I posted a reply to this in the Pre-Dental forum and came there because I'm actually pretty interested in what everyone has to say about this as well.
In my opinion, the biggest pro of practicing dentistry is the personal satisfaction you gain from contributing to someone else's self esteem through perfecting their smile. I'm working at a dental clinic in between school terms and the confidence boost that patients gain from aesthetic dentistry truly amazes me. In regards to the cons of dentistry, I would have to say that the depreciation of the profession by some individuals is a tough aspect of the field. Truth is, many people view a visit to the dentist as the plague and don't treat them as pleasant experiences. How often do you hear the following when you mention dentistry to someone: "Oh, I can't stand going to the dentist; I was terrified of going to my dentist's office when I was young..."
What does everyone think about this? Do you think that is pretty prevalent, even if it's not universal?
