For those of you doing the Military scholarship program ~ read this

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When you post one side of the argument, rather than both, it certainly makes me doubt your objectivity on the matter.

I guess those who are willing to click on that link and read the post, will also be willing to read these:

Military Pay, also has an argument about going either route comparing the initial 4 years post-dschool:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=726584

A somewhat opposite list of what dentalWorks posted:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10580866&postcount=26

AFDDS said:
Bottom line is, you can't make everyone happy. Some of the negatives have been over stated or over simplified. The Dental Corps is not in any danger of going away at this point. Yes, some of the things on the list are a hassle and some aren't. Some are so minor, I can't believe anyone complains about them, but like I said, not everyone will be happy.

I like being an officer. I don't think it has taken anything away from being a dentist. Matter of fact, it has provided some opportunities that wouldn't be available in the civilian world.

I think the list above is a good one. The only way you will know if it is right for you is to do your own pros and cons list and experience it yourself. I have been in long enough to hear all the horror stories and have found the vast majoiryt of them to be completely false. I have also heard all the glorious stories and have found the vast majoirty of them to be spot on or at least mostly true. Thing is, what I find + or - you may see the other way.

So my advice is this. If someone is telling you all negative stuff, don't listen. They will never be happy anyway and their opinion is probably skewed. If someone is telling you everything is rosy and there are no downsides, dont listen. They are a sunshine pumper not in touch with reality.

I've got almost 13 years in. I can say that I love being in the AF. I'm glad I joined and I enjoy my service. But, I realize there are some things that are a true pain and no one really likes to do, but that's part of life; military or not.
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Kahr said:
When you post one side of the argument, rather than both, it certainly makes me doubt your objectivity on the matter.

I guess those who are willing to click on that link and read the post, will also be willing to read these:

Military Pay, also has an argument about going either route comparing the initial 4 years post-dschool:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=726584

A somewhat opposite list of what dentalWorks posted:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10580866&postcount=26
Click to expand...

Why would I post the "other side of the argument" when you can just read off thier brochure?

The 37 positive things you posted, most of them are directly/indirectly mentioned in any of those military brochures most dental schools pass out during the interview day.... and if u want more info on it, you can always visit the website or call and speak to someone.

What I posted was someone's PERSONAL experience.....not something you find in a brochure
 
dentalWorks said:
Why would I post the "other side of the argument" when you can just read off thier brochure?

The 37 positive things you posted, most of them are directly/indirectly mentioned in any of those military brochures most dental schools pass out during the interview day.... and if u want more info on it, you can always visit the website or call and speak to someone.

What I posted was someone's PERSONAL experience.....not something you find in a brochure
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If that's the logic you wish to use, then you could also say it's just as easy for anyone to visit the Military Dentistry forum and read the post you linked, so why bother posting it?

I replied to you simply because you made the post under the guise that you had nothing against the military option, yet you were pushing information that only argues against the military option. If you really aren't against it, and wanted to help those on the "fence", why not post both arguments and let them decide without influencing them subjectively one way or the other.

I'm going to disagree with you regarding the links I posted, based on the fact that those posts were made by individuals based on their personal experiences with the military. Even if you could find a brochure that provided the exact same information, it doesn't negate that the person posting that information was writing based on personal experience.
 
Kahr said:
If that's the logic you wish to use, then you could also say it's just as easy for anyone to visit the Military Dentistry forum and read the post you linked, so why bother posting it?
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There is a difference between someone handing you a brochure with bold words screaming "TUITION PAID IN FULL" at the heading vs someone coming to SDN, scrolling down past pre-dent / dat / dental all the way down to military dentistry to finally do a search for military scholarships to learn about the hardships.

and the military dentistry page, yeh I've been visiting SDN for well over 2 years now and I just found out about it recently. Of course I am not just using myself to prove a point, but its not a very popular page.

Kahr said:
I replied to you simply because you made the post under the guise that you had nothing against the military option, yet you were pushing information that only argues against the military option. If you really aren't against it, and wanted to help those on the "fence", why not post both arguments and let them decide without influencing them subjectively one way or the other.
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This made me laugh. What possible benefit could I get from convincing my fellow pre-dent to avoid having their tuition paid in full? Think about this for a second....

Lol, are you someone who is applying to the military scholarship and you just wanna defend your position and feel all good inside? Cause at least I'll know why your even responding

Kahr said:
I'm going to disagree with you regarding the links I posted, based on the fact that those posts were made by individuals based on their personal experiences with the military. Even if you could find a brochure that provided the exact same information, it doesn't negate that the person posting that information was writing based on personal experience.
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Yeh? so.... someone agrees with what a BROCHURE is advertising... and this ground-breaking "news" is helpful for someone whos on the fence?
 
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My friend is going through this right now and I sent this post to her and she agrees 100%. She would never take this option again if she could turn back time.

Also, the doctor that I work for said that he would never hire a dentist that only has military dental experience because they use such out dated techniques and often uneccessary treatment planning (like pulling out teeth vs restoring them).

Thanks for posting🙂
 
Kahr, you are ridiculous. Stop posting.

It is good that someone posts the negatives about military dentistry. The majority of people interested in it ARE aware of its benefits or else they would not even be bothering with the military in the first place. Why state the obvious?
 
Thank for posting this. I was actually talking about it with my mother just a few minutes before I read it. My father, and brothers are all former marines, and while they said it's great to serve your country, they're also suggesting I don't go this route to just to soley re-pay my loans.
 
Noelle23 said:
Also, the doctor that I work for said that he would never hire a dentist that only has military dental experience because they use such out dated techniques and often uneccessary treatment planning (like pulling out teeth vs restoring them).

Thanks for posting🙂
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Ask the Dentist you work for if he would rather hire a student straight out of school or a student with 3-4 years experience in the military... I wonder whose turnover time would be faster???

And I am going to go ahead and be a jack *****... It feels pretty good to get $20,000 deposited in your bank account one day, followed by $2,000 every month. Oh and never have to write a check for tuition, which is 60 K a year. And all I have to do in return is practice dentistry for 4 years for the government. Yea they may boss you around or ship you around, but they are also paying you roughly 70 K a year. I'll be the governments lap dog for 4 years, as long as they pay me for it. (This rant is not directed at you Noelle, nor anyone particular. Just a students perspective on HPSP).
 
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Noelle23 said:
My friend is going through this right now and I sent this post to her and she agrees 100%. She would never take this option again if she could turn back time.

Also, the doctor that I work for said that he would never hire a dentist that only has military dental experience because they use such out dated techniques and often uneccessary treatment planning (like pulling out teeth vs restoring them).

Thanks for posting🙂
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Nothing is 100%

It got me wonder how much do you actually know about military dentistry.
 
What I think is ridiculous is that someone considering the military route would not do more research, including the military forum as well as consulting current and former military dentists. I agree with Kahr, I do not see why this needs to be posted in the pre-dental forum.

I personally know a dozen current and former military dentists and not one regret's their decision. The opportunity to work with fellow general dentists and specialists right out of school is amazing. Also, most of the dentists I have talked to say that getting out of the military into a practice is cake with both the experience and the lack of debt.

While the military is not for everyone, the people you see complaining about the military are those that did not do enough research and/or know what the military is about. Yes you can plan on being deployed, not having your choice of location, and may not be able to practice the type of dentistry you wish but ultimately you are serving your country. If you do not feel you can handle any of the aforementioned aspects of being a military dentist then clearly you should not join.
 
Despite the military's drawbacks, the some of the very best AEGDs, GPRs, and specialty residencies are through the military.
 
Personally, I find this thread very helpful. I've been considering military dentistry and while doing research, you really only find threads promoting the benefits of military dentistry. This is the first thread that I found where the negatives of military dentistry was listed. So thank you dentalworks.
 
I would not limit the "negatives" of serving in the Army to just those in dentistry. When I enlisted, the people I met joined for different reasons. Most of the people I met who just wanted the money for college were sorely disappointed when we were deployed for the first time. Amazingly enough I heard "I didn't think we would actually have to go anywhere" more than once. Those of us who joined to satisfy a desire to serve or to "do our part" were just as upset that we had to deploy, but we weren't whining nearly as much. We knew what we were doing when we raised our right hands.

Are you considering taking an scholarship? Do yourself a favor and stay on the sidelines if you are looking for nothing more than free dental school or a great residency. Not only will it be incredibly frustrating for you, but a lot of others aren't interested in putting up with the whining for 3-5 years and then having to listen to frustrated people bash the Army for years after they have left.

The Army isn't for everyone as evidenced by the thread in question. Please, do your homework before you decide to put on the uniform. For those that have served / are serving, remember "that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion" are the words that came out of your own mouth. Own them. 👍

Much respect to Army dentists. They were (and I assume still ARE) awesome.
 
I'm sorry this has incited such an explosive response, that's my fault, and I regret derailing the OP's thread into anything beyond informational link sharing.

For those considering the HPSP, please read all the relevant information before making a decision, both good and bad.
 
I was in the military for 6 years as a Naval Officer after I graduated from Penn and seriously considered doing the HPSP to pay for Dental School. The only reason I ultimately decided not to apply is that a future deployment would upset my plans for a family. Military life can be hard on a family and I don't want to miss 6 months of my kid's early years.

That being said, the military has its benefits and drawbacks. There is a lot of truth behind the contents of the list that DentalWorks linked, but it is taken to the nth degree. Many items are grossly overexaggerated and approach the realm of childish bitching. It's like asking Keith Olberman what he thought of Bush's presidency or Rush Limbaugh what he thought of Obama's. You aren't going to get a useful answer just as that list is not really useful due to its subjectivity. The military gives you a massive financial benefit and expects certain things in return. But like others have said, if you are entering service merely to pay for Dental School, you may be unsatisfied because your life will be different than what you expect, but very rewarding.

If I could do it over again, the only thing I would change would be to go to Dental School straight out of undergrad and then give 4-5 years of service through the HPSP program.
 
AndrewNJ said:
I was in the military for 6 years as a Naval Officer after I graduated from Penn and seriously considered doing the HPSP to pay for Dental School. The only reason I ultimately decided not to apply is that a future deployment would upset my plans for a family. Military life can be hard on a family and I don't want to miss 6 months of my kid's early years.

That being said, the military has its benefits and drawbacks. There is a lot of truth behind the contents of the list that DentalWorks linked, but it is taken to the nth degree. Many items are grossly overexaggerated and approach the realm of childish bitching. It's like asking Keith Olberman what he thought of Bush's presidency or Rush Limbaugh what he thought of Obama's. You aren't going to get a useful answer just as that list is not really useful due to its subjectivity. The military gives you a massive financial benefit and expects certain things in return. But like others have said, if you are entering service merely to pay for Dental School, you may be unsatisfied because your life will be different than what you expect, but very rewarding.

If I could do it over again, the only thing I would change would be to go to Dental School straight out of undergrad and then give 4-5 years of service through the HPSP program.
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👍, especially the bolded part
 
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