Pre-Med vs. Pre-Dent

[futuredds08]

I, like many other Biology majors, started out as a Pre-med, thinking I would eventually like to go into cardiology or internal medicine. Eventually I started realizing that med school wasn't for me. My mother, on the other hand, remains convinced that my calling is to be a medical doctor. I absolutely will not be swayed by her opinions, even though I value them, but I would like to eventually convince her that my future career will be as fruitful, rewarding, and prestigious as my former intended career. What are some reasons other people chose the dental field over medical?

The points I have made thus far are:

1. Lower malpractice insurance
2. Less intrusion by insurance companies
3. Less time in residency (for the most part)
4. More time with family
5. Very rarely on call
6. Still a doctor in a medical profession
7. High compensation compared to hours worked
8. Ability to start private practice

Has anyone else had problems convincing someone they care about that dentistry is a worthwhile profession?

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[NewMexDent]

I can't really relate to your situation since my parents would support anything I choose to do but I can understand how it would be difficult to convince a parent that disagreed with your career choice. You've listed some good pro's to dentistry but remember that you should go into dentistry because you would enjoy working as a dentist more than as an MD. Do it because you like it.

That being said there are a million reasons to practice dentistry but listing them might not sway your parents opinions. I would say that my biggest draw to dentistry is the oppurtunity to provide meaningful service. You not only would have the means (money and time) but the skills to make differences in the lives of others. You could volunteer abroad or even in you own community and it would mean something to those you help.

 

[futuredds08]

I would agree that those are reasons I would like to pursue dentistry. I love working with people and making a difference in their lives. However, my mom is not convinced that dentistry is a valuable profession, as she views physicians as having a greater impact on an individual's health and well-being. As bad as it sounds, my mom feels that if you are going into the healthcare field you might as well pick the profession that you will make the most amount of money.

It's very frustrating to me as I would think that most parents would prefer their children go into a profession where they will be happy and one that they will feel is fulfilling. I think my mom grew up poor and raised us poor, so she would prefer I make the most amount of money possible. Again, I KNOW what I want to do, and I know that I must make my own decision here. However, I would love it if my mom could accept dentistry as a respectable career in medicine.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, and thank you for the advice.

 

[NewMexDent]

I would agree that those are reasons I would like to pursue dentistry. I love working with people and making a difference in their lives. However, my mom is not convinced that dentistry is a valuable profession, as she views physicians as having a greater impact on an individual's health and well-being. As bad as it sounds, my mom feels that if you are going into the healthcare field you might as well pick the profession that you will make the most amount of money.

It's very frustrating to me as I would think that most parents would prefer their children go into a profession where they will be happy and one that they will feel is fulfilling. I think my mom grew up poor and raised us poor, so she would prefer I make the most amount of money possible. Again, I KNOW what I want to do, and I know that I must make my own decision here. However, I would love it if my mom could accept dentistry as a respectable career in medicine.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, and thank you for the advice.

Wow, sounds like an interesting situation. Many private practitioners (and definately specialists) can make as much and ussually more money than their medical counterparts, and it takes less time to be profitable (less schooling, residency etc.). I don't know how you would convince your mother of that, but you could try. Also, in my opinion, there is not much difference between making 200,000 and 500,000 - either way you are making more than 99% of the country. Anyway, good luck!

 

[zoom12]

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[Shunwei]

I would agree that those are reasons I would like to pursue dentistry. I love working with people and making a difference in their lives. However, my mom is not convinced that dentistry is a valuable profession, as she views physicians as having a greater impact on an individual's health and well-being. As bad as it sounds, my mom feels that if you are going into the healthcare field you might as well pick the profession that you will make the most amount of money.

It's very frustrating to me as I would think that most parents would prefer their children go into a profession where they will be happy and one that they will feel is fulfilling. I think my mom grew up poor and raised us poor, so she would prefer I make the most amount of money possible. Again, I KNOW what I want to do, and I know that I must make my own decision here. However, I would love it if my mom could accept dentistry as a respectable career in medicine.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, and thank you for the advice.

Not to pick on you or anything but you sound like a Moma's boy: "my mom" this, "my mom" that. Come on, man. You do realize that this is *your* life, don't you? What happens when ten years down the line and you regret the career choice you made just for your mother? Who is going to take the responsbility then? How would one take the responsibility?

Grow up, mature, make the choice for yourself. Only you can responsibly decide which road of life to take.

 

[futuredds08]

Not to pick on you or anything but you sound like a Moma's boy: "my mom" this, "my mom" that. Come on, man. You do realize that this is *your* life, don't you? What happens when ten years down the line and you regret the career choice you made just for your mother? Who is going to take the responsbility then? How would one take the responsibility?

Grow up, mature, make the choice for yourself. Only you can responsibly decide which road of life to take.

First of all, if anything, I would be a "Moma's girl"... definitely not a "Moma's boy".

Second of all, I am specifically saying that I know I am making this decision for myself and this is why I am not being pressured into being a physician instead of a dentist. I might have taken my parents' considerations more if they would have helped financially for college, but since they did not, I have no need to rely on their approval to make such a life changing decision.

Instead, I simply wish that there was a way to have my mom be happy for me, rather than degrade me by insisting that my future profession is not dignified enough. If that is not possible, I will learn to live with that, but until I do my best to change that situation I cannot accept it.

 

[Regmata]

Tell me that your mother is at least a physician, upset that dentists make so much damn money and not just trying to live her past dreams vicariously through you...

 

[futuredds08]

LOL... wish that was the case. She manages a retail store.

 

[Shunwei]

First of all, if anything, I would be a "Moma's girl"... definitely not a "Moma's boy".

Second of all, I am specifically saying that I know I am making this decision for myself and this is why I am not being pressured into being a physician instead of a dentist. I might have taken my parents' considerations more if they would have helped financially for college, but since they did not, I have no need to rely on their approval to make such a life changing decision.

Instead, I simply wish that there was a way to have my mom be happy for me, rather than degrade me by insisting that my future profession is not dignified enough. If that is not possible, I will learn to live with that, but until I do my best to change that situation I cannot accept it.

You don't need your mother's approval in pursuing a perfectly legit and respectable career. It's not like you are going off to a shady profession. The fact of the matter is you should do your own research thoroughly, make an educated decision on your own, and then carry through with it to the best of your capability. What your parents think, or anyone else for that matter, is strictly irrelevant as they do not "own" you.

 

[SanOnofre2002]

Don't waste your time trying to convince her, just do what you want. If she's so insistent it's cause she's being selfish herself (here's my daughter, she's an MD!). And if she won't shut up about it, spend less time with her till she gets it. That's what I'd do.

 

[DDSY]

First and foremost, you have to shadow both professions to determine which one you like the best. Medicine, for the most part, is more analytical. You can specialize in fields that cover most parts of the body. Dentistry blends art, science and people skills. You can also specialize but it's more difficult to do so than medicine.

General dentists earn more than primary care physicians (internal medicine, family medicine, psychiatrists, etc). However, if you graduate from a domestic medical school, you have a pretty good chance of specializing (>50%): of course, this excludes DO and foreign medical programs. As a medical specialist, you earn much more than a general dentist on average. But certain specialties are very difficult to attain and, furthermore, as was pointed out, for the most part, medicine is more stressful than dentistry. In certain fields you get very little sleep during residency.

As far as starting your own private practice, it's possible for both professions, although this is becoming less common for medicine.

Residency is generally shorter for dentistry, but this is not all inclusive. Oral surgery can take up to six years.

As for insurance, dental work also gets reimbursed by insurance companies, although generally speaking, the coverage is not as encompassing as medicine.

But in the end, its all up to do. Different people have different likes and dislikes. With a national healthcare system likely to happen I think (if Hillary gets elected) who knows how good medicine or dentistry will be as a profession? Generally speaking medicine takes up a much much larger chunk of the budget (add in Medicaid, Medicare and EMTALA) and healthcare is considered a right by many (dental work is generally perceived as optional although I disagree) and thus medicine will be more likely affected by legislation.

 

[minaG]

this may not even be considered as an idea for you, but can't u just tell her that dentistry is what you truly wanna do and even if u do become a succesful cardiac surgeon, u won't be happy!?
i'm so glad that my parents are supportive with whichever occupation i choose for my future, i don't have these kinda problems to deal with.

 

[Meatwad]

If your mom wants you to pick the best paid healthcare field then she should want you to be an executive in a pharm company. As far as being a provider, though, I think DDS > MD as far as realistic earnings. Tell her the following:

A doctor is paid by insurance companies; they can't adjust the price of a physical exam, for exmaple. They get compensated whatever the standard is set by the billing code of the insurance companies.

In dentistry, charge whatever you want. I'm sure the dentist in Beverly Hills can charge more for a cleaning than the guy in Podunk, Iowa.

Also, since doctor's work more hours for the most part, there is less time for them to focus their energy on marketing and utilizing their busines sense. As a dentist, you can market yourself and make a killing. Of course, doctor's can make a killing too, but like I said, they are more burned out and people may frown upon a doctor who is trying to sell her/himself too aggressively.

If you want your mom to get off your back, just tell her you want to be an oral & maxillofacial surgeon; they have a DDS and an MD. That way, she'll be happy that you are on track to being an MD. Explain to her, though, that first you have to go to dental school, THEN medical school; not vice-versa. Then you can tell her the income potential is greater than probably all medical specialties or dental specialties. Should shut her up.

 

[Meatwad]

First and foremost, you have to shadow both professions to determine which one you like the best. Medicine, for the most part, is more analytical. You can specialize in fields that cover most parts of the body. Dentistry blends art, science and people skills. You can also specialize but it's more difficult to do so than medicine.

General dentists earn more than primary care physicians (internal medicine, family medicine, psychiatrists, etc). However, if you graduate from a domestic medical school, you have a pretty good chance of specializing (>50%): of course, this excludes DO and foreign medical programs. As a medical specialist, you earn much more than a general dentist on average. But certain specialties are very difficult to attain and, furthermore, as was pointed out, for the most part, medicine is more stressful than dentistry. In certain fields you get very little sleep during residency.

As far as starting your own private practice, it's possible for both professions, although this is becoming less common for medicine.

Residency is generally shorter for dentistry, but this is not all inclusive. Oral surgery can take up to six years.

As for insurance, dental work also gets reimbursed by insurance companies, although generally speaking, the coverage is not as encompassing as medicine.

But in the end, its all up to do. Different people have different likes and dislikes. With a national healthcare system likely to happen I think (if Hillary gets elected) who knows how good medicine or dentistry will be as a profession? Generally speaking medicine takes up a much much larger chunk of the budget (add in Medicaid, Medicare and EMTALA) and healthcare is considered a right by many (dental work is generally perceived as optional although I disagree) and thus medicine will be more likely affected by legislation.

DO's have just as good a chance as MD's at specializing; the stigma is rapidly fading due to the influx of foreign doctor's trying to get residencies. True, fewer DO's specialize but this could be for reasons other than the fact they are a DO. For example, DO's tend to be older on average than MD's, so maybe they don't want to spend 7 years doing a general surgery residency. If you are a non-trad starting med school at 31, finishing at 35, do you want to wait until age 40-42 before you can actually practice? You have 20 years at best before you'll want to retire, which is a short career.

I agree FMG's are overwhelmingly in primary care, because of a stigma and because UD students (MD's and DO's) will always get precedence when it comes to getting competitive residencies.

 

[Istr8nthem]

It sounds to me like your mother is being extremely selfish in this situation. It's almost a case of her trying to relive her life through you, and that is not fair to you. Ultimately, you are going to have Dr. before your name and you will be the only one to blame if you are Dr. Unhappy or Dr. MajorStress due to not following what you think will make you the most happy and comfortable for the rest of your life.

Prestige, honor, etc should never come into play when choosing between two medical fields. Sure you can think about money, time with family, hours worked, etc, but you have to look at the big picture and think: what will I truly be happier doing? This is only gained by exploring the professions you are interested in completely and finding what best fits YOU as a person, not what will make Mom most proud of, or what will allow Mom to brag to her Tupperware buddies, because it is all nonsense if you aren't happy.

Tell her to take a backseat in your ride through life and be happy that she has an intelligent daughter in the position to enter such a field as Medicine or Dentistry, because the sad truth is 95% of Mom's cannot say that about their children.

 

[Regmata]

Generally speaking medicine takes up a much much larger chunk of the budget (add in Medicaid, Medicare and EMTALA) and healthcare is considered a right by many (dental work is generally perceived as optional although I disagree) and thus medicine will be more likely affected by legislation.

Good point...

Your mother, who manages a retail store feels that getting a Doctorate of Dental Surgery is not a dignified career?

 

[Meatwad]

Good point...

Your mother, who manages a retail store feels that getting a Doctorate of Dental Surgery is not a dignified career?

Seriously... not to insult your mom, but who is she to belittle any career? As a dentist, you will be in the minority of Americans who pursued graduate or professional education. Who is she, or any of us, to try to rank or judge any of these people, whether they be an professor, optometrist, physical therapist, vet, dentist, physician, etc.?

 

[Flipper405]

As everyone else has already said, you really shouldn't even worry about convincing her. Just do what YOU think is best for yourself. You are obviously a bright person (after all, you are smart enough to see that dentistry is kinda the best thing ever ) so trust yourself. Follow through on your potential and prove her wrong. Good luck!

 

[futuredds08]

First and foremost, you have to shadow both professions to determine which one you like the best. Medicine, for the most part, is more analytical. You can specialize in fields that cover most parts of the body. Dentistry blends art, science and people skills. You can also specialize but it's more difficult to do so than medicine.

...

As for insurance, dental work also gets reimbursed by insurance companies, although generally speaking, the coverage is not as encompassing as medicine.

...

Everyone brings up very good points. As for the above, I have shadowed both professions and personally have decided I prefer dentistry partially because of the creative nature of the profession and partially because I like the nature of the relationships you are able to form with patients. Also, as for insurance, from what I have seen of the insurance situations in both medicine and in dentistry, the ADA has done a very good job of ensuring that insurance companies cannot mandate how much a dentist can charge for procedures (besides a certain few companies like Cigna), while the medical insurance companies have begun to drive private medical practitioners out of business by negotiating prices only with big multi-doctor practices, and offering much less than a particular service is worth.

I do agree that my mom is being slightly selfish. However, until now I never thought about the fact that my mom doesn't have a college degree and has a job that pretty much anyone could do. It's actually kind of interesting to me that this has never occurred to me, but I think that it shows that while my mother is very interested in the "prestige" of my profession, I have never really given much thought to that.

Thanks for everyone's advice. I haven't seen any posts suggesting that others have a similar experience, however. Am I alone in this situation?

 

[2quik]

Am I alone in this situation?

You arent alone. Im sure a lot of asians (especially the 1st gen ones) are pressured by their parents to pursue a MD career. Like you, my parents wanted me to go to medical school...however, I've convinced them that dentistry is the way to go!

You should tell your mom that she's lucky you even want to pursue a profession that is in "health-care"...If i didnt fall in-love with dentistry, I'd probably go plan B and be a cop hahaha

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

I, like many other Biology majors, started out as a Pre-med, thinking I would eventually like to go into cardiology or internal medicine. Eventually I started realizing that med school wasn't for me. My mother, on the other hand, remains convinced that my calling is to be a medical doctor. I absolutely will not be swayed by her opinions, even though I value them, but I would like to eventually convince her that my future career will be as fruitful, rewarding, and prestigious as my former intended career. What are some reasons other people chose the dental field over medical?

The points I have made thus far are:

1. Lower malpractice insurance
2. Less intrusion by insurance companies
3. Less time in residency (for the most part)
4. More time with family
5. Very rarely on call
6. Still a doctor in a medical profession
7. High compensation compared to hours worked
8. Ability to start private practice

Has anyone else had problems convincing someone they care about that dentistry is a worthwhile profession?

Interesting thread. First let me say that I admire your commitment to please your mother. That shows you care about her feelings and that is a good trait in a daughter. Now let's look at this situation more critically. Every parent want their children to have the best career possible that pays well. That is the ultimate goal for anybody. I am Vietnamese and my father was a MD. Many of his friends are also MD and guess what? By default, 99.9% of his friend's children are expected to be MDs also. Any other careers are considered an "insult" to them. So the children do what they are expected to do... becoming MDs. You know what I find out about some of these MDs? Some of them are happy some of them are not. That is because they enter a field that their hearts are not into it. Sure, medicine is highly respected but it is NOT for everyone. Some are made for it and some are not. Parents at times think they know what's best for their children but the sad truth is they don't. It is YOU who knows what you want. Some people think that physicians are the ultimate Gods and they ignore everything else. If you follow your mother advice instead of your own, you will be suffering for the rest of your life. It is very sad that your mother has such a poor opinion of dentists. I wish you can show her how many thousands of people trying to become one and fail. If you truly want to become a dentist, then do it. If you want to become an MD, then be it. Nowadays, if you want to have a MD after your name, I say it is very easy to get one.DP

 

[JackieTreehorn]

Nevermind, I'll make my own thread

 

[littlealex]

I'm in the opposite boat. My father is a successful private practice dentist and an associate professor at a dental school. Since I was 18 my parents had grilled me to go into dentistry. Initially hoping to rebel, I went into engineering. However, soon realizing that engineering is not for me, I explored around and ended up with medicine.

My parents want me to go into dentistry because the money is good, the hours are GREAT (comparing to medicine), and you have a better chance to live your life.

The reason I want to go into medicine is because I don't have the same passion for teeth that my father does, and medicine offers more specialty choices to explore.

 

[jswizdent]

The bottom line is that if your a dentist, your income potential is limitless even a GP. Managed care is invading medicine while in dentistry it is only a very small percentage. I think managed care will not take over dentistry even if Hilary is elected. Too many dentists don't take managed care, and almost all specialists are ffs. If you like dentisty do that and if you like medicine do that. Heck get both if you really want to(OMS 6 year).

 

[JackieTreehorn]

I know both are competitive, but everybody here so far seems hell bent on medicine. And not just medicine, but M.D. only. I don't know how much that changes over the undergraduate years, but from my school at least there seems to be considerably fewer predents

 

[da8s0859q]

Seriously... not to insult your mom, but who is she to belittle any career? As a dentist, you will be in the minority of Americans who pursued graduate or professional education. Who is she, or any of us, to try to rank or judge any of these people, whether they be an professor, optometrist, physical therapist, vet, dentist, physician, etc.?

For that matter, who the f*ck is anyone to belittle anybody's career? Different strokes, different folks. Different interests, different ideals, different... people. And the world needs all of 'em - like the saying goes, even the ditchdiggers, too.

I think Dr. Phan's "easy to get an MD" statement is relative to put it mildly, but he's got the right sentiment about the whole thing as far as I'm concerned. You, my dear OP, need to do what you feel will make you happiest.

Not what will make you the richest.

Not what will please your mother the most.

And not what you feel is most revered.

Incidentally, the same compensation vs. time / training concerns are what continue to push me away from being a pre-MD student, and I still throw around dentistry / pharmacy quite a bit.

I mean, I think your mother has some footing on why she wants you to be a doctor doctor. If you say "doctor" to most people, they'll assume you mean what we know to be an MD or DO, and I think it's a fair assumption that most non-medical people will take notice of MD after someone's name at least a sliver more than they will DDS/DMD/PhD/PharmD/etc. So yeah, there is at least a little gap in the whole perceived prestige thing.

But life's a tradeoff like that. Meanwhile, you'll still be in the very top percentage of earners in the country, you'll still have a doctoral degree, you'll still have a life outside of your career, and so forth.

 

[Meatwad]

The reason I want to go into medicine is because I don't have the same passion for teeth that my father does, and medicine offers more specialty choices to explore.

Valid point, however, as a dentist you know from day 1 you will be specializing in teeth. Your future is far less certain in medicine. You have the oppurtunity to become anything from a dermatologist to a radiation oncologist, but the chances of you getting into those as opposed to family medicine or internal medicine is far less certain.

So while the MD gives yo ua wider playing field for specialization, one bad day (USMLE Step 1 test day) decides your fate. If you can gamble not even knowing what part of the body you might be forced to work with for the rest of your life, than medicine is up your alley.

 

[da8s0859q]

So while the MD gives yo ua wider playing field for specialization, one bad day (USMLE Step 1 test day) decides your fate. If you can gamble not even knowing what part of the body you might be forced to work with for the rest of your life, than medicine is up your alley.

Not that I have experience from which to speak, but I think it's just that medicine makes it far more difficult to know what you'll be working with; A 210 on Step 1 will certainly make your match into derm or something a bit more difficult, but I'm sure it's happened before.