Oil Field or Dental Field?

DATBooster | The Ultimate DAT Resource
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
C

ckgibbs115

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Feb 25, 2012
Messages
58
Reaction score
16
I've been offered a position working in the petroleum industry starting out at 100k+ per year.

I start dental school in a month and the prospect of going immediately into a career making six figures is extremely tempting.

There are many pros and cons to each side and I'm having a hard time deciding. I'm already leaning towards continuing to pursue dental school, but this is a very tempting opportunity.

Could anyone outline some of the lesser known perks to dentistry?
Has anyone ever struggled with any type of decision like this?
Members don't see this ad.
 
I've never personally had to deal with this kind of decision. But here are some things I would consider. Quality of life: how many hours would you work per week? Many dentists only work 4 days a week eventually. That's nice for family life. A dentist is his own boss. He or she runs his own business. That's a big draw for many people. A dentist who owns his own practice makes a good living. $100,000 at the start is fantastic, how much would that increase in the future? What does this job look like in the long run in terms of hours, stability, autonomy, pay etc.

That would really be a tempting offer. I'm not sure what I would do in your situation.


Air Force HPSP Recipient
Dental Student Class of 2017

http://dentalstudentdds.wordpress.com
 
You noted pretty much every reason why I want to stay in dentistry heh. I think the big draw with this position is the prospect of making a large sum of money without the debt I would endure in dental school. There is a potential to make as much as 150k within 3-5 years and 200k after 8+. The downside is the traveling which consists of being at a job site for 2-4 weeks at a time and having to work regardless of the weather or sickness. I've heard the field can be volatile and there is a potential for layoffs at times. The downside of dentistry seems to be the large amounts of debt that comes along with the education as well as starting a practice.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
How to not sound like a jerk...

So you remember that essay/interview where you explained why you wanted to be a dentist, and you talked about helping people, and changing lives, etc.? Did you write "mostly I want to make a lot of money"? I hope so, because there's a lot of earnest dental school applicants that aren't just saying what they think the Adcoms want to hear. You're posting this to a bunch of people trying to get into dental school.

I think I'm failing at not sounding like a jerk.

Anyhow, here's some things you could factor into your decision:

1. Dentistry gives you the opportunity to own your own practice. With this comes financially lucrative opportunities, as well as immense amounts of freedom. Others might say it also comes with soul-crushing responsibility and the feeling of being chained to your business. It's up to you to assess how you feel about this.

2. Dentistry is centered around serving others directly. You get to see the smiles and change lives on a day-to-day basis. You also get to deal with squirmy kids, people who don't care about their oral health, and soccer moms who accuse you of being an avaricious monster. So, there's that.

3. Dentistry means a stable job, in a stable location, where you come home every night. I don't know the specifics of your job offer, but many oil jobs I've heard about involve odd hours and/or locations.

I'm not trying to suggest that you pretend that lifestyle isn't an important consideration when it comes to your future, or the decision to pursue dentistry, but what you're asking seems awfully bizarre for a guy about to start dental school.


Posted using SDN Mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
OP IS money hungry, leave him alone.
 
ckgibbs115 said:
I've been offered a position working in the petroleum industry starting out at 100k+ per year.

I start dental school in a month and the prospect of going immediately into a career making six figures is extremely tempting.

There are many pros and cons to each side and I'm having a hard time deciding. I'm already leaning towards continuing to pursue dental school, but this is a very tempting opportunity.

Could anyone outline some of the lesser known perks to dentistry?
Has anyone ever struggled with any type of decision like this?
Click to expand...


Help people

Or

Contribute to global warming.



Good luck....
 
CraigHack said:
How to not sound like a jerk...

So you remember that essay/interview where you explained why you wanted to be a dentist, and you talked about helping people, and changing lives, etc.? Did you write "mostly I want to make a lot of money"? I hope so, because there's a lot of earnest dental school applicants that aren't just saying what they think the Adcoms want to hear. You're posting this to a bunch of people trying to get into dental school.

I think I'm failing at not sounding like a jerk.

Anyhow, here's some things you could factor into your decision:

1. Dentistry gives you the opportunity to own your own practice. With this comes financially lucrative opportunities, as well as immense amounts of freedom. Others might say it also comes with soul-crushing responsibility and the feeling of being chained to your business. It's up to you to assess how you feel about this.

2. Dentistry is centered around serving others directly. You get to see the smiles and change lives on a day-to-day basis. You also get to deal with squirmy kids, people who don't care about their oral health, and soccer moms who accuse you of being an avaricious monster. So, there's that.

3. Dentistry means a stable job, in a stable location, where you come home every night. I don't know the specifics of your job offer, but many oil jobs I've heard about involve odd hours and/or locations.

I'm not trying to suggest that you pretend that lifestyle isn't an important consideration when it comes to your future, or the decision to pursue dentistry, but what you're asking seems awfully bizarre for a guy about to start dental school.


Posted using SDN Mobile
Click to expand...

I understand what you're saying and I didn't think it sounded like you were being a jerk. I've been under a bit of stress lately trying to plan and finance a wedding and this opportunity kind of came out of the blue. Clearly my entire motivation for pursuing this petroleum position would be centralized around the financial gain, versus the multiple aspects of dentistry that have had me interested for the past 2 years. I know overall I would enjoy the aspects of dentistry more, but it is difficult to turn down a position knowing it would relieve quite a few short term stressors. It's just incredibly easy to focus on instant gratification versus the larger picture, which is why I came here to see if anyone has had any similar experiences that I could potentially learn from.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
ckgibbs115 said:
You noted pretty much every reason why I want to stay in dentistry heh. I think the big draw with this position is the prospect of making a large sum of money without the debt I would endure in dental school. There is a potential to make as much as 150k within 3-5 years and 200k after 8+. The downside is the traveling which consists of being at a job site for 2-4 weeks at a time and having to work regardless of the weather or sickness. I've heard the field can be volatile and there is a potential for layoffs at times. The downside of dentistry seems to be the large amounts of debt that comes along with the education as well as starting a practice.
Click to expand...

Looks like you're accepted to Baylor Dental School based on your history posts. How was this a difficult choice for you?
 
$200,000 in 8 years with no debt is pretty hard to turn down. For me, I want a stable family life living close to my extended family. So I would choose dentistry. Don't let the other reply make you feel bad. Most people coming into dental school have no idea, seriously no idea, what dental school is like let alone dentistry. People like the idea of it but they learn what it really is in school. Luckily for me, what I have learned about dentistry after 1 year of school I love. It is absolutely the right profession for me and I cannot wait to have my own practice for all the same reasons that everyone writes in their personal statement...helping people etc. But my absolute number one reason for pursuing this career is the life it will let me provide for my family. I am really happy I am going to love this career. I think I will enjoy going to work everyday. I am going to love fixing people's smiles and improving their self confidence. But for me, the being defined by your career deal was never going to be my thing. A decent career that I will be happy with that provides well for my family is what I was looking for. In the end, it's up to you where your priorities are. Good luck!


Air Force HPSP Recipient
Dental Student Class of 2017

http://dentalstudentdds.wordpress.com
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
ckgibbs115 said:
I understand what you're saying and I didn't think it sounded like you were being a jerk. I've been under a bit of stress lately trying to plan and finance a wedding and this opportunity kind of came out of the blue. Clearly my entire motivation for pursuing this petroleum position would be centralized around the financial gain, versus the multiple aspects of dentistry that have had me interested for the past 2 years. I know overall I would enjoy the aspects of dentistry more, but it is difficult to turn down a position knowing it would relieve quite a few short term stressors. It's just incredibly easy to focus on instant gratification versus the larger picture, which is why I came here to see if anyone has had any similar experiences that I could potentially learn from.
Click to expand...

I had a bit of a knee jerk reaction, but I think I'm getting a better picture of where you're coming from. Truthfully, it isn't an easy decision. I hate the feeling of being in debt, and I don't know how students at some of the more expensive universities sleep at night. If it's true that you're going to Baylor, you have the wonderful distinction of getting the cheapest dental education possible, AFAIK. I think dentistry would provide you long term prosperity and a greater amount of personal satisfaction, because I'm sure you actually would like to help people. If you can stomach the discomfort of being in debt now, I'm guessing you'll look back in 5-10 years relieved that you pushed through.


Posted using SDN Mobile
 
You'll be at half a million dollars easily while everyone else is half a million in debt. You could also "say" you'll have 1 million more than everyone else , if u think about it.

If your not even sure you want to do it good look the next 4 years.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hi,

Congrats on the job. Are you staying in Texas or going to North Dakota? Fracking is taking off dude, and I'm happy you are able to take advantage of this. This is a difficult decision for you and here is what I would say:
Dental salaries are going down, things are getting harder, and new schools are opening up and flooding an already over-saturated market. I hope you have done your research about oversaturation of dentists, rise of dental corporations, new schools, dental therapists, etc. This does not bode well for the future of dentistry. I knew it was happening, but I didn't expect it to happen this quickly. I stay very up to date with the news relating such topics, and the picture does look a little gloomy. It is growing increasingly more difficult for dentists to own their own practice.

I think your best choice would be to take the job and consider applying to Physician Assistant Programs in the future and after you are tired of working in oil industry. You've got the prereqs finished for PA school and PA is a great health career with only 2 years of schooling. Many PAs make $120k and derm PAs make on average $150k . PA salaries are going nowhere but up especially with this healthcare reform and PAs don't have any of the hassles as doctors do. As a PA you can do a lot of what a doctor does in seeing patients. In fact Oregon compensates PAs working in primary care at the same rate as doctors get paid! Just look around at different PA school sites and see how long your prereqs are good for. After 3 years in the oil field and making dough, maybe you quit your oil job, work to get the experience they want for PA school (i.e emergency scribe), and apply to PA school.

Good luck dude and let me know if you have any questions.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
You're more likely to drive home from the oil field wondering to yourself, "what's the purpose of all this?" You'll be expending a lot of brain power as a mere cog in the process of doing something that will be hated more and more around the world, rightly or wrongly. You will be working for someone else, who has the ability to move you around or shuffle your obligations at their whim.

Incidentally, TAMU sent out a notice a year ago saying their petroleum engineering enrollment was blowing up, if that matters to you at all.
 
Miley Cyrus. said:
Hi,

Congrats on the job. Are you staying in Texas or going to North Dakota? Fracking is taking off dude, and I'm happy you are able to take advantage of this. This is a difficult decision for you and here is what I would say:
Dental salaries are going down, things are getting harder, and new schools are opening up and flooding an already over-saturated market. I hope you have done your research about oversaturation of dentists, rise of dental corporations, new schools, dental therapists, etc. This does not bode well for the future of dentistry. I knew it was happening, but I didn't expect it to happen this quickly. I stay very up to date with the news relating such topics, and the picture does look a little gloomy. It is growing increasingly more difficult for dentists to own their own practice.
Click to expand...
I think the "dental decline" thing is a bit of a misconception. But...ff you come into this business for money alone, you're an idiot. PM your thoughts if you'd like. If you want to make a ton of money as easy as possible in this business, go rural.

I think the best advice is to never make a career decision based on money alone.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Assuming you enjoy the work equally enough, go for the oil job. Being able to invest 4 years earlier and having no debt is an amazing thing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Illfavor said:
I think the "dental decline" thing is a bit of a misconception. But...ff you come into this business for money alone, you're an idiot. PM your thoughts if you'd like. If you want to make a ton of money as easy as possible in this business, go rural.

I think the best advice is to never make a career decision based on money alone.
Click to expand...
Yea I don't think dentistry has no hope whatsoever, but there are definitely some significant negative things happening to it.

I think the rural thing is a little bit overblown in terms of advantages offered. After living in a rural area myself for several years and speaking and working with several dentists and doctors in rural areas, going rural isn't the panache to all the problems in dentistry. Rural isn't a gravy train that will make you a "ton of money" "as easy as possible".
 
Miley Cyrus. said:
I think the rural thing is a little bit overblown in terms of advantages offered. After living in a rural area myself for several years and speaking and working with several dentists and doctors in rural areas, going rural isn't the panache to all the problems in dentistry. Rural isn't a gravy train that will make you a "ton of money" "as easy as possible".
Click to expand...

*shrug* We have different experiences talking to rural dentists and obviously different areas are more advantageous than others. I agree it is not a "panache" or a "gravy train," which is why I didn't characterize it as such.
 
Wow OP, Youve got 2 great offers lined up here. The fact that you have been accepted to Baylor is what is seriously going to drive my recommendation here. There are many students all over the country that would kill to come out with as little debt as you will be, if you choose to attend Baylor.In addition, I like to look at things with a long term perspective. All the health care fields these days have some sort of "doom and gloom" associated with them. Some med students complain that the compensation of primary care isnt worth the time and energy/years spent till they can practice. Anesthesiologists seem to be in a turf war with CRNA's. Dentists claim major cities are saturated. However, the field of healthcare is one of those that will always be needed. I do not know a single unemployed dentist; we don't all choose to open practices.
I know oil is booming right now, I have friends pursuing petroleum engineering for that very purpose. Oklahoma and Texas seem to be where its at right now in that sector. But for how long? I am not an economist and can't predict the future of any of these fields,but I tend to drift towards the aspect of long term stability.
You are not going to BU and coming out with 300k. You are going to Baylor and maybe coming out with 140k. Thats already a huge discount. After building up your skills, or maybe even choosing to specialize and you are living comfortable making 200k, as a dentist, and possibly more as your years of experience increase, would you really want to work for Big Oil?
On the other hand, I wonder if Baylor would let you defer your acceptance for a year...
Tough decision, nonetheless OP. You are one blessed man, and I wish you the best.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
ckgibbs115 said:
I've been offered a position working in the petroleum industry starting out at 100k+ per year.

I start dental school in a month and the prospect of going immediately into a career making six figures is extremely tempting.

There are many pros and cons to each side and I'm having a hard time deciding. I'm already leaning towards continuing to pursue dental school, but this is a very tempting opportunity.

Could anyone outline some of the lesser known perks to dentistry?
Has anyone ever struggled with any type of decision like this?
Click to expand...
Thats a tough call man....
I don't think SDN pre-dental form will have the answer

your gonna need to do some soul searching and decisiveness. I can tell you, if this was me, I could go with dentistry and it wouldn't even be a close call because, I know for sure, I'll make 100k/year in dentistry always whereas in the oil industry, you have a high paying job until the next layoff period arrives and then who knows
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
If money is your motivation then take the position. That way you can cancel your seat in dental school and open it up to an individual on the wait list that is more serious about dentistry.
 
Just some thoughts for you....

What is the nature of the oil field work? If you are doing something extremely physical? Take into account what the wear and tear, and the hours and travel, is going to your body over time. Maybe you make bank for four or five years, and then you find yourself unable to work anymore, vs dentistry which has a much more comfortable schedule, and while yes you do a lot of work bent over and seated which might get to your back if you aren't careful, you have a better chance of longevity in the field. Thirty to Forty years making a dentists income and being healthy in your old age is going to put you in a position far better than a few years in the oil industry.

Also, I totally get not wanting to be in debt. I remember how much I hated my loans and credit cards when I was finishing up my degree. I was in deep and my 20's pretty much sucked because of it. I worked two jobs, 50-60 hours a week, and paid all of that off, and bought a car, etc....which feels nice. But here I am, in my late 30's, having gone back to school for another degree, and applying to dental school this cycle, and yes, I have chalked up some debt already. When I get out I will have to pay off my loans and then scramble to make up for lost retirement savings. All the same, I will work less and take home more money than I ever have, and more importantly I will feel really proud of the work I do and have the self-respect that comes with accomplising something really hard.

All that being said, everyone has different motivations. I have a good friend who struggled for three years to get into med school, and then, when he finally got the acceptance call, he turned them down and went on to do very well in medical equipment sales.

Good luck to you.
 
ckgibbs115 said:
The downside is the traveling which consists of being at a job site for 2-4 weeks at a time and having to work regardless of the weather or sickness. I've heard the field can be volatile and there is a potential for layoffs at times.
Click to expand...

I thought I would put my 2 cents in since I have been working in the petroleum industry for 7 years now and just applied to dental school.

Your concerns about the job offer should not be taken lightly. Of course I don't know exactly what your position is, but I will tell you my side from a petroleum construction point of view.

My backstory: with a B.S. in CM, I made 6 figures my first year out of college at a Oil&Gas Engineering& Construction company. My wife and I have been moving with the "project" for the last 7 years. 1 yr there, 4 yrs there, and now 2 yrs here. I love construction, and the money was good (if you travel), but I will list a few of the reasons I want out.

-not family friendly. I was working 50-60 hrs a week, and that was just an "office" job. Hard on my wife. WAY harder once I had kids.
-work was always uncertain. first it was the construction permits, then it was budget every year, then it was the staff demobilizing. We never felt secure in our job. The chance of layoffs was always looming overhead.
-then the project was over, whats next? maybe there is work, maybe there isn't.

Some people love that kind of life, and if I was single, it would be fine with me too, but trying to have a family changes everything. I would see guys at work who had given their "life" to the refinery, and I would do anything not to become them.

It sounds like you already have a good handle on the pros/cons. I just wanted say something since I have already been there, and worked really hard to choose dentistry.
 
SXCoronado said:
OP, yours is a unique situation (two opportunities many would kill to have). Let's consider the possibilities:

1. go to dental school, sit and study, work in labs for hours worrying about your debt, become Dr. _____ and start a practice, stability/respect.
2. take the oil job, make bank at a very young age, travel, possibly hate the off/on nature of it all, wonder if you should have become a dentist instead.

I can't decide for you, so maybe imagine each scenario and decide which feels right for you
Click to expand...

What makes you think he won't have the same "what if" feeling if he chose dentistry?

Aliengod3 said:
If money is your motivation then take the position. That way you can cancel your seat in dental school and open it up to an individual on the wait list that is more serious about dentistry.
Click to expand...

:rolleyes:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I don't think anyone has said it yet but I think it may be wise to think of what the petroleum industry will be like in 10+ years. I don't think oil is going anywhere anytime soon but with the push for green automobiles and clean fuel the demand for oil may go down along with the salaries for those in the field, at least in North America. And I would imagine if anything happened to dentistry the salaries of those in the field wouldn't be drastically affected whereas in the petroleum industry if anything happened to lessen the demand the bottom would fall out. Just something to think about.
 
OP,

So, what you choosing, geez....

Go to oil,

Too many applicants, here.

Go dig a hole
 
Builder said:
I thought I would put my 2 cents in since I have been working in the petroleum industry for 7 years now and just applied to dental school.

Your concerns about the job offer should not be taken lightly. Of course I don't know exactly what your position is, but I will tell you my side from a petroleum construction point of view.

My backstory: with a B.S. in CM, I made 6 figures my first year out of college at a Oil&Gas Engineering& Construction company. My wife and I have been moving with the "project" for the last 7 years. 1 yr there, 4 yrs there, and now 2 yrs here. I love construction, and the money was good (if you travel), but I will list a few of the reasons I want out.

-not family friendly. I was working 50-60 hrs a week, and that was just an "office" job. Hard on my wife. WAY harder once I had kids.
-work was always uncertain. first it was the construction permits, then it was budget every year, then it was the staff demobilizing. We never felt secure in our job. The chance of layoffs was always looming overhead.
-then the project was over, whats next? maybe there is work, maybe there isn't.

Some people love that kind of life, and if I was single, it would be fine with me too, but trying to have a family changes everything. I would see guys at work who had given their "life" to the refinery, and I would do anything not to become them.

It sounds like you already have a good handle on the pros/cons. I just wanted say something since I have already been there, and worked really hard to choose dentistry.
Click to expand...

Wow, this place has everything. I'm not in the OP's specific situation, but that was some interesting insight.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Dentistry is all about saving lives and human nature, oil fields are all about pollution and destroying mother nature. So shiiit, the choice is crystal clear, oil fields all the way!
 
lol, banned less than 1 minute after making that post.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

idkwhatimdoingwithmylife
Pros and cons of dental field
Replies
9
Views
3K
idkwhatimdoingwithmylife
idkwhatimdoingwithmylife
R
WAMC: low gpa/ average dat/ moderate hours. moving forward in the dental field?
Replies
3
Views
902
Rvting
R
Biological23
Currently work in the dental field.
Replies
8
Views
816
Biological23
Biological23
DMDDDSHopeful
Uneven Playing Field?
Replies
24
Views
2K
bwc
B
M
Finance/Oil and Gas Dentist? Red Flags?
Replies
13
Views
2K
monkeykey
M
Top