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What do you guys think would be/is the hardest part of being a dentist for you?
Hardest part of being a dentist?
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probably getting into dental school
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my thoughts exactly- Joined
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If you open your own practice, it would probably be getting a stable patient flow.
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For those who have a heart, the hardest part would be having to turn away high-pain, desperate patients because they dont have the insurance or funds to pay for the services.
Sure you might do some pro-bono here and there, but at the end of the day, you wont be able to help everyone who comes in begging.
Sure you might do some pro-bono here and there, but at the end of the day, you wont be able to help everyone who comes in begging.
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Aww, when did you get out of Halliburton?
If you're anywhere as good at billing as you are trolling, student loans won't be a problem for you.
Hardest part of the job, assuming one actually makes it in and out, is being part of a profession whose integrity is stained by attitudes like yours.
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Stained? I never mentioned billing. I do volunteer my time for the local shelter, so I'll take what you said with a grain of salt. Myself and the other dentists take pride in what we can do and help those in need. You cannot treat everyone. It's the nature of the beast. I do what I can. I'll assume your comment was made from inadequate knowledge.
Aww, when did you get out of Halliburton?
If you're anywhere as good at billing as you are trolling, student loans won't be a problem for you.
Hardest part of the job, assuming one actually makes it in and out, is being part of a profession whose integrity is stained by attitudes like yours.
You're a young neophyte with a lot to learn. Have to grow up sometime.
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Also, with regards to "trolling", you did not contribute anything beneficial. (Which may obviously be a good thing). So how can you attempt to call me out for being a troll?
Aww, when did you get out of Halliburton?
If you're anywhere as good at billing as you are trolling, student loans won't be a problem for you.
Hardest part of the job, assuming one actually makes it in and out, is being part of a profession whose integrity is stained by attitudes like yours.
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Your degrading sarcasm and mockery is unappreciated.
Although I realize we have limitations as to how much we can help, its still going to be difficult when you have turn people away. Imagine someone who has no means to pay for an expensive procedure to heal an abcessed, highly painful tooth.
Sure one can be a desensitized prick about it and not have an ounce of guilt about it. Thats where the "people who have a heart" part of my statement comes into play.
Sorry, Im particularly passionate about this sort of thing.
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Is there anyway threads can be deleted? This is kind of ridiculous, a complete waste of the OP's time, not to mention mine
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You just wasted everyone's time Duck Man.
Why dont you instead answer the OP's question rather than ridiculing legitimate, interesting, and passionate debates on the subject at hand.
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thanks for the kudos ppl... I needed some back up.
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How awesome would it be to have some raunchy backdoor sex with your hygienist in between procedures like in those movies...?
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This thread is dying a painful death XD
I think one of the hardest parts for me will be keeping good posture and not wearing myself out from working too much...my mother had to stop working a few years ago because of back pain.
I think one of the hardest parts for me will be keeping good posture and not wearing myself out from working too much...my mother had to stop working a few years ago because of back pain.
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Well, I thank everyone who gave their opinions. I plan to one day open a practice, so for me personally, I think the hardest part will be the business aspects of dentistry that I'll have to deal with. There are so many factors that I am not even aware of when starting a business, along with adapting my business to the advances made in the dental field and the ever changing society we live in. They don't teach you any business skills in dental school, so I'll have to find ways to educate myself before I can begin to make any kind of business plan. That is my opinion.
I don't think it's an age thing. It's an ideology thing. Not all old people are jaded and snarky like you.
lol na, but i've heard this before, and it's very true;
when your young and idealistic, most of us are liberal democrats. free healthcare for all, gov'mnt should take care of my bills
as you get older AND make some money; you quickly realize that your going to be paying a $hitload in taxes, while the majority of the people dont pay anything and actually leech of your taxes. so, as you age, you become more of a conservative republican
and right now, as still a pre-dent or student, you can talk about how heart wrenching it is to turn away people with pain, etc, etc. however what you dont realize is that the majority of the time it's THEIR FAULT. why didnt they pick up a tooth brush for the past 20 yrs? why not come in for cleanings? money is a problem you say, well whats up with the flat screen tv and the new truck?? they have no problem paying for some stuff when they think it's valuable to them. with dentistry many times they dont feel like they're getting anything out of it ($90 for a cleaning, what do i get!!?)
and yes, there are exceptions. i pulled a tooth out for a lady who had a jar fall on her face. she couldnt pay, was in pain, did it pro-bono. i do a few of those a year on people who i think are truly deserving. and yes, i turn away people all the time who cant pay. i'm not running a free or medicaid clinic here. overhead in dentistry is a b!tch
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lol na, but i've heard this before, and it's very true;
when your young and idealistic, most of us are liberal democrats. free healthcare for all, gov'mnt should take care of my bills
as you get older AND make some money; you quickly realize that your going to be paying a $hitload in taxes, while the majority of the people dont pay anything and actually leech of your taxes. so, as you age, you become more of a conservative republican
and right now, as still a pre-dent or student, you can talk about how heart wrenching it is to turn away people with pain, etc, etc. however what you dont realize is that the majority of the time it's THEIR FAULT. why didnt they pick up a tooth brush for the past 20 yrs? why not come in for cleanings? money is a problem you say, well whats up with the flat screen tv and the new truck?? they have no problem paying for some stuff when they think it's valuable to them. with dentistry many times they dont feel like they're getting anything out of it ($90 for a cleaning, what do i get!!?)
and yes, there are exceptions. i pulled a tooth out for a lady who had a jar fall on her face. she couldnt pay, was in pain, did it pro-bono. i do a few of those a year on people who i think are truly deserving. and yes, i turn away people all the time who cant pay. i'm not running a free or medicaid clinic here. overhead in dentistry is a b!tch
Yeah..the old cliche: "When you're young, you're all heart and no brain. When you're old, you're all brain and no heart."
I think most people get that. I certainly won't begrudge anyone the desire or ability to make a living, as long as it's done ethically. I know I'd turn people away too, but I might not feel great about it. Having a conscience is not a bad thing.
That said, there's a difference between being a realist, and logging onto a pre-professional forum to mock some student because he cared and tell him to "go join Obama's cabinet." Yes?
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lol na, but i've heard this before, and it's very true;
when your young and idealistic, most of us are liberal democrats. free healthcare for all, gov'mnt should take care of my bills
as you get older AND make some money; you quickly realize that your going to be paying a $hitload in taxes, while the majority of the people dont pay anything and actually leech of your taxes. so, as you age, you become more of a conservative republican
and right now, as still a pre-dent or student, you can talk about how heart wrenching it is to turn away people with pain, etc, etc. however what you dont realize is that the majority of the time it's THEIR FAULT. why didnt they pick up a tooth brush for the past 20 yrs? why not come in for cleanings? money is a problem you say, well whats up with the flat screen tv and the new truck?? they have no problem paying for some stuff when they think it's valuable to them. with dentistry many times they dont feel like they're getting anything out of it ($90 for a cleaning, what do i get!!?)
and yes, there are exceptions. i pulled a tooth out for a lady who had a jar fall on her face. she couldnt pay, was in pain, did it pro-bono. i do a few of those a year on people who i think are truly deserving. and yes, i turn away people all the time who cant pay. i'm not running a free or medicaid clinic here. overhead in dentistry is a b!tch
I'm on this side.
It would be sad, but it's their fault.
I mean, a while ago I wasn't a diligent flosser (as most of the public) mainly because I had no interest in dentistry and was lazy. Thus I have some interproximal decay which I now have to get fixed.
My stupid fault.
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I'm on this side.
It would be sad, but it's their fault.
I mean, a while ago I wasn't a diligent flosser (as most of the public) mainly because I had no interest in dentistry and was lazy. Thus I have some interproximal decay which I now have to get fixed.
My stupid fault.
Eh...just for the sake of argument:
I've never had a cavity. It's not for lack of trying. Back when I was younger, I went through a period when I drank like a fish, smoked like a chimney, brushed irregularly, and flossed when the fancy struck me.
But, it's true. I somehow never developed a cavity.
Does that mean I'm a superior patient worthy of your full attention, then, as opposed to the rabble who got exactly what was coming to them? Just wondering...
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Hire good front desk people and you won't even be presented with insurance-less and cash-less individuals. Seriously, what competent front desk person would put a patient in your chair that has no way of paying for anything. Send them to the local emergency room if they're in pain!
The hardest part of being a dentist will vary for everybody. For some, the physical toll will be hard (back/neck issues). For a large majority, dealing with administrative issues will be the hardest; for instance, hiring and firing GOOD staff will occupy a lot of your time.
For the person who joked about sleeping with the hygienist, you have no idea what you're talking about.
lol na, but i've heard this before, and it's very true;
when your young and idealistic, most of us are liberal democrats. free healthcare for all, gov'mnt should take care of my bills
as you get older AND make some money; you quickly realize that your going to be paying a $hitload in taxes, while the majority of the people dont pay anything and actually leech of your taxes. so, as you age, you become more of a conservative republican
and right now, as still a pre-dent or student, you can talk about how heart wrenching it is to turn away people with pain, etc, etc. however what you dont realize is that the majority of the time it's THEIR FAULT. why didnt they pick up a tooth brush for the past 20 yrs? why not come in for cleanings? money is a problem you say, well whats up with the flat screen tv and the new truck?? they have no problem paying for some stuff when they think it's valuable to them. with dentistry many times they dont feel like they're getting anything out of it ($90 for a cleaning, what do i get!!?)
and yes, there are exceptions. i pulled a tooth out for a lady who had a jar fall on her face. she couldnt pay, was in pain, did it pro-bono. i do a few of those a year on people who i think are truly deserving. and yes, i turn away people all the time who cant pay. i'm not running a free or medicaid clinic here. overhead in dentistry is a b!tch
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Hire good front desk people and you won't even be presented with insurance-less and cash-less individuals. Seriously, what competent front desk person would put a patient in your chair that has no way of paying for anything. Send them to the local emergency room if they're in pain!
The hardest part of being a dentist will vary for everybody. For some, the physical toll will be hard (back/neck issues). For a large majority, dealing with administrative issues will be the hardest; for instance, hiring and firing GOOD staff will occupy a lot of your time.
For the person who joked about sleeping with the hygienist, you have no idea what you're talking about.
Your location made me chuckle.
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everyone does dentistry for different reasons. Some people just like the profession and see it as a good career choice. They might not be all that interested in serving the underprivileged, its their choice. nothing wrong with this.
However, some people see serving the underprivileged as a motivation to pursue dentistry. That doesn't mean treat everyone who doesnt have money. personal responsibility does come into play when deciding who gets care and who doesnt.
I'll take myself for example, I never went to the dentist once until my junior year in college when i got my first cavity. Luckily for me it was the only issue i ever had and. a lot of people don't have the $$$ to cover dental care for themselves and their kids in america, its one of the major issues in dentistry today. Thus, my personal experience plays a motivation factor for why i want to go into this field.
basically what im saying is...everyone has different goals within their career, to each his own.
However, some people see serving the underprivileged as a motivation to pursue dentistry. That doesn't mean treat everyone who doesnt have money. personal responsibility does come into play when deciding who gets care and who doesnt.
I'll take myself for example, I never went to the dentist once until my junior year in college when i got my first cavity. Luckily for me it was the only issue i ever had and. a lot of people don't have the $$$ to cover dental care for themselves and their kids in america, its one of the major issues in dentistry today. Thus, my personal experience plays a motivation factor for why i want to go into this field.
basically what im saying is...everyone has different goals within their career, to each his own.
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If this is an example of what growing up is all about maybe we are better off remaining young neophytes.
Somehow I just knew one of the responses would be "but it's their fault!".
I used to have this same attitude (albeit, I did not make such atrocious generalizations), because it was easier on my conscience to put the fault on "them". The person who made me realized that this was intellectually lazy was, get this, a dentist in her mid 50s!
There are so many factors as to why someone has poor dental care, you certainly cannot know for sure all the reasons for each person individually (many of which are out of their control), so to say "the majority of the case it's their fault" makes me question whether you've actually thought about the issue. It's such an easy "feel good" way out of a complex problem.
whats your point? ok, you go to dental school, rack up tons of debt and go do free dentistry; because it's your fault they have bad teeth. it's your fault they have "soft teeth". you have no idea wtf your talking about. go out into the real world and then you will see the following:
1- it's very expensive running a practice (OH is in the 60% range)
2- people have an entitlement mentality (who goes to the optometrist and asks for free glasses?? and thats something thats not their fault)
3- there are a few people who truly cannot afford it, and it's something that out of their control, so you help those people. if i did free care on everybody who walked in i would be bankrupt in a few months.
so ya, during your interviews you can spew all this BS about how you wanna help people, and you grew up dreaming about fixing teeth. at the end of the day it's a business. nobody's entitled to free dental care, just like nobody's entitled to free eye care, free groceries, etc
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I don't think he's advocating free care. He's pointing out that the "it's the patient's fault" line of thought is a logical fallacy. The fact that you sometimes help some people would indicate that you actually agree.
I find your last exclamation boorish. While you're right that no one is entitled to anything, some do deserve help. People overcome rough beginnings all the time to live out the American dream. That's not BS, that's a fact and a tribute to this country, which wouldn't be what it is if services were privileges of the rich only. It can't always be about the almighty dollar.
By the way, your complaint about the cost of education and high overhead is a poor one. You speak of dentistry as though it weren't one of the highest paid professions, in a country that rewards dental care more than any other in the world. At the end of the day, despite all the costs, we will still make more and live more comfortably than 95% of the people out there. I don't feel sorry for us. Do you think that anyone outside the profession does? I mean, geez...my [future] Audi A8 sure is a nice car, but why do gas and maintenance have to be so darn expensive?
Yes yes, I know. I'm a stupid little neophyte who has a lot to learn. Luckily, I'm a little bit older, so hopefully, I can retire before I become a jaded, bitter dentist.
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I've heard running a business/administrative duties from multiple sources.
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I think the hardest part for me will be opening my own practice. I have no business experience whatsoever, so I can foresee a lot of mistakes being made (but at the same time, there will be a lot to learn from them).
DrReo, your snide remarks never cease to amaze me. You rarely have anything nice to say in most the posts I've seen from you. This is a place for encouragement, and all I seem to see is you putting others down, and making them feel stupid. It's really not needed. Please have respect for us pre-dents if you would like it in return.
DrReo, your snide remarks never cease to amaze me. You rarely have anything nice to say in most the posts I've seen from you. This is a place for encouragement, and all I seem to see is you putting others down, and making them feel stupid. It's really not needed. Please have respect for us pre-dents if you would like it in return.
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When did I ever say anything about "free dentistry" for everybody? You completely exaggerated my words in order to make one of the most overused argument ever. Whatever.
In any case, I don't spew BS and I know older dentists who run good businesses and who do not share your attitude (and do quite a bit of philanthropy), so I think I'll be okay with myself "at the end of the day". I'm sure there are capable dentists out there who share your views, but I don't necessarily respect them, sorry (Props to you for doing some pro-bono work a year, though, and I'm not being sarcastic here). That's what I meant by my original statement: "ideology, not age".
EDIT: Thanks Inngu, you get my point.
