Life as a dentist

[sheen]

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Hi,
I am very interested in dentistry and I had a question about job as a dentist. Everytime I mention my intention to become a dentist I usually hear from people about the same remarks about doing "repetitious" work everyday. I was wondering what some of your opinions about this was. Thanks

 

[DrTacoElf]

Name a job that isnt repetitous.

 

[45540]

the only work i've heard in dentistry as being mundane is endodontics.

 

[DrTacoElf]

the only work i've heard in dentistry as being mundane is endodontics.

Yea I will definitely agree with that. I shadowed an endodontist for about 6 hours and I quickly learned that no resonable ammount of money could make me want to specialize in endo from the current perspective I have of it 😱 .

 

[Rezdawg]

I worked with an endo for about 6 months.

After 2 weeks, I got good at standing there and falling asleep, but acting as if I was conscious and paying attention.

Good money though if thats your thing. She schedules about 15 root canals a day.

 

[Bruxomaniac]

I wrote this in the "Medical > Dental" thread but here it is again since it relates.

Here's a story told to me by an oral surgeon I worked for a few years ago. By no means am I in any position to distinguish between different health care professions, I’m simply telling a story.
He said that early in his career he got a little tired of pulling 3rd molars all day long and wanted something a little more exciting. Already having his MD he went back and completed a general surgery residency. After several years as a general surgeon he got tired of performing appendectomies and hernia repairs all day long and went back to pulling teeth. He said that no matter what area of health care you perform, you'll end up focusing on one part of the body most of the time anyway. He said as an oral surgeon he at least made more money and had more free time.

 

[errcs]

Hey guys,

I am wonder about my application because I completed Chemical engineering in India. Right now, I am taking some pre requirements in North Carolina Univ. I am doing very well in those pre requirements. I Passed DAT with :

AA 19
TS 20
PAT18
RC 16
QR 18

So, Can I get addimission based on above score. I have already applied in AADSAS. Some University are reviewing my application. Case western univ. put my application on Hold status because I have RC 16. They have min. requirement 17. They told me to retake DAT. I am scared aboutthat. if 25 univ will look on my RC, then do I have chance to get addmission in 2005. I dont want to retake DAT. Can you give me some favor????????
I applied in 25 univ. It would be possible to get 10 interview out of 25 univ based on my DAT score???????? 🙁

 

[ItsGavinC]

I worked with an endo for about 6 months.

After 2 weeks, I got good at standing there and falling asleep, but acting as if I was conscious and paying attention.

Good money though if thats your thing. She schedules about 15 root canals a day.

That is an INSANE number of procedures a day for an endo. Is she doing all of those herself, or does she have an associate?

The way I see, most would probably do 6-8 procedures a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but 15 for an average is really high.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Yea I will definitely agree with that. I shadowed an endodontist for about 6 hours and I quickly learned that no resonable ammount of money could make me want to specialize in endo from the current perspective I have of it 😱 .

Hang in there, that may change. Endo is pretty interesting in a lot of aspects. It LOOKS like you're doing the same thing (shadowing an endo must be horrible because you can't see a damned thing), but each canal is different.

One of our SDN faithful, who was a practicing endo for a long time, likened it to playing the same golf course day after day. Sure the course is the same, but conditions change, your game changes, and the holes move.

 

[JavadiCavity]

I like that analogy.

 

[mike3kgt]

Hang in there, that may change. Endo is pretty interesting in a lot of aspects. It LOOKS like you're doing the same thing (shadowing an endo must be horrible because you can't see a damned thing), but each canal is different.

One of our SDN faithful, who was a practicing endo for a long time, likened it to playing the same golf course day after day. Sure the course is the same, but conditions change, your game changes, and the holes move.

Endo,

Is it:

- The thrill of the fill?
or
-The frustration of the fit?

Some days the latter, others the former.

 

[Rezdawg]

That is an INSANE number of procedures a day for an endo. Is she doing all of those herself, or does she have an associate?

The way I see, most would probably do 6-8 procedures a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but 15 for an average is really high.

Yeah, its crazy. She does them all herself. Been practicing about 30 years. Im not sure how long a normal root canal takes, but she does them in about 25-30 min.. Basically, she schedules 2 patients per hour.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Yeah, its crazy. She does them all herself. Been practicing about 30 years. Im not sure how long a normal root canal takes, but she does them in about 25-30 min.. Basically, she schedules 2 patients per hour.

25-30 isn't bad, especially for an anterior. But, I find it hard to imagine that she's doing molar endo that quickly. Even an experienced endodontist probably takes 1 hr to do a molar endo, and that's if it's straightforward.