I need some advice, Please!

[laurenv]

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Hello!

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I am interested in dental as a career however, how do I know that I'll be good at it or that I will enjoy it? I have shadowed a few dentists, but that doesn't give me much exposure to the profession. Can someone please let me know how they decided dentistry was the career for them, and what helped you decide? Thank you for any help!!

Lauren

 

[wimmcs]

Hello!

I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice. I am interested in dental as a career however, how do I know that I'll be good at it or that I will enjoy it? I have shadowed a few dentists, but that doesn't give me much exposure to the profession. Can someone please let me know how they decided dentistry was the career for them, and what helped you decide? Thank you for any help!!

Lauren

Honestly I'm at a loss for words... you said you shadowed and it didn't give you that much exposure to the profession? Not sure what else you can do besides shadow and see if you like it or not. Sorry, don't mean to sound rude, but shadowing is probably the best way to know whether this career is a good fit or not. Maybe if you felt it didn't give you that much exposure means that you may have not paid particular attention or maybe that you didn't particularly like it. For instance, pretty much EVERY time I walk into a dentist's office, I feel right at "home". I feel good, comfortable and feel like I "belong" there. Maybe you need to go shadow some more with different dentists that can give you some true perspective.
Good luck in your career goals!

 

[Comet208]

Maybe you need to go shadow some more with different dentists that can give you some true perspective.
Good luck in your career goals!

right on!

when you visited the offices, where did you stay? did you spend time with the front desk staff or followed the doc every step of the way and asked him/her to explain the proceedues to you??

put in more hours, ask questions, have the doc tell you stories, ask if s/he is happy, ASK why or why not???

be inquisitive!!

 

[ToothMonkey]

You might try working as a dental assistant to get more exposure.

 

[DDS2BE]

I was gonna say shadowing at a dental office but after reading your post further I would say you should start considering another career path, UNLESS you go for the money. Shadowing is the key intergradient for those dentist wanabes to realize where they stand in terms of career selection. It also depends on how long you shadow as well. It took me a few weeks to get to know the personnel before I started feeling comfortable at the dental office. Maybe it's just the office that made you feel that way?! Then, try other dental practice to see how it goes.
You don't want to realize that dentistry is not for you while being in a dental school...!

 

[laurenv]

Sorry, I guess my post is a little misleading. What I meant was how do I know if I can actually work with objects that small without actually doing it. I felt completely at home while in the offices, however, I am just wondering if I have the artistic talent to be a dentist. How do you know you'll be good, or is it something that you just pick up with practice?? Also, is there any way some offices will hire you if you don't have a dental assistant certificate? I want to work as a dental assistant to gain more insight, but I don't know if I have a chance.

Also, I am not interested in doing anything solely for the money!

 

[Sprgrover]

...How do you know you'll be good, or is it something that you just pick up with practice?? Also, is there any way some offices will hire you if you don't have a dental assistant certificate? I want to work as a dental assistant to gain more insight, but I don't know if I have a chance...

My dentist, who graduated from UConn awhile back, shared a little tid-bit of information which was told to him by his dean, and relates to the skills of a dentist: he said that 'we can teach a monkey the mechanics of dentistry - that's easy, but what we can't do is teach our students to be compasionate practitioners, which comes from inside and is the key to being a great dentist.' He told me this in a conversation about the skills and abilities needed to make it as a dentist and that little statement was really salient for me and I've had it tucked in the back of my mind ever since. If you are worried about being able to work with your hands, then take up some art courses such as metal works or jewelry making (there is a real art to manipulating silver and cutting and soldering miniscule pieces of it and other metals together). Another option is employment in a dental lab. I went to school with a couple of guys that worked in one part-time (no experience was required) and I think it was great experience for them. And as you previously mentioned, working as a dental assistant would be a real plus. I volunteered as one at a non-profit dental clinic and it was a validating experience for me. If you are worried about licenses and what-not but would still like some exposure/experience then volunteering wouldn't be a bad way to go. Best of luck!

 

[brandiwine1160]

Sorry, I guess my post is a little misleading. What I meant was how do I know if I can actually work with objects that small without actually doing it. I felt completely at home while in the offices, however, I am just wondering if I have the artistic talent to be a dentist. How do you know you'll be good, or is it something that you just pick up with practice?? Also, is there any way some offices will hire you if you don't have a dental assistant certificate? I want to work as a dental assistant to gain more insight, but I don't know if I have a chance.

Also, I am not interested in doing anything solely for the money!

I have worked as a dental assistant for the last 2 years in both Arkansas and Missouri. As far as I can tell the requirements for being a dental assistant vary from state to state. In Arkansas you had to have a certificate to take X-rays, administer nitrous, and polish teeth but you could still work as a dental assistant even if you didn't have a certificate as long as you didn't do those 3 things. In Missouri, you didn't have to have a certificate at all. Just check with your state's dental association and see what the requirements are. Also in my experience, most dentists are willing to train new dental assistants. Good luck. Hope this helps.

 

[Bruxomaniac]

When I first began my work in a dental office, I started by cleaning instruments and doing the other dirty work throughout the office. As the dentist got to know me and trust me I was allowed to do a lot more. By the time I ended my employment in that office I had learned almost everything. There is really no better way to learn the profession than spending significant time in a dental office. I agree with one of the posts above that you have to be proactive and ask questions. Good luck.

 

[Tzips]

Have you looked in to the Gateway to Dentistry program at UMDNJ? It might be a bit far to travel (don't know where you live) but it takes place during winter and summer breaks and, to my knowledge, offers some of the best "exposure to see if I like it" around. I myself have never gone, but all the feedback I've heard from those who have has been very positive. I know there are a bunch of SDNers who've done it, so you could probably ask them.

Hope this helps!

 

[msf41]

To the OP:

I was a little intimidated by some of the comments people have made about the need for "artistic ability" to be a dentist. I never really considered myself very artistic and I always looked at art like some sort of genetic trait that either you were born with or you weren't. I've got two points I'd like to make about it.

This semester I took and art class and I was scared out of my mind because everything was going to be graded subjectively. Which scared me to death because I like studying for subjects that have clear "yes" or "no" facts, and I didn't think art would be that way. However, as the art class went on I learned some art fundamentals like color schemes, drawing to scale, 3-D perspective, composition, adjacent relationships, etc. Anyway, I learned that art is really just like any other subject that can be learned and mastered. Perhaps not everyone has the natural gift to become the next Rembrandt or Monet, but you can become a skilled artist with dedication and practice.

The second thing that I learned from the art class was that I enjoy working with my hands for long periods of time. In my art class we did charcoal sketches, oil paintings, and pastel drawings. I found myself sitting down at a painting to work for an hour or so and two or three hours would pass before I would notice. I think this sort of activity applies to dentistry, because you have to like working like that.

I think the other posters have mentioned becoming a dental assistant, which I think is awsome, but if you can't do that perhaps just take an art class?

So I think the manual dexterity to perform