Does working as a dentist for 1 year can cover 2 years of dental school loans?

[daphne13]

Hi guys, I have a weird case here, so I want to ask for your advice.

If I want to apply for the regular 4 years DDS program, I can start college this fall.
Or I can apply for the 2 years DDS program for foreign trained dentist in the future, but I'll have to start college until next fall, cause I'll need a year to study hard in order to get in to a college majoring in dental(at here we have dental school for 6 years), then I can apply for the 2 years DDS for foreign trained dentist.

The first choice for me is more expensive, but it's 1 year sooner to finish DDS.
The second one is cheaper, cause I'll just have to pay for 2 years of DDS tuition and rent instead of 4 years, but it's 1 year later to finish DDS than the first one.

So I'm wondering does working as a dentist for 1 year can cover 2 years of dental school tuition/rent?
I know it's hard to guess, maybe assuming it's a private dental school, and working as a dentist for 1 year is working 6 days a week(or even more).

I can't count on my parents for money, so I'm hoping I'll be able to pick a cheaper choice, I would really appreciate any advice! Thank you!

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[hockeykspiky]

I had this option, too.

Back in 2008 or 2009, I had the opportunity to go to NTU dental as an oversea Taiwanese, but I didn't choose it and came back to the U.S. to finish up my undergrad. (it was either my first or second summer in undergrad.) Now, I am about to start dental school here in the U.S.

Let me tell you. If you can get in Taiwan dental school, attend at any cost.
It's very competitive, though. In the U.S., about 1/3=33% of the applicants will get in somewhere. In Taiwan, it's like 1/250=0.4% of the applicants will get in some dental school.

Taiwan dental is only 6 years after high school. ( I guess, with these super geniuses, they can teach them everything much faster)+1 year mandatory residency (this can be done in a private clinic.)

Now, the cost difference is huge. Since you're in Taiwan, you don't have a cheap state school.
Undergrad will cost you about 50k per year at a private school. That's 200k when you finish your undergrad. Then, about 400k for dental school. Sum up, you are down 600k.

The total cost to finish your dental degree in 6 years is like what? 100k total? I think that's already a huge overestimation. Then, the international dentist program is like 200k. So you're only down 300k. 600k-300k=300k

Can you make 300k in your first year? If you can, then sure. But most dentists don't make 300k their first year, so probably not.

I really regret that I didn't choose NTU back then. My suggestion is: go to dental school in TW if you can get in.

Do you really want to practice in the U.S.? Why not just go to Taiwan dental school and practice in Taiwan?
TW dentists make more than U.S. dentists. (lower taxes and living costs, too)

 

[bigbadaboom]

OP - you need to get in somewhere before you can talk about choosing.

as hockey mentioned -- foreign dentists in Asia and Europe are doing better than what the dentists are doing in the Americas. I'm not talking about financially, but the dentistry over there is actually a few years ahead of USA. Plus there's less liability issue, remember there's way more lawyers per doctor ratio in the US. The end result is that even though dentists may not make more $ by the amount, their standard of living is considerably better because cost of living is much lower, and other goodies like lower unemployment rate.

take the 2 years international students program/advanced standing program in the US for example - the vast majority of students are from India, but few from Europe or the rest of Asia. You wonder why if they're doing OK they would want to move to the USA.

 

[Daurang]

Even if you make $300k your first year, which is highly unlikely, taxes will likely take half of it. Add the that there are will be higher income taxes and other new hidden Obamacare taxes about to kick in in 2014.