Starting dental school...and a family?

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DaPug

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First of all, I realize this sub forum is under medicine and I will be talking about dentistry. This seems like the best place for it anyway.

I graduated in 2011 with a BA in music. My intention was to become a high school band director, but towards the end of my undergraduate career I decided teaching wasn't for me. After graduation I moved out, got a job, and I'm currently supporting my girlfriend while she completes her MFA.

I've been doing a lot of soul-searching the last few months, trying to decide what to do with my life. After researching countless careers, all of which I believe I could do with some extra schooling, I feel like I've discovered what has been staring me in the face this whole time: dentistry.

- Growing up, I always had very positive experiences with my dentist.
- I love science. If I hadn't studied music in college, it would have been one of the sciences.
- Having a positive effect on peoples' lives was why I wanted to be a teacher; being a dentist would allow me to do the same.

I'm starting taking science classes as a post-bacc this spring. Really looking forward to it!

The more I research dentistry, the more excited I get about it. The journey seems harder and harder too, which also excites me in a way. I do, however, have some concerns which I think you folks in the nontrad forum could shed some light on: I've been with my girlfriend for a long time - the only thing holding me back right now is money for a ring (getting close!). We want to start a family together...she does not want to wait to have our first child until I'm done with dental school (and that's assuming I get in the year I'm shooting for...I would be 31 upon completion, she would be 32). Is it realistic for us to plan on having a child while I'm in the middle of my program?

Part of my motivation is to provide for my future family...give them a comfortable life, send the kids to college, etc. I don't want to delay that too much! Does my desire to become a dentist jive with my desire to be a family man?

I'm also concerned about financing dental school. We're pretty darn poor right now! GF is still in grad school obviously, and she'll hopefully get a job soon after finishing up this May (a couple of prospects in the pipe already!). My parents would probably help out, but I'd really rather do this on my own. Any resources I may have overlooked?

Thanks for any feedback you can give!

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There are at least 4 people in my med school class who have newborn babies (and another who found out a few weeks ago that his wife is pregnant). They are all incredibly tired and don't get to put in as much study/social time as the rest of us, but somehow they get it done. Your girlfriend/wife will need to realize that you are going to be unavailable a lot of the time, and so she will end up shouldering most of the added responsibilities. I've heard that the dentist lifestyle is pretty family friendly, though, so all you have to do is make it through those 4 years of dental school and things should start to even out.
 
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Thanks for the response. I think the future-wife will appreciate hearing it in those terms. And thanks to the second poster for the minimalist response...those are sometimes the best. :)
 
Thanks for the response. I think the future-wife will appreciate hearing it in those terms. And thanks to the second poster for the minimalist response...those are sometimes the best. :)

damn, i shouldn't have typed so much
 
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