Quitting dentistry

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nice_guy1

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Would i be consider a failure if i quit on my dream and give up dentistry? This is my second tries, and im only getting older. I feel like im giving up on the most precious thing in life, time, by wasting it on something that might not be attainable for me. If i quit now, it would seem like im a quitter and all my effort would go to waste. I would let everyone down that believe in me, except for myself because i know i gave 110%. I just dont want to be stuck in a sunken cost mentality and waste more precious years pursuing an improbable dream at this point. What should i do?

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Would i be consider a failure if i quit on my dream and give up dentistry? This is my second tries, and im only getting older. I feel like im giving up on the most precious thing in life, time, by wasting it on something that might not be attainable for me. If i quit now, it would seem like im a quitter and all my effort would go to waste. I would let everyone down that believe in me, except for myself because i know i gave 110%. I just dont want to be stuck in a sunken cost mentality and waste more precious years pursuing an improbable dream at this point. What should i do?
How old are you (if you don't mind me asking) and how many times have you applied?
The application process is stressful, keep working hard, take more classes, retake your DAT if you need to, and apply again.
 
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How old are you (if you don't mind me asking) and how many times have you applied?
The application process is stressful, keep working hard, take more classes, retake your DAT if you need to, and apply again.
I be 30 this year. This is my second cycle. I have been taking classes for the past two years. I took the dat 4 times already. I thought about a master, but was told by a faculty from a master program i was looking at that a master might not be the best route because i did a postbacc already. Im on a couple waiting list, but i doubt i will get off now. Feel mentally drain and really thinking about just moving on with my life at this point.
 
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Do the masters. You are making yourself more competitive every year and you are showing your commitment. Don't give up.
And there is still a chance you might get off the waiting list.

Eye on the prize!!!
 
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You can do it at 30, 40, or 50. Don't let anyone tel you otherwise. To make your life easier you should work to save a considerable chunk of money to pay for dental school. Coming out of school at 35-36+ with a degree and 400k in debt is not very appealing but if you can crush that debt down your life after school will be much easier. HOWEVER, if that's not possible, maybe consider something else! It's not the end of the world but if time is a concern for you and you want to live a little, you should also take into consideration that dental school may be over in 4 years, but you have anywhere from 2-20 years of debt repayment where your lifestyle is not ideal. I hope it doesn't deter you but definitely think about it and do the calculations based on your own situation.


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Please don't give up. I am also a non trad student (27 years old) so I know where you are coming from. If you were able to get interviews this cycle, then you will be able to get interviews next cycle as well. Keep trying. I went down a road with a career I didn't like and I was miserable for 5 years.

Message me if you want!
 
I say to keep trying! I'm a non trad student and I'll be 30 years old before I'm done with my BA and can apply. I thought about it this way.. I'll be 35 when I'm done most people work until they are around 65 so you'll have a 25-30 year career thats a substantial amount of time if you ask me.


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Definitely wouldn't make you a quitter. If you want it, keep trying. If you're okay doing something else, move on and don't feel bad about it.
 
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My head is telling me to move on, but my heart is telling me to keep trying. Very conflicted, it like im having a battle from within and no matter what happen, i cant win.
 
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There are plenty of people over 30 in my class, but I personally would reevaluate at that point. I don't want to tell you to give up on your dreams, but from a financial standpoint, that is A LOT of debt to take on that late in life. Ultimately, do what you feel is best, but take that into consideration.

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My head is telling me to move on, but my heart is telling me to keep trying. Very conflicted, it like im having a battle from within and no matter what happen, i cant win.

honestly, you win either way, have faith in that. whatever you choose to do is the right decision. fwiw, i strongly doubt that ds is unattainable for you but that doesn't mean you have to do it. nothing wrong with either moving on or staying on this specific path.
 
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Don't feel like you need to continue on the dentistry path because you've applied for a couple years and haven't gotten in. If you're only staying in it to not feel like a failure, you've already lost imo.
 
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Don't feel like you need to continue on the dentistry path because you've applied for a couple years and haven't gotten in. If you're only staying in it to not feel like a failure, you've already lost imo.
I think you are right. I think i have my mind made up already. Like that song said, "i have a hundred millions reasons to walk away, but baby, i just need one good one to stay," and right now i cant find one good one.
 
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Do the masters. You are making yourself more competitive every year and you are showing your commitment. Don't give up.
And there is still a chance you might get off the waiting list.

Eye on the prize!!!

This
 
I think you are right. I think i have my mind made up already. Like that song said, "i have a hundred millions reasons to walk away, but baby, i just need one good one to stay," and right now i cant find one good one.

At the end of your day, be comfortable with your choice. You're the one making the decision, and you need to be comfortable with the outcome. SDN can be a very helpful source but it is ultimately your decision.
 
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At the end of your day, be comfortable with your choice. You're the one making the decision, and you need to be comfortable with the outcome. SDN can be a very helpful source but it is ultimately your decision.
My two biggest reasons why i want dentistry is to be able to help people and take care of my mom. I know if I go into more debt to get a master and if I'm lucky enough to get into my state school (most expensive public school in the country), I will come out with at least 500k before interest in debt when i'm 35. I just don't think i can accomplish my goals with that kind of debt. You cannot help the poor, when you are poor. If my state school was around 250 then i would probably close my eyes and take a leap of faith, but lucky me, my state school cost 400k. I just don't think it meant to be.
 
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My two biggest reasons why i want dentistry is to be able to help people and take care of my mom. I know if I go into more debt to get a master and if I'm lucky enough to get into my state school (most expensive public school in the country), I will come out with at least 500k before interest in debt when i'm 35. I just don't think i can accomplish my goals with that kind of debt. You cannot help the poor, when you are poor. If my state school was around 250 then i would probably would close my eyes and take a leap of faith, but lucky me, my state school cost 400k. I just don't think it meant to be.

Half a million dollars and 4+ years of your life is crazy. Don't do it. Not that you CAN'T do it, but you SHOULD'NT do it. You should go read the "Dentistry will wreck your finances" or whatever thread because although I don't agree with the guy completely, you are right in that target zone of 500k of debt to where he is saying isn't worth it, and I agree.
 
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Half a million dollars and 4+ years of your life is crazy. Don't do it. Not that you CAN'T do it, but you SHOULD'NT do it. You should go read the "Dentistry will wreck your finances" or whatever thread because although I don't agree with the guy completely, you are right in that target zone of 500k of debt to where he is saying isn't worth it, and I agree.
I have been reading that thread, and I think it really help me make my decision to give it up if i don't get in this year. honestly, that thread gave me a good reason to move on without making me feel like a quitter. I had this mindset that if I don't get into dentistry that I am a failure because I quit on my goal, but I can now live with the result knowing i gave it everything i had, but just came up a little short.
 
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I have been reading that thread, and I think it really help me make my decision to give it up if i don't get in this year. honestly, that thread gave me a good reason to move on without making me feel like a quitter. I had this mindset that if I don't get into dentistry that I am a failure because I quit on my goal, but I can now live with the result knowing i gave it everything i had, but just came up a little short.

Don't worry about it, life takes weird turns sometimes. There's plenty of other careers that pay well and that you can also help people in.
 
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There's a place for everyone in the world to thrive. You've just discovered that perhaps dental school isn't a good goal for you, and that's actually a good thing in my opinion, because now you can move towards a career that's a better fit for you! There are plenty of other things you can do in healthcare to help others. Don't let two application cycles discourage you from being involved in healthcare.
you're absolutely right. it just sting a little right now. i don't know if my next career path will be in healthcare, but i know there is something out there for me. i hope i find it one day so i can live with no regret.
 
What are your stats?
or an approximate?
 
It takes a lot of introspection to discover that. You need to be honest with yourself on what's important to you, what your values are, and what you hope to achieve in life. Dentistry was not my initial career path, but I'm very glad I discovered what I wanted to do in life, even if it was a bit later compared to some of my peers. Once you find your fit, you'll look back and can't believe how you could ever have felt like a failure.
thanks for your wise words. i think i can live with my decision as time heal all wound. right now the cut is pretty deep because i was so physically and emotionally attached to it, but sometime the best decision you can make is to move on.
 
I don't tell many people this but a few years ago my family and friends expected/pushed me to go to nursing school. Since middle school I planned to become a nurse, work for two years, and go back to school to become a CRNA. I was so sure it was the path for me. It was all I dreamed about for years.

In accordance with my plan while in college, I applied for nursing school for 3 years in a row. It was painful wasting time and getting rejected over and over again. It was hard, but I had to admit that maybe nursing wasn't for me. I felt like quitting made me a failure in the eyes of everyone around me but I had to do what's best for me. I re-evaluated what I genuinely desired to do with my life and I worked my ass off to get it.

When one door closes, another opens.
thank you for your story. that is what my dentist told me too. he is a religious man, and told me that god has a plan for me. HE doesn't make mistake, and if i don't get in, this is not meant for me. there is something bigger out there for me. i just hope i find it one day. i just feel a little disappointed right now because i'm just drifting with no direction.
 
thank you for your story. that is what my dentist told me too. he is a religious man, and told me that god has a plan for me. HE doesn't make mistake, and if i don't get in, this is not meant for me. there is something bigger out there for me. i just hope i find it one day. i just feel a little disappointed right now because i'm just drifting with no direction.

If I listened to that, I wouldn't had been accepted this time. People said it wasn't mean to be when I didn't get in time after time.

Make your own story.

https://www.studentdoctor.net/2015/...r-how-i-got-into-dental-school-after-6-tries/
 
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but i remember you said that you was going to give it up this year if you didn't get accepted. at some point, one has to move on. your was after 4 tries, mine will be after 2.

You got me there and you have a point. But I also did come back again and again to take the beating and rejection. I mustered the courage to keep asking for recommendations and had to self-motivate that I can do it. It's up to you to decide your path. I am sure people around you in real life will never stop supporting you or believing in the choices you make.

Life is a journey. Enjoy it for the good and the bad. Not everyone has a clear cut path and life is full of experiences. Take a deep breath. People would love to be in your shoes right now to even have had interviews or qualify to even apply. Remember that.
 

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You got me there and you have a point. But I also did come back again and again to take the beating and rejection. I mustered the courage to keep asking for recommendations and had to self-motivate that I can do it. It's up to you to decide your path. I am sure people around you in real life will never stop supporting you or believing in the choices you make.

Life is a journey. Enjoy it for the good and the bad. Not everyone has a clear cut path and life is full of experiences. Take a deep breath. People would love to be in your shoes right now to even have had interviews or qualify to even apply. Remember that.
lol, i was pulling for you the whole way though. you definitely deserve it with your perseverance. i told my mom about your story and she was very happy when i told her you finally got accepted. i know how each failures felt like, and for you to do it 4 times, i applaud you. as for me, i just lost the passion for it after each failure. i don't have the strength to continue.
 
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1. Dental school is getting harder and harder to get into every single cycle. There is no denying that. You may be getting more competitive, but so is everyone else. An M.S. may be what you need, but not want, at this point.

2. You must look deeply into your life motivations to determine ultimate self-satisfaction - would you be 100% content knowing you never became a dentist, but became something else successful in another career? If the answer is no, keep applying. If the answer is yes (or you're > 60/40 at this point), do yourself a favor and drop the journey now for something else you're passionate about. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not being a dentist in this country.

3. There is a huge myth here on SDN about the aura of being a DMD or MD in 2017. Dentistry is not some automatic gateway for financial freedoms (at least, it isn't anymore, despite naive pre-dents' misconceptions of wealth in this occupation relative to crippling debt loads), and there will be plenty of future US dentists with below average salaries/high debt obligations, simply because they're not very good clinicians and business owners. You will have to work extremely hard as a dentist (smart marketing, more operating hours, leaner financial waste and more efficient workflow, proper health insurance balance for repayments) to pull a > 200k salary after overheads, debts, etc., especially in a saturated clinician area.

EDIT: If the answer above is also no, you can also apply next cycle with a better profile *and* start searching for another healthcare job that interests you - apply for medical sales, pharmaceuticals, biotech, anything that pays decently in your gap year to support yourself, and use that job to finance any potentiality for a Masters degree. Many people take 2 roads at once in hopes that the ultimate one eventually pulls through. Now, if you have family commitments and require more money or a high-paying career, there's nothing any of us can say here on that matter; those industries typically require experience and a complete 180 on your life.
 
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1. Dental school is getting harder and harder to get into every single cycle. There is no denying that. You may be getting more competitive, but so is everyone else. An M.S. may be what you need, but not want, at this point.

2. You must look deeply into your life motivations to determine ultimate self-satisfaction - would you be 100% content knowing you never became a dentist, but became something else successful in another career? If the answer is no, keep applying. If the answer is yes (or you're > 60/40 at this point), do yourself a favor and drop the journey now for something else you're passionate about. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not being a dentist in this country.

3. There is a huge myth here on SDN about the aura of being a DMD or MD in 2017. Dentistry is not some automatic gateway for financial freedoms (at least, it isn't anymore, despite naive pre-dents' misconceptions of wealth in this occupation relative to crippling debt loads), and there will be plenty of future US dentists with below average salaries/high debt obligations, simply because they're not very good clinicians and business owners. You will have to work extremely hard as a dentist (smart marketing, more operating hours, leaner financial waste and more efficient workflow, proper health insurance balance for repayments) to pull a > 200k salary after overheads, debts, etc., especially in a saturated clinician area.

EDIT: If the answer above is also no, you can also apply next cycle with a better profile *and* start searching for another healthcare job that interests you - apply for medical sales, pharmaceuticals, biotech, anything that pays decently in your gap year to support yourself, and use that job to finance any potentiality for a Masters degree. Many people take 2 roads at once in hopes that the ultimate one eventually pulls through. Now, if you have family commitments and require more money or a high-paying career, there's nothing any of us can say here on that matter; those industries typically require experience and a complete 180 on your life.
1. i agree with you that a M.S. is needed at this time if i want any hope of becoming a dentist. if i apply with the same application with only improving in shadowing and volunteer hours, then i know i can expect the same result. i just don't know if i have the motivation or the times and money to invest in for it.

2. i thought at one point, dentistry was all or nothing. i thought i finally figure out what i wanted out of life after trying my hands at so many different things. i work many different jobs after schools until an event happen that brought me into dentistry. i did not take school seriously when i was younger, but when i went back, i knew what i wanted and work really hard for it. i don't think i would be 100% content with moving on, but i think i can live with it.

3. i know dentistry is not an automatic gateway for financial freedoms. there are other options out there to make a 6 figure salary without going into 500k debt. some people do it for the extra two letter in front of their name, but honestly i don't care about that at all. i really want to help people, and as long as i am financially able to help my mom, i am happy. i don't need much, i'm a pretty simple guy.
 
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Your commitment to apply to dental school took courage, but making a decision to quit also takes just as much courage.
At the end of the day, it is your choice, and noone here can make it for you.
You might already know the answer. Maybe you are just looking for someone to give you that last push.

IMO, I think you should give it 1 more try at least before quitting. 500k debt sounds like a lot, but in the grand scheme of things, you should be able to pay that off and make your time / money spent totally worth it.

You don't think students who are in dental school worry about their debt all the time? There are people who starts dental school when they are well over 35, or even 40+. Just know that if you quit this route, what are you going to do? do you have a back up plan?
 
You're going to make one of the biggest decisions of your life by listening to random people on the internet?
 
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How were you able to take the dat 4 times? Isn't there a limit of 3 on how many times you can take it?
you can petition to take it more than 3 times. all you have to do is show ada that you were rejected from schools, and are still trying to make improvement for future cycle. actually, they told me i can take it again for the 5th times, but i have to wait 1 year from my last previous test date. i don't think i go will down that route again tho.
 
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Youre going to make one of the biggest decisions of your life by listening to random people on the internet?
i was pretty sure i had my mind made up, but i just wanted someone to give me one good reason to keep pushing on.
 
Youre going to make one of the biggest decisions of your life by listening to random people on the internet?

While it should not be the only source of advice, "random people on the internet" can often times provide very objective advice and also provide insight on their experiences that can be good learning experiences.

With that being said, it should not be the only piece of advice for OP and I am sure its not
 
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Keep pushing man! I'm an untraditional applicant starting dental school this fall at my state school. I'm in my lower 30s. Did a post-bacc at 28 and the only pre-dent course I had satisfied prior was English, so I really started with a clean slate. I have been a business owner in the music industry for the past 7+ years. I love my job, have wonderful relationships with my clients and feel tremendous satisfaction out of the services I provide. Dentistry has always been a lifelong career goal. I grew up heavily around it. My dad is a dentist and has provided a wonderful life for my family and I. I applied to nearly 20 schools my first attempt, had two interviews in the spring time and did not get accepted . I retook the DAT, revamped other aspects of my application and have been accepted into five schools this current cycle. Work hard, stay focused on your goals and the rest will fall into place. Everything happens for a reason. Good luck!!


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I agree with the above posters. Sometimes in life, one should take a step back and re evaluate their decision, just like you did. Taking that much debt and this late in my opinion is not worth it. Here's my suggestion, if you really like dentistry, why don't you try for a dental hygienist. Two of my friends work as dental hygienist and are very happy, plus make a good amount of money. But whatever you decide, I hope you succeed.
 
OP, you've been waitlisted meaning that you're so close to getting in. Email your dean of admissions asking for an exit interview (if you have a dental school near you), to meet up with them and ask how you can improve for next cycle. I understand it's a difficult time for you right now, but either road you choose will be a great road if it's what you want to do. Do you want to be a dentist? You can make it. Do you want to earn a good living and help support your mother? You can also do that outside dentistry. If you work hard, there is potential for upward mobility elsewhere. You mentioned that you feel like you'd be failing other people who believe in you. I've considered this thought, too. But, it's all in your head. If you know what you want and can convey that positive mindset to what you're doing, others respect that. If family pressures are weighing you down, I suggest a one-on-one talk with your parents -- it can be awkward when you don't get in but i believe talking it out with them can help if that is an issue. Feel free to message me
 
Do you want to earn a good living and help support your mother? You can also do that outside dentistry. If you work hard, there is potential for upward mobility elsewhere.

Your heart is in the right place, but just felt the need to state that working hard does not indicate upward mobility elsewhere. In fact, this country is built on hard-working immigrants who are being deported as we speak. I don't think that's the upward mobility they were hoping for after all that hard work for low pay. I have lots of experience in "real life" and can promise you that you can put in 10-12 hour workdays and you can only go as far as the person above you wants you to go. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there.

You also forget that if someone sees you as a threat by working hard (colleague or boss), they are people with feelings. Sometimes they rather fire you, or get you fired, so that they can keep their meal ticket.

I've seen people become the boss of their bosses with the right tactics and networking. I've seen PhDs end up working for really smart, ambitious people with only a high school degree. I've seen people with mulitiple degrees/titles at the end of their name (MBA, MS, PhD, Etc.) get laid off.

tl;dr: There's no guarantee out there just by working hard.
 
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lol, i was pulling for you the whole way though. you definitely deserve it with your perseverance. i told my mom about your story and she was very happy when i told her you finally got accepted. i know how each failures felt like, and for you to do it 4 times, i applaud you. as for me, i just lost the passion for it after each failure. i don't have the strength to continue.

Aww man! Thanks! That's sweet of you and your mom. Tell her I said hi! Lol

I hope you find that inner strength. But whatever you decide, make the right choice for you and you only.
 
Would i be consider a failure if i quit on my dream and give up dentistry? This is my second tries, and im only getting older. I feel like im giving up on the most precious thing in life, time, by wasting it on something that might not be attainable for me. If i quit now, it would seem like im a quitter and all my effort would go to waste. I would let everyone down that believe in me, except for myself because i know i gave 110%. I just dont want to be stuck in a sunken cost mentality and waste more precious years pursuing an improbable dream at this point. What should i do?

I am 30 and it was my 3rd time applying (took DAT 4 times) and I finally got acceptances from two great schools. I actually quit pursuing my dream few years ago but came back because I just couldn't let it go. I just figured that there is right time for each one of us. Your time will come if you keep up your hard works.
 
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So go ahead then, give up. You aren't quitting anything, you are giving up. You don't need the validation of strangers for one of the largest life decisions you are going to make. Delete this thread and never come back now that you've decided. Oh what's that, don't want to? Then stop complaining and try again. Give it your all. If you did, you wouldn't be posting a thread like this
 
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So go ahead then, give up. You aren't quitting anything, you are giving up. You don't need the validation of strangers for one of the largest life decisions you are going to make. Delete this thread and never come back now that you've decided. Oh what's that, don't want to? Then stop complaining and try again. Give it your all. If you did, you wouldn't be posting a thread like this
I appreciate your tough love man. The purpose for this thread was not for people to feel sorry or encourage me to keep pushing forward. I was looking for justification or excuse from other people to make my conscious feel better about my decision to quit. I have lots of support from friends, family, professors, and dentists that told me to keep pushing forward. Maybe i just wanted someone to tell me that i am making the right decision by walking away.
 
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I am 30 and it was my 3rd time applying (took DAT 4 times) and I finally got acceptances from two great schools. I actually quit pursuing my dream few years ago but came back because I just couldn't let it go. I just figured that there is right time for each one of us. Your time will come if you keep up your hard works.
Small world. Your story kind of sound like mine. Happy you accomplished your goal.
 
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