First encounter with professional discouragement

[SugarNaCl]

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Ok, so back in the day when I thought medicine may be cool, the doctors at the VA hospital where I was volunteering said "I wouldn't have my children go into medicine" when I asked if they liked their profession.

Today, I went to the dentist for my 6 month apt. He knew I had been accepted to VCU, so I asked him the same question. "Do you like dentistry?" His response...thinking... "hmmm...hahaha... that's a really tough question. How much debt are you going to be in anyway, because my wife and I both got out of dental school with 60K student loans collectively and we thought that was rough." It was like boom... BAM... BANG!

 

[DDSABeach]

Ok, so back in the day when I thought medicine may be cool, the doctors at the VA hospital where I was volunteering said "I wouldn't have my children go into medicine" when I asked if they liked their profession.

Today, I went to the dentist for my 6 month apt. He knew I had been accepted to VCU, so I asked him the same question. "Do you like dentistry?" His response...thinking... "hmmm...hahaha... that's a really tough question. How much debt are you going to be in anyway, because my wife and I both got out of dental school with 60K student loans collectively and we thought that was rough." It was like boom... BAM... BANG!

Don't let that discourage you about debt or if the other dentist like what their doing. The only thing that is important is what you want for yourself and your future. Not everyone is going to be positive and happy. Yes, your going to have a huge debt getting out of dental school. But, you know this already. Yes, your going to have days your not going to like being a dentist it's very stressful at times. But, what job is not stressful? I love dentistry and you have to love what your doing if not then you will be unhappy. I am really excited for you getting in dental school. So, many of us like to be where you are now in the process of d-school. Congrats! You worked very hard you deserve it! 🙂

 

[lifeisgood]

My buddy graduated UCLA in 2004 and has just over $100K in debt and he laughs about what a joke the payment is...he only works 3 or 4 days a week and shapes surfboards when he's not doing dentistry. He says he makes his loan payment in one day's work. I wouldn't worry about it at all...if you are a good dentist then you will be laughing too.

 

[goosestuff]

The scholarship programs look better and better each day. I told my brother I was pursuing Navy HPSP and NHSC b/c I wanted to come out of school debt free. His answer - is it worth it for only $160K dept to give up control of where my family will live for 4 years? Only 160K? I realize that some of us who are considering private schools are looking at almost double that figure, but still... 160K is alot of debt. It's a second mortage!😱

From obsessively watching SDN the last couple of months, I feel that there are 2 general opinions of this debtquestion. Those who figure we'll be making so much dough when we get out, so who cares, and those of us who realize the implications on taking on this level of debt. Sure, most of us will be making more than a decent living, but when a good chunk of your monthlies go to loan payments... From my networking with dentist who graduated in the 80's - I found that they are still paying off school loans!

I guess I'm not adding anything new... this is as constant a post as "please rate my stats..."

 

[dgaillard]

as always, it comes down to the amount of debt you're comfortable with. some people want to owe as little as possible (which is understandable) and go for the scholarships, while others realize that carrying the debt can be worth it if you can earn more in private practice than the amount of your tuition and military salary combined. throwing in things like security, autonomy and job satisfaction, it's easy to see how someone could go either way.

as to the fact that people are still paying debts off 20-30 years later, it comes down to the same choice between the comfort of paying off the debt as soon as possible and the possible financial advantages of letting it accumulate the relatively low level of interest while you focus your income on investments that potentially pay off at a much higher rate of return.

there is no right or wrong answer to either of these questions, just the comfort of knowing that anyone that becomes a dentist has a golden opportunity to be financially well off regardless of what decisions are made.

 

[jlicious]

The scholarship programs look better and better each day. I told my brother I was pursuing Navy HPSP and NHSC b/c I wanted to come out of school debt free. His answer - is it worth it for only $160K dept to give up control of where my family will live for 4 years? Only 160K? I realize that some of us who are considering private schools are looking at almost double that figure, but still... 160K is alot of debt. It's a second mortage!😱

From obsessively watching SDN the last couple of months, I feel that there are 2 general opinions of this debtquestion. Those who figure we'll be making so much dough when we get out, so who cares, and those of us who realize the implications on taking on this level of debt. Sure, most of us will be making more than a decent living, but when a good chunk of your monthlies go to loan payments... From my networking with dentist who graduated in the 80's - I found that they are still paying off school loans!

I guess I'm not adding anything new... this is as constant a post as "please rate my stats..."

I would never take a military scholarship just for the monetary aspect of it. I've pondered the idea of joining the military for other personal reasons, but in my mind, one should not take on that kind of responsibility and duty if it is for the wrong reasons. If you really want to serve your country, then I'd say do it because you feel the honor and respect, not to save some bucks.

 

[goosestuff]

I would never take a military scholarship just for the monetary aspect of it. I've pondered the idea of joining the military for other personal reasons, but in my mind, one should not take on that kind of responsibility and duty if it is for the wrong reasons. If you really want to serve your country, then I'd say do it because you feel the honor and respect, not to save some bucks.

I wouldn't be doing it if it was only to save bucks... Coming from a Navy family, I know it is something you don't enter into lightly.

 

[QuackDentist]

My buddy graduated UCLA in 2004 and has just over $100K in debt and he laughs about what a joke the payment is...he only works 3 or 4 days a week and shapes surfboards when he's not doing dentistry. He says he makes his loan payment in one day's work. I wouldn't worry about it at all...if you are a good dentist then you will be laughing too.

Wow, his lifeisgood. All puns intended!!!

 

[koochooloo]

Ok, so back in the day when I thought medicine may be cool, the doctors at the VA hospital where I was volunteering said "I wouldn't have my children go into medicine" when I asked if they liked their profession.

Today, I went to the dentist for my 6 month apt. He knew I had been accepted to VCU, so I asked him the same question. "Do you like dentistry?" His response...thinking... "hmmm...hahaha... that's a really tough question. How much debt are you going to be in anyway, because my wife and I both got out of dental school with 60K student loans collectively and we thought that was rough." It was like boom... BAM... BANG!

dont..leave..meeee 😀

 

[hgfdsa]

My buddy graduated UCLA in 2004 and has just over $100K in debt and he laughs about what a joke the payment is...he only works 3 or 4 days a week and shapes surfboards when he's not doing dentistry. He says he makes his loan payment in one day's work. I wouldn't worry about it at all...if you are a good dentist then you will be laughing too.

Sometimes i really wish i was born in CA😎 . Stupid question, but San Clemente is closer to San Diego than LA right?

 

[SugarNaCl]

dont..leave..meeee 😀

HAHA... I'm not going ANYWHERE! 😛

 

[Blitzdt]

awwww....ain't that cute

 

[musiq]

Don't let that discourage you about debt or if the other dentist like what their doing. The only thing that is important is what you want for yourself and your future. Not everyone is going to be positive and happy. Yes, your going to have a huge debt getting out of dental school. But, you know this already. Yes, your going to have days your not going to like being a dentist it's very stressful at times. But, what job is not stressful? I love dentistry and you have to love what your doing if not then you will be unhappy. I am really excited for you getting in dental school. So, many of us like to be where you are now in the process of d-school. Congrats! You worked very hard you deserve it! 🙂

Yeah, what she said.

 

[koochooloo]

awwww....ain't that cute

HAHAH i knew she really cared 😛

 

[kappa505]

as always, it comes down to the amount of debt you're comfortable with. some people want to owe as little as possible (which is understandable) and go for the scholarships, while others realize that carrying the debt can be worth it if you can earn more in private practice than the amount of your tuition and military salary combined. throwing in things like security, autonomy and job satisfaction, it's easy to see how someone could go either way.

as to the fact that people are still paying debts off 20-30 years later, it comes down to the same choice between the comfort of paying off the debt as soon as possible and the possible financial advantages of letting it accumulate the relatively low level of interest while you focus your income on investments that potentially pay off at a much higher rate of return.

there is no right or wrong answer to either of these questions, just the comfort of knowing that anyone that becomes a dentist has a golden opportunity to be financially well off regardless of what decisions are made.

There is a right answer. Just sit down and do the amortization table for that debt at that interest rate. Look at the total amount that the bank will make off of you over the thrity years. Just because you are smart at being a dentist does not make you a good business person. Put the numbers for the average loan amount and average pay back period and look at the cumulative amount of interest paid.
Where I am from, D school is cheaper than a house, and I live in crap town NM

 

[dentstd]

you're considering advice from a VA doctor? Everybody likes to askew the comparison a bit, comparing primary care physicians to general dentists (with 20% of physicians being in primary care and doing just alright, and 80% of dentists being GP and making 30K more per year). No one ever compares dentists to the mainstream physicians... sports medicine doctors who currently average 500k and make no less than about 470k, the cardiologists who will average about 600-700k in a couple years, the radiologists who make 450k looking at film all day, the anesthelogists who make insane cash and work whenever they like.... No dental specialty (on average) comes close to these fields. Even when considering the extremely high earners, medical specialties making 7 figures is not as rare as in dental.

Of course, medicine comes with a harsher lifestyle. But such is the cost of saving another's life.

 

[SugarNaCl]

Of course it is probably the case that I wouldn't be able to afford dentistry if I came out of school 200K in debt and was making 30K/year, but in all honesty, since that isn't the case and I can afford to go to school... I'm not in it for the money. If I can live comfortably as a dentist, why in the world would I want someone elses life in my hands to make an extra 200K? It isn't worth it to me. If I felt responsible for just one person dying under my care, I would regret the day I met with the profession. While accidents can happen in dentistry... the likelihood is seriously diminished. I don't, don't, don't wan't to look someone in the eye and say "there is nothing more we can do for you." 😱

 

[koochooloo]

Of course it is probably the case that I wouldn't be able to afford dentistry if I came out of school 200K in debt and was making 30K/year, but in all honesty, since that isn't the case and I can afford to go to school... I'm not in it for the money. If I can live comfortably as a dentist, why in the world would I want someone elses life in my hands to make an extra 200K? It isn't worth it to me. If I felt responsible for just one person dying under my care, I would regret the day I met with the profession. While accidents can happen in dentistry... the likelihood is seriously diminished. I don't, don't, don't wan't to look someone in the eye and say "there is nothing more we can do for you." 😱

amen sista! 👍

 

[maksidaa]

forget worrying about the debt you'll build up cuz uncle sam will take WAY more money from you over the next 40 years than any bank will. even if you end up w/ $300 k in debt, the average dentist will probably be making that much in 15-20 years anyways, so when we all retire at 65 then our school loans won't be on our minds much. just be sure to invest wisely and neutralize the interest on your school loans. and get an off shore bank account.

 

[DDSY]

After a certain amount of dough, we can live comfortably enough and anything else is excess. That's when choosing a lifestyle becomes the more pragmatic decision.

you're considering advice from a VA doctor? Everybody likes to askew the comparison a bit, comparing primary care physicians to general dentists (with 20% of physicians being in primary care and doing just alright, and 80% of dentists being GP and making 30K more per year). No one ever compares dentists to the mainstream physicians... sports medicine doctors who currently average 500k and make no less than about 470k, the cardiologists who will average about 600-700k in a couple years, the radiologists who make 450k looking at film all day, the anesthelogists who make insane cash and work whenever they like.... No dental specialty (on average) comes close to these fields. Even when considering the extremely high earners, medical specialties making 7 figures is not as rare as in dental.

Of course, medicine comes with a harsher lifestyle. But such is the cost of saving another's life.