Second thoughts on Dental School...

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superspike

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Hey Guys,

So I shadowed 2 different dentists and a periodontist for about 300 hours total over the years, and loved it.

But now, I guess since I have been out of the field and working as a financial adviser, I feel uneasy of the thought of racking up debt and going through "hell in school" as some students have put it.

The career itself I can see myself doing, I honestly do love it. But I'm not sure if I wil be happy for 4 years and if it is worth the investment.

Thoughts from those of you in your 3rd and 4th years? Would be much appreciated.

Thanks
 
In my honest opinion I would go for it, if you say it is what you really enjoy, all of the stress and extra effort up front will pay off big time in the long run! goodluck
 
I think it would only be "hell in school" if you didn't enjoy learning dentistry. Then it definitely wouldn't be the right career change. If you love it.....go for it!
 
superspike said:
Hey Guys,

So I shadowed 2 different dentists and a periodontist for about 300 hours total over the years, and loved it.

But now, I guess since I have been out of the field and working as a financial adviser, I feel uneasy of the thought of racking up debt and going through "hell in school" as some students have put it.

The career itself I can see myself doing, I honestly do love it. But I'm not sure if I wil be happy for 4 years and if it is worth the investment.

Thoughts from those of you in your 3rd and 4th years? Would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...

This is exactly why once individuals leave any academic rigor, they become less willing to give up their "new way of life". It comes down to your willingness to work for a career that over the long haul will ultimately serve its purpose no matter your original motivation.
 
About to graduate in a few months so here is my take.

School aint that bad. First 2 years it will be similar to your undergrad in course work plus "shop class" while practicing in sim lab. These are the fun years IMO. You will def study hard and there will be many late nights but you will also have a blast with your fellow students and party a lot (if that's your thing). Next two years can be quite frustrating to many because you have less control on your own education. Not gonna go into it too much but if you can get your groove on in the 3rd and 4th years, dental school is actually fun.

This is coming from someone who specialized, which means I had to do a ton of additional stuff. GD's have a smoother ride.

If you want to be dentist, don't let the actual school get in your way. It's not that bad. I guarantee that four years from when you would have started dental school you will compare your current job to what you could have been doing as a dentist and you might be full of regret.

Remember, regret is like Herpes. It's with you until you die!
 
I took a "Preview to dentistry" class and they showed us data which lead to believe that dentistry does not rank very high as far as the time/$ that must be invested relative to the income.

There are many other professions that do not require 8 yrs education along with the student loans, startup costs, and overhead to make $150k.
 
superspike said:
Hey Guys,

So I shadowed 2 different dentists and a periodontist for about 300 hours total over the years, and loved it.

But now, I guess since I have been out of the field and working as a financial adviser, I feel uneasy of the thought of racking up debt and going through "hell in school" as some students have put it.

The career itself I can see myself doing, I honestly do love it. But I'm not sure if I wil be happy for 4 years and if it is worth the investment.

Thoughts from those of you in your 3rd and 4th years? Would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Its real simple, dental school is going to cost you (to be most dramatic) 400k. The fact that you will quit your job for 4 years (or more, maybe you'll do post-bacc first) is.... another 200k minimum down the drain.

So, all in all, 600k (plus 4-5 years "wasted") to become a dentist.

Now the good stuff, you will be a dentist for the next 20 to maybe 30 years. You will EVENTUALLY earn all that back and then some. The question now is..... Are you willing to "suffer" for the next 4-5 years so you can enjoy the last working 20-30 years of your life?
 
Well would you regret it if you didn't end up going to dental school? You say you love the profession, but is being a dentist really your dream? Would you be just as happy if you stayed in the business field? If you think that another career could make you just as happy, dentistry ultimately probably isn't the field for you, you can do anything else that doesn't involve that much time and money invested (especially as a career changer). Honestly, if you're not motivated enough, you won't be able to do well in dental school even if you do get in. You called it "hell" and I know that the coursework is extremely rigorous as well as hard, but if you're look at it from that kind of a perspective, it'll be an extremely hard road and you might not make it to the end. Then again, if you think you'll regret not changing your career, by all means go for it, but I feel like the fact that you are having doubts is a bad sign.
 
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Thank you for all your input guys.

I have actually only been out of school for a year, took the DAT last summer and then started working.

Didn't mean to say "hell" thats just a harsh description of what I have heard amongst dental students at UCLA.

I like what dentists get to do in their profession, and the respect they get and the relationships with patients.

What I am concerned about is getting half way though dental school, hearing stories of friends who are making money and having a blast while I am on a date with a textbook friday night....and then regretting dental school.

I enjoy what I do now as well, and get to do different stuff every day, just don't know if the instability will be able to support the lifestyle I want.

Man...decisions like this really suck.
 
superspike said:
Thank you for all your input guys.

I have actually only been out of school for a year, took the DAT last summer and then started working.

Didn't mean to say "hell" thats just a harsh description of what I have heard amongst dental students at UCLA.

I like what dentists get to do in their profession, and the respect they get and the relationships with patients.

What I am concerned about is getting half way though dental school, hearing stories of friends who are making money and having a blast while I am on a date with a textbook friday night....and then regretting dental school.

I enjoy what I do now as well, and get to do different stuff every day, just don't know if the instability will be able to support the lifestyle I want.

Man...decisions like this really suck.
Click to expand...

During my undergrad I live in a "party city". And while I would sit at my desk in my apartment, studying for the physics exam I had that week (or whatever exam I had), I could hear people laughing and screaming and literally sounded like the most fun ever from the streets below. I would sit back in my chair, look out the window and let out a big sigh, thinking to myself, that could be me out there having fun, partying, not wasting my youth.

You know what kept me motivated? The advice that had been passed on to me by many people much older and wiser than I. You know what they all said?

"I enjoy life more now then I did ten years ago." What they were trying to tell me was that you shouldn't always live in the moment. You may think that life it awesome now, just like those kids did when they were partying while I was studying. But I know in my heart that by getting good grades and getting into dental, I have set myself up to succeed and enjoy life as long as I continue to work hard in dental school and beyond.

I will have graduated dental school when I'm 30. This I can promise you, that when I'm 35, I can tell you that I will be enjoying life more then when I was 25, broke as a joke and trying to figure my life out. At 45, I can tell you that I will be more happy then when I was 35. By that time, my practice will have been up and running and working at a rate that I would have never reached at 35 because my clinical skills would not be efficient yet.

I could go on and on, 55, 65... but you get the point. I don't need to remind you how important a decision this is for you, but please don't make it based on the fact that your friends are having a great time now while you are home studying
 
superspike said:
Thank you for all your input guys.

I have actually only been out of school for a year, took the DAT last summer and then started working.

Didn't mean to say "hell" thats just a harsh description of what I have heard amongst dental students at UCLA.

I like what dentists get to do in their profession, and the respect they get and the relationships with patients.

What I am concerned about is getting half way though dental school, hearing stories of friends who are making money and having a blast while I am on a date with a textbook friday night....and then regretting dental school.

I enjoy what I do now as well, and get to do different stuff every day, just don't know if the instability will be able to support the lifestyle I want.

Man...decisions like this really suck.
Click to expand...

I am going into medicine personally, but I will say -- do whatever you need to make yourself at peace with your decision so that you won't regret it later. I almost tried talking myself out of applying to med school but I really gave it some thought and decided to go through with it anyway. There's no way to be 100% sure something is right for you until you have finished it, but it's possible to be 100% confident in your decision.

Also, it sort of comes down to what is fun for you. To me, I can be making decent money and partying it up on the weekends but that won't make me happy and fulfilled. I know this because I've been out of college for two years, and while having all this free time is nice, I need more than this. If you're like that and you can remember that when you're in school, then your life of purpose and meaning will keep you from feeling as sad about your i-banker friends living the rock n' roll lifestyle.
 
There seems to be alot of these threads going around. I think it has to do with the high costs of dental practice and that a group of students have recently been accepted. I think it's important though to keep some perspective. The average income in the US is 38-42K per year. Unemployment rates just broke less than 9% and from my reading the new jobs formed are pretty low pay; low skill service, fast food etc. The percentage of people who are underemployed is alarming. Many "professional", white collar positions, such as engineering are leaving our country as others are catching up. Not to mention most establlished in their fields arnt leaving them (alot like dentistry).

There maybe a few individuals out there who are doing very well in things like I-banking or maybe they some how fast tracked into a high paid business postion but most people never make it into these high paid positions with a BA in business. They will be 30-40 before their degree is really paying them.

To me dentistry seems like a great opportunity. If you really enjoy dentistry I would look into ways that you can take on that debt then have the gov pay it off for you.
 
The investment in dentistry is more than worth it. If you are smart with your money and invest wisely, it will not take long to pass all of your friends who are "happy now." This will leave you with 20 or so years of huge earning potential setting you and your kids/family for success. Dentistry is a great career and you if you think you will be happy doing it, then don't worry about the money, it will all take care of itself. If you go to dental school, have decent business sense, invest and do not move to a heavily saturated area, you will be rich and happy. And for all those who say "Money doesn't buy happiness...Do you live in America? Because it buys a waverunner, and have you ever seen someone upset on a waverunner? Have you? Seriously, have you?" - Daniel Tosh
 
Cambo21 said:
The investment in dentistry is more than worth it. If you are smart with your money and invest wisely, it will not take long to pass all of your friends who are "happy now." This will leave you with 20 or so years of huge earning potential setting you and your kids/family for success. Dentistry is a great career and you if you think you will be happy doing it, then don't worry about the money, it will all take care of itself. If you go to dental school, have decent business sense, invest and do not move to a heavily saturated area, you will be rich and happy. And for all those who say "Money doesn't buy happiness...Do you live in America? Because it buys a waverunner, and have you ever seen someone upset on a waverunner? Have you? Seriously, have you?" - Daniel Tosh
Click to expand...

Hahaha, very true. While I understand there are other ways to make good money (my current field seems to be one of them) Dentistry seems like the one that combines running a business, working with people, having respect and prestige, and not having to work like a horse when your 40-50.

Being in a dental office reminds me of wanting to be a dentist. I guess it is a personal decision to make, but with all the health care issues and growing number of dentists, I just worry if the money and time investment will pay off, and I share this concern with many other pre-dents.

Thats why sometimes I think I should just start a business now and work my way up (I tend to be business minded :laugh:) But I like the job of a dentist!

I wish you could "test out careers" like testing out a shampoo or something, but by the time 4 years are over and I'm 250K in debt, I'm pretty much set on dentistry huh?
 
In the words of Jim Rogers, farmers will be the ones driving lamborghinis in this decade, not people in finance. Eventually, people in this country will have to learn to produce real things..a pleasure to meet a fellow financial-minded individual by the way. Do you enjoy the current volatile movement in currency markets ? I sure do..🙂 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
Last edited:
"Money doesn't buy happiness...Do you live in America? Because it buys a waverunner, and have you ever seen someone upset on a waverunner? Have you? Seriously, have you?" - Daniel Tosh[/QUOTE]

Gosh, Daniel Tosh is a funny funny man. Too funny.
 
slm266 said:
There are many other professions that do not require 8 yrs education along with the student loans, startup costs, and overhead to make $150k.
Click to expand...

And these are? I'm just curious, I'm not questioning what you said.
 
NBA basketball player, CEO, pop star, CFO, astronaught etc. etc.

Doc Payne said:
And these are? I'm just curious, I'm not questioning what you said.
Click to expand...
 
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yappy said:
NBA basketball player, CEO, pop star, CFO, astronaught etc. etc.
Click to expand...

Lol, no, seriously. I'm looking for real professions. Not celebrities.
 
AlexOdentchkin8 said:
During my undergrad I live in a "party city". And while I would sit at my desk in my apartment, studying for the physics exam I had that week (or whatever exam I had), I could hear people laughing and screaming and literally sounded like the most fun ever from the streets below. I would sit back in my chair, look out the window and let out a big sigh, thinking to myself, that could be me out there having fun, partying, not wasting my youth.

You know what kept me motivated? The advice that had been passed on to me by many people much older and wiser than I. You know what they all said?

"I enjoy life more now then I did ten years ago." What they were trying to tell me was that you shouldn't always live in the moment. You may think that life it awesome now, just like those kids did when they were partying while I was studying. But I know in my heart that by getting good grades and getting into dental, I have set myself up to succeed and enjoy life as long as I continue to work hard in dental school and beyond.

I will have graduated dental school when I'm 30. This I can promise you, that when I'm 35, I can tell you that I will be enjoying life more then when I was 25, broke as a joke and trying to figure my life out. At 45, I can tell you that I will be more happy then when I was 35. By that time, my practice will have been up and running and working at a rate that I would have never reached at 35 because my clinical skills would not be efficient yet.

I could go on and on, 55, 65... but you get the point. I don't need to remind you how important a decision this is for you, but please don't make it based on the fact that your friends are having a great time now while you are home studying
Click to expand...

I'm not sure that i'd agree with this mentality to live ones (especially my own) life by. Live for the moment, enjoy today, and work hard. You never know what tomorrow will bring and i think its a little bit of a waste to "live in the future". Don't get me wrong, studying hard and being accomplished is plenty good, but i feel theres plenty of time in the day to couple that with enjoying yourself too!
 
I remember reading a scientific poll that indicated that once you've made over 70K per year - there was no increase in happyness. In fact once the income levels were high enough they found the happyness index started to decrease. I dont remember how they measured how happy someone was but it was measured consistantly across groups.
 
Here is why I'm doing dentistry:

1) I find it very entertaining
2) I will make a good/comfortable living
3) Job security
4) I get a cool little plaque after I graduate dental school.
 
crax said:
I'm not sure that i'd agree with this mentality to live ones (especially my own) life by. Live for the moment, enjoy today, and work hard. You never know what tomorrow will bring and i think its a little bit of a waste to "live in the future". Don't get me wrong, studying hard and being accomplished is plenty good, but i feel theres plenty of time in the day to couple that with enjoying yourself too!
Click to expand...

I agree with what you're saying but I think you may have misundestood what I was trying to say. I never said "live in the future", but you do have to set yourself up for success in the future. For some people, getting into dental school was/is easy (relatively speaking). For myself, I had to bust my ass to get good grades to make up for mistakes I have made when I was younger. I was "living in the moment" and couldn't care less about my future. I matured and then started planning my future.

The point is, I was merely replying to OP idea that his friends are happier now than he is, and that if he decides to go into dentistry, he will have the last laugh :meanie:
 
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