How do I know if dentistry is right for me?

[funkymonkey]

Simply put...how do you know if it is right for you? Just looking for some advice before I get into this for the long haul. Thanks 🙂

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[busupshot83]

Simply put...how do you know if it is right for you? Just looking for some advice before I get into this for the long haul. Thanks 🙂

Shadow a dentist, as well as other health professionals (physicians, optometrists, podiatrists, etc.). If dentistry still floats your boat, go for it.

 

[Ding2daDong]

Simply put...how do you know if it is right for you? Just looking for some advice before I get into this for the long haul. Thanks 🙂

I am a predent but I will throw in my .02 since no one else has yet. I would say to shadow a dentist is probably your best bet. Also if you like to party alot and getting C's on tests are awesome because at least you passed is not a good start. 😀 If you are starting undergrad classes then you are getting to know some of the basic information that you will have to build upon.

My dad always tells me to just pick something that you want to do and give it 100% of your effort because no matter what profession you get into, you won't like something about it. If the pay is good then at least theres that.

-Matthew

 

[TheWiredNerv]

Shadowing a dentist will give you a good idea if you want to go into this career. The only way you will really know is when you are the dentist in the drivers seat. Things are diferent when you are performing dentistry than watching another dentist do it.

 

[SmilesLast4evr]

Simply put...how do you know if it is right for you? Just looking for some advice before I get into this for the long haul. Thanks 🙂

Hi funkymonkey,

I think you should just evaluate the things that you enjoy doing to see if dentistry is a good fit. I assume that you have some kind of idea that you want to work in health care, so just size up dentistry against the other professions. How much patient interaction are you comfortable with? There is alot in dentistry. You need to communicate well with patients and for crying out loud you are in their face! You have to be comfortable that close to another person. If closeness is not your thing, perhaps a different specialty.

Do you like to work with your hands? Do you have some kind of sense of manual dexterity? I heard these are skills that can somewhat be taught, but you don't want to go dropping crowns down every patients throat because you can't hold on to them!

Sorry to say, there is no quiz that will tell you how much dentistry is a fit for you, but just kind of think about the trademarks to dentistry and see if those are things you would enjoy! And to piggyback the previous post, shadow! When I shadowed, I saw 6 extractions in a pedo clinic on my first day! To make a long story short, I returned the next day. No problem! If you a squeemish..perhaps not the field for you.

Hope that helps!

 

[claugh]

if you've shadowed and explored the profession, and you are still having doubts then you're probably having them for a reason. you gotta remember, it wont take one day to become a dentist, so this is a long haul you're in for, you gotta know that you want to do this no matter what. it's better to wait a bit and make sure that this is it than to go for it and then drop out 4th year of dental school.

 

[shamrock2006]

shadowing does work to an extent..but I do know some people who said shadowing almost made them bail on dentistry. It wasnt until they were able to get some chairside experience assisting that they really loved it. There is where you'll get some real insight (if you can even pull that off). But shadowing will suffice to at least give you a small idea of what its like. Something is better than nothing. Give it a shot.