Opinion on not having perfect teeth?

[CedarZ4]

So what's everyone's opinion on having perfect teeth?
Do you think as a dentist, we need the "perfect" teeth? You know, straight, perfectly aligned, white.
Do you think interviewers look at your teeth and judge your grills and based their decision partly on how they look?

I just brushed my teeth and I looked at myself in the mirror. I used to have a terrible set of dentin, but after some visits to the GP and Ortho, I came out manageable. Hey, at least I'm not afraid of smile anymore, I love to smile

Anyway, I realized my teeth are NOT as straight and aligned as they could be. One of my central incisors is slanted and elevated (it came out 90 degrees the wrong way...) and while I brush routinely with Crest and Listerine along with their marketing affect of "whitening" your teeth, they're NOT as white as I would like them to be. No stains, but has a yellow-ish hint.

Do you think the interviewers will look at this? Do you think it will affect my chances of getting in?

Of course, my stats, the way I performed during interview, and my resume will be prominent, but what role, and how large of a role will your set of "pearly whites" play in the admissions process?

Yes, SDN does this too you. To me at least. This and a loss of

Edit: That, and the constant checking refreshing of e-mail and every vibration on the phone gets me excited.

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[amalgamgrillz]

So what's everyone's opinion on having perfect teeth?
Do you think as a dentist, we need the "perfect" teeth? You know, straight, perfectly aligned, white.
Do you think interviewers look at your teeth and judge your grills and based their decision partly on how they look?

I just brushed my teeth and I looked at myself in the mirror. I used to have a terrible set of dentin, but after some visits to the GP and Ortho, I came out manageable. Hey, at least I'm not afraid of smile anymore, I love to smile

Anyway, I realized my teeth are NOT as straight and aligned as they could be. One of my central incisors is slanted and elevated (it came out 90 degrees the wrong way...) and while I brush routinely with Crest and Listerine along with their marketing affect of "whitening" your teeth, they're NOT as white as I would like them to be. No stains, but has a yellow-ish hint.

Do you think the interviewers will look at this? Do you think it will affect my chances of getting in?

Of course, my stats, the way I performed during interview, and my resume will be prominent, but what role, and how large of a role will your set of "pearly whites" play in the admissions process?

Yes, SDN does this too you. To me at least. This and a loss of

Edit: That, and the constant checking refreshing of e-mail and every vibration on the phone gets me excited.

I personally wouldn't go to a dentist with bad teeth, but I'm the resident snob on this forum. If it's any consolation, I also wouldn't go to a fat personal trainer.

Cue the Mother Teresas who will blow smoke up your hooha and tell you the world isn't vain and that jacked up teeth won't hurt you at all.

 

[jackalo34]

So what's everyone's opinion on having perfect teeth?
Do you think as a dentist, we need the "perfect" teeth? You know, straight, perfectly aligned, white.
Do you think interviewers look at your teeth and judge your grills and based their decision partly on how they look?

I just brushed my teeth and I looked at myself in the mirror. I used to have a terrible set of dentin, but after some visits to the GP and Ortho, I came out manageable. Hey, at least I'm not afraid of smile anymore, I love to smile

Anyway, I realized my teeth are NOT as straight and aligned as they could be. One of my central incisors is slanted and elevated (it came out 90 degrees the wrong way...) and while I brush routinely with Crest and Listerine along with their marketing affect of "whitening" your teeth, they're NOT as white as I would like them to be. No stains, but has a yellow-ish hint.

Do you think the interviewers will look at this? Do you think it will affect my chances of getting in?

Of course, my stats, the way I performed during interview, and my resume will be prominent, but what role, and how large of a role will your set of "pearly whites" play in the admissions process?

Yes, SDN does this too you. To me at least. This and a loss of

Edit: That, and the constant checking refreshing of e-mail and every vibration on the phone gets me excited.

I think when APPLYING to dental school, it isn't weighed on as heavily. Not everyone has the money/chance o fix any issues with their teeth-family issues as a child/teen are definitely out of your control. As a college student...we are all broke so no help there.

As a dentist....I think you are an idiot if you don't get your teeth fixed as well as you can. I mean you have the job and money; do it. Like amalgam said...I would not go to a fat personal trainer.

Lead by example.

 

[Riz0791]

I don't think they take how your teeth look into consideration. I don't see how that would be relevent to how well you do in dental school.

 

[hellopeople]

Probably doesn't affect your chances at admission. I think it might be a problem when you are a practicing dentist though.

 

[doc toothache]

Nothing like getting advice on ortho/other dental treatment from a practitioner who does not own a mirror.

 

[r2thekesh]

You might better patient compliance as a dentist because it shows you're mortal (similar to an obese person not listening to a skinny doc on diet advice) or you might get worse patient compliance (if the doc can't do it, why should I even try?).

 

[MrAvicii]

this is actually funny, i once met a girl (about a year ago) she was in D-school and had the worst teeth ever, she looked like she's never been to a dentist (sorry for sounding mean, but its true) they were very yellow and looked bad, so my first thought was how the hell can you trust her to take care of your teeth, if her teeth are so bad lol

 

[CedarZ4]

Wow, some very critical comments. Then again, it's SDN. We're all crazy, overachieving, and well... just plain insane
Sorry if I offended anyone but.. C'mon... C'mon

Anyway, I think I agree with most of the comments to some degree. While I too, would never go to a fat gym instructor, or a dentist with terrible teeth, I believe that just because you are dentist, like mentioned, doesn't mean I'm immortal and the teeth god. I too am human, and will have certain limitations. My teeth are straight, clean, and stain-free. Just not as white as the people who bleach it annually, and have that one stupid tooth that just goes crazy. Can't even do an ollie, fricken 90 degrees!

Anyway, I also feel like practicing dentistry, and getting into dental school are two very different things. Like someone has also mentioned, having poor teeth doesn't mean you won't achieve well in dental school, but we're not talking about extremes. Just your average grillz yo'

All kidding aside, I just wanted to know what everyones opinion was, and just needed to calm my nerve and nothing does that better (haha) than going on SDN.

I do plan on fixing that central incisor, but maybe after my senior year and before matriculating into DS. However, with an interview coming up in 2 weeks, getting braces just isn't an option

 

[WhiteCoatWonder]

I personally wouldn't go to a dentist with bad teeth, but I'm the resident snob on this forum. If it's any consolation, I also wouldn't go to a fat personal trainer.

Cue the Mother Teresas who will blow smoke up your hooha and tell you the world isn't vain and that jacked up teeth won't hurt you at all.

lol....well the resident snob's neighbor says +1 to that! every dentist i shadowed with was obsessed with the appearance of his/her teeth. one dude consumed absolutely no refined sugar and checked his grill after working on each patient.

i'm obsessive like that too though... shoot after having braces, veneers, a crown and a couple restorations, i've got a right to be! (they look fantastic though!)

 

[CedarZ4]

lol....well the resident snob's neighbor says +1 to that! every dentist i shadowed with was obsessed with the appearance of his/her teeth. one dude consumed absolutely no refined sugar and checked his grill after working on each patient.

i'm obsessive like that too though... shoot after having braces, veneers, a crown and a couple restorations, i've got a right to be! (they look fantastic though!)

Well, that's sort of what I was talking about in my previous post.

Natural teeth are NOT supposed to be what the media makes it out to be, you know, "pearly whites"

Without intense bleaching or replacement, like veneer/crowns and what not, your teeth are bound to have it's flaws just naturally.

How does that come into play? Should all dentists just get dentures?

Edit: Don't mean to be rude, but we're all just "patiently" waiting for that Dec1 date and thought we'd have a little harmless debate/conversation.

 

[WhiteCoatWonder]

you're right...waiting IS the worst! while i continue to refresh my inbox, i'll reflect on this. i guess i always figured if there was someone considered to be an "authority" on something, they should be close to perfect at it. for instance, i always ask my hygienist hygiene questions, not my dentist. no idea why.

i DID consider taking out my (2) silvers and replacing them with composite, just for aesthetics but i was told by my dmd that was a bad idea. lol i'll have to put that one in the pile with your "all dentists should maybe get dentures" idea. first, it seems better to save-a-tooth when you can so i'd have to take all my teeth out to get dentures! (no partials, thanks) plus, what would we do, take them out before procedures and do a show and tell for your patients???

its funny though because its kinda like that riddle about the barbers. if there are only two barbers in town, one has a jacked up haircut and the other has the smooth 'do...who do you get to cut your hair???

 

[quackwhacker]

 

[dantemac]

I have a few composite fillings, and even at that they are pinhole sized; Unless the ad coms want to take a radiograph, I doubt they will identify any problems with my (and probably most other people on here's) teeth.

 

[SeattleRDH]

Maligned teeth will not reflect negatively on you but poor oral hygiene will.

Not everyone can afford braces but everyone can afford floss.

Those of us who look in people's mouths all day can see (and smell) gingivitis from a mile away. If your gums are red and bleed with brushing or flossing, definitely take care of that before your interview.

 

[notin]

your teeth won't matter in admission any more than your overall looks matter in everything you do.

i don't think your teeth being "perfect" will matter at any point in your career. if when you introduce yourself to someone, they immediately notice that you have bad teeth, it might be an issue. otherwise i'd say average or slightly above average teeth or better and you're fine.

Fillings certainly won't matter unless they're visible and ugly. Many people in my class have a lot of fillings.

 

[toothhornet88]

It's not about how many fillings you have that matter to the people you will be doing business with but about orthodontic appearance. I'm not going to lie back in the day it wasn't as big of an issue as it is now, economically speaking! In these times, potential clients will turn away and go to a different dentist just because the dentist's teeth look horrible. I'm not trying to offend anyone but it's true. It wouldn't matter to ADCOMS (unless you have serious gum disease and a full blown mouth disaster) as much as it will matter to you as a business owner who wants to build a successful practice. Also, why wouldn't you fix your teeth if you can do it??

 

[TheToothsayer]

A dentist I use to work with had the best looking teeth in the world. Upon closer inspection it turned out they were temps! He didn't have a tooth to his name!

I think it's important that a dentist practices good oral hygiene. I liked the notion of not going to a fat athletic trainer.