I have been lurking here for awhile now taking in the information posted, but now I could really use some specific advice. I was recently accepted into a dental hygiene program at a four year university. I had planned to get my B.S. in dental hygiene while taking the pre-dental courses on the side. I figured this way I could get into the dental field, have interesting classes such as head and neck anatomy, and if I was not able to get in to dental school I could work as a hygienist part time making decent money until I applied again. Seemed to make perfect sense at the time, however, I am starting to worry. I hear the dental hygiene program is pretty intense, and the faculty seem bent on grading very harshly. They insist that you do not even work while in the program, etc, etc. This is going to make it very difficult to take my required pre-dental courses and feels like I am wasting time by playing it so safe. In the end it could hurt my chances. It's a fairly competitive program and I am even amazed I was accepted, which makes it harder to even think about declining at this point. I am already set to move in two weeks to attend, but I wonder if I should switch to a major in biology instead. I think I would like dentistry much more than dental hygiene, but I have never done either so it is hard to make these kind of presumptions. I'm stressed... 
