The long, complicated way round.

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HAllen

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Hi,

I've wanted to be a dentist since I was 8 and I'm on quite a long, complicated journey to it, but I feel like I'm now making headway.

I'm from England, and I did all my schooling back home. I never really worked that hard, but I did a lot of work with dentists and orthodontist and implantologists etc. I always knew what I wanted to do but I wasn't driven enough.

Anyway, after high school finished I worked for a few months and on almost a whim I applied for an American university. 4 days after I applied I got in, and a week after that I got given a scholarship. I'm in my second year now, almost my third, and my major is Dental Hygiene. (I know, not dentistry, but there's a reason for that). Due to the fact I'm not from America, and I'm only on a Visa, I can't get a student loan here. Nor can I get one back home as I'm not studying back home. So I'm majoring in Dental Hygiene, while taking Dental prerequisites. I've got quite a good GPA (3.7), I'm in the Honours college and I have an A in Inorganic Chemistry 1 and am currently on course for an A in Organic Chemistry 1. So I started on the right foot, so to say.

The thing is that I can't afford Dental School off my own back without loans etc, so the plan is to work as a dental hygienist to save up for dental school, while also studying for the DAT (I probably won't finish all the prerequisites before I graduate).

The worries I have with this plan is whether or not I would be hired as a hygienist in America? I remember reading something about how to hire a foreigner you need to basically prove they're better a better candidate than everyone else for the job. I know that field is quite saturated with workers at the moment. I just thought I would see if anyone had any advice for me in terms of how to really go about making this plan work.

Thanks.
 
just take out loans--it is what almost everyone does. It will be more profitable to take out loans to finance D school than to try to save up as a hygienist and finance it out of pocket. That will take a long time!
 
just take out loans--it is what almost everyone does. It will be more profitable to take out loans to finance D school than to try to save up as a hygienist and finance it out of pocket. That will take a long time!

That may prove a little difficult as an international student with no credit score at all.

I mean, I could change my major to pre-dent, I still have time. I planned to have 5 semesters left after this coming fall semester, and I've 5 pre-requisites left after this coming fall semester. (excluding recommended ones such as genetics etc)
 
I don't see you having an issue getting a job as a dental hygienist...However, my concern for you is how you'll be able to make enough to save up for dental school in a very short period of time. Assuming you started out with decent pay (which varies greatly depending on your location of course)...but for kicks let's say $60K a year (which might even be high). Without spending a dime it would already take a handful of years to pay for tuition and living expenses during those 4 years. Obviously, you'll need a chunk of that to live on while saving up...so that'll cut into your total as well. My question: can you not get loans after you've been here so long? Or even for professional school? I understand none for undergrad, but it's a no go on professional school as well? If so, I'd maybe consider the National Health Service Corp. If you could get that scholarship they'll cover all you tuition and fees and give you a ~$2000/month stipend. Then you'd be required to work for them for 4 years. It might mean working somewhere you don't necessarily want to work, but it would be worth it in the long run. Definitely something to look into. That, or military scholarships...but you'd have to have an interest in joining...

That's about all I have for you! I'm a hygienist as well btw. 😉 It's a great field but I chose it when I was young and not ready to commit to the length of schooling that dentistry requires. Yes, it pays well, but as expensive as life is, it still requires commitment to be able to save large amounts of money. All I can say is that if this is your only option (working and saving), then be totally committed to it. Live dirt cheap for several years. But I assume you don't want to stretch this journey out any longer than you have to, so maybe the NHSC could be an option for you. Good luck! 🙂
 
Do you plan to practice in the US and spend the rest of your life here? If yes, then your biggest thing would probably be to establish a path to citizenship. Once you get on that path, it will be easier to finance your education and even gain acceptance to a US school (some schools aren't international friendly).

If you plan on going to work in the UK (or the rest of the EU) then you are probably better of going to dental school there.
 
Also, as for getting a job as a dental hygienist: you will probably need to secure your own visa that allows for employment. I'm not sure what options are available for citizens of the UK. Odds are no dentist would want the hassle of sponsoring you, even if they were allowed to.
 
If yes, then your biggest thing would probably be to establish a path to citizenship. Once you get on that path, it will be easier to finance your education and even gain acceptance to a US school (some schools aren't international friendly).

If you plan on going to work in the UK (or the rest of the EU) then you are probably better of going to dental school there.

This is true. You might want to consider applying for a green card or citizenship, if you already have a green card. Or... the easy way out - get hitched.
 
Also, as for getting a job as a dental hygienist: you will probably need to secure your own visa that allows for employment. I'm not sure what options are available for citizens of the UK. Odds are no dentist would want the hassle of sponsoring you, even if they were allowed to.

I suppose I won't know until I start trying. I was thinking about speaking to some actual dentists here soon and see what they would do if someone in my position applied for a job as a hygienist in their practice. It would give me a good idea of where I stand.

I don't see you having an issue getting a job as a dental hygienist...However, my concern for you is how you'll be able to make enough to save up for dental school in a very short period of time. Assuming you started out with decent pay (which varies greatly depending on your location of course)...but for kicks let's say $60K a year (which might even be high). Without spending a dime it would already take a handful of years to pay for tuition and living expenses during those 4 years. Obviously, you'll need a chunk of that to live on while saving up...so that'll cut into your total as well. My question: can you not get loans after you've been here so long? Or even for professional school? I understand none for undergrad, but it's a no go on professional school as well? If so, I'd maybe consider the National Health Service Corp. If you could get that scholarship they'll cover all you tuition and fees and give you a ~$2000/month stipend. Then you'd be required to work for them for 4 years. It might mean working somewhere you don't necessarily want to work, but it would be worth it in the long run. Definitely something to look into. That, or military scholarships...but you'd have to have an interest in joining...

That's about all I have for you! I'm a hygienist as well btw. 😉 It's a great field but I chose it when I was young and not ready to commit to the length of schooling that dentistry requires. Yes, it pays well, but as expensive as life is, it still requires commitment to be able to save large amounts of money. All I can say is that if this is your only option (working and saving), then be totally committed to it. Live dirt cheap for several years. But I assume you don't want to stretch this journey out any longer than you have to, so maybe the NHSC could be an option for you. Good luck! 🙂

It's funny you mention that as I had a letter from the military with all the ways they could pay for my dental schooling. I don't think they let British boys in though. I checked on the NHSC website and you must be a US citizen for that too. They're great suggestions though. Yeah, I'm more than willing to live dirt cheap if that's what it'll take.

Hygiene is a great field! I was, and still am, all for it. I just know I won't feel like I've achieved my goal until I'm a dentist.

Do you plan to practice in the US and spend the rest of your life here? If yes, then your biggest thing would probably be to establish a path to citizenship. Once you get on that path, it will be easier to finance your education and even gain acceptance to a US school (some schools aren't international friendly).

If you plan on going to work in the UK (or the rest of the EU) then you are probably better of going to dental school there.

I plan on studying here. I've already started here in terms of the prerequisites and university here really suits me. You can't work back in the EU if you qualify as a dentist in the US either. I'm committed to here now.

This is true. You might want to consider applying for a green card or citizenship, if you already have a green card. Or... the easy way out - get hitched.

Getting Married seems about all you can do to get a green card these days! The UK is out of the green card lottery, and the other ways of getting one are pretty crazy (invest 300k in the community and create 10 jobs). Unless I get offered a 5 year contract with a company, which wouldn't happen in hygiene
 
This does all seem very complicated but it is possible I suppose. Just out of curiosity, is there a reason for settling in the US? The dental route in the UK would be a more feasible route for you. I have heard dentists make good money there to (could be a rumor!) and you would get to you dream profession!
 
This does all seem very complicated but it is possible I suppose. Just out of curiosity, is there a reason for settling in the US? The dental route in the UK would be a more feasible route for you. I have heard dentists make good money there to (could be a rumor!) and you would get to you dream profession!

There's not one particular reason as to why I settled here. I always wanted to live in America though.

I could go back home and do it. It would be far cheaper. The only issue is that I never really worked back home. There were too many distractions for me to really focus like I do here. I didn't do great at A-level, I dropped chemistry before I had really started because I knew I didn't have the drive for it. Which in some ways plays into my hands as I have done everything on the syllabus for Chemistry A-Level whilst studying in America, and my two A's here show I can clearly do it.

Retaking just looks very bad back home, and I think that it may well be held against me, no matter how many hours I shadow or how well I do in Chemistry and Physics. It's an option though. It'll be far cheaper, but it would take a couple of years longer (6 years). I think dentistry is more advanced here though. The British may not have as bad teeth as you Americans think, but you definitely have better dental schools!
 
Hi,

I've wanted to be a dentist since I was 8 and I'm on quite a long, complicated journey to it, but I feel like I'm now making headway.

I'm from England, and I did all my schooling back home. I never really worked that hard, but I did a lot of work with dentists and orthodontist and implantologists etc. I always knew what I wanted to do but I wasn't driven enough.

Anyway, after high school finished I worked for a few months and on almost a whim I applied for an American university. 4 days after I applied I got in, and a week after that I got given a scholarship. I'm in my second year now, almost my third, and my major is Dental Hygiene. (I know, not dentistry, but there's a reason for that). Due to the fact I'm not from America, and I'm only on a Visa, I can't get a student loan here. Nor can I get one back home as I'm not studying back home. So I'm majoring in Dental Hygiene, while taking Dental prerequisites. I've got quite a good GPA (3.7), I'm in the Honours college and I have an A in Inorganic Chemistry 1 and am currently on course for an A in Organic Chemistry 1. So I started on the right foot, so to say.

The thing is that I can't afford Dental School off my own back without loans etc, so the plan is to work as a dental hygienist to save up for dental school, while also studying for the DAT (I probably won't finish all the prerequisites before I graduate).

The worries I have with this plan is whether or not I would be hired as a hygienist in America? I remember reading something about how to hire a foreigner you need to basically prove they're better a better candidate than everyone else for the job. I know that field is quite saturated with workers at the moment. I just thought I would see if anyone had any advice for me in terms of how to really go about making this plan work.

Thanks.

I am not exaggerating when I say this, You will probably have to work for 10-20 years as a hygienist to save enough money to enter a private american dental school.... It is very expensive, and if you are not going to take loans (or unable), then I am afraid USA dental schools are out of the question
 
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