Should I change my ethnic name?

[delhee2440]

I have been advised to change my first name, which is not an Anglo-Saxon name, to something that is familiar to "mainstream America". The dentist that advised me to do this is also someone who did the same thing. I like my name just fine, but if this makes a measurable difference in the success of my career, I'm willing to do it, on paper at least.

Any thoughts?

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[Trave_]

What race/ethnicity is your first name? Not sure why it'd matter considering docs go by their last name.

 

[oralcare123]

Change it. Something easier pronounceable with no negative associations

 

[yaya97]

Please tell me this isn’t real...my first and last name are like 20 syllables each and veerrrryyyyyy ethnic and I don’t think it has held me back in any way in life. Heck if anything it’s made me stand out. I don’t even let people call me by a nickname. Lol There’s no need to change your name. It’s not going to make you more successful or make you less successful.


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[oralcare123]

Please tell me this isn’t real...my first and last name are like 20 syllabus each and veerrrryyyyyy ethnic and I don’t think it has held me back in any way in life. Heck if anything it’s made me stand out. I don’t even let people call me by a nickname. Lol There’s no need to change your name. It’s not going to make you more successful or make you less successful.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

James Bond :
My name's Bond... James Bond.
And you?

Telugu Guy :
I am Sai...
Venkata Sai...
Siva Venkata Sai...
Laxminarayana Siva Venkata Sai....
Srinivasulu Laxminarayana Siva Venkata Sai...
Rajasekhara Srinivasulu Laxminarayana Siva Venkata Sai.....
Sitaramanjaneyulu Rajasekhara Srinivasulu Laxminarayana Siva Venkata Sai....
Bommiraju Sitaramanjaneyulu Rajasekhara Srinivasulu Laxminarayana Siva Venkata Sai....

James Bond faints.

 

[delhee2440]

Please tell me this isn’t real...my first and last name are like 20 syllables each and veerrrryyyyyy ethnic and I don’t think it has held me back in any way in life. Heck if anything it’s made me stand out. I don’t even let people call me by a nickname. Lol There’s no need to change your name. It’s not going to make you more successful or make you less successful.

Are you a dentist with your own practice? Because if not, your situation was probably not very applicable. As a dentist with your own practice, your name is one of the things people see and whether we like it or not, there are biases against names as evidenced by job hiring trends. My question was, has this bias impeded any dentist in any way when running their own practice.

 

[yaya97]

Are you a dentist with your own practice? Because if not, your situation was probably not very applicable. As a dentist with your own practice, your name is one of the things people see and whether we like it or not, there are biases against names as evidenced by job hiring trends. My question was, has this bias impeded any dentist in any way when running their own practice.

You spoke to ONE dentist and then made a post on an ananymous forum...yup. Real reliable. Lol Are you a dentist? Also, you didn’t ask a question, you just asked for thoughts on what was said to you and I gave you my thought.

Side note- The dentist that mentored me also had a pretty “ethnic” name to pronounce and he’s ran a sucsessful practice for about 25 years now without changing anything. His brother is An orthodontist with the same “ethnic” last name and also has a thriving practice. Hope that helps. If you need proof, let me know. I’ll PM their names so you can look them up! 🙂

Just my opinion, but hope that helps.

 

[delhee2440]

You spoke to ONE dentist and then made a post on an ananymous forum...yup. Real reliable. Lol Are you a dentist? Also, you didn’t ask a question, you just asked for thoughts on what was said to you and I gave you my thought.

Side note- The dentist that mentored me also had a pretty “ethnic” name to pronounce and he’s ran a sucsessful practice for about 25 years now without changing anything. His brother is An orthodontist with the same “ethnic” last name and also has a thriving practice. Hope that helps. If you need proof, let me know. I’ll PM their names so you can look them up! 🙂

Just my opinion, but hope that helps.

Um, ok, the second paragraph was all you really had to say to contribute something valuable to the discussion. I didn't say that I had an opinion on what I heard. No need to come off as patronizing or offer up irrelevant info.

 

[Saddleshoes]

Be proud of your name!
Be proud of how you are and where you come from!
This is the UNITED States of America. We are all from someplace else.

That being said, I might go for a shortened version of your name as a nick name that easy to pronounce. Examples to follow...
Dr. Nikcornchi = Dr. Chi
Dr Polymeropoulos = Dr. Poly
Dr. Enwelumokwu = Dr. OK
(Your Patients are very likely going to come up with a nick name for you anyway. So go with it.)

 

[Garett24]

Change your name to a mainstream American name after you have applied to all scholarships and graduate.

 

[delhee2440]

Change your name to a mainstream American name after you have applied to all scholarships and graduate.

Why do you say this? Curious.

 

[charlestweed]

I changed my name because I don't want patients to think that I am a foreign trained dentist, who doesn't speak fluent English. Since my ethnic name appeared on the dental license, I had to submit the name change request to the board of CA a few months before I completed my ortho residency. When I opened my practice and went door to door to meet the GPs in the area, I ran into 2 of my former classmates. I didn't realize they were my classmates until I met them in person because they also changed their first names.

Another reason for changing my name is I am proud to be an American and I want to blend in.

 

[wengerout]

I don't think you should change it. I have one of the most ethnic names you'll ever see (my first name is like half the alphabet). Unless you're in a less inclusive area (something I doubt you'll do since you're ethnic to begin with) I think you will be fine as long as you are a good dentist and make yourself welcoming to the patients. Some patients will always find random reasons not to see you but I don't think a name change will be the critical difference.

I shadowed a dentist with a very ethnic name and he did just fine when it came to attracting patients, and this was in the deep south.

 

[wengerout]

Another reason for changing my name is I am proud to be an American and I want to blend in.

I really respect your post/expertise but I have got to ask, what does your name have anything to do with being a proud American? The whole point of America is that it welcomes people from all creeds/backgrounds. Having a more common name doesn't make someone "more American".

 

[charlestweed]

I really respect your post/expertise but I have got to ask, what does your name have anything to do with being a proud American? The whole point of America is that it welcomes people from all creeds/backgrounds. Having a more common name doesn't make someone "more American".

You are right. Everybody has his/her own way of showing the love for the country. And this is my way.

 

[delhee2440]

I changed my name because I don't want patients to think that I am a foreign trained dentist, who doesn't speak fluent English. Since my ethnic name appeared on the dental license, I had to submit the name change request to the board of CA a few months before I completed my ortho residency. When I opened my practice and went door to door to meet the GPs in the area, I ran into 2 of my former classmates. I didn't realize they were my classmates until I met them in person because they also changed their first names.

Another reason for changing my name is I am proud to be an American and I want to blend in.

Did you change your last name too? I was only asking about changing my first name in my post, hadn't thought about changing my last name.

 

[charlestweed]

Did you change your last name too? I was only asking about changing my first name in my post, hadn't thought about changing my last name.

No. I keep my last name. It's a very common Asian last name, which is a good thing because a lot people have positive views about Asian doctors.....smart, hard working, good chairside manner etc😀.

 

[delhee2440]

No. I keep my last name. It's a very common Asian last name, which is a good thing because a lot people have positive views about Asian doctors.....smart, hard working, good chairside manner etc😀.

So when advertising, etc, do people see your first name? That's where your (and your classmates') concern lay right?

 

[DokterMom]

Your name will probably be the first thing prospective patients see about you, so therefore, it will make up a substantial part of that first impression. There are many factors to consider, including:

• What does your name say about you? What stereotypes are associated with people from your culture? Are they generally good/bad? Sadly, American tolerance for 'foreigners' seems to be at a low point. Do you want to "give in" or fight? How enlightened is your part of the country? And how ethnically diverse is your client base?
  
• How do you feel about it personally? How about your family? Would you feel like you're betraying your culture of origin by changing your name? Or would it make you feel more American? (A fairly large proportion of common American names have been modified.)
• Can most Americans who are not terribly familiar with your culture say and spell your name correctly? How many syllables is it? Are there any comical or offensive elements to your name or common mispronunciations? How PITA is it for you to have to spell over and over to unfamiliar listeners?

No one can make this decision for you --

 

[blablabla1]

You are right. Everybody has his/her own way of showing the love for the country. And this is my way.

Lol

 

[dds.girl21]

OP - DokterMom gave some very good points for you to think about. A name change is a very permanent and personal decision, so you have some weighing of pros and cons to do.

If anything, I am confused about why you're concerned about your first name. As a provider, I would think your last name would be more associated with your practice.

 

[charlestweed]

So when advertising, etc, do people see your first name? That's where your (and your classmates') concern lay right?

I don't advertise much (only 1 magazine ad) because I am a specialist and my practices rely heavily on the GP, word-of-mouth, and insurance referrals. I list my full name....John Doe, DDS, MS Practice Limited to Orthodontics...on all my office signs, referral slips, and business cards. I hope that when the potential patients see my American name, they think I am from here and I got all my degrees here (which I did) in the US. Since there are a few Asian dentists who don't speak English well here in Southern California and some got their DDS degree in another country, I don't want my potential patients to think I might be one of these dentists. The reason I think this way is I've always felt insecure about my English. I didn't know much English when I came to this country at the age of 16 as a political refugee. Until now in my mid 40s, I am still learning and trying to fit in. I didn't start watching football and loving the sport until my 3rd year in college. I didn't understand the rules of baseball until I started dental school. Only in America, where everybody has equal opportunities to succeed.

Another reason for changing my name is I don't think people should have to pause.....and struggle to learn how to pronounce my birth name correctly.

 

[delhee2440]

I don't advertise much (only 1 magazine ad) because I am a specialist and my practices rely heavily on the GP, word-of-mouth, and insurance referrals. I list my full name....John Doe, DDS, MS Practice Limited to Orthodontics...on all my office signs, referral slips, and business cards. I hope that when the potential patients see my American name, they think I am from here and I got all my degrees here (which I did) in the US. Since there are a few Asian dentists who don't speak English well here in Southern California and some got their DDS degree in another country, I don't want my potential patients to think I might be one of these dentists. The reason I think this way is I've always felt insecure about my English. I didn't know much English when I came to this country at the age of 16 as a political refugee. Until now in my mid 40s, I am still learning and trying to fit in. I didn't start watching football and loving the sport until my 3rd year in college. I didn't understand the rules of baseball until I started dental school. Only in America, where everybody has equal opportunities to succeed.

Another reason for changing my name is I don't think people should have to pause.....and struggle to learn how to pronounce my birth name correctly.

Thank you for the very helpful response. Have you heard of any dentists whose careers have been affected negatively by having an ethnic first name?

 

[charlestweed]

Thank you for the very helpful response. Have you heard of any dentists whose careers have been affected negatively by having an ethnic first name?

No, I haven't. My wife, who is also a dentist, keeps her birth name and she is doing fine. I already told you the reasons I did what I did. I just don't have the same confident level as my wife. She is more outgoing and has a lot more friends. And her patients love her.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

I am proud to be an American

USA! USA! USA!

Good sir @charlestweed, thank you for showing the world the Amerian Dream is going strong.

To the OP, my great grandparents didn’t have a choice when they came through Ellis Island, their names were changed for them. Good thing, because I can hardly pronounce them myself, let alone my patients. If I were you, I’d just come up with a simple nickname and run with it.

Big Hoss

 

[2TH MVR]

No. I keep my last name. It's a very common Asian last name, which is a good thing because a lot people have positive views about Asian doctors.....smart, hard working, good chairside manner etc😀.

Now I know why we see things the same. 🙂 I'm half South Korean on my mother's side. Father is French Canadian.

Back on topic. I understand what the OP is saying. It's all marketing and has nothing to do with your ethnic background. If a change of name improves your business ... then so be it. Interestingly this seems to be less of an issue in medicine.

 

[jeffk805dent]

I am proud to be an American

good song.

 

[Noice]

Change your name to a mainstream American name after you have applied to all scholarships and graduate.

Why do you say this? Curious.

He's trying to say that you're a URM. If "delhee" is referring to Delhi, then what he's trying to say doesn't apply.

A lot of dentists I've googled have incorporated their practice under a neighborhood/silly name (eg. Manhattan Dental, Happy Smiles Club, etc) and then list their legal name under the "Meet Dr. __" tab of their website. Are there laws that say you can't list a nickname on your website/sign?

Now I know why we see things the same. 🙂 I'm half South Korean on my mother's side. Father is French Canadian.

Back on topic. I understand what the OP is saying. It's all marketing and has nothing to do with your ethnic background. If a change of name improves your business ... then so be it. Interestingly this seems to be less of an issue in medicine.

It's less of an issue in medicine because they never change their name?

 

[Cold Front]

I changed my name because I don't want patients to think that I am a foreign trained dentist, who doesn't speak fluent English. Since my ethnic name appeared on the dental license, I had to submit the name change request to the board of CA a few months before I completed my ortho residency. When I opened my practice and went door to door to meet the GPs in the area, I ran into 2 of my former classmates. I didn't realize they were my classmates until I met them in person because they also changed their first names.

Another reason for changing my name is I am proud to be an American and I want to blend in.

No offense, but I noticed that is very common for Asians to change their first name. I haven't seen any other ethnic people on the planet that have changed their names just because they are in North America or in Europe (where I grew up) or Australia (where my wife grew up).

All my Asian dental friends changed their first to an English name. Initially, I didn't understand. My roommate was from Taiwan, and he kept his Asian first name, so I guess the Taiwanese are the exception. But Chinese, Japanese and Vietnamese are probably the main "first name changing" group from Asia.

I was born in east Africa, and I have a Muslim first name, and Muslims (and Africans) don't change their names wherever they may be in the world, despite all the racism and discrimination that those groups experience in the world, specially in many parts of America. We are still doctors, engineers and other professionals. Yes, I had an experience where a new white male patient came to one of my offices and asked my receptionist if I was a Muslim doctor (even though I'm American Muslim Doctor), and when my receptionist (who is white female) told him "yes", the guy walked out. That's the only time I have seen someone discriminated me by name, even though I have seen over 10-20,000 patients close in a decade as a dentist.

America is about celebrating our differences, our background and culture (and names!), and NOT "trying to blend in". I proudly say my first name to anyone I meet, because when they know who "I am" after the name introduction, their perception changes. It's an OLD mentality to feel segratged by name, because that's what colonial generations did to the rest of the world.

My name is Mohamed!

 

[delhee2440]

The Taiwanese are actually one of the biggest "perpetrators" of the practice, more than the Japanese (not saying there's anything wrong with it or anything).

Yeah, I totally get the whole pride thing and emotional attachment to your name. I'm proud of my name and will use it in my private life even if I do change my name. But this thread is talking about a strictly business decision. I, unlike some, do not have any cultural nor religious restrictions on changing my name, so if it makes a difference in my career, it's something I'm willing to consider.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

The Taiwanese are actually one of the biggest "perpetrators" of the practice, more than the Japanese (not saying there's anything wrong with it or anything).

Yeah, I totally get the whole pride thing and emotional attachment to your name. I'm proud of my name and will use it in my private life even if I do change my name. But this thread is talking about a strictly business decision. I, unlike some, do not have any cultural nor religious restrictions on changing my name, so if it makes a difference in my career, it's something I'm willing to consider.

If you do change it, change it to something really cool like Dr. Blaze Firestorm...just saying.

Big Hoss

 

[jeffk805dent]

I'm South Asian but Christian so I had an "American/Western" name from the outset but I know one Indian dentist in rural Arizona named Nil who changed his name to Neil to appear more "Western." Seems to be doing well in his practice last I heard.

 

[charlestweed]

No offense, but I noticed that is very common for Asians to change their first name. I haven't seen any other ethnic people on the planet that have changed their names just because they are in North America or in Europe (where I grew up) or Australia (where my wife grew up).

At least Mohamed is an easy name to pronounce and to spell. No matter how hard people try, they will never be able pronounce those Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Cambodian names correctly. No matter how hard I try, I can’t curl my tongue to produce the proper vibrating “R” sound when I learn Spanish.

 

[DokterMom]

I'm South Asian but Christian so I had an "American/Western" name from the outset but I know one Indian dentist in rural Arizona named Nil who changed his name to Neil to appear more "Western." Seems to be doing well in his practice last I heard.

Makes sense. In English, 'nil' is another word for 'nothing' -- so connotations you wouldn't want.

I know many East Asians (come to think of it, all Chinese) who were given both Chinese and American names at birth.

 

[charlestweed]

I'm South Asian but Christian so I had an "American/Western" name from the outset but I know one Indian dentist in rural Arizona named Nil who changed his name to Neil to appear more "Western." Seems to be doing well in his practice last I heard.

…and both former governors, Jindal and Haley, changed their first names as well. Much easier to pronounce.

 

[blablabla1]

Personally, I’m not into the idea of selling out my identity and culture to make some people happy

 

[delhee2440]

Personally, I’m not into the idea of selling out my identity and culture to make some people happy

To each his own. Personally, I'm not of the belief that my identity and culture is tied into my name. As long as you're comfortable and confident in who you are, the name on your ID card is just a name. Just my opinion though.

 

[2TH MVR]

Personally, I’m not into the idea of selling out my identity and culture to make some people happy

I agree, but if you're still in school .... then the

Personally, I’m not into the idea of selling out my identity and culture to make some people happy

Admirable, but you are still in school. Right? Paying debt and bills changes everything. To be clear .. I am not suggesting that we all drop our values for the almighty dollar, but these are the times we live in. One of my close dental classmates found it very difficult practicing dentistry in the rural mid-western farm belt of Nebraska. He is Iranian with a very strong Iranian name. He then moved to LA and started a practice in a multi-ethnic neighborhood. He's doing much better. Even if he changed his name .... it wouldn't have helped him in Nebraska.

Depending on where you practice .... your name can be a determinant of your business success. It's unfortunately the world we live in.

Even though I'm half South Korean. I have a very common simple American name. So .... no name change for me. 🙂

 

[blablabla1]

I agree, but if you're still in school .... then the



Admirable, but you are still in school. Right? Paying debt and bills changes everything. To be clear .. I am not suggesting that we all drop our values for the almighty dollar, but these are the times we live in. One of my close dental classmates found it very difficult practicing dentistry in the rural mid-western farm belt of Nebraska. He is Iranian with a very strong Iranian name. He then moved to LA and started a practice in a multi-ethnic neighborhood. He's doing much better. Even if he changed his name .... it wouldn't have helped him in Nebraska.

Depending on where you practice .... your name can be a determinant of your business success. It's unfortunately the world we live in.

Even though I'm half South Korean. I have a very common simple American name. So .... no name change for me. 🙂

Happiness means a bit more to me, as does my identity, which I believe a name is an important aspect of. I personally wouldn’t want to put myself in the position of living in an area that wasn’t very diverse because I probably wouldn’t be happy. Even if that means I earn a little less than in a rural area (my debt load is quite a bit less compared to my peers due to parental help)

 

[wengerout]

I agree, but if you're still in school .... then the



Admirable, but you are still in school. Right? Paying debt and bills changes everything. To be clear .. I am not suggesting that we all drop our values for the almighty dollar, but these are the times we live in. One of my close dental classmates found it very difficult practicing dentistry in the rural mid-western farm belt of Nebraska. He is Iranian with a very strong Iranian name. He then moved to LA and started a practice in a multi-ethnic neighborhood. He's doing much better. Even if he changed his name .... it wouldn't have helped him in Nebraska.

Depending on where you practice .... your name can be a determinant of your business success. It's unfortunately the world we live in.

Even though I'm half South Korean. I have a very common simple American name. So .... no name change for me. 🙂

Seems the issue is where you are living so much as the name itself. It sucks but I recognize that since we are not white there are certain area's of the country it would not be smart to practice in. However for the more diverse area's on the coast i'm a little skeptical how much changing your last name would help.

 

[RedoxRxn]

I didn't know changing your name to pander to whoever was a thing.

 

[Medin2017]

I didn't know changing your name to pander to whoever was a thing.

It kind of seems like you're just bowing down to racist people. This doesn't apply to me, but if I was at a point where I would be forced to change my name just to be successful, I would have picked a different occupation (namely, medicine). Feel sorry for those of other ethnicities who think that changing their name to John Smith is the only way to survive.

 

[Cold Front]

At least Mohamed is an easy name to pronounce and to spell. No matter how hard people try, they will never be able pronounce those Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Cambodian names correctly. No matter how hard I try, I can’t curl my tongue to produce the proper vibrating “R” sound when I learn Spanish.

I agree. Mohamed is the most common first name in the world, and Patel (Indian name) is most common last name in the world. So you are right, it is more mainstream than less common first name in many parts of the world.

I'm a big soccer fan, and I didn't know how interesting names get until I started following national teams and their players. For instance, 70% of S Korea has 3-4 last names... either Lee, Park, Kim and 1 other name I can't recall. Chances are, if you meet someone from Korea, their last name is 1 of those 3-4. At one point, hundreds of years ago, almost all Koreans had no last names, and only royal and wealthy families were the only people having a family name/surname/last name.

Anyways, as you said pronouncing a foreign first name is very tricky for someone living in America. But a large number of African Americans here have first names that are hard to pronounce or just the outlier kind of a name too, and I fear at times, that it will be very challenging for them to find a job or get people to discriminate them. I have seen at my office... MyAngel (no hashtag!), Prince, Armani (fashion brand), Kenya (the country), Champion (not sure if it was the sports brand or if it was meant as a winner!) and so on. Beautiful names in the eyes of their families, but not so beautiful in the eyes of a very judging society. Studies even show all of these names would have a hard time finding a job. So there are cases where you need to change your name if your parents didn't take society reasonable norms into account. But foreign names that are really "hard to pronounce" are perfectly ok to have an A.K.A.

Edit: Jewish people mastered and perfected first name changes before anyone did in America. Their last name is Jewish and can never be given up, or they won't be recognized by other Jewish people (exception is... there are very few Jewish people who this rule doesn't apply to).

 

[Dio Ether]

I'm probably going to change my legal name into an American one. Although I'm an immigrant, I lived in US more than I have in my own country. All of my education past 5th grade were done in an American school, and all my friends call me by my American name.

I feel like the ethnic name that I got when I was born doesn't represent me for who I am right now.

Business or not, if you're going to be happy with your new name, just go for the name change.

 

[luan22]

You should look carefully, so change it if it's better for you

 

[oralcare123]

It kind of seems like you're just bowing down to racist people. This doesn't apply to me, but if I was at a point where I would be forced to change my name just to be successful, I would have picked a different occupation (namely, medicine). Feel sorry for those of other ethnicities who think that changing their name to John Smith is the only way to survive.

It’s a simple matter of difficulty in pronunciation

 

[2TH MVR]

It kind of seems like you're just bowing down to racist people. This doesn't apply to me, but if I was at a point where I would be forced to change my name just to be successful, I would have picked a different occupation (namely, medicine). Feel sorry for those of other ethnicities who think that changing their name to John Smith is the only way to survive.

Maybe. But I agree that with medicine ... people come to you because of your profession (or maybe you're on their health plan). The one issue I don't like about dentistry is the commercialization. The majority of dentistry is centered around business concepts. Location-location-location. How many google reviews you have. Advertising. YOUR NAME is a part of the whole business, marketing package. You have to ATTRACT customers with a bunch of marketing crap.

So when you choose dentistry. Realize that business and marketing (changing your name, if needed) are necessary to achieve financial success. I started practicing when advertising was considered poor taste. Now .... it's the norm.

Changing names is not only an ease of pronunciation. How about those terrible dentist names: Dr. Pain. Dr. Pull Harder. Dr. Kill. Dr. Cavity. Dr. Seymour Butts. Dr. Pedfile. Dr. Scratch. Dr. Jailbait. Dr. Hooligan. Dr. Kill. Dr. Mayme. Dr. William Hurt (Will for short). Dr. Canal. Dr. Rip. Dr. Tear. Dr. Offender. Dr. Crook. Dr. Lay. Dr. Screw. Dr. Phil Drill. Dr. Schmell. Dr. Mean. Dr. Hot. Dr. Maim.

😀

 

[blablabla1]

It’s a simple matter of difficulty in pronunciation

Maybe Trump’s next focus should be making our education great again. Some people’s English and phonetics skills are embarrassing. There’s a reason why the spelling bee is dominated by non-white people

 

[jeffk805dent]

Maybe. But I agree that with medicine ... people come to you because of your profession (or maybe you're on their health plan). The one issue I don't like about dentistry is the commercialization. The majority of dentistry is centered around business concepts. Location-location-location. How many google reviews you have. Advertising. YOUR NAME is a part of the whole business, marketing package. You have to ATTRACT customers with a bunch of marketing crap.

So when you choose dentistry. Realize that business and marketing (changing your name, if needed) are necessary to achieve financial success. I started practicing when advertising was considered poor taste. Now .... it's the norm.

especially considering dentistry is a lot more saturated than medicine. People have a choice on what dentist they can go to (for the most part). Given long wait times for a physician, patients may not give a damn about the race as long as they can get their health issues resolved.

 

[Medin2017]

Maybe. But I agree that with medicine ... people come to you because of your profession (or maybe you're on their health plan). The one issue I don't like about dentistry is the commercialization. The majority of dentistry is centered around business concepts. Location-location-location. How many google reviews you have. Advertising. YOUR NAME is a part of the whole business, marketing package. You have to ATTRACT customers with a bunch of marketing crap.

So when you choose dentistry. Realize that business and marketing (changing your name, if needed) are necessary to achieve financial success. I started practicing when advertising was considered poor taste. Now .... it's the norm.

Changing names is not only an ease of pronunciation. How about those terrible dentist names: Dr. Pain. Dr. Pull Harder. Dr. Kill. Dr. Cavity. Dr. Seymour Butts. Dr. Pedfile. Dr. Scratch. Dr. Jailbait. Dr. Hooligan. Dr. Kill. Dr. Mayme. Dr. William Hurt (Will for short). Dr. Canal. Dr. Rip. Dr. Tear. Dr. Offender. Dr. Crook. Dr. Lay. Dr. Screw. Dr. Phil Drill. Dr. Schmell. Dr. Mean. Dr. Hot. Dr. Maim.

😀

Really liking those names. Dr. Hot seems like a pretty solid name for a doc though.