How did people react when you told them you wanted to go into dentistry?

[SamAnders]

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That stupid suicide statistic makes me mad every time! Did you know that half of all statistics is made up.... 😉

 

[lotexigeus]

i too got the "you don't even brush your own teeth" schpeel from my mother. haha

 

[Andrew324]

.

 

[lcataralc]

The best response I get is when people ask to be my first patient.(though they often also say they will hold out until I open a practice heh.)

I suppose the worst responders asked if I was sure I wanted to be in school for the next 4+ years, never taking "Yes" as an answer.


Andrew324, I was shadowing a dentist who was talking to me about the abortion issue concerning a rape scenario of a 14yr old girl while performing sealants on a 13yr old girl. He's a great dentist, but I was mentally telling him to shutup haha. Luckily the girl at least pretended not to understand or care.

First post woohoo!

 

[Fresh1027]

One things that kind of bothers me though is how the first thing out of many people's mouths is related to money that dentists make, but I just brush it off.

lol... brush it off!
clever

 

[noles]

I've had a few MD's tell me it's a great choice and if they could do it all over again they probably would have done dentistry instead..

and then of course everyone else first mentions the suicide rate bs haha

 

[Shovon]

I was at a bar last weekend with 3 of my friends. The night was slow, so the bartender came up to us and asked us a bunch of questions, and we started up a conversation. She asked what we all did, and my friend blurted out that I'm going to be a dentist, and the rest of them are engineers. She laughed, pointed at me, and said "He's going to die first." She then walked away..

I've even gotten this response from a patient sitting in my dad's dental chair. My dad was adjusting her dentures and mentioned to her that "this is my son, he'd like to go into dentistry." She looked at me and said "But don't they have the highest suicide rate?"

So I thought about it for a while - and came up with a good response:

"Well yes.. that's actually why I chose dentistry - it fits my personality perfectly."

Use a neurotic stare while saying this.

 

[Shovon]

Oh and I also get a lot of confused looks and questions when I say I'm going to dental school:

"You mean dental assisting school, wow that's great!" - this guy was kind enough to correct my mistake several times until I gave up...

"What is that, like a hygiene program? ... 1 or 2 years at a community college?"

"So you're going to be a dental assistant?"

After typing this, I'm left wondering how I even came into contact with people like this.. and then I remember that I currently live in South Florida.

 

[Shingo123]

I was at a bar last weekend with 3 of my friends. The night was slow, so the bartender came up to us and asked us a bunch of questions, and we started up a conversation. She asked what we all did, and my friend blurted out that I'm going to be a dentist, and the rest of them are engineers. She laughed, pointed at me, and said "He's going to die first." She then walked away..

I've even gotten this response from a patient sitting in my dad's dental chair. My dad was adjusting her dentures and mentioned to her that "this is my son, he'd like to go into dentistry." She looked at me and said "But don't they have the highest suicide rate?"

So I thought about it for a while - and came up with a good response:

"Well yes.. that's actually why I chose dentistry - it fits my personality perfectly."

Use a neurotic stare while saying this.

As if engineering is not stressful. Hah, you are a pretty good writer, I feel as I know that girl personally, and I don't much care for her.

Well I have gotten the dental suicide rate a few times, one from a female physician who just LOVES to show off her knowledge of facts and information, not once stopping and questioning whether it is correct or not.

 

[xtapolapocetl]

Oh and I also get a lot of confused looks and questions when I say I'm going to dental school

"You mean dental assisting school, wow that's great!"

I think the reason a lot of people equate dental school with dental assistants, hygienists, etc. is that there seems to be this popular misconception that dentists also have to go to medical school (ie. they don't have their own schools).

 

[NyCzPeter]

I think the reason a lot of people equate dental school with dental assistants, hygienists, etc. is that there seems to be this popular misconception that dentists also have to go to medical school (ie. they don't have their own schools).

That definitely has some truth to it considering 33% of the public think Dental ASSISTANTS are medical doctors. Lol talk about prestige.

Here's link
http://www.magnetmail.net/images/clients/AOA_/attach/CHARTCoalitionPR.pdf