Is it too late for me?

[KingJoonya]

Hello everybody! I just recently graduated with my bachelor degree. To put things short, the APTA does a fantastic job of "marketing" physical therapy. After doing tons of research, observations hours, working as a tech and soul searching I came to the conclusion that I don't think I want to be in this field any more. Before i entered undergrad, I was always interested in dentistry, but at the time I thought that I was just too stupid to consider dental school and I "settled" for physical therapy. 4 years later, I graduated with a 3.88 gpa. I understand that dental school is more than just grades, but I have TONS of volunteer work, leadership roles and over a 1,000 hours of direct patient clinical experience under a physician.

I am currently 23 years old I still live with my parents, and I have 3 classes I need to take these include ochem I II and biochem. I can take ochem at a near community college and biochem in one of the 3 universities that are near my city. I plan on registering for ochem I fall of 2016 and ochem II spring of 2017 and I can take biochem fall of 2017. during this gap i can study for the DAT exam as well as obtain experience by shadowing dentist.

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[BeaverLover]

No its not too late lol

 

[jokersmiles]

you should take a look at this.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/to-all-dentistry-students-or-dentist.1169445/

tons of people apply to dental school later in life, definitely not too late

 

[Jbrowndds]

If it's too late for you then it's too late for me because I'm a 23 year old junior. Lol. It's not too late. You are ONLY 23. Not 53. Even then life is too short to do something you don't want to do everyday. Take the classes and apply. You really can even apply this upcoming cycle if it's just 3 classes you need. As long as you finish you classes before matriculation. Just study for the DAT over the summer and take it.

 

[kuef1pet]

One thing I would do is talk with admissions at dental schools you are interested in about prerequisites at a community college. I have heard of some wanting the required classes at an university but I could be wrong.

However you are definitely not to late to switch over to dental.

 

[cotoncub]

You are not too late to switch at all. I'm going to be 25 when I start school in the fall. I agree, definitely look into school requirements for these pre-reqs because I'm not sure community college will always qualify.

 

[DentistJoon]

I think you're fine! take your additional pre-recs and study for your dat. Apply to dental school June 2017. If you don't finish all your courses by then put them in planned. You should study for the DAT as soon as you finish the Ochems because biochem is not on the DAT. Take the DAT then take biochem! That way the ochem will be fresh and you wont have to spend too much time studying for that section.

 

[CommandoDan]

I'll matriculate as a 27 year old this August. People go into dental school when they're in their 30s and 40s. It's definitely not too late for you.

Edit - I just wanted to add that my dad graduated dental school when he was 34. Many students take the non-traditional route so if dentistry is something you want to do, don't give up!

 

[NAVY DDS 2010]

I was 40 when I graduated. I have friends who were 48 and 49 when they graduated. 1 guy was a 50 yo who had already retired from the Air Force, then did a 6 yr OMFS residency finishing at age 56 as an Oral Surgeon.

 

[BioForLife]

No way. Plenty of people go into dental school in their late twenties and even thirties. For med school, I knew someone in his 40's who was about to start and he was one of the best students in one of our undergrad labs. Four years is really not a long time in the grand scheme of things, and at 23 you'll be fine. I'll be 24 when I start later this year and I sure don't feel too old.

 

[Apprentice of St. Luke]

I was 40 when I graduated. I have friends who were 48 and 49 when they graduated. 1 guy was a 50 yo who had already retired from the Air Force, then did a 6 yr OMFS residency finishing at age 56 as an Oral Surgeon.

Sorry for resurrecting a six year old thread, but as a 39 year old future MD/DO applicant (with some thought given to DDS/DMD), this is precisely the thread which gives me hope for being a doctor - of one sort or another.

While my interests are largely skewed to traditional MD/DO specialties (a laundry list), I have always been fascinated with OMFS ever since traveling with my family through the middle Texas and noticed there was a doctor with both DDS and MD somewhat close to the fire station around twenty-five years ago (yes, I know there are DDS/DMD only ones). Shadowed some in their office in San Antonio in 2008, but started looking into OMFS earlier when my older sister introduced me to the internet sometime in 1999 or 2000.