Sooo....

[boatnerj]

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Hey guys.

For a long time I have only really considered going pre-med. I always thought if I wanted to help people I had to become a doctor. It has interested me, but the more docs I have talked to and shadowed the more I realize they are becoming over worked, paid less, and have more stress due to insurance,tons of paperwork, etc. Many docs I know have sat me down and tried to encourage me to do something else like become a PA or go to dental school. Basically, the more I see, the more I realize medical school isnt for me. Dentists seem to be able to help people, spend more time and connect with your patient, get more immediate and visible outcomes with your patient (As opposed to prescribe and wait), not have to hassle with govt interference and all the problems with health insurance, be your own boss (or not if you dont want), have a better lifestyle/hours, be able to start working and make decent money out of dental school (slave labor/residency not universal for all stuents!)

I have already graduated this past summer. My GPA is 3.9 cumulative, and 3.9 for the sciences. I have all the pre-reqs necessary to apply, I just havent taken the DAT obviously (I have taken the MCAT and got a 33 if that means anything), and have not shadowed a dentist. Before I would even consider re-routing to dentistry I know I would have to do a fair bit of shadowing and see if it is for me, though I feel like I would enjoy it (actually like going to the dentist, like working with my hands, helping people, learning about health and science related issues, etc).

I guess I am just asking how feasible it would be for me to switch tracks? I am guessing I would have to apply to the 2011-2012 cycle. I also have a committee composite letter already and my health advisor said they have no problem formatting it for a dent application . I would also have to find a letter or two from a dentist as well to strengthen myself as an applicant. And as far as getting lots of exposure over the year and a half I will have off what would be a good job. It seems like dental assistant would be wise, but for the most part it seems like you have to be certified to get a job and those courses take a fair bit of time. Has anyone gotten a dental assisting job un-certified at local practices and just gotten on the job training? For extra curriculars, since I have always been geared to the med school route, I was a member of a completely student run volunteer collegiate rescue squad for 3 years, so I have plenty of volunteering and it shows I like to help people (though I on't know if this would help me as far as a dental school application goes).

Like I said, I haven't made any decisions for sure yet, and am asking more along the lines of "what if"?

 

[7 Iron]

Hey guys.

For a long time I have only really considered going pre-med. I always thought if I wanted to help people I had to become a doctor. It has interested me, but the more docs I have talked to and shadowed the more I realize they are becoming over worked, paid less, and have more stress due to insurance,tons of paperwork, etc. Many docs I know have sat me down and tried to encourage me to do something else like become a PA or go to dental school. Basically, the more I see, the more I realize medical school isnt for me. Dentists seem to be able to help people, spend more time and connect with your patient, get more immediate and visible outcomes with your patient (As opposed to prescribe and wait), not have to hassle with govt interference and all the problems with health insurance, be your own boss (or not if you dont want), have a better lifestyle/hours, be able to start working and make decent money out of dental school (slave labor/residency not universal for all stuents!)

I have already graduated this past summer. My GPA is 3.9 cumulative, and 3.9 for the sciences. I have all the pre-reqs necessary to apply, I just havent taken the DAT obviously (I have taken the MCAT and got a 33 if that means anything), and have not shadowed a dentist. Before I would even consider re-routing to dentistry I know I would have to do a fair bit of shadowing and see if it is for me, though I feel like I would enjoy it (actually like going to the dentist, like working with my hands, helping people, learning about health and science related issues, etc).

I guess I am just asking how feasible it would be for me to switch tracks? I am guessing I would have to apply to the 2011-2012 cycle. I also have a committee composite letter already and my health advisor said they have no problem formatting it for a dent application . I would also have to find a letter or two from a dentist as well to strengthen myself as an applicant. And as far as getting lots of exposure over the year and a half I will have off what would be a good job. It seems like dental assistant would be wise, but for the most part it seems like you have to be certified to get a job and those courses take a fair bit of time. Has anyone gotten a dental assisting job un-certified at local practices and just gotten on the job training? For extra curriculars, since I have always been geared to the med school route, I was a member of a completely student run volunteer collegiate rescue squad for 3 years, so I have plenty of volunteering and it shows I like to help people (though I on't know if this would help me as far as a dental school application goes).

Like I said, I haven't made any decisions for sure yet, and am asking more along the lines of "what if"?

Congratulations on considering dentistry as an alternative to medicine. Your story is similar to mine in that I was always pre-med and never considered dentistry until after I graduated. I shadowed several family doctors as well as surgeons, and they have told me they would do something else with their lives if they could do it all over again. It shocked me to hear those words from a surgeon, which was originally the kind of physician I wanted to be.

It also sounds like you have a good understanding--so far--of the pros and cons of both medicine and dentistry. I would encourage you to do some shadowing asap to see if you like what you see in a general dentist office.

Your GPA is excellent, and a 33 MCAT is a strong score if I remember, so as long as you take the DAT (maybe early next year if you like your shadowing and decide on dentistry) and have comparable performance, you'd be a strong candidate.

As for what to do in terms of a job between now and dental school, I'll let someone else give some advice on that one, as I kind of screwed that part up personally 👎

 

[sobe55]

Well you do have to prove yourself now in the sense that you are committed to dentistry.

I know one student who was pre-dental his whole undergrad and was waitlisted from the state dental school because he didnt have enough private practice dental shadowing. (Just a lot of volunteering/shaodwing at the dental school)
He fixed this (and got in and is currently a 2nd year dental student) by shadowing 3 different practitioners over the 1 year span. I would start there.
Get as much exposure as you can! In my experiences, dental schools REALLY like when you have a lot of dental experience.

Also, I dont know if you're close to a dental school but may be (with your science GPA) you could look into doing some dental research? You could try emailing some people and see if they need any help in their labs. (If youre interested in research- if youre not then dont do it).

Also, having a job during this gap year might be a good idea- it shows you have time management and tried to remain as productive as possible.

It seems paying for a dental assistant program might be expensive? I havent looked into that. BUT if youre in an urban area sometimes they DO offer on the job training. (I saw this in my dentist's office but he practices in a mostly spanish speaking area that accepts a lot of medicare/subsidized insurance).

Good luck! 🙂

 

[TK2006]

Do some dental shadowing and take the DAT.

Four of my friends in my major (bioengineering) in college were pre-med and they all scored really well on the MCAT (30,31,35, and 38). We all had about the same average (on a scale of 100) in all of our bioengineering classes, and so I would venture to guess that your DAT will be pretty close to mine.

You will be a really strong applicant. Go for it.

Welcome to predent, btw. 👍

 

[hopefulDMD]

Congrats on making the switch! I think you're going to looooooooooove it! As far as GPA and Sci GPA...you're set! And since you scored a 33 (which is competitive for Med School) I'm sure you'll get at least a 20+ on your TS score.

As far as shadowing...you definitely can work as a dental assistant without becoming certified! I thought of becoming an RDA or a hygienist during my year off, but it was sooooooo expensive. I found a dentist that would train me from scratch and now i'm working as her office manager, receptionist, house/office keeper, dental assistant, insurance, billing, sterilizing, impressions & molds, night guards, x-rays etc. etc. i pretty much run her office and she'll be screwed if I leave...

my point is: don't waste money on getting certified! i'm sure there's a dentist around your area that's willing to take you under her/his wing.

good luck! I think with the shadowing and extra dental experience you'll get in 2011-2012 cycle.

 

[fellforit]

I have a similar path, as well. I was pre-med... Until every doctor I talked to, when asked, said that they would choose a different profession if they could go back in time (usually nursing or becoming a PA). Eek! I was then pre-pharm for over a year, but again, once I started shadowing, the pharmacists I talked to not only said they would not choose the path again, but I got several explicit warnings about the job market and the automation of the industry -- one pharmacist even told me, "You seem nice. I like you. So I'm going to tell you this now, before you waste 200,000 on schooling: You do not want this job. This job will not exist in 40 years." Eek, again.

I knew I wanted to do something in healthcare, so I did some research, and once I started considering dentistry, it was one of those things where the more I considered it and learned about it, the more convinced I was that it was what I was meant to do. I just made the official switch from pre-pharm about a month and a half ago, so I'm just beginning the process (I'm a sophomore in undergrad, btw), but what little shadowing I've done so far has been amazing. I'm passionate about becoming a dentist in a way that I never expected, and really excited about my future in a way that I never was in either of my other programs.

Your GPA is awesome, your MCAT scores indicate that you will probably do very well on the DAT (just make sure you do sufficient practice for the PAT, as I don't believe there's any comparable section on the MCAT), and with some shadowing experience in your year off, I think you're a shoo-in for dental school. Congratulations on making the switch!

 

[tayoub]

I think you could easily switch tracks by getting more experience shadowing.

My sister just graduated from med school, she hated every second of it but now, she is really enjoying herself. Yes, you work hard but in the end if your heart is in it-its worth it. Dont just change your career path because others are encouraging you to do it. you have great stats, a 33 on the MCAT is good! Im going into dental for my own reasons, but dont let anyone discourage you.

 

[boatnerj]

Wow. Everyone is pretty nice over here compared to the pre-med side.

Like I stated above though, this is all still a what if type of deal. By no means have I changed sides yet, and I would be pretty crazy to do so without some more investigation and critical thinking. But I really do appreciate all the input though. I will be shadowing a local guy soon as well.

As far as being a shoe in for the DAT I don't think anything is guaranteed. Especially since I took the MCATs a while ago and haven't done much math in a good 2 years! I am sure though with a good amount of review I could get a competitive score. I would def. have to focus on math, re-familiarizing myself with Ochem/gen chem/some random bio stuff.

Also, I think I may be shy one pre-req. Bio chem. Some schools require one 3 credit hour course, and some strongly recommend it. I would probably have to take that at a local CC.

 

[alej1020]

I was in the same boat and changed to dentistry because of how laid back dentistry is compared to medicine. U seem to be well informed and have a plan to take the dentistry route. I would say shadow a dentist and see if u like it if u do then go for it. I would believe that u will do well in the DAT so all u really need is some shadowing experience and your in man. Welcome to the club.

 

[MRSA]

you mentioned about 10 times that you want to "help people". if that's true why don't you consider a career in social services, secondary education, nursing, or other fields that make significant impacts on people's lives?

dentists "help" people by providing services for a nominal fee. that's not helping people, that's doing business.

 

[dentalWorks]

Congratulations on your switch to pre-dent. I used to be pre-med as well, and I switched over a while back myself (I never took the mcats tho)

The only thing I want you to consider is, while, yes medicine is getting hammered pretty hard with new laws and regulations.... dentistry isn't going to be off the radar for long. Ever heard of mid-level providers? thats the HOTTEST topic in the dental community these days. Some dentists think this will hurt our dental health care system while others think that this is actually a good start toward resolving the undeserved crisis.

Also, you need to consider the "prestige" factor / "I will be saving lives every day" / "I want to have the same life styles as Gray's anatomy or Dr. Christian Troy".... None of this exist in dentistry. You will RARELY save a life, and from time to time, people (some pre-meds or even med students) will challenge the fact that dentists shouldn't be called "doctors"...... These are just some minor (mostly unimportant) things to consider when switching to dentistry from medicine..... Are you able to deal with this? Think about this hard and make a decision for yourself...... You don't wanna look back 10 years from now and say "darn it, even tho medicine is a hassle, its a much better job than dentistry"... see what Im saying?

IMO, if your ultimate goal is to be a primary care physician (Internist, family doc, pediatrics, or OBGY) then most likely you are going to LOVE general practice dentistry by about a 1000 fold. The work style is somewhat similar, you see patients on a daily basis, you have to deal with stubborn employees and try to make everyone happy, and run/manage your own business. The major difference between the 2 however is that dentist are rarely (or never) on call, usually only work between 30-40 hours week, do more work with their hands, and make a great living...... The primary care docs, while working about 40-50 hours a week, are usually on call all the time, and make the same (or a little bit higher) income than the GP dentists. IMO, Life style is definitely better for the GPs in this scenario.

On the other hand, if your one of these pre-meds who dream is to go into one of those major specialties (orthopedics, plastics, most type of surgeries, radiology, ophthalmology, dermatology etc etc) then you might not find this sort of hectic / self-satisfying / gunner-balls-to-the-walls work style in any form of dentistry (wellllllll with the rare exception of OMFS)

As far as you being an applicant, with a 3.9 GPA and pretty much ANY DAT score that is 19AA (or higher) and You = alot of interviews in your future. For the time being, just do a little bit of shadowing, I don't think you need to do any sort of volunteering or ECs cause Im pretty sure whatever you have done so far is enough. And IMO, you do NOT need to get a dental assisting job to make yourself more competitive. That 3.9 sticks out like a sore thumb lol

Good luck to you, and welcome to pre-dent 🙂

 

[boatnerj]

I am not saying I am completely self sacrificial. I obviously want to make good money for what I do. I have seen or know of people in each of these fields and most of them feel that they work way too hard for what they are paid, and aren't respected like they should be.

you mentioned about 10 times that you want to "help people". if that's true why don't you consider a career in social services, secondary education, nursing, or other fields that make significant impacts on people's lives?

dentists "help" people by providing services for a nominal fee. that's not helping people, that's doing business.

 

[boatnerj]

Thanks. Since I never really made up my mind about what health care field I wanted to go into, and tried late in the game to go pre-med for a while before being discouraged I volunteered on an EMT rescue squad for about 2 years or so. I also volunteered in my father local club called the "lions club". They put together different fund raisers, charities, deliver food to the poor, etc. I will also be going for a week to the phillipines with a volunteer group to help those who dont have any access to significant health care of any kind (Maybe some dentists will be going as well!).

All of that shows I am willing to give back to the community and obviously love the health fields, none of it though has been related to dentistry. I see people list what they have done and the big stuff like volunteering at free dental clinics, going on trips to other countries to help those with no acesss to dental care, etc, has me a little worried I may need to do something simialr.

What got me to consider dentistry when started falling out of love with trying to be a doctor was I chipped my front tooth (twice lol) and each time I went in my dentist offered to let me see what he does (we talked about how I wanted to pursue a health care career, but I couldn't see myself going pre-med anymore). I never took him up on the offer because my college was about 5 hours away from him but I recently called him up and hes going to have me come in. If I like it and want to see more what is the best way to go about asking him to shadow a lot? I know I should try to shadow several diff dentists, but should I see if he wouldn't mind if I came in a few times a week for a while? And then in a month or two if I plan to pursue it further I will start prepping for the DAT, writing a PS, etc.

And I think the whole prestige thing is bs. At the local family practice where I used to work all the MD's there told me that most people don't really respect their docs anymore (not like i nthe olden days at least), and IRL people are impressed by the fact that you are a doctor or that you went to harvard for about 30 seconds, then its the funniest or person with the most interesting stuff to talk about that everyone gravitates to.

 

[JonNCSU08]

Don't worry about having volunteer work specific to dentistry only, it seems that you have given a lot back to your community, you gpa is great, and if you do well on the DAT you will be just fine. I just decided to go into dentistry a little over a year ago, and still haven't participated in any dental related volunteering, and I have received 6 interviews so far. You seem like a solid overall candidate, so if you want to pursue dentistry, go for it, but shadow about 100 plus hours with different specialties and see if this is something you want to get into.