Do you guys think dentist an introvert or an extrovert?

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preden

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someone asked this question before, but it seems like no one wants to response...

Please comment...thanks

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I know two dental students, and 6-7 dentists, all of them seem like they are extroverts. I'm sure there are many introverts, but I have not met any as of yet. Of course, I interact with all of them in a professional setting, so I do not know what they are like at home.
 
someone asked this question before, but it seems like no one wants to response...

Please comment...thanks

I think it varies from person to person and being either does not make you more likely to pursue dentistry since dentistry can suit both personality types versus like research which is obviously attractive to introverts.

I myself am an introvert.
 
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When I went to my interviews as well as my orientation, I noticed one thing very clearly. Either the interviewers searched for this, or the people interested in dentistry have these characteristics, but most of the people have been very social, friendly, and easy to talk to and converse with. With all the dentists I've worked with in the past, I've noticed a kind of... "dentist" personality with those similar traits. I always considered myself somewhat of an introvert, but I seem to have opened up the past few years.

But as Cute said, it's not all totally one way or another, just some trends I've noticed with the people I've met.
 
There's been a ton of research done on this. Myers-Briggs personality assessments put the majority of dentists as introverted, I can't remember the exact proportion but is something like 65-35 intro-extro.
 
like research which is obviously attractive to introverts.

That is what I use to think as well until I conducted research during undergrad and got to see what my PI's did on daily basis. Although they spent a lot of time in their office writing grants, paper, etc. They spent a good amount of time interacting with their students, lab members, and other researchers.
 
thats the same thing as asking if white people are rascist or not


someone asked this question before, but it seems like no one wants to response...

Please comment...thanks
 
I can be extroverted if I want/have to.
 
I'm extroverted! Come on, would you want to go see a dentist who said 2 words to you the entire time you were in the office? Heck no, you want to see someone who will make you feel comfortable and at home.
 
I think I am generally introverted, but when it comes to professional/job settings, I've never had a problem with opening up and being friendly with people.
 
I've never met an introverted dental student or dentist so I couldn't really tell you. And I've worked with a lot. Maybe that says something about the type of person they're looking for...
 
People are people regardless of occupation, I know what an introvert is...
 
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I'm definitely introverted but in the type of setting as a dentist I would have no problem socializing with people/opening up.
 
People are people regardless of occupation, I know what an introvert is...

Being shy does not necessarily mean someone is introverted, although there is a high correlation between the two. It has more to do with one's thought processes - i.e. introverts generally focus on and analyze their own thoughts or emotions the majority of the time vs focusing on external factors. That being said, I'm still surprised that ~65% of dentists are introverts being that they are around people constantly for 8 hours each day.

http://giftedkids.about.com/od/glossary/g/introvert.htm
 
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Yeah, I said I know what it is. I was in my school district's gifted program the entire way through and it was a topic of discussion many times.
 
Regardless of if a dentist starts off as intro/extroverted, I think that we will all eventually HAVE to become extroverts. We will be with our patients all day long, five days a week, and unless we can put up with YEARS of awkward silence... we will naturally become extroverts. We will have to adapt or fail, I don't know many people that enjoy going to see their quiet timid dentist...
 
Playing the devil's advocate here, but I'm not so sure that is true. My dentist (who I believe is an introvert) is pretty quiet, but he has a very soothing voice and he gives you the feeling that he genuinely cares about his patients. I'd much prefer this to a dentist who talks my head off.
 
Playing the devil's advocate here, but I'm not so sure that is true. My dentist (who I believe is an introvert) is pretty quiet, but he has a very soothing voice and he gives you the feeling that he genuinely cares about his patients. I'd much prefer this to a dentist who talks my head off.

I definitely agree! Same thing with hair stylists. I really dislike having to make awkward small talk with him/her. I don't mind listening to him/her talk, but I don't enjoy having to say I'm a college student, this is my major, these are my interests, etc. However, I am an excellent listener and enjoy listening to stories. As a dentist I doubt I'll hear too many from patients though, considering it would be hard to talk when someone's hands are in your mouth!:laugh:
 
One of the dentists I shadowed mentioned that dentistry attracts a lot of introverted people, and also said that he was "only an extrovert in the office". Just because you're an introvert doesn't mean you can't be as friendly and outgoing in a professional setting as an extrovert.
 
^^ exactly. it's not hard to make small talk and bs with people for a few minutes no matter what kind of person you are. unless you have serious issues with social anxiety or something like that
 
I think I am generally introverted, but when it comes to professional/job settings, I've never had a problem with opening up and being friendly with people.

+1 This. I'm the exact same way. I think being an introvert isn't a bad thing just knowing when to turn it on and off is important. Also, another good point someone bought up is that I wouldn't want a dentist yapping all in my ear so I wouldn't put my patients through all of that mess either.
 
Cool topic. An oral surgeon I observed, who was a really neat guy, came right out and told me he didn't much like chit-chatting with patients, which factored into his decision to specialize, since his patients are knocked out most of the time. ;)

Another introverted dentist I observed had surrounded himself (consciously or not) with assistants and hygienists having a gift for gab, which solved the "awkward silence" problem pretty well. The assistants talked about the weather, then at the end, the doc talked about their TEETH. Everyone was happy!

I'm a bit of an introvert myself, so I remember being nervous when I began waiting tables several years back. I was an awkward bumbler starting out, but as I grew more confident in my abilities as a waiter (and THAT'S the important part) the pleasantries and conversation w/customers came much more easily. Also, at a certain point I realized most customers don't really WANT a chatty waiter -- they want you to be efficient, friendly, and to know wtf you're talking about. I anticipate some parallels with dentistry...
 
Dentistry could be great for extroverts with lots of problems. You can blab on about your problems all day and your patients have no choice but to listen and not talk back :p. It's like free therapy!!:D
 
For the record......
I am an introvert but I have learned to be an extrovert. My patients love me but it sucks the energy out of me to deal with them. By the end of the day I don't want to talk to anybody. I just want to go home a be left alone and read a good book.
 
the big difference is that a dentist meets people on his/her ground which is totally different from any other social situation. People came to you for help- it changes dynamics. Psychologically, if a person feels needed, it could make any shy person a hero so no introvert/extrovert rules apply...
Plus, most patients stay with same dentist for years because of the quality of their handywork, not for their personalities.
 
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