going to dental school late in life

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shayanH

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I just got accepted to dental school and will turn 31 by the time school starts. Its my passion to become a dentist but I sometimes feel like I am too old to pursue dentistry. I will be debt free after graduation thanks to personal savings. Is it gonna be challenging to be an older student in class? Is it even worth it?
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shayanH said:
I just got accepted to dental school and will turn 31 by the time school starts. Its my passion to become a dentist but I sometimes feel like I am too old to pursue dentistry. I will be debt free after graduation thanks to personal savings. Is it gonna be challenging to be an older student in class? Is it even worth it?
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There were a good amount of non-traditional students in our class that went back to school after already having previous careers. As 4th years, they have all said that it was worth it. I believe that if your dream is to become a dentist, then you have the risk of being unfulfilled by anything else and always wishing to be a dentist if you take another route. You are still young; I would just go for it! The oldest student in our class will be almost 42 when we graduate. He did extremely well and is continuing to do an Ortho residency after we graduate.

TL;DR. Follow your dream
 
Nah, 31 isn't old at all. The main concern would be paying for it in the decades to come, but if you have that covered then there's no harm. Yes classwork may be a challenge because you're getting back to didactics after being away from it for so long, but that just means you have to study harder. For the clinical portion, you may find it even easier to transition than your younger classmates, if you've been in a position before where you talked with people.

If it's truly your passion then go for it.
 
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I started dental school the month I turned 30. I went directly into ortho, so I wasn't out working until I was 36. There were probably 10 people older than me in dental school, so I didn't feel too old. In hindsight, 30 or 31 seems like a lifetime ago (I'm 47 now). You'll be fine. In fact, I think it's an advantage to have some life experience or just some years behind you to help deal with the stress of dental school and keep it all in perspective.
 
shayanH said:
I just got accepted to dental school and will turn 31 by the time school starts. Its my passion to become a dentist but I sometimes feel like I am too old to pursue dentistry. I will be debt free after graduation thanks to personal savings. Is it gonna be challenging to be an older student in class? Is it even worth it?
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There are multiple people in my class around your age. You're definitely not too old. It's totally worth it. You will do great 👍
 
hey, so ill be 28 next year when i start dentistry. me being pretty close to your age of 31 i dont think youll be at any disadvantage unless u have family, theyll probably think you suck for the next 4 years cause youll be studying all the time. but i think youll be ahead of most people cause youll be debt free, while everyone else and including me will be paying debt for the next 5-10 years. so who did better ? a person whos 27 and graduates wholl be paying debt until hes 37 approx or you at 35 who graduates with no debt. ?
 
shayanH said:
I just got accepted to dental school and will turn 31 by the time school starts. Its my passion to become a dentist but I sometimes feel like I am too old to pursue dentistry. I will be debt free after graduation thanks to personal savings. Is it gonna be challenging to be an older student in class? Is it even worth it?
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1) Debt free? Sweet. Huge gorilla off your back. Huge.
2) Older students = more life experience often makes for a more committed, focused student
3) You are still young and if you can avoid disability you have a long productive professional life ahead of you. Now if you are considering a 6 year OS program plus postgrad fellowship, that may be another issue...
 
Age is not a barrier for any dream my dear, if you want to happy after 10 15 years looking towards the past that, this is how all it started. Then just let go everything else, there are many people in this world who are not able to reach even close to their dreams or achieve their goal, atleast you are able to fulfill your dream now so don't hesitate.
And Good luck for your future.
 
shayanH said:
I just got accepted to dental school and will turn 31 by the time school starts. Its my passion to become a dentist but I sometimes feel like I am too old to pursue dentistry. I will be debt free after graduation thanks to personal savings. Is it gonna be challenging to be an older student in class? Is it even worth it?
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I am a 31 year old D1 and I have no regrets at all. If your loans are taken care of then you should have even less reason to hesitate! There are at least a dozen classmates who are older than me. Age was a much bigger deal to me during my prereqs than it has been in dental school. Being 27 in a class full of 18 year olds was tough, but being 31 at a school where the average age is 25 is not so bad. As @Chipotlegonewild said above, you will still have 30+ years to practice assuming no disabilities.
 
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I think the average age in D1 across the USA is 25 (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm 22 and one of the youngest students in my class. To be perfectly blunt I wish I had taken a year off. I feel like my peers have a definite advantage over me in terms of maturity.

TL😀R - you will be fine.
 
Franklo said:
I think the average age in D1 across the USA is 25 (correct me if I'm wrong). I'm 22 and one of the youngest students in my class. To be perfectly blunt I wish I had taken a year off. I feel like my peers have a definite advantage over me in terms of maturity.

TL😀R - you will be fine.
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I wish I was smart enough to get into dental school at 22.
At 22 I was.....not.....smart.
 
Scumbag_Steve said:
That's nuts. i would've never guessed 25 was the average.

A gap year is great if you do something meaningful that allows you to grow as a person. I'm so glad I did one. I'm also so glad I'm still 22; I can't imagine being any older when all this training is over than I already will be
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Life's a journey friend! 😉
 
I'll be applying this cycle at 30..so if I'm accepted first cycle, I'll also be starting at 31. I think about that often as well, but life has taken me on a path that I wouldn't change for anything. Sometimes that's just the way it goes, and God willing we'll still be able to contribute to dentistry for many years. Best of luck to you.
 
I applied at age 30, started at 31 and got through it. Never too old!
 
Cello said:
I am a 31 year old D1 and I have no regrets at all. If your loans are taken care of then you should have even less reason to hesitate! There are at least a dozen classmates who are older than me. Age was a much bigger deal to me during my prereqs than it has been in dental school. Being 27 in a class full of 18 year olds was tough, but being 31 at a school where the average age is 25 is not so bad. As @Chipotlegonewild said above, you will still have 30+ years to practice assuming no disabilities.
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1.Did you work while you were completing your pre-reqs?
2.If you did work, didn't it make it much more difficult for you to take the classes etc. not only that but made it hard for you to study for the DAT?
3.If you don't mind me asking, what did you major in undergrad?
4. What major obstacles did you face when you were trying to complete your pre-reqs?

A lot of random questions but it'll help in the long run

Thanks in advance!
 
jmcunnin said:
I'll be applying this cycle at 30..so if I'm accepted first cycle, I'll also be starting at 31. I think about that often as well, but life has taken me on a path that I wouldn't change for anything. Sometimes that's just the way it goes, and God willing we'll still be able to contribute to dentistry for many years. Best of luck to you.
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If you don't mind me asking...
1.Did you work full/part time while completing your pre reqs?
2. How did you manage to complete your pre reqs while working?
3. What did you major in undergrad?
4. What were some of the major obstacles you faced while trying to complete your pre reqs?
Thanks in advance
 
I'm Really eager to know how you guys completed the pre reqs while working, life etc..
 
Haha, sorry man.
It's alot to take on, no doubt. Time management is key, as well as prioritizing. There are only so many hours in a day, and you're only human.
Taking classes at night and on weekends is necessary depending on your work schedule. If you're a night owl, study at night. I chose to study early before the day started while I was at least mildly rested instead of exhausted.
There will be sacrifice. Not sure if you have a family or not, but that will be tough as well because you have to balance that as well, to include a supportive spouse. Social life will take a hit, of course, but that's at the bottom of the list of priorities when you have all that on your plate.
Depending on how many prereqs you have doje, it may take a little longer. But ADCOMS are realistic, they do not expect you to take on the same course load as someone who is 20 years old and enrolled full-time.
It's going to be hard. But if you can do it, it will be that much sweeter. Good luck to you!
 
schmoob said:
Haha, sorry man.
It's alot to take on, no doubt. Time management is key, as well as prioritizing. There are only so many hours in a day, and you're only human.
Taking classes at night and on weekends is necessary depending on your work schedule. If you're a night owl, study at night. I chose to study early before the day started while I was at least mildly rested instead of exhausted.
There will be sacrifice. Not sure if you have a family or not, but that will be tough as well because you have to balance that as well, to include a supportive spouse. Social life will take a hit, of course, but that's at the bottom of the list of priorities when you have all that on your plate.
Depending on how many prereqs you have doje, it may take a little longer. But ADCOMS are realistic, they do not expect you to take on the same course load as someone who is 20 years old and enrolled full-time.
It's going to be hard. But if you can do it, it will be that much sweeter. Good luck to you!
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Thank you very much! I'm still in undergrad studies, so I'm really just trying to get the big picture of how it'll be like.
 
GoodOne456 said:
1.Did you work while you were completing your pre-reqs?
Click to expand...

Yes, I taught music lessons and worked in a research laboratory at my university.

GoodOne456 said:
2.If you did work, didn't it make it much more difficult for you to take the classes etc. not only that but made it hard for you to study for the DAT?
Click to expand...

My PI was very understanding and gave me a very flexible schedule. I highly recommend working in a lab during undergrad because they will work with you and you will have a deeper understanding of both research and science. I also studied at my bench during dilutions/washes or when I was running PCR. It helps to be surrounded by other undergrads who are doing the same thing that you are.

GoodOne456 said:
3.If you don't mind me asking, what did you major in undergrad?
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I majored in cello performance.

GoodOne456 said:
4. What major obstacles did you face when you were trying to complete your pre-reqs?
Click to expand...

I hadn't taken any real science or math courses and had to start from scratch. Taking purely pre-reqs was difficult, especially when balancing volunteering hours and work. In the end, the adversity you face and overcome will shape you into a better applicant and make you a better candidate for dental school. Admissions committees like to see people who overcome struggle, so my advice is not to become too comfortable and don't be afraid if you are faced with some difficulties during your undergrad years.
 
Cello said:
Yes, I taught music lessons and worked in a research laboratory at my university.



My PI was very understanding and gave me a very flexible schedule. I highly recommend working in a lab during undergrad because they will work with you and you will have a deeper understanding of both research and science. I also studied at my bench during dilutions/washes or when I was running PCR. It helps to be surrounded by other undergrads who are doing the same thing that you are.



I majored in cello performance.



I hadn't taken any real science or math courses and had to start from scratch. Taking purely pre-reqs was difficult, especially when balancing volunteering hours and work. In the end, the adversity you face and overcome will shape you into a better applicant and make you a better candidate for dental school. Admissions committees like to see people who overcome struggle, so my advice is not to become too comfortable and don't be afraid if you are faced with some difficulties during your undergrad years.
Click to expand...
YES! Great post.
If you can push through balancing life and navigating the dental school admissions process, that perseverance is likely a strong indicator of potentisl success in a dental curriculum.
 
Cello said:
Yes, I taught music lessons and worked in a research laboratory at my university.



My PI was very understanding and gave me a very flexible schedule. I highly recommend working in a lab during undergrad because they will work with you and you will have a deeper understanding of both research and science. I also studied at my bench during dilutions/washes or when I was running PCR. It helps to be surrounded by other undergrads who are doing the same thing that you are.



I majored in cello performance.



I hadn't taken any real science or math courses and had to start from scratch. Taking purely pre-reqs was difficult, especially when balancing volunteering hours and work. In the end, the adversity you face and overcome will shape you into a better applicant and make you a better candidate for dental school. Admissions committees like to see people who overcome struggle, so my advice is not to become too comfortable and don't be afraid if you are faced with some difficulties during your undergrad years.
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Well that was absolutely beautiful! Thank you for sharing!!!
 
karanja said:
We had a 20 year old in our class...
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In D1 I was 19. However, getting in so early wasn't necessarily the best thing ever. It's tough to compete with people who have way more life experience than you. Stress gets to you easier than it does to them. Ups and downs to everything, but don't discount the advantages of getting in a few years older. They're VERY real 🙂
 
I'll be 32 when I graduate and we have several in my class older than me.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
GoodOne456 said:
If you don't mind me asking...
1.Did you work full/part time while completing your pre reqs?
2. How did you manage to complete your pre reqs while working?
3. What did you major in undergrad?
4. What were some of the major obstacles you faced while trying to complete your pre reqs?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...

I apologize for the late response. I did not see the notification for some reason. Answers to your questions are below:

1) I helped out at a family business occasionally during this time.

2) Time management is huge. Try not to fall behind.

3) I majored in business administration, and then also went back to get my MBA.

4) Life haha. I had a lot of personal things that happened within the past two years that really made school difficult, but I pulled through. It just made it that much more rewarding.

Best of luck to you! If you have other questions, feel free.
 
jmcunnin said:
I apologize for the late response. I did not see the notification for some reason. Answers to your questions are below:

1) I helped out at a family business occasionally during this time.

2) Time management is huge. Try not to fall behind.

3) I majored in business administration, and then also went back to get my MBA.

4) Life haha. I had a lot of personal things that happened within the past two years that really made school difficult, but I pulled through. It just made it that much more rewarding.

Best of luck to you! If you have other questions, feel free.
Click to expand...
Thanks for sharing!
By the time I graduate from undergrad I'll only have 1 pre-req done unfortunately. So I plan to reenroll at my university and complete the rest of the pre reqs. However, it is gonna be hard (considering I'll be working etc) but I feel it is worth it.
 
I'm 34 and a D2. 2 poeple in my class are 40. The average age as a matriculating D1 in my class was 27. I have never felt old. But my wife tells me that's because I'm immature.

I guess 31 is old if you feel old. Or maybe if you act mature...
 
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