How many vacation days can I expect to take as a dentist?

[ccp005]

Hi, I am a college student who is considering a career in dentistry. I was wondering how many vacation days I can expect as a dentist with my own practice (or in a group)? It is easy to say "oh, you're the boss you can take off as much as you want" but I realize that is not a realistic answer due to dentists having SO much overhead with equipment, staff, etc.



This aspect is somewhat important to me, as I love to travel. Sure, anyone can say they 'love' to travel (who doesn't?).... but currently I am between careers in: Medicine, Dentistry, and pursuing wildlife/travel videography... so I seriously consider it an important aspect of my life. It is a goal of mine to visit 100 countries before I pass. As you can see my career choices fall on complete opposites of the spectrum of safe and risky. I have decided that if I choose the first two, I will have kids.... If I choose to make a living with my camera... I will not, as I can be happy with little money, so long as I do not have any dependents riding on me. Dentistry seems like a career that could provide me the money as well as the flexibility to both... support a family and do extensive travel.



However, I am just speculating... I would appreciate any input anyone is willing to offer.



Thank You

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[princeafrica]

Going into a healthcare field is more about serving people than how many vacation days.

You can make vacation work for all those careers if you want to....

I mentioned in another post that I met two endodontists who are in a partnership. They each make 7 figure in 6 months and take the rest of the 6 months ago. I've met GPs who work just 2 weeks a month.

I have met a EM physician who gets to take a couple of months each year off. Even met family physicians who get couple weeks each year off. I've heard of plastic surgeons who just work 3 months lol.

Sounds like wildlife/travel videography kinda sounds like vacations lol. I've seen people on instagram who says they are on vacation but take too many wildlife pictures

 

[2TH MVR]

Being a practice owner will afford you the flexibility in when and how much vacation you want to take. But as you said .... in dentistry (not necessarily ortho), you have to work to produce. In ortho .... you have monthly payments coming in that eases the no to low production times. In a mature practice with longterm staff who have accrued vacation time ..... the overhead when you are off and your staff is off can be doubly hard on your bottom line.

One advantage of a partnership/group type of practice is that dentists can alternate their vacation times and this will keep the practice running.

It's really up to you. Everyone's goals are different and money isn't necessarily the endgame.

 

[Saddleshoes]

It's amazing how the importance of "vacation days" decreases proportional to the size of student debt, upon graduation.

 

[charlestweed]

To travel to 100+ countries, you’ll need a lot of money. And in order to make money, you’ll need to have a good stable job. I am not sure if the job that you do with your camera will give you enough money to fulfill your traveling goal. Airline tickets, hotels, taxis, food, car rentals etc are not cheap. I see no point of traveling...and have to live like a poor person in foreign lands. I usually spend around $5-10k for 3-4 day to a week long vacation for a family of 4.

If you own a dental practice, your employees continue to get paid while you are on vacation. So you do not only lose income and many of the walk-in patients to another office, you also have to pay your staff for sitting around...and just to answer the phone. When your patients realize that you are not always available at your office to take care of them, they’ll leave your office for another dentist's office for better care.

If you have kids, you can only take vacations when your kids are not in school (ie summer, xmas, spring breaks). I know this one couple, who are both very successful dentists. They used to travel a lot. The husband took every Friday off to snow board during the snowing seasons. After a while, they felt lonely and wanted to have kid. The wife was pregnant when she was 43yo and her husband was 49 yo. Now with a daughter, who just turned one, they stop traveling, snowboarding, and all other fun things that they used to do….but they are extremely happy staying home and taking care of their little princess.

 

[ccp005]

To travel to 100+ countries, you’ll need a lot of money. And in order to make money, you’ll need to have a good stable job. I am not sure if the job that you do with your camera will give you enough money to fulfill your traveling goal. Airline tickets, hotels, taxis, food, car rentals etc are not cheap. I see no point of traveling...and have to live like a poor person in foreign lands. I usually spend around $5-10k for 3-4 day to a week long vacation for a family of 4.

If you own a dental practice, your employees continue to get paid while you are on vacation. So you do not only lose income and many of the walk-in patients to another office, you also have to pay your staff for sitting around...and just to answer the phone. When your patients realize that you are not always available at your office to take care of them, they’ll leave your office for another dentist's office for better care.

If you have kids, you can only take vacations when your kids are not in school (ie summer, xmas, spring breaks). I know this one couple, who are both very successful dentists. They used to travel a lot. The husband took every Friday off to snow board during the snowing seasons. After a while, they felt lonely and wanted to have kid. The wife was pregnant when she was 43yo and her husband was 49 yo. Now with a daughter, who just turned one, they stop traveling, snowboarding, and all other fun things that they used to do….but they are extremely happy staying home and taking care of their little princess.

Well if I had a career with my camera the traveling to multiple countries would likely be a part of my career as I would focus on wildlife and travel filmmaking, and would likely live abroad. It would be a lot of money, but not as much as you are thinking considering I'm not into luxury travel for the most part. I'm more of an outdoorsman and enjoy roughing it. I'd much rather stay in my tent for free or a hostel for $10 a night than spending a couple hundo on a nice place for a night. This may seem weird but if I'm traveling I don't stay in my room unless I'm sleeping and am constantly doing something. I understand traveling with family is expensive... and I certainly would take them a few places. But I'm looking more at trips like taking 2-3 weeks off to backpack through southeast asia by myself or maybe with my wife (I could do this easily with 2-5k depending on flight). I would likely leave my kids home with their grandparents for trips like this... and then maybe take them on a 'family trip' to the beach or skiing another time that year.

I probably wouldn't take my kids on international trips until they were at least 13ish and could keep up with my rigorous hiking habits.

As a dentist, do you have any experience working in groups? And if this could improve my chances of having a successful practice making it possible to have vacation time?

What do you think is a reasonable amount of vacation time I can expect to have while maintaining 175k a year?

 

[ccp005]

Being a practice owner will afford you the flexibility in when and how much vacation you want to take. But as you said .... in dentistry (not necessarily ortho), you have to work to produce. In ortho .... you have monthly payments coming in that eases the no to low production times. In a mature practice with longterm staff who have accrued vacation time ..... the overhead when you are off and your staff is off can be doubly hard on your bottom line.

One advantage of a partnership/group type of practice is that dentists can alternate their vacation times and this will keep the practice running.

It's really up to you. Everyone's goals are different and money isn't necessarily the endgame.

This is good insight, thank you.

 

[ccp005]

It's amazing how the importance of "vacation days" decreases proportional to the size of student debt, upon graduation.

This is very true. I am naive in the sense that I have yet to experience this. However, I do consider this an important aspect of my life.

I am willing to give up a lot to achieve it. All I ask is I have enough to provide for my family and send my children to good schools. Like I said though, I have yet to experience this. Maybe I will find I feel differently as I age. The thing that seems good about dentistry is I can adjust my practice towards my specific goals at the time.

Did you find it very difficult to find time to travel as dentist?

 

[ccp005]

Going into a healthcare field is more about serving people than how many vacation days.

You can make vacation work for all those careers if you want to....

I mentioned in another post that I met two endodontists who are in a partnership. They each make 7 figure in 6 months and take the rest of the 6 months ago. I've met GPs who work just 2 weeks a month.

I have met a EM physician who gets to take a couple of months each year off. Even met family physicians who get couple weeks each year off. I've heard of plastic surgeons who just work 3 months lol.

Sounds like wildlife/travel videography kinda sounds like vacations lol. I've seen people on instagram who says they are on vacation but take too many wildlife pictures

Oh I understand, If I am in healthcare I will do all I can to care for my patients. The only reason I take vacation days very seriously is that I am passionate about other things too and I have goals to excel in those areas. Traveling and immersing myself into different cultures is one of them. Even if I choose dentistry I won't give up my life with my camera... I will continue to make films and enter them in film festivals.

That is interesting. I guess no matter what career you are in you can make vacation time potentially happen. I guess I just want to make sure it is possible, as I have a lot of passions and want to have time for them all while also making a good living.

yeah videography probably wouldn't offer much vacation time at all, but much of the work would likely be in pretty neat places and I'd have an absolute blast creating content and telling the different stories to the world.

 

[princeafrica]

Oh I understand, If I am in healthcare I will do all I can to care for my patients. The only reason I take vacation days very seriously is that I am passionate about other things too and I have goals to excel in those areas. Traveling and immersing myself into different cultures is one of them. Even if I choose dentistry I won't give up my life with my camera... I will continue to make films and enter them in film festivals.

That is interesting. I guess no matter what career you are in you can make vacation time potentially happen. I guess I just want to make sure it is possible, as I have a lot of passions and want to have time for them all while also making a good living.

yeah videography probably wouldn't offer much vacation time at all, but much of the work would likely be in pretty neat places and I'd have an absolute blast creating content and telling the different stories to the world.

Yeahhhh traveling is amazing. I grew up in 8 countries before settling in the U.S and I can say experiencing different cultures has made me a better person. I would say do dentistry or medicine! You will find a way to make time for vacation and I think if you travel you will be able to relate well with a diverse pool of patients!

 

[charlestweed]

Well if I had a career with my camera the traveling to multiple countries would likely be a part of my career as I would focus on wildlife and travel filmmaking, and would likely live abroad. It would be a lot of money, but not as much as you are thinking considering I'm not into luxury travel for the most part. I'm more of an outdoorsman and enjoy roughing it. I'd much rather stay in my tent for free or a hostel for $10 a night than spending a couple hundo on a nice place for a night. This may seem weird but if I'm traveling I don't stay in my room unless I'm sleeping and am constantly doing something. I understand traveling with family is expensive... and I certainly would take them a few places. But I'm looking more at trips like taking 2-3 weeks off to backpack through southeast asia by myself or maybe with my wife (I could do this easily with 2-5k depending on flight). I would likely leave my kids home with their grandparents for trips like this... and then maybe take them on a 'family trip' to the beach or skiing another time that year.

I probably wouldn't take my kids on international trips until they were at least 13ish and could keep up with my rigorous hiking habits.

As a dentist, do you have any experience working in groups? And if this could improve my chances of having a successful practice making it possible to have vacation time?

What do you think is a reasonable amount of vacation time I can expect to have while maintaining 175k a year?

It's easy to say leaving your kid with the grandparents now. Wait until you have you own kid, I think your thinking will change. With that kind of momadic lifestyle, I think it'll be hard to find a spouse who also thinks like you. Most parents want to have a stable permanent place for their kids to grow and to make friends. I've followed a couple of youtubers who have such lifestyle....no house, no wife, no kids, no belonging etc. I wonder what their lives will be like when they get older and their healths start declining...no health insurance, no relatives, no house, no saving for retirement etc. Who will take care of them?

If you are a dentist and want to travel a lot, it's will be hard to find a partner who has to take care of everything while you are away. Nobody wants to have a lazy partner. If you plan to work for someone else, be prepare to find a new job every time you plan to have a long vacation because no employer would want to hire an associate who doesn't take his/her job seriously.

 

[Cold Front]

Going into a healthcare field is more about serving people than how many vacation days.

You can make vacation work for all those careers if you want to....

I mentioned in another post that I met two endodontists who are in a partnership. They each make 7 figure in 6 months and take the rest of the 6 months ago. I've met GPs who work just 2 weeks a month.

I have met a EM physician who gets to take a couple of months each year off. Even met family physicians who get couple weeks each year off. I've heard of plastic surgeons who just work 3 months lol.

Sounds like wildlife/travel videography kinda sounds like vacations lol. I've seen people on instagram who says they are on vacation but take too many wildlife pictures

The caveat is, all those people who take 3-6 months off a year are established and have been in practice for many years (if not closer to retirement) to enjoy those perks, income and vacation time. Don’t count on seeing that level of comfort for decades after graduation, unless you are 0.01% of younger dentists or physicians.

 

[princeafrica]

The caveat is, all those people who take 3-6 months off a year are established and have been in practice for many years (if not closer to retirement) to enjoy those perks, income and vacation time. Don’t count on seeing that level of comfort for decades after graduation, unless you are 0.01% of younger dentists or physicians.

Good point; completely agree!

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

It's easy to say leaving your kid with the grandparents now. Wait until you have you own kid, I think your thinking will change. With that kind of momadic lifestyle, I think it'll be hard to find a spouse who also thinks like you. Most parents want to have a stable permanent place for their kids to grow and to make friends. I've followed a couple of youtubers who have such lifestyle....no house, no wife, no kids, no belonging etc. I wonder what their lives will be like when they get older and their healths start declining...no health insurance, no relatives, no house, no saving for retirement etc. Who will take care of them?

If you are a dentist and want to travel a lot, it's will be hard to find a partner who has to take care of everything while you are gone. Nobody wants to have a lazy partner. If you plan to work for someone else, be prepared to find a new job every time you plan to have a long vacation because no employer would want to hire an associate who doesn't take his/her job seriously.

This. 100 times this.

My second daughter was born a week ago, and it only reinforces the desire I have to help my family, be there for them, take them with me when I go places, etc. Getting out on my own seems so....boring now. Even when my wife and I get away for a date night or such, we really miss the kids.

If you're going to have a family, just to leave them for weeks at a time so you can travel and have fun, then what's the point?

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[princeafrica]

Even when my wife and I get away for a date night or such, we really miss the kids.

Spoken like a true dad #Dadvibes

 

[Cold Front]

If you're going to have a family, just to leave them for weeks at a time so you can travel and have fun, then what's the point?

Good for you. I know people (doctors) who have kid(s) who said having kids blocked personal ambitions and feel the family sacrifices frustrated them. Not to say they hate their kids, but they enjoy getting as much pass as they can to do non-family activities too. Not everyone get the happy dose from having a family/kids like you do.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

Good for you. I know people (doctors) who have kid(s) who said having kids blocked personal ambitions and feel the family sacrifices frustrated them. Not to say they hate their kids, but they enjoy getting as much pass as they can to do non-family activities too. Not everyone get the happy dose from having a family/kids like you do.

I know it. Honestly, I work pretty dang hard to have those vibes, and sometimes I'm not totally successful.

I think it's the same with marriage though, and if you whine to your colleagues and co-workers about your spouse, your marriage will be worse than if you actively work to speak well of her (him). I could complain about the fact I'm currently sitting, rocking my daughter to sleep as I write this and my wife gets the sleep I'd love to have, or I could just relish the fact that these little ones grow so freaking fast, and soon I won't get to do much but see her a couple times a year. Idk, try to focus on positives I guess.

My perspective is that no success in business/dentistry/career could ever make up for a failure in my family. Though sometimes the successes do coincide.

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[BluntForceTrauma]

Spoken like a true dad #Dadvibes

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[DrJeff]

Good for you. I know people (doctors) who have kid(s) who said having kids blocked personal ambitions and feel the family sacrifices frustrated them. Not to say they hate their kids, but they enjoy getting as much pass as they can to do non-family activities too. Not everyone get the happy dose from having a family/kids like you do.

In all honesty, if one doesn't get that having a family will inevitably impact their often selfish, personal ambitions and solo free time activities for many, many years, then they probably shouldn't be having a family!

Kids change EVERYTHING. That vast majority of the time, even when it's frustrating as all get up, it's still the most rewarding thing to be a parent. Even with financial stability and the opportunity to do things than many people and families can't because of lack of financial stability, there are plenty of things that I'd love to do, but choose not too, since my family comes first. You make choices, and they are just that choices,not sacrifices, for your family. I'd love to take 2 to 4hrs a day, 3 or 4 days a week minimum and go for a long bike ride, or a hike, or play golf, but I don't since that's time that I could be with my family watching my kids play sports or having a meal together. I certainly could do that if I really wanted to, it's just not the right thing, as a parent and spouse, for me to do that, so instead I get up an hour early every day, and go workout before the rest of my family often gets up to find my balance between the personal time that I want for myself, and the way more important in my book, time I am able to spend with my family in a very present state.

I'm sure in less than 5 years when both my kids are in college and presumably out of the house, that I may change things up a bit at that point, and do some of the things I have chosen not to do for the past now almost 15 years that I have been a parent, and if that's the case, I won't regret NOT having done those things for 20 or so years. Sometimes the best experiences in life aren't all about doing something new and different or taking a social media worthy picture of yourself at some cool place, sometimes far and away the best experiences may occur on some random Tuesday night, when you're family is just sitting on the couch watching some random movie that you've all seen many times over as it's about being together as a family

 

[Alpha Centauri]

However many you want.

 

[PreDentTechySon]

Why not be a videographer and get paid to travel? I really wouldn’t pick dentistry for the vacation options.

 

[ccp005]

It's easy to say leaving your kid with the grandparents now. Wait until you have you own kid, I think your thinking will change. With that kind of momadic lifestyle, I think it'll be hard to find a spouse who also thinks like you. Most parents want to have a stable permanent place for their kids to grow and to make friends. I've followed a couple of youtubers who have such lifestyle....no house, no wife, no kids, no belonging etc. I wonder what their lives will be like when they get older and their healths start declining...no health insurance, no relatives, no house, no saving for retirement etc. Who will take care of them?

If you are a dentist and want to travel a lot, it's will be hard to find a partner who has to take care of everything while you are away. Nobody wants to have a lazy partner. If you plan to work for someone else, be prepare to find a new job every time you plan to have a long vacation because no employer would want to hire an associate who doesn't take his/her job seriously.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. What I am inferring to is not a nomadic lifestyle. It's a stable lifestyle with nomadic tendencies once a year, and then having enough vacation to take my kids on vacation too (dentist route).... I stated in my first message that if I went the complete camera route I would not have any kids. But I'd still probably settle down one day with a wife, own a house, and contribute to my retirement fund (I do that now as a 20 year old), but I would not have the income I'd want to raise my kids the way I'd want to raise them.

Wanting to take a couple weeks a year for intensive and rigorous travel isn't necessarily correlated with laziness as long as I am there working hard the rest of the year.... I take my career extremely seriously. Don't let me wanting vacation days give you the interpretation that I am not serious about my career. I'm just serious about other things too...

I already know that if go to medical school and get a decent specialty, it isn't difficult to get 10 weeks off after a couple of years. (practically my entire family is in medicine). If you really make a point about it you can get more... What I've noticed however, is that the specialties involving groups are the ones that can typically offer the longer vacation days. That's why I asked you if you have experience in groups because I'm curious about is if dentistry can offer something similar.


I don't really expect you to understand, considering you are the type of person to spend 10k on a 4 day trip (and that's fine... to each his own). But for me the most expensive thing is the plane ticket... the rest of my time is in the mountains. We live different lives and have different desires.

I guess I would have to find a partner (or group) who has similar interests as mine. May be difficult, but if its possible may be worth a shot, as I think I would enjoy being a dentist over being a physician.

 

[ccp005]

Why not be a videographer and get paid to travel? I really wouldn’t pick dentistry for the vacation options.

I touched upon this a bit in my opening message. That is a consideration of mine, but if I did I wouldn't have kids due to the income not being as stable. I still am considering kids, so was wondering if dentistry could offer me the stable income for a family but enough vacation to have maybe one nomadic tendency a year

 

[ccp005]

The caveat is, all those people who take 3-6 months off a year are established and have been in practice for many years (if not closer to retirement) to enjoy those perks, income and vacation time. Don’t count on seeing that level of comfort for decades after graduation, unless you are 0.01% of younger dentists or physicians.

Of course, it all comes with time. I was never really expecting that much time off haha. How much do you think is a reasonable amount for a dentist in a group or in private practice?

Also, Thank you for your insight

 

[Dental2347]

I agree with opening a dentistry in partnership so you could have a flexible schedule.

 

[ccp005]

This. 100 times this.

My second daughter was born a week ago, and it only reinforces the desire I have to help my family, be there for them, take them with me when I go places, etc. Getting out on my own seems so....boring now. Even when my wife and I get away for a date night or such, we really miss the kids.

If you're going to have a family, just to leave them for weeks at a time so you can travel and have fun, then what's the point?

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If I have kids I will make it my mission to be the best father in the dam world honestly. I will be the most loving, supportive, and caring father/husband that I possibly can.

However, If possible, I would want to take a couple weeks out of the year to do some solo travel. I don't think that makes me a bad father/husband if can do my job of being there for my family the rest of the year. Although, I could see why you'd maybe think that.

I would want to take them places, but not necessarily on my solo travel trips... as it would involve rigorous outdoor activity. That's why I want to know how many vacation days are possible. I want to be able to fulfill some of my own personal goals, while also be able to take my family someplace a little more family friendly.

I don't really expect you to understand unless you were ever a: serious athlete/extreme outdoorsman/backpacker... yourself. I'm not your typical person with typical goals. I place some of my physical goals ( ex: climb el capitan in yosemite, win an amateur mma match) almost as important as the ones in my career.

I appreciate your comment, but I am not necessarily asking for approval... I'm asking for what is possible.

I've done a bit of research in medicine, and with that route I know I can reasonably expect around 6-10 weeks a year with a hospital specialty (with potential for more if I really sought for it and was willing to take paycuts)

I am looking for what you think would be a reasonable amount of vacation a dentist can have while maintaining an income close to 200k.
-I understand this may depend on how long said dentist has been in practice

It would may also be helpful to share how much vacation you've had in the past (if you don't mind sharing it) and how much you could take while being financially responsible.

Thank you, I appreciate your comment. Any input to the questions I have asked would be incredibly helpful

 

[ysrebob]

Really interesting thread.

Although it's rarely discussed, I think a lot of guys seriously struggle with the loss of personal freedom that comes with marriage and even more when you have kids. I for one love my wife and kid wholeheartedly but desperately, sorely, SORELY miss my motorcycle trips, world adventure travel, etc. Gone now, part of a former life. Maybe women feel this way sometimes too; I don't know -- somehow they seem a little better suited for the sacrifices and rewards of family life by disposition than do we men, but maybe that's just my ignorance showing.

Choosing dentistry as a profession will not keep you from a life of travel and adventure. Maybe you'll need to work as an associate or string together a bunch of locum tenans (temp) jobs vs have your own practice, but those kinds of positions are certainly very available and pay well. Choosing marriage and family might entail more fundamental changes to your personal goals.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

Really interesting thread.

Although it's rarely discussed, I think a lot of guys seriously struggle with the loss of personal freedom that comes with marriage and even more when you have kids. I for one love my wife and kid wholeheartedly but desperately, sorely, SORELY miss my motorcycle trips, world adventure travel, etc. Gone now, part of a former life. Maybe women feel this way sometimes too; I don't know -- somehow they seem a little better suited for the sacrifices and rewards of family life by disposition than do we men, but maybe that's just my ignorance showing.

Choosing dentistry as a profession will not keep you from a life of travel and adventure. Maybe you'll need to work as an associate or string together a bunch of locum tenans (temp) jobs vs have your own practice, but those kinds of positions are certainly very available and pay well. Choosing marriage and family might entail more fundamental changes to your personal goals.

Completely agree with the above. I used to climb a lot, and now I can't remember the last time I hit the crags. Priorities change, life shifts, goals are refined.



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[Incis0r]

Choosing dentistry as a profession will not keep you from a life of travel and adventure. Maybe you'll need to work as an associate or string together a bunch of locum tenans (temp) jobs vs have your own practice, but those kinds of positions are certainly very available and pay well. Choosing marriage and family might entail more fundamental changes to your personal goals.

Completely agree.

I have been thinking about locum closely but it seems like an infeasible strategy for a single guy since locum doesn't include medical (exchanges = overpriced).

Although it's rarely discussed, I think a lot of guys seriously struggle with the loss of personal freedom that comes with marriage and even more when you have kids. I for one love my wife and kid wholeheartedly but desperately, sorely, SORELY miss my motorcycle trips, world adventure travel, etc. Gone now, part of a former life. Maybe women feel this way sometimes too; I don't know -- somehow they seem a little better suited for the sacrifices and rewards of family life by disposition than do we men, but maybe that's just my ignorance showing.

Completely agree with the above. I used to climb a lot, and now I can't remember the last time I hit the crags. Priorities change, life shifts, goals are refined.

Yep. I bet the changes are worth it, though, right? I think some of it may be grass is greener syndrome too - I travel every year, but from where I'm standing, it sometimes seems like a better idea to look towards settling down.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

Yep. I bet the changes are worth it, though, right? I think some of it may be grass is greener syndrome too - I travel every year, but from where I'm standing, it sometimes seems like a better idea to look towards settling down.

Completely worth it. Frankly, just as in any important relationship, the amount of personal growth that occurs as a result of a marriage that is well worked on, and a parent-child relationship that has effort put into it, the growth of both parent, and child, is exponential. Plus, let's be real, playing with the kids, while tiring, is way more fun that just about 99.9% of all other things.

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[Cold Front]

Of course, it all comes with time. I was never really expecting that much time off haha. How much do you think is a reasonable amount for a dentist in a group or in private practice?

Also, Thank you for your insight

I honestly think we all want to work less as dentists (or future dentist in your case), but when you have too much time off, you will miss working again. So a good work-life balance is the best of both worlds. I work 20 hours a week now and I love it. But if I worked less, I would be somewhat stressed out for not working enough, and if I work more, I would be stressed out for working little too much. That’s just me, everyone have their sweet spot, and no one should base theirs on others until they find out how much time-off from work makes them happy.

PS. I worked 6 days a week after I graduated from DS, then started to taper off my work schedule after 4th year as a dentist.

 

[ccp005]

Really interesting thread.

Although it's rarely discussed, I think a lot of guys seriously struggle with the loss of personal freedom that comes with marriage and even more when you have kids. I for one love my wife and kid wholeheartedly but desperately, sorely, SORELY miss my motorcycle trips, world adventure travel, etc. Gone now, part of a former life. Maybe women feel this way sometimes too; I don't know -- somehow they seem a little better suited for the sacrifices and rewards of family life by disposition than do we men, but maybe that's just my ignorance showing.

Choosing dentistry as a profession will not keep you from a life of travel and adventure. Maybe you'll need to work as an associate or string together a bunch of locum tenans (temp) jobs vs have your own practice, but those kinds of positions are certainly very available and pay well. Choosing marriage and family might entail more fundamental changes to your personal goals.

I think you are right. A lot of guys probably struggle with this.

I guess what I'm afraid of is never having the freedom of doing these things. I can't travel much now because I am in school, after college is more school, then extreme debt... then I'm at the age where I'm expected to have a family and It's harder to travel. I just don't want to die with regrets is all. I am very blessed that I even have this dilemma, however. I was born into good family who loves me and taught me to make good grades in school. I realize this is not that important compared to the other life problems that I or others will potentially face... it's just something that has crossed my mind

I also realize in 10 years I may have completely different goals. I will likely care about completely different things. I just like how dentistry (seems) flexible enough to tailor around whatever lifestyle it is I want to live.

would you have trouble taking a five days off to go on a motorcycle trip once a year? Or would you feel guilty leaving your family for five days?

 

[ccp005]

Completely agree with the above. I used to climb a lot, and now I can't remember the last time I hit the crags. Priorities change, life shifts, goals are refined.



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I agree with you, my priorities may change in 8-10 years when I'd be looking at settling down. That's cool that you used to climb! Are you still in dental school though? That may be another reason why you haven't found the time to climb... especially having a family while in school.

 

[ccp005]

Completely agree.

I have been thinking about locum closely but it seems like an infeasible strategy for a single guy since locum doesn't include medical (exchanges = overpriced).





Yep. I bet the changes are worth it, though, right? I think some of it may be grass is greener syndrome too - I travel every year, but from where I'm standing, it sometimes seems like a better idea to look towards settling down.

Everyone seems to suffer from the grass is greener system. Myself included at times. I've shadowed multiple doctors that have told me to go dental instead of med... I also shadowed an oral surgeon that told me he regrets not going to med almost 40 years later... told me he wouldn't even LET his grandson go to dental school. I have, however, shadowed 4 other dentists that loved their job. I think a lot of it is just the difference of negative and positive thinking. It really is what you make it.

Same thing applies here with travel vs. settling down... although it may depend on what stage of your life you are in

 

[ccp005]

I honestly think we all want to work less as dentists (or future dentist in your case), but when you have too much time off, you will miss working again. So a good work-life balance is the best of both worlds. I work 20 hours a week now and I love it. But if I worked less, I would be somewhat stressed out for not working enough, and if I work more, I would be stressed out for working little too much. That’s just me, everyone have their sweet spot, and no one should base theirs on others until they find out how much time-off from work makes them happy.

PS. I worked 6 days a week after I graduated from DS, then started to taper off my work schedule after 4th year as a dentist.

Thank you. This comment is very helpful.

I appreciate you trying to help me instead of question me about my (admittedly questionable) life choices haha

 

[setdoc7]

I am well past most of you. My 3 children are adults, finished with school, and out of the house. I am a solo practitioner 3 days/week and a GPR PD 3 days/week, although 2 of my private practice days are 3 hours and 4 hours. I raised my kids in a house I now own in the suburbs, and 4 years ago bought a condo in the city. My wife and I split our time between the city and our "country house". When the kids were small, we began traveling with them. In the beginning it had to be family friendly environments. The annual trip to Disney. Washington DC. LA. As they got older, we started flying further...Mexico, Canada, and eventually Europe and Hawaii. I took about 6 weeks of vacation back then. There were also lots of Caribbean cruises.
For years I drove an SUV to work, and to haul around kids. I now drive a 4wd 2 seater.
What I am trying to say is that vacation is possible, but not the adventure travel you are describing. To all the married people out there, there is too much to say about what you give up to raise a family. The good news is that it is lots of fun having adult children, and my wife and I have plenty of free time now to socialize, travel, and spend time with eachother. It evens out in the end. I have great pictures of my me and my wife blazing through Southeast Asia for 3 week, Spending 3 lazy weeks in the Greek Islands, or photographing elephants in Madwiki. I have been to Kilamanjaro and Tiera del Fuego.
I also go every summer with my 3 sons on a fishing trip. It has morphed from me hauling 3 small boys to a guys week in the woods. Is it worth it? Only you will be able to answer that for yourself.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

I agree with you, my priorities may change in 8-10 years when I'd be looking at settling down. That's cool that you used to climb! Are you still in dental school though? That may be another reason why you haven't found the time to climb... especially having a family while in school.

I am in D-School, and you're correct, that is part of it. The other part is geographic. I love bouldering, but even then, there aren't many spots around my school. Predominately though, it's that I'd rather spend time at home with the family. Work on projects with them, instead of solo projects. That's been the most fun of all: working with my older daughter and teaching her thinks I enjoy (building furniture, cooking, bee keeping, etc).

Dental school isn't actually that "busy" so long as you don't have your heart set on specializing. If you do, it's a looooong road. Otherwise, it's pretty chill, with some crunch time mixed in.

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[Cold Front]

I am well past most of you. My 3 children are adults, finished with school, and out of the house. I am a solo practitioner 3 days/week and a GPR PD 3 days/week, although 2 of my private practice days are 3 hours and 4 hours. I raised my kids in a house I now own in the suburbs, and 4 years ago bought a condo in the city. My wife and I split our time between the city and our "country house". When the kids were small, we began traveling with them. In the beginning it had to be family friendly environments. The annual trip to Disney. Washington DC. LA. As they got older, we started flying further...Mexico, Canada, and eventually Europe and Hawaii. I took about 6 weeks of vacation back then. There were also lots of Caribbean cruises.
For years I drove an SUV to work, and to haul around kids. I now drive a 4wd 2 seater.
What I am trying to say is that vacation is possible, but not the adventure travel you are describing. To all the married people out there, there is too much to say about what you give up to raise a family. The good news is that it is lots of fun having adult children, and my wife and I have plenty of free time now to socialize, travel, and spend time with eachother. It evens out in the end. I have great pictures of my me and my wife blazing through Southeast Asia for 3 week, Spending 3 lazy weeks in the Greek Islands, or photographing elephants in Madwiki. I have been to Kilamanjaro and Tiera del Fuego.
I also go every summer with my 3 sons on a fishing trip. It has morphed from me hauling 3 small boys to a guys week in the woods. Is it worth it? Only you will be able to answer that for yourself.

Life goals. You started family before dental school? Raising 3 children (all boys) and a private practice must have been the ultimate work life balance.

 

[setdoc7]

I got married after dental school, but started a family right away. I graduated dental school at 24.