Sick of dentistry, what to do?

[thesellsword]

Hi all,

Let me preface this by saying that I am aware that what I am about to say may sound whiny, annoying, and/or petulant. I ask those who would judge me such, as is your right to judge, to politely refrain from making accusations or remarks that are unproductive. I am trying to gather from this if life after preclinic/dental school is really this same level of pain and misery.

I am a second year dental student at UPenn. Quick background-I wanted to be a physician, Obamacare happened, and I didn't want to go through the 4 long(and expensive) years of medical school, end up not doing so hot on the Steps, and end up in a specialty for which I had zero interest, and which on top of that, didn't pay well and/or had a poor lifestyle. So, I worked hard, did well in undergrad, rocked the DAT, got into almost all of the dental schools to which I applied, and ended up here at Penn. Now, I am about to start clinic in a few months.

I realized last year when we started doing fillings in the Restorative I class(GRD I), that I really hated fillings. I hated the attention to detail, the fine level of perfection that was demanded to get each and every margin sealed and to get the perfect anatomy. Second year restorative only compounded that loathing, while I somewhat enjoyed crown preps, fabrication of the provisionals themselves was a disaster, and to me, excruciatingly painful. For all my efforts, I ended up with a poor man's B+ in that Fixed Prosthodontics Course. We are currently in Dentures course now, which I...cannot even adequately describe my utter hatred for.

Needless to say, I am very unhappy. Is this really what life is going to be like? Always hunched over, making the ideal prep, ideal margins, ideal occlusal marks for every case? I cannot bear the thought of doing fillings or crowns or denture cases after dental school...I honestly think I'd rather pay to have my nails ripped out(and yes, I have actually had a nail ripped out so I know how it feels). Is there any advice any of you practicing dentists or graduates could give me? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? I have a good GPA 3.6, so maybe specializing is an option. In any case, are there any career paths I could choose that my dental degree would help me in, that wouldn't involve me seeing/treating patients?

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[distressstudent]

In any case, are there any career paths I could choose that my dental degree would help me in, that wouldn't involve me seeing/treating patients?

I guess oral pathology would fit the bill the closest... but even then.

edit: forgot public health is a specialty.

 

[Munks]

Look into OS, anesthesiology, or oral pathology. If you originally wanted to be an MD any of those will suit you best, as they have much more of a medical vibe then dental vibe. Because yes, dentistry will always be about hunching over ideal preps, closed margins, proper occlusion, etc.. the work itself is very meticulous by nature when, as I'm sure you've been taught, microns make all the difference if a patient gets recurrent decay under your crown. Out in practice it is certainly easier, but only because these things become second nature.. the work will always be very detailed.

Also, many OS programs end up earning you an MD as well, if you're interested in that. Chucking thirds or fixing a jaw in place requires a different finesse than preparing a tooth for a crown.

Edited to say- You are not nearly the first person who wanted to be a physician and chose dentistry. I would venture to say that the majority of dental students considered medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy alike when choosing the profession. It doesn't mean you have to give up halfway through, just find a way to make it work.

 

[smellycarabelli69]

Yes. If you are going into general dentistry or most of the other dental specialties you will spend the rest of your life hunched over looking into a small, dark, wet, space paying attention to small details. Add in the patient management portion of working on patients and the future does not look bright for you. Worst case scenario you don't end up in oral pathology, anesthesiology, or DPH you could consider being in academia (research/teaching). A career change could also benefit you however, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Good luck.

 

[vellnueve]

It's way easier in the mouth than on a typodont.

 

[romoxx23]

Check out dentalmaverick.com watch the free student videos, maybe this will compel you to reflect and truly think if you are getting bored with dentistry.

 

[baby.smiles]

Your experience in pre-clinical is vastly different than what you will experience in clinic. They hound ideal preps and ideal everything on you down there. But trust me, once you deal with patients, you will realize you work on a prep design that is best suited for the issue at hand. This is because you just simply can't do an ideal on each patient. I was in your boat and nearly quit during 2nd year of pre-clin but trust me, it will change Have faith - you'll be surprised how fun clinic can be once you get out of that dungeon!

 

[The OMFS]

Atta boy UPenn. Another student who hates general dentistry. In all seriousness, I am just going to say a few things.

First, no offense but that's a terrible reasoning to not get into Medicine. Obamacare is not the reason to not pursue medicine.

Second, I agree with the above poster that your preclinical experience may be different from what you experience in clinic. For now I would just sit tight and see how things differ next year. However, you may also hate your clinical experience there. I will let you figure that one out.

Lastly, I agree that you might want to consider specializing. You will have the opportunity to shadow all the different clinics as next year (very much hands off but you get to "observe"). If there is a slightest hint that you may want to specialize, better finish off this semester strong and bring your grades up. I have no doubt that you're smart but 3.6 is very common at UPenn. You should take advantage of the grade inflation there.

 

[Screwtape]

Ortho, OMFS, perio, or endo. No preps or crowns there.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

.

 

[Miley Cyrus.]

Ortho, OMFS, perio, or endo. No preps or crowns there.

He said he hated attention to detail and the fine level of perfection necessary. I get the feeling endo is very precise, very detailed work. Your thoughts??

 

[Screwtape]

He said he hated attention to detail and the fine level of perfection necessary. I get the feeling endo is very precise, very detailed work. Your thoughts??

It is precise and detailed. But in a very different way than operative/pros. Every speciality in dentistry will require some level of detail and precision.

 

[Marmalade]

Dentistry and medicine are detail orientated professions. Just different details. That's what makes them valuable.

Dentistry in the clinics is considerably more fun than pre-clinical work and private practice better still.

However, it is still work. Mostly the same work, every day... for years. In my experience those who do best ($) are like clockwork in their meticulous attention to detail e.g. every prep / fill in exactly the same sequence etc.

I too find it preposterous that you state that you avoided medicine due to the perceived lower income due to Obamacare... only to choose a profession that costs far more to enter and then provides far less income on average. My wife is an MD and she is essentially unaffected. I don't think she's ever mentioned Obamacare it in fact. Obamacare allows millions of people access to healthcare they need by providing subsidized insurance. Insurance that actually pays the bill vs the bill being written off due to non-payment.

I'm not criticizing your dislike for dentistry; it is highly repetitive, but I do think it's ironic that you are unhappy because of a decision that was based on your fear of a policy to help sick humans get medical care.

I'm almost 4 years out of DS. I always tell people it's a "good" job (with air quotes). I think a lot of dentists regret going into it. Several from my class have said so; and we are not even close to "burn out" time of 15+ years that I keep hearing about.

I tell my wife that I have a "nice dead-end job". She feels the same way about hers, even as a partner at her group practice. We feel that way as both our jobs are... jobs. They are repetitive and exhausting. We don't see ourselves as above others, even those with "Obamacare".

Good luck to you.

PD

 

[adkfjasldf]

Many were in very similar shoes as you. Myself and many of my friends are now are doing OS and are going through medical school. Although some of the medical specialties we rotate though were very enjoyable during rotations, majority we could not stand at all. Many of of my friends who had previously hated the thought of general dentistry with a passion and regretted going to dental school at first, would now much rather do restorative or even set teeth than spend any more time in many of medical specialties. Standing around, rounding for 6+ hours, not being able to use your hands, sick patients all day every day can get old very very quickly. Although some people do enjoy it, many of us wanted to shoot ourselves while waiting for these rotations to end. Some surgical specialties are obviously the exception, but they are as you understand are difficult to get in to.

Good luck

 

[thesellsword]

Thank you everyone...I really appreciate all of your comments. So, I'm not going to lie, money is a major motivation for me to go into medicine or dentistry...I know that is stupid. I would have loved to do business or finance, but my family has no connections, everyone in my family is a physician, so I was pressured into focusing on the sciences all through highschool and well through college. Fortunately I was able to pull of an econ minor, which was VASTLY more enjoyable and interesting than any of the science courses I took. Yes, ObamaCare being a pressing factor in opting out of medicine seems a stupid reason now in hindsight...But I never really enjoyed or was interested much in medicine either.

As far as dentistry goes, I really enjoyed endo, I don't know much about perio or OS, though I would still consider those...Anything to never have to do a crown or filling again. I don't mind repetitiveness at all, it was actually one of the big reasons I chose dentistry-predictable, and repetitive. However, in my 300 or so hours of shadowing, I didn't get the feeling of how difficult and annoying it is to make sure the margins are perfectly sealed each and every time, and that the cement actually does little to nothing in sealing the margins. I guess the dentist I shadowed was really good...I even worked in his office for a year before dental school and the practice collected over 1 million every year, so I would assume he made a decent amount of money, so two criteria were met. Two major criteria for me, I should clarify. I am easily stressed, and the volatility and dealing with life and death in the higher paying fields of medicine for me was another drawback. I wasn't willing to go through all of medical school and not end up a dermatologist or ophthalmalogist or pain management, the only two specialties I would be happy in in medicine.

I doubt I can ever get to a 3.7-8, even with all A's from here on out, because there are not that many graded classes left, and even fewer in 3rd year at UPenn.

I really do want to specialize, as I said earlier, I would love to do Endo, I even enjoy it, at least in the preclinic. But the stability and outlook for the field isn't the best I've heard from many a dentist/dental student. I hate research, and I've less than 0 interest in teaching, so oral path and radio are out of the question...at this point I'm just hoping you all are right and that life is easier and better outside of preclinic...because if it is really this dependent on perfection every hour of every day that I am in practice...I will fulfill the stereotype that dentists kill themselves more often than other professions. I am doing my best to get my GPA up too...anything so that I can specialize and never have to do a filling or crown again. My handskills are fine, I do beautiful preps in the preclinic, my restorations are the main issue...I hate doing them, and getting the margins to be perfect and totally sealed without cement, for me at least, is an exercise in futility. Thank you for hearing me out...

 

[RoseEndo]

Thank you everyone...I really appreciate all of your comments. So, I'm not going to lie, money is a major motivation for me to go into medicine or dentistry...I know that is stupid. I would have loved to do business or finance, but my family has no connections, everyone in my family is a physician, so I was pressured into focusing on the sciences all through highschool and well through college. Fortunately I was able to pull of an econ minor, which was VASTLY more enjoyable and interesting than any of the science courses I took. Yes, ObamaCare being a pressing factor in opting out of medicine seems a stupid reason now in hindsight...But I never really enjoyed or was interested much in medicine either.

As far as dentistry goes, I really enjoyed endo, I don't know much about perio or OS, though I would still consider those...Anything to never have to do a crown or filling again. I don't mind repetitiveness at all, it was actually one of the big reasons I chose dentistry-predictable, and repetitive. However, in my 300 or so hours of shadowing, I didn't get the feeling of how difficult and annoying it is to make sure the margins are perfectly sealed each and every time, and that the cement actually does little to nothing in sealing the margins. I guess the dentist I shadowed was really good...I even worked in his office for a year before dental school and the practice collected over 1 million every year, so I would assume he made a decent amount of money, so two criteria were met. Two major criteria for me, I should clarify. I am easily stressed, and the volatility and dealing with life and death in the higher paying fields of medicine for me was another drawback. I wasn't willing to go through all of medical school and not end up a dermatologist or ophthalmalogist or pain management, the only two specialties I would be happy in in medicine.

On top of that, as one poster said I should take advantage of the "grade inflation" at Penn...Sadly I am working my hardest, but after first year I ended up with a 3.5, and now I'm doing much better, but I doubt I can ever get to a 3.7-8, even with all A's from here on out, because there are not that many graded classes left, and even fewer in 3rd year at UPenn.

I really do want to specialize, as I said earlier, I would love to do Endo, I even enjoy it, at least in the preclinic. But the stability and outlook for the field isn't the best I've heard from many a dentist/dental student. I hate research, and I've less than 0 interest in teaching, so oral path and radio are out of the question...at this point I'm just hoping you all are right and that life is easier and better outside of preclinic...because if it is really this dependent on perfection every hour of every day that I am in practice...I will fulfill the stereotype that dentists kill themselves more often than other professions. I am doing my best to get my GPA up too...anything so that I can specialize and never have to do a filling or crown again. My handskills are fine, I do beautiful preps in the preclinic, my restorations are the main issue...I hate doing them, and getting the margins to be perfect and totally sealed without cement, for me at least, is an exercise in futility. Thank you for hearing me out...

I just saw this thread today. Do not get discouraged by first two years of dental school. You are in a field with many options. I am glad you are interested in Endo, and you can read some of my past comments. I recommend you to contact private practice Endodontists directly and shadow them instead of listening to dental students or school faculty. One of best sources to hear from group of Endodontists is https://realworldendo.com and you can certainly post questions and ask about their experience around the country. Good luck with you dental school education, and hold your head high!

 

[Newgoalsdentdoc]

I guess oral pathology would fit the bill the closest... but even then.

edit: forgot public health is a specialty.

I am laughing to myself because I went through this during my first year in dental school. Ok, this is going to sound funny, but take a few steps back and take a few deep breaths. It's going to be ok. I know of so many people, who have gone through this. This too shall pass. There was a time in dental school that I wondered what I had gotten myself into. I get it and I understand. I even applied to medical school to run away from dental school. Somehow, you have got to dig deep, reassess things and KNOW that it CAN and WILL work. The grass is not always greener on the other side and be aware that even though it may appear greener, it could be artificial turf. Hang in there. The first two years are the basics. Once you start treating real patients aside from a typodont, your interest will change and love for dentistry will increase. My advice is that you NOT give up. Finish what you have started and give it some time. I would also suggest that you talk to a faculty member and other students and share your thoughts. You will be surprised at others who are feeling the same way and the amount of encouragement, advice, and mentoring you'll receive from faculty who will help you through this season of disappointment. Each of us knows what our heart's desire is, but don't give up and finish the race. Been there and believe me when I tell you, it DOES get better. I am SO glad I did not go to medical school and dentistry has been rewarding in so many ways. Hang in there! You CAN do it!

 

[DamonSelfLigation]

I am laughing to myself because I went through this during my first year in dental school. Ok, this is going to sound funny, but take a few steps back and take a few deep breaths. It's going to be ok. I know of so many people, who have gone through this. This too shall pass. There was a time in dental school that I wondered what I had gotten myself into. I get it and I understand. I even applied to medical school to run away from dental school. Somehow, you have got to dig deep, reassess things and KNOW that it CAN and WILL work. The grass is not always greener on the other side and be aware that even though it may appear greener, it could be artificial turf. Hang in there. The first two years are the basics. Once you start treating real patients aside from a typodont, your interest will change and love for dentistry will increase. My advice is that you NOT give up. Finish what you have started and give it some time. I would also suggest that you talk to a faculty member and other students and share your thoughts. You will be surprised at others who are feeling the same way and the amount of encouragement, advice, and mentoring you'll receive from faculty who will help you through this season of disappointment. Each of us knows what our heart's desire is, but don't give up and finish the race. Been there and believe me when I tell you, it DOES get better. I am SO glad I did not go to medical school and dentistry has been rewarding in so many ways. Hang in there! You CAN do it!

Could not have been said any better.

 

[honorandrespect]

Whoa...your story sounds EXACTLY like mine...down to the reasons for leaving pursuit of medicine...I'm sorry for your experiences. I feel exactly the same way...I hate restorative more than anything...I'll do anything not to do restorative work after dental school. All I can say is...it's too late to back out..we're already 200k over our heads...I thought about leaving last year as well. I'm sticking with it for now...but I know this, if I don't specialize, I'm not touching a handpiece. Reach out to me...I'm not going to ask you to meet in person. Also, from what I've heard, clinic is different from GRD...not sure how much I believe that either. But, we're in it for the long haul. Best of luck man, again feel free to reach out.

FYI: I'm also from Penn, D2. People can probably guess who I am now lol

 

[DamonSelfLigation]

Whoa...your story sounds EXACTLY like mine...down to the reasons for leaving pursuit of medicine...I'm sorry for your experiences. I feel exactly the same way...I hate restorative more than anything...I'll do anything not to do restorative work after dental school. All I can say is...it's too late to back out..we're already 200k over our heads...I thought about leaving last year as well. I'm sticking with it for now...but I know this, if I don't specialize, I'm not touching a handpiece. Reach out to me...I'm not going to ask you to meet in person. Also, from what I've heard, clinic is different from GRD...not sure how much I believe that either. But, we're in it for the long haul. Best of luck man, again feel free to reach out.

FYI: I'm also from Penn, D2. People can probably guess who I am now lol

Well, both of you are going to have to be having "restorative" considerations for any speciality, something I did not know until later on in D3 and D4.

If you specialize, there are always "restorative" considerations in some of the cases you will see. You may not need to do the restoration yourselves, but you have to know how to take what will be done later into consideration.

You will be using a handpiece in OMFS for ostectomy, osteoplasty.

Perio for osteoplasty.

Endo for rotary, access

Ortho finshing and detailing (enamloplasty, carbide finishers).

There is no escaping the handpiece, unfortunately.

 

[honorandrespect]

Well, both of you are going to have to be having "restorative" considerations for any speciality, something I did not know until later on in D3 and D4.

If you specialize, there are always "restorative" considerations in some of the cases you will see. You may not need to do the restoration yourselves, but you have to know how to take what will be done later into consideration.

You will be using a handpiece in OMFS for ostectomy, osteoplasty.

Perio for osteoplasty.

Endo for rotary, access

Ortho finshing and detailing (enamloplasty, carbide finishers).

There is no escaping the handpiece, unfortunately.

I don't have anything against the handpiece...I just don't want to ever do a filling or crown or bridge lol(I should have been more clear). I want to specialize for the good lifestyle, financial perks, lower overhead, and being an expert at one thing so I can provide the best level of care possible to my patients. I like the concept of restorations, for me its more actually restoring the teeth, and having to deal with patients coming back and complaining how they "don't like it" or "it doesn't fit right" and then having to repeat the case, spending more time, and money sending the impressions etc back to the lab. At this point, I'm considering any speciality but GP or Prosthodontist, which I wouldn't do no matter how much money they made(unless if were more than a million dollars a year take home, which is pretty much impossible)

 

[DamonSelfLigation]

I don't have anything against the handpiece...I just don't want to ever do a filling or crown or bridge lol(I should have been more clear). I want to specialize for the good lifestyle, financial perks, lower overhead, and being an expert at one thing so I can provide the best level of care possible to my patients. I like the concept of restorations, for me its more actually restoring the teeth, and having to deal with patients coming back and complaining how they "don't like it" or "it doesn't fit right" and then having to repeat the case, spending more time, and money sending the impressions etc back to the lab. At this point, I'm considering any speciality but GP or Prosthodontist, which I wouldn't do no matter how much money they made(unless if were more than a million dollars a year take home, which is pretty much impossible)

Sounds good. I totally understand how you feel. Just pretend its the most interesting thing, until you are done

 

[smogdodger]

When in dental school, it is often that we ask ourselves, "What do I hate?" You can come up with laundry lists with things that you hate. I did just like you. The easiest things to acknowledge are the things we don't like.

If you can sift through all of things you hate in dental school and figure out what you truly enjoy, then you have the answer of what you should do. I was asking myself what I didn't hate and ended up in a 6 yr OMFS program based on that thinking and eventually found a lot of other things that I didn't enjoy dealing with in medicine. The lacs and surgeries are a blast but the rest of the job has piles of paperwork; that's just modern medicine. I ultimately admitted to myself that I had enjoyed all of the ortho treatment planning etc back in dental school and applied/went into orthodontics. I just graduated in March. I loved my entire ortho residency and could hardly be happier with what happened in my life after making that choice.

I hope you find and recognize what truly excites you. Go with it. Hopefully it is found in the realm of dentistry.

 

[480640]

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[FlyingSky]

If your heart is in medicine your feelings won't change a year from now or even after graduation. If you hate operative dentistry you'll be miserable as a general dentist no matter the money. Third year will most likely confirm that you don't like dentistry. Take an LOA (if possible) and use that time to take the MCAT and apply to medical school. Save yourself the additional $200K+ in dental school loans.


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if his heart was in medicine he wouldnt have used obamacare as an excuse to not pursue medicine

@OP what you are describing = making everything ideal = giving it all for your patient = you wouldnt have been happy with many of medical fields

 

[FlyingSky]

I don't have anything against the handpiece...I just don't want to ever do a filling or crown or bridge lol(I should have been more clear). I want to specialize for the good lifestyle, financial perks, lower overhead, and being an expert at one thing so I can provide the best level of care possible to my patients. I like the concept of restorations, for me its more actually restoring the teeth, and having to deal with patients coming back and complaining how they "don't like it" or "it doesn't fit right" and then having to repeat the case, spending more time, and money sending the impressions etc back to the lab. At this point, I'm considering any speciality but GP or Prosthodontist, which I wouldn't do no matter how much money they made(unless if were more than a million dollars a year take home, which is pretty much impossible)

you're a D2 tho, why are you already worried about that stuff, wait until you start clinic to see how it is really like
using the handpiece on the typodont is wack, using it in a mouth is different
I hated prostho in pre clinic, loved it in clinic

(Btw I also wanted to be a physician and totally hated hated hated my 1st year of dental school, I hope you both find passion in what you do)

 

[FlyingSky]

Each of us knows what our heart's desire is, but don't give up and finish the race. Been there and believe me when I tell you, it DOES get better. I am SO glad I did not go to medical school and dentistry has been rewarding in so many ways. Hang in there! You CAN do it!

word!!! read this thesellsword and honorandrespect

 

[DamonSelfLigation]

if his heart was in medicine he wouldnt have used obamacare as an excuse to not pursue medicine

@OP what you are describing = making everything ideal = giving it all for your patient = you wouldnt have been happy with many of medical fields

The thing is, people don't know where there heart is at that point in there career. They may know where their heart isn't.

Obamacare represents the fabric of many of the reasons why we would not want to go into medicine, and many of the reasons we are starting to not like certain aspects of the dental field.

For example. You are from Canada. As an MD in Canada, many doctors came to USA to practice. Then Obama care happened, then many people went back to Canada. Then many Obamacare issues happened in Ontario, and now many want to move away from Ontario.

Many Canadian's I have met know both sides of the health care, we are just starting to experience it, unfortunately.

But I can understand where the OP says, Obamacare and what it entails is a major reason to not go into medicine, which is why Dental School in Canada is tougher to get into than med school. If you don't get into a good specialty and are stuck doing a internal med or family med residency or.... become an anesthesiologist when you really wanted to be in general surgery.. that would be a bad business and life decision..

 

[CanaDMD]

The thing is, people don't know where there heart is at that point in there career. They may know where their heart isn't.

Obamacare represents the fabric of many of the reasons why we would not want to go into medicine, and many of the reasons we are starting to not like certain aspects of the dental field.

For example. You are from Canada. As an MD in Canada, many doctors came to USA to practice. Then Obama care happened, then many people went back to Canada. Then many Obamacare issues happened in Ontario, and now many want to move away from Ontario.

Many Canadian's I have met know both sides of the health care, we are just starting to experience it, unfortunately.

But I can understand where the OP says, Obamacare and what it entails is a major reason to not go into medicine, which is why Dental School in Canada is tougher to get into than med school. If you don't get into a good specialty and are stuck doing a internal med or family med residency or.... become an anesthesiologist when you really wanted to be in general surgery.. that would be a bad business and life decision..

I'm a Canadian dental student; there isn't Obamacare in Ontario or Canada in that matter

 

[jippyslim]

The thing is, people don't know where there heart is at that point in there career. They may know where their heart isn't.

Obamacare represents the fabric of many of the reasons why we would not want to go into medicine, and many of the reasons we are starting to not like certain aspects of the dental field.

For example. You are from Canada. As an MD in Canada, many doctors came to USA to practice. Then Obama care happened, then many people went back to Canada. Then many Obamacare issues happened in Ontario, and now many want to move away from Ontario.

Many Canadian's I have met know both sides of the health care, we are just starting to experience it, unfortunately.

But I can understand where the OP says, Obamacare and what it entails is a major reason to not go into medicine, which is why Dental School in Canada is tougher to get into than med school. If you don't get into a good specialty and are stuck doing a internal med or family med residency or.... become an anesthesiologist when you really wanted to be in general surgery.. that would be a bad business and life decision..

I have read your comments on previous threads and truly value your opinions. You're pretty thoughtful. On this though I'm not so sure. True, I am just starting my healthcare career, but if I based my decision primarily because of a law I could potentially be turning my back on something that excites me. The plain truth is that nothing stays stagnant. Laws change, rules change. Change is the only constant and it doesn't preclude me from finding opportunity within the change to be successful. Dentistry is changing, ortho is changing, but does that mean you would take down your shingle even if you enjoy it?

 

[DamonSelfLigation]

I'm a Canadian dental student; there isn't Obamacare in Ontario or Canada in that matter

Sorry, I think I am being misunderstood.

There is no Obamacare in Canada, but there is socialized health care.

 

[DamonSelfLigation]

I have read your comments on previous threads and truly value your opinions. You're pretty thoughtful. On this though I'm not so sure. True, I am just starting my healthcare career, but if I based my decision primarily because of a law I could potentially be turning my back on something that excites me. The plain truth is that nothing stays stagnant. Laws change, rules change. Change is the only constant and it doesn't preclude me from finding opportunity within the change to be successful. Dentistry is changing, ortho is changing, but does that mean you would take down your shingle even if you enjoy it?

I can give an answer with a combination of laws, history, politics, and life experience. I want to try to keep it simple.

I do not think the OP based his decision primarily on "obamacare" but moreso the idea that healthcare is becoming socialized and this will have a major impact on his life goals especially if he did not do well on the STEP 1 and then did not get into a specialty of choice.

Dentistry is still very much so a privatized field, has fee for service, and the norm is still to open up your own practice (at some point in time) during your career. This is not the same in medicine.

I hope this clarifies my post.

 

[CanaDMD]

Sorry, I think I am being misunderstood.

There is no Obamacare in Canada, but there is socialized health care.

Yes, I agree. However, the fees, even socialized, are still very acceptable. Family doctors here can still make 180-250k if they choose to.

Edit : and more if they work rural and longer!

 

[DamonSelfLigation]

Yes, I agree. However, the fees, even socialized, are still very acceptable. Family doctors here can still make 180-250k if they choose to.

Edit : and more if they work rural and longer!

I did not want to go down this road. but here we go.

But this goes back to the OP. He or she may not think 180-250k as a family doctor is worth it considering you are capped, you truly wanted to be a plastic surgeon but settled or didn't get in, want to be working in a hospital setting. Quantity rather than quality.... some rather go for quality.

Canada does not have the same amount of people on welfare and illegal immigrants, as does USA. It also doesn't have many of the other issues "educational" issues that many of those in USA do.

I'll leave it at that.

 

[CanaDMD]

I did not want to go down this road. but here we go.

But this goes back to the OP. He or she may not think 180-250k as a family doctor is worth it considering you are capped, you truly wanted to be a plastic surgeon but settled or didn't get in, want to be working in a hospital setting. Quantity rather than quality.... some rather go for quality.

Canada does not have the same amount of people on welfare and illegal immigrants, as does USA. It also doesn't have many of the other issues "educational" issues that many of those in USA do.

I'll leave it at that.

I understand your point of view, makes sense! One thing I wanted to point out though is that I think it is very dependant on where you work in Canada if you are capped or not (I may be wrong, but I don't think you're capped anywhere no?), as I personally know a family doctor in a completely different province, working rurally, who's taking home a good 400-600k a year because of how many people he sees, his setting and his expanded scope (because of his setting).

 

[honorandrespect]

Meh...Going to medical school is seeming more and more appealing to me. With all the non-sense we deal with here, and the emphasis on learning about the whole body, I feel I might as well have done medicine....Working hard I am no stranger to. But working hard and ending up just some dentist barely making ends meet, is depressing.

 

[ncide]

Meh...Going to medical school is seeming more and more appealing to me. With all the non-sense we deal with here, and the emphasis on learning about the whole body, I feel I might as well have done medicine....Working hard I am no stranger to. But working hard and ending up just some dentist barely making ends meet, is depressing.

http://www.dentaltown.com/MessageBoard/thread.aspx?s=2&f=2656&t=261175

 

[Drbcca]

Dentistry is all about details and it is an art, it is all about perfection, if you are not an artist or cannot pay attention to details this is not a good profession for you, if you chose this field in order to make money, wrong decision, your future patients will feel it before you start your treatment, unless you wanna be a pathologist.