Do you need big hands to be a good dentist?

[Dentalgurl11]

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hi, I'm a pre-dent school right now and hoping to become a dentist one day.. I have been shadowing my dentist for about a year now and so far i love everything about dentistry... but i have something in the back of my head that 's been bothering me for a while now... and i just don't know if I will be able to do it..
My dentist have like huge hands compared to mine, and when i saw him inject a patient, he was able to hold the needle w/ one hand. But i was thinking. my hands are like very tiny compared to his. I wasnt sure if i could do the same w/ out somehow using both hands..

i never had trouble with n.e thing w/ my hands. but i guess i am a little concern about it if i decide to choose this as my career.. do any female ever have trouble with this?

is it an advantage to have big hands in dentistry? or does it matter?

hope someone could give me some honest opinion. thank you very much

 

[219122]

I would think the opposite would be true and having small hands would be advantageous b/c you could maneuver in the mouth better without your patient feel like they're being choked by sausage fingers. Using 2 hands to inject a syringe doesn't seem like too big a deal either.

 

[Shingo123]

2 hands to hold a syringe 😱

Are you sure that you would need to use both hands? It is quite easy to hold a syringe, and it is not like you need to push hard to empty the carpule.

 

[lotexigeus]

some will say that size doesn't matter. But everyone knows it does.


jk, some of my classmates have tiny hands and some have huge hands. no big deal.

 

[dentalmon]

i dont think it matters.. .. my hands aren't that big either. and i'm a guy.. haha.. ... its not like you are required to hold a bball or football with one hand to be a dentist..

 

[War Eagle]

some will say that size doesn't matter. But everyone knows it does.


jk, some of my classmates have tiny hands and some have huge hands. no big deal.

It's how you use your hands that counts. 😀

 

[Dentalgurl11]

I guess i should be okay... 🙂. thank you very much guys..

 

[EggShaped]

Your question made me laugh 👍

But here's an answer that might pump you up. I, too, have TINY hands. Most XS gloves don't fit me because they are still too big. I find that I have an easier time doing procedures in people's mouth than my chair neighbor that wears L-sized gloves. It's easier to have small hands with patients that don't open wide (which accounts for A LOT of your patients)
As for syringes, some companies make shorter ones with a smaller ring. But I've never had a problem with the ones that came with our instrumentation kit.

Hope this cheers you up,

Good luck!

 

[gd152]

This shouldn't even be a question - once the adcom's see your small hands, you will be automatically rejected. Good luck.

 

[dentalmon]

This shouldn't even be a question - once the adcom's see your small hands, you will be automatically rejected. Good luck.

i'm so getting rejected then.. damn!

 

[DShopeful]

This shouldn't even be a question - once the adcom's see your small hands, you will be automatically rejected. Good luck.

When I went to an interview last year, the first thing my interviewer said to me was, "Let me see your hands"

No joke!

 

[Dentalgurl11]

.........hmmm....

 

[LeoDDS]

The vast majority of patients are terrified of the dentist and hate going to the dentist.

Being a girl with small hands will be a big plus. The last thing they want to see is a 6'5" guy with sausage fingers.

 

[Lurchdubious]

The vast majority of patients are terrified of the dentist and hate going to the dentist.

Being a girl with small hands will be a big plus. The last thing they want to see is a 6'5" guy with sausage fingers.

You guys do realize that you won't be stuffing your fingers down anyone's throat, right? That's why we have instruments, at most you'll just have a couple fingers in the mouth at a time. This is a non-issue. I'm 6'4" and some brands of XL gloves don't even fit right. I do just as well as the carnies in my class with small hands.

 

[Beestieboy]

I do just as well as the carnies in my class with small hands.

LOL of the day!!

 

[LeoDDS]

You guys do realize that you won't be stuffing your fingers down anyone's throat, right? That's why we have instruments, at most you'll just have a couple fingers in the mouth at a time. This is a non-issue. I'm 6'4" and some brands of XL gloves don't even fit right. I do just as well as the carnies in my class with small hands.

And you have to realize that most patients ARE scared of the dentist. Granted, you do have instruments, but having smaller hands also help in manipulating them and finding a decent finger rest. Working on real human beings with real fears is very different from working on inanimate maniquein heads. The OP asked if smaller hands would be a disadvantage, and I'm simply telling her it's definitely not.

 

[Lurchdubious]

And you have to realize that most patients ARE scared of the dentist. Granted, you do have instruments, but having smaller hands also help in manipulating them and finding a decent finger rest. Working on real human beings with real fears is very different from working on inanimate maniquein heads. The OP asked if smaller hands would be a disadvantage, and I'm simply telling her it's definitely not.

I have been known to frighten little children...


Agreed, it's definitely not a disadvantage. Just as it's not a disadvantage to have large hands. 😉. And the only 6'5" guys that have "sausage fingers," as you so eloquently labeled them, are probably also over 400 lbs.

My fingers are long, somewhat hairy, and all around Manly.

 

[birdlady]

🙂

 

[Bera]

Don't worry birdlady...most of the time you don't really need much force to extract a tooth, just as you said all you need is elevation to get the deepest grip possible on the tooth.

 

[MALOKINMARTIN]

i have hairy knuckles, will this be a problem?

 

[Lurchdubious]

i have hairy knuckles, will this be a problem?

Maybe if you don't wear gloves. ...and somehow light them on fire.

 

[leoele]

Size doesn't matter, it's how you use them!

One of my interviewers at UNLV last year told me I had great dentistry hands. I have long but slender fingers, and my interviewer noticed!

 

[EggShaped]

Don't worry birdlady...most of the time you don't really need much force to extract a tooth, just as you said all you need is elevation to get the deepest grip possible on the tooth.

i beg to differ. you DO need force. not deliberate brute strength but a good grip and a good controlled force go a long way.
i was told by a surgeon to hit the gym and work on my chicken arms ... and yes, i do sweat when i elevate those first molars (and i give up after 3 mins and just section it)