is dentistry for me?

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papilindo

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ok i want to go to dentistry because of the job security. and i want a really good job that affords me a amazing lifestyle. i DO NOT want to be a office worker or be in the corporate world of america i like having my own business and like using my hands. plus i do not want to be a doctor because of their lifestyle and life or death situations with the patients.

QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1.is dentistry always going to be high paying?
2.is dentistry a high satisfying job?
3.what are your reasons for entering the profession?
4.is going to university of puerto rico dental school of medicine really low tuition worth it?
5.is it ok to enter the profession because you like helping people and want a $$$,$$$ a year salary?
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papilindo said:
ok i want to go to dentistry because of the job security. and i want a really good job that affords me a amazing lifestyle. i DO NOT want to be a office worker or be in the corporate world of america i like having my own business and like using my hands. plus i do not want to be a doctor because of their lifestyle and life or death situations with the patients.

QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1.is dentistry always going to be high paying?
2.is dentistry a high satisfying job?
3.what are your reasons for entering the profession?
4.is going to university of puerto rico dental school of medicine really low tuition worth it?
5.is it ok to enter the profession because you like helping people and want a $$$,$$$ a year salary?
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I'm not a dentist but feel like I could give you a little insight. As far as being a doctor, are you aware that not all doctors have bad lifestyles? And some of those same ones are not life and death. For instance allergy and immunology, opthamology, physical med & rehab, psychiatry, I think you get the point. Opthamology in particular involves using your hands a lot.

Someone with more experience can answer your other Q's but don't think that being a doc automatically earns you a bad lifestyle or dealing with death.
 
any dentist can help me here if i study dental school in puerto rico im going to pay little debt the tution is 8,000 per year which is 32,000-40,000 dental school debt then if i go practice in US OF PRECIOUS A im going to have a positive income is this a good idea??
 
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I'd probably try to get into an American dental school if you want to practice in the US. It'd probably be a little more costly, but it'd be easier to get a position in the US and your schooling, in my opinion, will be a lot more effective.
In regards to why I picked dentistry, I picked it for the same reasons you did. I really don't want to have a position where I can be called about a patient at any minute and can't really be flexible with my hours. It's obviously a bit more significant when you have someone's life in your hands and you're responsible for, so it makes sense that you have to be a little more responsible for your patients. In regards to dentistry, you have the flexibility to work monday-friday most of the time, no evenings, no on call, no beepers, nothing of that sort once you get out of the office. It's a real stress free position and I feel it just represents the type of work/life balance that I'm looking for. Also, it's a bit quicker in terms of the payout right after you graduate (no residency or anything like that if you choose). It's always going to be high paying, but it's just more of a business as compared to medicine so it can fluctuate up and down with the economy if it isn't an emergency or painful. That's my 2 cents...
 
papilindo said:
ok i want to go to dentistry because of the job security. and i want a really good job that affords me a amazing lifestyle. i DO NOT want to be a office worker or be in the corporate world of america i like having my own business and like using my hands. plus i do not want to be a doctor because of their lifestyle and life or death situations with the patients.

QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1.is dentistry always going to be high paying?
2.is dentistry a high satisfying job?
3.what are your reasons for entering the profession?
4.is going to university of puerto rico dental school of medicine really low tuition worth it?
5.is it ok to enter the profession because you like helping people and want a $$$,$$$ a year salary?
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1: more than likely yes. I doubt w'll ever see dentistry slip below 90K
2: Yes, but be prepared to be very detail oriented.
3: does it really matter
4: Are you puerto rican? If you are not, then I think your chances of being admitted are 0%
5: I think you are entering for the wrong reasons.


Dentistry more than likely in the future will have a corporate element to it. It has happened in pharmacy, opto, and eventually it will happen to dentistry. You can still be an independent business owner, but it is difficult. Many people don't realize the hours that go into running your own practice.
 
papilindo said:
ok i want to go to dentistry because of the job security. and i want a really good job that affords me a amazing lifestyle. i DO NOT want to be a office worker or be in the corporate world of america i like having my own business and like using my hands. plus i do not want to be a doctor because of their lifestyle and life or death situations with the patients.

QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1.is dentistry always going to be high paying?
2.is dentistry a high satisfying job?
3.what are your reasons for entering the profession?
4.is going to university of puerto rico dental school of medicine really low tuition worth it?
5.is it ok to enter the profession because you like helping people and want a $$$,$$$ a year salary?
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1.yes, it is actually raising every year since coast of dental lab fee is reducing.
2. You like money and you like people. If you can handle sound of machines, you are good to go. people will smile at you and thanking you every day
3. Money...and it is my comfort zone..and I like to see ppl smiling
4. IDK...
5. yes....if you think you can handle dentistry, and you want money and helping ppl? why not?


but here is thing...being a dentist is awesome..it is really cool but there are many unknown factors..such as getting sued...or patients who don't pay,,,bitching insurance companies....money-sucking dental laboratories...annoying patients with millions of request....broken dentures....If you can handle these,,,go for it. this is why you need to shadow or work at dentists' office for long time....
 
theleatherwalle said:
1: more than likely yes. I doubt w'll ever see dentistry slip below 90K
2: Yes, but be prepared to be very detail oriented.
3: does it really matter
4: Are you puerto rican? If you are not, then I think your chances of being admitted are 0%
5: I think you are entering for the wrong reasons.


Dentistry more than likely in the future will have a corporate element to it. It has happened in pharmacy, opto, and eventually it will happen to dentistry. You can still be an independent business owner, but it is difficult. Many people don't realize the hours that go into running your own practice.
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yes im puerto rican living in the island and i bet there are dentist who went to dentistry maybe not for the right reasons and are doing ok with there 6 vacations a year and there 100k car in there garage and buying things without looking at the price tag.
 
i can say with certainty that you will not be one of those people. sorry, but your attitude is completely wrong for getting into dental school
 
Cleric7x9 said:
i can say with certainty that you will not be one of those people. sorry, but your attitude is completely wrong for getting into dental school
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ok that's your perception anything is possible and is psychology a good mayor? for preparing myself for dentistry? and i see dentistry as a good investment and i want a job that i can get respect for what i do and help people and make a diference. I just DO NOT want to be average living in that average aparment or that average life. I don't want that for me i want to become the best of the best i can be sky is the limit we need to dream big not small.
 
papilindo said:
yes im puerto rican living in the island and i bet there are dentist who went to dentistry maybe not for the right reasons and are doing ok with there 6 vacations a year and there 100k car in there garage and buying things without looking at the price tag.
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Im going to address this in the kindest way I can.

To be that kind of dentist. You need 2 things

1: business skill and or luck
2: Being a talented dentist

Is psychology a good major....waits for all the psych majors to send hate mail.

I am going to say No. It is seen as an easy soft science major. Will it prepare you for the DAT? Again the answer is No. The DAT is the most important part of your application.(It is more important than GPA at the schools I looked at including my state school. If you tell me GPA is more important, then please show me how you compare GPAs of different schools and different majors since it is not standardized.

Which major will help you most on the DAT: More than likely Biology. There is a reason most people in dental school are bio majors.

This is again personal opinion. If you disagree with it, well whatever your life. We're just giving you advice. Lower your expectations. Very few dentists have Maseratis sitting in their garage and taking 6 vacations a year is even pretty insane.
 
papilindo said:
ok i want to go to dentistry because of the job security. and i want a really good job that affords me a amazing lifestyle. i DO NOT want to be a office worker or be in the corporate world of america i like having my own business and like using my hands. plus i do not want to be a doctor because of their lifestyle and life or death situations with the patients.

QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1.is dentistry always going to be high paying?
2.is dentistry a high satisfying job?
3.what are your reasons for entering the profession?
4.is going to university of puerto rico dental school of medicine really low tuition worth it?
5.is it ok to enter the profession because you like helping people and want a $$$,$$$ a year salary?
Click to expand...


1. It really depends on how many patients you have. If the area of your clinic doesn't have that many dental clinic, you'll have high salary. If you open it in area like San Gabriel Valley in California then you have to cut down the price since there are too many competitions.
2. If you like it then it is. Be prepare to work for long hours.
3. I don't really think it matters to you about why I enter the profession.
4. If you want to practice in the US then...might not be a very good choice.
5.I personally don't think dentist is a very high paying profession. My uncle's rent for a clinic is around 5000 a month and you have to worry about tax and insurance. It IS okay to enter the profession because you like helping people but have you ever thought of why healthcare professionals are getting high paid? It's because of the responsibility they had to take, their work load, and the time they need to train.
 
I was hesitant to reply, but from what I have read, to answer your question; no, dentistry is not for you. This is just my opinion, but from what you have said on this thread, your motives are all wrong (in my opinion) and you need to answer a lot of your questions for yourself. You need to do a little research about dentistry yourself, shadow a few times, visit a dental school and talk with the advisors/deans/professors/students. I see this far too often with the students so proud that they are a "pre-med major". They want to be a doctor! Without having any real exposure to the profession, zero time in an office, and because Dr. House inspired them to pursue medicine. Well its all fine and dandy until they realize that it isn't quite what they had pictured in their heads.
 
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I don't mean to hijack, but would it be a fair assessment to say that dentistry is a poor idea if I want to specialize? I can't see myself happily practicing general dentistry.
 
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If you say for the money, and that's the only reason, I would say yes. However, if you think that all the intricacies of specializing is appealing to you, go for it! I think after being in dental school and being exposed to everything first is the biggest factor in determining if you want to specialize. I think it would be awesome to specialize because you would see the more interesting scenarios in the dental field. Such as oral surgery or periodontics. From my shadowing, I think those interest me, but I won't really know until I actually start doing some procedures. Heck, I need to get into dental school first before I start to worry about all of that! :xf:
Personally, I think general practice is exactly what I want to do, because I'd see how my patients grow and mature over time and help them throughout the years. I know that my dentist has sure had an influence on my life, I haven't told them that, but its those subtle things, the personal relationship, that makes general practice so appealing to me.

This is all just my opinion, I haven't really said a whole lot on the forums as far as agreeing/disagreeing, specifically disagreeing, with people until this thread. I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to put them down or that I'm a negative person, I'm sorry if I came off this way! For myself, I know when I ask a question, I want to hear peoples honest opinions, not the sugar coated version of things. I hope I have explained why I think the way I do in a way that isn't offensive to anyone!
 
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ok guys i respect your opinions and yes i'm going shadow a dentist im not going to be crazy and do it only for the money! i need to like the job but money at the same time is very important and being middle class in u.s.a. is not very good the taxes will suck you out fast
 
circulus vitios said:
I don't mean to hijack, but would it be a fair assessment to say that dentistry is a poor idea if I want to specialize? I can't see myself happily practicing general dentistry.
Click to expand...
If you want to specialize and you are not interested/passionate about dentistry, then NO dentistry is not for you. You can't be a good dentist if you don't like what you do. If you want to specialize just to specialize then choose some other form of medicine.
 
papilindo said:
ok i want to go to dentistry because of the job security. and i want a really good job that affords me a amazing lifestyle. i DO NOT want to be a office worker or be in the corporate world of america i like having my own business and like using my hands. plus i do not want to be a doctor because of their lifestyle and life or death situations with the patients.

QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1.is dentistry always going to be high paying?
2.is dentistry a high satisfying job?
3.what are your reasons for entering the profession?
4.is going to university of puerto rico dental school of medicine really low tuition worth it?
5.is it ok to enter the profession because you like helping people and want a $$$,$$$ a year salary?
Click to expand...

1) depends on your definition of "high".... if you want 500k a year, yeh go become a heart / spinal surgeon. If you'll be content with 200k a year for a good long 25-30 year career, dentistry = :thumbup:

2) no predent (nor dental student) can answer this. but I always believe, no matter how "fun" your job is, it will eventually (years down the line) get boring.

3) same as yours.... money, stable job, stable life, money (oh I said that already), and the freedom to own my own business

4) can't answer that

5) contradicting statements. if you want to "help" people, then you need to accept the fact MANY Americans can't afford good dental care, or many adults have medicare... will you always accept these people free/very low charge? See contradicting statements
 
Cleric7x9 said:
i can say with certainty that you will not be one of those people. sorry, but your attitude is completely wrong for getting into dental school
Click to expand...

who is this being addressed to? and why the condescending tone?
If you were talking to OP, I say his/her reasons are fine.

THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH GOING INTO HEALTHCARE FOR THE $$$/STABLE CAREER.... As long as you are competent at your job, you will do good works, thats ALL that matters in this profession
 
Don't get me wrong, the financial stability aspect of it is definitely appealing! That's just not solely the reason for me pursuing it.
 
Why is doing something for the money so taboo? If a person has the necessary skills and puts the hard work in and passes all the hurdles needed to become said professional why is that a problem?
 
dentalWorks said:
1)

5) contradicting statements. if you want to "help" people, then you need to accept the fact MANY Americans can't afford good dental care, or many adults have medicare... will you always accept these people free/very low charge? See contradicting statements
Click to expand...


YES!!!! you just owned all these hypocrites :).
 
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i really don't like the overall attitude you have towards dentistry. no offense but thats my 2 cents.
 
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I think people read too much into stuff. For example, it is very honest of me to say that I am going into dentistry for the money... Of course I am, I want to be compensated for the time and effort I am putting into this career. I want to be financially free and dentistry is a good way to do it. However, people forget that this is not the ONLY reason. For me, dentistry is also pretty interesting, I get to help people, I get to work with my hands, I get to me my own boss, and finally I can make some pretty damn good money. There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve you and your family's lifestyle by making good money. Nothing. If it is the sole reason, then you might run into some issues, but then again I doubt someone would pursue dentistry if money was their sole motivator anyway.

You have to ask yourself, would you be going into this career if you were expected to make 50-60K a year? (which is still above the national average BTW)
 
papilindo said:
ok i want to go to dentistry because of the job security. and i want a really good job that affords me a amazing lifestyle. i DO NOT want to be a office worker or be in the corporate world of america i like having my own business and like using my hands. plus i do not want to be a doctor because of their lifestyle and life or death situations with the patients.

QUESTIONS I HAVE:
1.is dentistry always going to be high paying?
2.is dentistry a high satisfying job?
3.what are your reasons for entering the profession?
4.is going to university of puerto rico dental school of medicine really low tuition worth it?
5.is it ok to enter the profession because you like helping people and want a $$$,$$$ a year salary?
Click to expand...

Do you have any other job options except dentistry? You should definitely think about it first before you decide.
 
dentistry by far is the better option for a career who wants to work in corporate america were 100k takes alot of time and experience were dentistry you get paid six figures starting at age 24-25? only investmentbankers earn the big money but IT IS HARDER TO GET IN THAN DENTISTRY!!!! cash rules everything srry.
 
papilindo said:
dentistry by far is the better option for a career who wants to work in corporate america were 100k takes alot of time and experience were dentistry you get paid six figures starting at age 24-25? only investmentbankers earn the big money but IT IS HARDER TO GET IN THAN DENTISTRY!!!! cash rules everything srry.
Click to expand...

You don't have to be anything to make big bucks. If you have a sharp business acumen, you can make ends meet and it eventually pays off big time. Medicine and Dentistry are unique and very different then investment banking.
 
SmilingTooth said:
You don't have to be anything to make big bucks. If you have a sharp business acumen, you can make ends meet and it eventually pays off big time. Medicine and Dentistry are unique and very different then investment banking.
Click to expand...

really?

Here is something you might have underlook'd, what are the odds of somebody getting in AND being a successful (say) investment banker vs getting accepted into dental school?

Pretty much (and im gonna generalize here), every graudate dentist can/will/should/eventually earn 100k a year. Can the same be said for ANY investment banker?
 
you are looking at it the wrong way.

What are there 50 dental schools? maybe a few more maybe a few less.

If you go to a top 50 school for econ/finance/investment banking and get a doctorate degree in that subject then you will likely make over 100k.

broaden your knowledge about other careers.
 
dentalWorks said:
really?

Here is something you might have underlook'd, what are the odds of somebody getting in AND being a successful (say) investment banker vs getting accepted into dental school?

Pretty much (and im gonna generalize here), every graudate dentist can/will/should/eventually earn 100k a year. Can the same be said for ANY investment banker?
Click to expand...

You have no idea what I was talking about do you?
Let me rephrase it for you since you didn't catch that the first time. I meant to say that you do not need to get a dental degree or be an investment banker to start earning those six digits. You are only required to have a sharp business acumen to fathom any challenge ahead of you. Coming up with a unique idea and eventually making it big time is very doable.
 
theleatherwalle said:
you are looking at it the wrong way.

What are there 50 dental schools? maybe a few more maybe a few less.

If you go to a top 50 school for econ/finance/investment banking and get a doctorate degree in that subject then you will likely make over 100k.

broaden your knowledge about other careers.
Click to expand...

Isn't that an oxymoron? Top 50? I wonder what top 5 or 10 school would earn you? 1 million?

Can help me find some data to support your claim of "top 50 = likely make over 100k"
 
SmilingTooth said:
You have no idea what I was talking about do you?
Let me rephrase it for you since you didn't catch that the first time. I meant to say that you do not need to get a dental degree or be an investment banker to start earning those six digits. You are only required to have a sharp business acumen to fathom any challenge ahead of you. Coming up with a unique idea and eventually making it big time is very doable.
Click to expand...

ohhhh its worse than I thought lmao.

Right, aquire business acumen, sharpen my skills, take a pill (multivitamin) to drive my I.Q above 200, and what else you said? oh and come up with a unique Idea..... Is that all it takes to make the big bux? man, I feel like such a sucker for going into dental school.
 
dentalWorks said:
ohhhh its worse than I thought lmao.

Right, aquire business acumen, sharpen my skills, take a pill (multivitamin) to drive my I.Q above 200, and what else you said? oh and come up with a unique Idea..... Is that all it takes to make the big bux? man, I feel like such a sucker for going into dental school.
Click to expand...

What are you a 10 year old? If making money was your only reason to pursue a dental education, then yes, you are a sucker.
But why do I care :yawn:
 
theleatherwalle said:
Well, lets see by top 50...i assume they're are many many many many many ph.d programs.

http://phd-program.com/phd-salary-by-field/

thanks for the condescending attitude you always complain about to other forum members when you talk about money. Really classy :)
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that website forgot to post how long candidates hold thier jobs for

I stop'd reading when I started laughing (and peeing myself) when I saw the engineer salaries

SmilingTooth said:
What are you a 10 year old? If making money was your only reason to pursue a dental education, then yes, you are a sucker.
But why do I care :yawn:
Click to expand...

Its funny how some predents want this field to "help" others, and I bet you everything thats holy, most of you would switch majors before the end of the week if tonight, a law got passed out limiting dental salaries to that of a high school teacher.

Lets talk common sense shall we? Since I have the mentality of "a 10 year old", perhaps you can explain to me how many dental graduates these days are going to off their 350-450k dental tution (with god bless, compounding 7-8% interest). Here let me clarify that, for every year that passes and you don't pay a thing, interest alone on 400k is about $30,000. Without ambition, and the drive to MAKE MONEY, your going to literally drown in merciless debt. Thats a reality check for you "helpful souls"
 
dentalWorks said:
that website forgot to post how long candidates hold thier jobs for

I stop'd reading when I started laughing (and peeing myself) when I saw the engineer salaries



Its funny how some predents want this field to "help" others, and I bet you everything thats holy, most of you would switch majors before the end of the week if tonight, a law got passed out limiting dental salaries to that of a high school teacher.

Lets talk common sense shall we? Since I have the mentality of "a 10 year old", perhaps you can explain to me how many dental graduates these days are going to off their 350-450k dental tution (with god bless, compounding 7-8% interest). Here let me clarify that, for every year that passes and you don't pay a thing, interest alone on 400k is about $30,000. Without ambition, and the drive to MAKE MONEY, your going to literally drown in merciless debt. Thats a reality check for you "helpful souls"
Click to expand...

the number is spot on for engineering you may want to change your panties.
 
dentalWorks said:
Its funny how some predents want this field to "help" others, and I bet you everything thats holy, most of you would switch majors before the end of the week if tonight, a law got passed out limiting dental salaries to that of a high school teacher.

Lets talk common sense shall we? Since I have the mentality of "a 10 year old", perhaps you can explain to me how many dental graduates these days are going to off their 350-450k dental tution (with god bless, compounding 7-8% interest). Here let me clarify that, for every year that passes and you don't pay a thing, interest alone on 400k is about $30,000. Without ambition, and the drive to MAKE MONEY, your going to literally drown in merciless debt. Thats a reality check for you "helpful souls"
Click to expand...

I can't speak for any one else, but at least I am here to help.
Thank you for your kind words and I will end this conversation now, Peace.
:)
 
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The money and the hours are both good, so if thats what you're looking for then go at it.

Seriously though, whats with the money hate in here?
 
Bereno said:
I think people read too much into stuff. For example, it is very honest of me to say that I am going into dentistry for the money... Of course I am, I want to be compensated for the time and effort I am putting into this career. I want to be financially free and dentistry is a good way to do it. However, people forget that this is not the ONLY reason. For me, dentistry is also pretty interesting, I get to help people, I get to work with my hands, I get to me my own boss, and finally I can make some pretty damn good money. There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve you and your family's lifestyle by making good money. Nothing. If it is the sole reason, then you might run into some issues, but then again I doubt someone would pursue dentistry if money was their sole motivator anyway.

You have to ask yourself, would you be going into this career if you were expected to make 50-60K a year? (which is still above the national average BTW)
Click to expand...
I swear, ever post by Bereno is pure gold! You always know how to say things the right way! haha. I liked the PB & J metaphor when comparing DAT scores and GPA's. :thumbup:
 
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