How did you know you wanted to be a dentist? what reasons?

[EstherB]

Hello

I'm a Pre-Dent student majoring in Business minor in Entrepreneurship. I am married and have 2 kids....I'm in the process of completing my pre-reqs and I just keep thinking WHY do I want to be a dentist? Out of all things? My situation is a little difficult. I basically have to do Chem 1 + 2 over the summer so I can do Physics and Inorganic Chem next year and take the DAT over the summer. Otherwise I'll have to wait 2 more years to take the DAT but I'll almost be done with school. I'm a little nervous about condensing Chem into that short period.... also, I reallllllly need to get into 1 school in particular-Nova. I'm in central FL but I'm Jewish and my kids need a Jewish school, community, nanny, etc. So it's not possible for me to just move ANYWHERE....

and I keep thinking - what if I finally get there and I decide that sitting hunched over patients all day in their mouths just isn't for me?

I started out as a Pre-Arch student because I'm super creative and have good handskills - and I love science so that's how I came to thinking about dentistry. Also, I'm always at the dentist due to my genetically horrible teeth. Not aesthetically just prone to cavities. Anyways, I've been comfortable in that chair ever since I was 4 years old and found it fascinating. So I would love to get into cosmetic dentistry and perhaps practice that solely.

I guess my question is - were you guys dead set on being dentists? How do you know? Who can I talk to? I feel like I'm at a cross roads, I need to know if to keep wasting my semesters on science courses or to just drop it and find another rewarding career. HELP!

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[browncrack]

Cut back on the caffeine. Check the predent forum. No one really knows these answers but you. If you want to be a Dentist then do the prereqs. If not, then something else will come up.

 

[sonofapizzaman]

Go to a dentist's office ASAP and ask them if you can shadow. Ask them all of the questions that you ahve about dentistry. Try to see everything possible. Then go to another dentist to get their opinion because they'll have a different outlook. Ask them to be honest.

I am in a similar boat. A bit nervous myself, but I feel like I did my homework. Unfortunately you can't sit in the chair and do the work until you've already taken the plunge and gone to school.

You can still have caffeine...

 

[gorrillaunit18]

Hello

I'm a Pre-Dent student majoring in Business minor in Entrepreneurship. I am married and have 2 kids....I'm in the process of completing my pre-reqs and I just keep thinking WHY do I want to be a dentist? Out of all things? My situation is a little difficult. I basically have to do Chem 1 + 2 over the summer so I can do Physics and Inorganic Chem next year and take the DAT over the summer. Otherwise I'll have to wait 2 more years to take the DAT but I'll almost be done with school. I'm a little nervous about condensing Chem into that short period.... also, I reallllllly need to get into 1 school in particular-Nova. I'm in central FL but I'm Jewish and my kids need a Jewish school, community, nanny, etc. So it's not possible for me to just move ANYWHERE....

and I keep thinking - what if I finally get there and I decide that sitting hunched over patients all day in their mouths just isn't for me?

I started out as a Pre-Arch student because I'm super creative and have good handskills - and I love science so that's how I came to thinking about dentistry. Also, I'm always at the dentist due to my genetically horrible teeth. Not aesthetically just prone to cavities. Anyways, I've been comfortable in that chair ever since I was 4 years old and found it fascinating. So I would love to get into cosmetic dentistry and perhaps practice that solely.

I guess my question is - were you guys dead set on being dentists? How do you know? Who can I talk to? I feel like I'm at a cross roads, I need to know if to keep wasting my semesters on science courses or to just drop it and find another rewarding career. HELP!

I'm half jewish myself, but I see no need to be in a "jewish community." I don't understand this. Try moving to NY then, it'll be a good change of scenery as well.

 

[LazurasDC]

With the growing need of dental care in the world, being a dentist helps satisfy the calling to help others.
Oral Health is very much integrated into over all health and plays a big role. Being a dentist offers the ability to be a clinician, a physician to help others with their health and to control disease as well as an artist to help people with the esthetics of their smile.

The autonomy of owning your own practice and calling your own shots. You're a business major, you should be able to elaborate on this.

As nasty as the mouth can be and can get, i enjoy doing this everyday because I believe I am a good at it and getting better and learning more everyday. Health care is a profession where you have the opportunity to learn everyday and also to teach and educate your patients.

Hope this helps, just don't plagiarize me

 

[Edentulator]

I chose dentistry because:

-I have always loved learning about physiology, anatomy and pathology so it was a no-brainer that I wanted to be some kind of health care provider
-I enjoy working with my hands and making things look nice
-I didn't want to be a GP physician, because I thought that would mean mostly ordering tests and referring patients out, or seeing lonely seniors and paranoid moms with snotty-nosed kids who just need to spend a few days in bed
-I didn't want to "specialize" either, because I wanted a field where I could build long term relationships with patients
-Teeth are just teeth...They're important enough, but not a life or death matter that you have to worry about when you go home at night
-Working for myself and being able to establish my own balance between life and work

If you aren't sure if dentistry is for you, think about the things that you want in a career and then research around to see what your other options are. If you don't want to go through with all of the sciences you could consider becoming a lab technician...They are basically artists who also know enough about dentistry to create functional prostheses and applicances for patients. You wouldn't have to spend hours hunched over patients, and with your business background if you started your own company you could do quite well. If you have never taken a tour of a lab this is something you might find really interesting as a super creative person with good hand skills.

Shadowing a dentist is very good advice. I also knew some people who took a year to study dental assisting, then worked in dental offices while they went to school in preparation to apply for dental school. It's a bit of a full stop, but may be worthwhile if you're really afraid of making the wrong choice.

 

[The Hammer]

Hello I'm in central FL but I'm Jewish and my kids need a Jewish school, community, nanny, etc. So it's not possible for me to just move ANYWHERE.......

Move to Israel. Big jewish community over there

 

[GoGatorsDMD]

Are you looking for things to insert into your personal statement? Yikes.

If you don't know why you're going for dentistry you either 1) Don't know enough about it or 2) Don't really like it. Either way, you sound like you are not really ready to go to dental school. As said above, shadow some real dentists and see if this is actually for you. You should be chomping at the bit to do this because if you "ain't", then dental school will not be worth it. Trust me, it sucks big time.

There are plenty of Jews in Gainesville, by the way. NYU or Columbia without a doubt. Come to think of it, Louisville, KY has a big Jewish community also. That's where I am now.

 

[dl9006]

lol what's the point of asking this?

you're mostly going to get the same old cookie cutter answers from this forum.

go shadow a dentist and think about it on your own because our motivations should not be the reason you go into this field.

 

[mike3kgt]

Hello

Also, I'm always at the dentist due to my genetically horrible teeth. Not aesthetically just prone to cavities.

So let me guess... you have soft teeth?

Or maybe your baby stole your calcium?

 

[browncrack]

I like this field because I like working in warm, moist, tight areas with a fair amount of controlled force.

 

[dentaldawg32]

I like this field because I like working in warm, moist, tight areas with a fair amount of controlled force.

haha

 

[GoGatorsDMD]

So let me guess... you have soft teeth?

Or maybe your baby stole your calcium?

Baby stole my calcium. I love that one. Give it back thief!

 

[mike3kgt]

Baby stole my calcium. I love that one. Give it back thief!

Hahaha, NO WAY!

Seriously, I never heard this in 1.5 years of practice in FL. Granted it was SoFla and at two nice practices, but as soon as I moved to the mid-west, I heard it from like every other female patient.

At the clinic I was working at, just for kicks, I used to bait the pregnant mothers into saying it. My assistants and I would ALWAYS get a huge kick out of it. Gotta get some enjoyment out of a day working in Medicaid.

 

[daisy25]

sitting hunched over patients all day in their mouths just isn't for me?

Sounds like you've already made your mind...this doesn't sound like you see all the good things about dentistry. Maybe you should try to shadow a Jewish dentist, that way it will give you a better idea of how dentistry fits in with your culture/religion.

 

[mike3kgt]

Maybe you should try to shadow a Jewish dentist,

MAN, where are you going to find one of those?

Just call me Dr. Tim Whatley... you can shadow me... I converted just for the jokes!

 

[reapply2007]

You should look through www.exampleessays.com/