Expected to graduate dental school at the age of 30. A few questions:

[scarsdale92]

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1. At that age, would that be too late to succeed in this industry? Compared to folks who went straight to dental school after undergrad.

2. Are non-traditional graduates like us looked down upon during dental school or even after we graduate?

3. What would it take to succeed in this industry?

 

[lamemrsa]

1. At that age, would that be too late to succeed in this industry? Compared to folks who went straight to dental school after undergrad.

2. Are non-traditional graduates like us looked down upon during dental school or even after we graduate?

3. What would it take to succeed in this industry?

30 and graduating dental school? Isn't the average age for dental students starting dental school 25/26? You are the norm. Non-traditional is like 30-35 and starting dental school

 

[free99]

1. You'll be ~4 years behind the "traditional" dental student who did 4 years of undergrad followed immediately by 4 years of dental school. A single gap year is also very common.
2. Definitely not, in my personal experience the older students, especially those with a family already, had fantastic time management skills and were motivated to get work done quickly and efficiently so they could get back to other commitments.
3. As it relates to your age, you'll need the exact same set of skills required from your younger classmates... not sure what you're asking here.

 

[2TH MVR]

1. At that age, would that be too late to succeed in this industry? Compared to folks who went straight to dental school after undergrad.
No, as said ... you are only 4-6 yrs ahead of your peers. No big deal.

2. Are non-traditional graduates like us looked down upon during dental school or even after we graduate?
Does it really matter what others say? It's only 4 years. It's a stepping stone to your dream profession. We had an older dental student at my dental school (Nebraska) and he was one of the most well liked students in our class. While everyone was gunning, he had a nice mature calm about him.

After graduation ...if anything ..... I would think your older age would be an advantage. The perception is that with age comes experience.

3. What would it take to succeed in this industry?
The right attitude. As with any profession .... you will have to work hard to succeed. Nothing is handed to you. DS is just the 1st step. Now you have a diploma .... the next step is REAL life.

 

[321931]

1. At that age, would that be too late to succeed in this industry? Compared to folks who went straight to dental school after undergrad.

2. Are non-traditional graduates like us looked down upon during dental school or even after we graduate?

3. What would it take to succeed in this industry?

1) No age is to late but I worry about older 30/early40 with debt load and physical ailments catching up.

2) no

3) luck and hard work.

 

[lamemrsa]

 

[321931]

Yeah no. It’s going to take most dentists 20-30 years to pay off loans and most dentists have physical ailments that need surgery to alleviate by the time they are 40-50.

If you haven’t gotten on track towards retirement as a dentist by the time you are 40-50 you are going to work that mouth til the grave. If you are 40-50 graduating... that’s just a life sentence to dentistry with no way out.

I love feel good stories just as much as the next person... but dentistry is physically taxing.

 

[lamemrsa]

Yeah no. It’s going to take most dentists 20-30 years to pay off loans and most dentists have physical ailments that need surgery to alleviate by the time they are 40-50.

If you haven’t gotten on track towards retirement as a dentist by the time you are 40-50 you are going to work that mouth til the grave. If you are 40-50 graduating... that’s just a life sentence to dentistry with no way out.

I love feel good stories just as much as the next person... but dentistry is physically taxing.

Trust me I would take being a 26 year old starting DS than a 54 year old starting Med School. That said, I get your point.

 

[Firm]

I always felt like older dental grads had a better chance at succeeding sooner out of school. They not only look the part of being a dentist (gray hair) but they also have some life experiences that help them plan for the future vs a 25yo.

 

[cdd365]

1. At that age, would that be too late to succeed in this industry? Compared to folks who went straight to dental school after undergrad.

I currently have a co-resident who's in his early 50's and in Ortho. He's doing pretty well.

2. Are non-traditional graduates like us looked down upon during dental school or even after we graduate?

I had a good amount of dental classmates who were older but nobody looked at them like they were different. Everybody was treated the same. All of my friend's who are "older" are doing well in private practice now. Most of them are the people who are motivated to own their own practice and they do own their own practice.

3. What would it take to succeed in this industry?

I think it takes somebody who is motivated to succeed and have a plan leaving dental school. Also, half of the battle of being a successful dentist isn't clinical skills but being able to have report with patients and managing your staff. Being a dentist is half being a clinician and half being a business person.

 

[THS]

1. At that age, would that be too late to succeed in this industry? Compared to folks who went straight to dental school after undergrad.

2. Are non-traditional graduates like us looked down upon during dental school or even after we graduate?

3. What would it take to succeed in this industry?

I have a 48 year old in my class going into endo...he'll be 50 by the time he starts his career. He couldn't be happier.

 

[desertrat12]

You'd be about the average age in my dental class...so in that case, at least for where I am, you would definitely not be considered non-trad.