ElMudo,
I was just wondering if you were concerned with your gpa at all, and if it was questioned in any of your interviews. My undergrad gpa is about a 3.2, but my sci gpa is almost a 3.5. I am hoping that my numbers will eventually give me a shot. I haven't taken the DAT or MCAT yet. Looks like your DAT was pretty good. Congrats on your acceptance.

I was concerned about my gpa. I was asked about it in 1 of my interviews and I had to point out that I also worked full time while going to school while also doing community service. What I believe got me into dschool was my DAT score and my difficult major. If I were you, I would take the DAT as soon as possible while still doing well. I would complete my AADSAS app on May 15th and submit it at 12:01 on June 1st. With your science gpa and doing well on your dat you should have no problem getting in!