Going into dentistry?

[allnamesare]

I'm a high school senior and i've decided that i'd major in education since i love to interact with children. However, in the past couple of days, it hit me that i should be a dentist. My family is barely keeping up with living, paycheck by paycheck. My sister had a long term dental disease that she kept a secret from us because of money and when she finally did go check it about four-five years afterward when she couldn't bare the pain anymore, it had cost our family more than what it should have when it first developed. My mom's teeth started to have spaces in between and she needs braces (i think) but because of our financial situation, she's refusing to receive any treatment. I've always had a passion for art as well, so i was thinking about double majoring in education and art, but now i feel like i want to be a dentist. Would i be in it for money? idk maybe, but i feel like i can be successful. Another problem is that i despise chemisty. I love biology, but not chemistry.

Please comment on my direction...i'm really lost at the moment.

Is becoming a dentist really hard even though i may feel really determined at the moment?
Would my chemisty hatred affect my path?
Is studying dentistry a sound job plan?

(I have 29 ACT and 3.66 unweighted GPA..college suggestions?)
And what is my chance at getting into University of Illinois in Chicago GPPA predental program?

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[zackc19]

Hating chemistry shouldn't keep you from becoming a dentist. The real question is whether you are willing to put in all the time and work it takes to be successful. I hate not just chemistry, but physics, biology, and all my other classes. That's not the point though, the question is whether you can do it or not.

For example, I hate biochemistry, but I spend 3 to 4 hours a day studying it anyways because I want to be a dentist more than I hate it...

 

[dentalWorks]

I'm a high school senior and i've decided that i'd major in education since i love to interact with children. However, in the past couple of days, it hit me that i should be a dentist. My family is barely keeping up with living, paycheck by paycheck. My sister had a long term dental disease that she kept a secret from us because of money and when she finally did go check it about four-five years afterward when she couldn't bare the pain anymore, it had cost our family more than what it should have when it first developed. My mom's teeth started to have spaces in between and she needs braces (i think) but because of our financial situation, she's refusing to receive any treatment. I've always had a passion for art as well, so i was thinking about double majoring in education and art, but now i feel like i want to be a dentist. Would i be in it for money? idk maybe, but i feel like i can be successful. Another problem is that i despise chemisty. I love biology, but not chemistry.

Please comment on my direction...i'm really lost at the moment.

Is becoming a dentist really hard even though i may feel really determined at the moment?
Would my chemisty hatred affect my path?
Is studying dentistry a sound job plan?

(I have 29 ACT and 3.66 unweighted GPA..college suggestions?)
And what is my chance at getting into University of Illinois in Chicago GPPA predental program?

first of all, you do not need to explain why you want dentistry. We are not here to (or i should say SHOULDN'T) judge ur reasons. If you want to do it for the money, then there is nothing wrong with that. Everybody has different motivational points and yours is that.

second, if you are truly serious about this, get in touch with your local dentist and see if they'll let you do some shadowing (basically go in there and watch them work). You don't have to do this for long. Maybe 5-10 sessions with 4-6 hours per session is good enough. It'll give you a perspective what they do (plus many dental schools today want to see the applicant have some shadowing hours ~ knocking 2 birds with 1 stone)

and...third.... I highly doubt many of us pre-dents / dental students / dentists LOVED chemistry but we had to deal with it. Its a stepping stone. Suck it up, learn general and organic chemistry in undergrad. You will NEVER see this type of chemistry in dental school (welllllllllll maybe 10% of topics will come back, but majority of dental education is biology based).

gl to you

 

[lnngu]

You're too young, and don't have enough experience to know what you want. Go to college first, and learn about yourself. Just make sure that whatever you decide, excel at it, and all the doors will stay open to you. Prerequisites are easy to get once you make your decision.

 

[jmh018]

I knew I wanted to be a dentist since junior year of high school. I was just accepted today, five years after deciding on dentistry. You're not too young. If you look into it more and decide that's what you want to do, go for it and work hard. If you decide along the way that its to for you, you can always change your mind. Don't feel like there is anything wrong with setting a career goal at this point in your life. But keep an open mind at the same time.

Good luck!

 

[shootingstar7]

Congrats on being young and thoughtful about your future! I wish I had your insight in highschool. Most dentists will tell you that dentistry is a great field to be a part of, as many aspects of it can be very fulfilling.
Becoming a dentist or a dental student will involve a lot of hard work yes, but I think it will be worth it. Chemistry is definitely tough to get through, but don't let that stand in your way! Good luck to you!

Oh, and go to a solid, affordable university for undergrad.

 

[mid]

Don't let the chemistry keep you from pursuing dentistry but make sure you don't hate it so much that you will do poorly in it. If your state has a reputable state school that is probably a good place to go unless you get tons of scholarship from a private school.

 

[Alwaysdental]

Chemistry is just something you have to bear until you start your dental school...even up until the DAT lol

 

[UCSFx2017]

You need to keep looking around. Not much of what you said screams, "Dentistry is a perfect fit!" Sure what you explain hints that the lifestyle of a dentist might be a fit but many other professions offer the same tertiary benefits. You haven't shown the primary characteristics that makes dentistry itself a good fit. Shadow a general dentist. Come back afterwards and tell us what you think.

By time you're a dentist, over eight years will have gone by and your family's dental issues will probably have been taken care of by then. Look into non-profit dental clinics and community outreach events in your area if dental care is a financial burden.

 

[lnngu]

Chemistry is just something you have to bear until you start your dental school...even up until the DAT lol

Hehe, remember you said this, when you walk into your first Biochem lecture in dental school.