Too young...too fresh for a dentist?

[OceanBlue]

I've been wondering about this for a long while and I wanted to see what do you guys think about it....

Is there a big disavantage for being a "young" dentist? I'll be 25 when I come out; I'll still be young, fresh, and handsome. The reason why I asked is because i went to pay for my car insurance the other day and after talking to the insurance lady for a while, she told me "aren't you too young to be a dentist?" ....I told her I'll have 4 years to get old, and she told me "even at 25 you're still too young, I want my doctor to be at least 30. My dentist is 50." That insurance lady is kindda "old" herself. Also, this morning I was listening to a political debate on abc (it might be cbs), and they were making an analogy, and i remember one guy said, "at the end of the day, we want our dentists to be old and been around for many years"....the analogy was directed to Obama and the guy was saying how Obama is too young and inexperience to be the president. I mean, is it that big of a deal if you look young and you're a dentist? At the end of the day, isn't it about skills and not how old you look? Is this "one" of the reasons why old dentists' are making more than young dentists?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[shamrock2006]

yea it is about skill...but there is a comfort level w/ knowing your dentist is older and much more experienced. I'll be 27 (took a year off school)..but I'm going w/ the military so they have no choice but to let me work my magic. But people are fearful of dentists anyway...it doesnt really help the comfort when they think a kid is working on them I can only imagine what the patients feel like in clinic

 

[hotvietboi123]

I guess it depends on what people want. I wouldn't mind having a young dentist, optometrist..etc. If its any type of surgery then I would want an experienced surgeon to perform that surgery. As a new young dentist, you're patients would probably be the same age as you, early 20s to 30s. I hope that helps...

 

[tooth decay]

I've been wondering about this for a long while and I wanted to see what do you guys think about it....

Is there a big disavantage for being a "young" dentist? I'll be 25 when I come out; I'll still be young, fresh, and handsome. The reason why I asked is because i went to pay for my car insurance the other day and after talking to the insurance lady for a while, she told me "aren't you too young to be a dentist?" ....I told her I'll have 4 years to get old, and she told me "even at 25 you're still too young, I want my doctor to be at least 30. My dentist is 50." That insurance lady is kindda "old" herself. Also, this morning I was listening to a political debate on abc (it might be cbs), and they were making an analogy, and i remember one guy said, "at the end of the day, we want our dentists to be old and been around for many years"....the analogy was directed to Obama and the guy was saying how Obama is too young and inexperience to be the president. I mean, is it that big of a deal if you look young and you're a dentist? At the end of the day, isn't it about skills and not how old you look? Is this "one" of the reasons why old dentists' are making more than young dentists?

In the medical/dental fields, you have plenty of time to get older (assuming you do not die prematurely as many have). What you need to worry about isn't your age, but your maturity and attitude to do what it takes to become the best dentist possible. I assure you that there are 50 yo dentists out there who still don't know what they are doing. Don't become one of them.

 

[laundry]

lol...I'll be 24...barely...

 

[NAVY DDS 2010]

I agree fully with tooth decay. Maturity is the biggest key to the factor not age. Maybe you don't want to open up your own practice right out of school because people might think you are too young. Working as an associate for a few years would allow you to gain a few years of age and experience so that when you opened up your own practice people wouldn't think you were too young. They would still see you were young (not too young) and you could surprise them when thy see you have been practicing already for a few years.

By no means not apply to dental school based on your age as long as you are mature for your age. I have quite a few classmate who will be 25 or less upon graduation. A few of them I am worried for because they are VERY immature right now. Hopefully, they will grow up in the next three years. The rest of them, I feel they will succeed despite their age.

 

[OceanBlue]

Interesting responses! yah...i don't think it's how young you are, it's about how good you are. Last year I shadowed a young dentist to see what kind of patients he was getting, it turned out most of his patients are 35 and younger. Old people tend to go to old dentists...people of their own age. This dentist I worked with is 67 and most of his patients are pretty old.

 

[pre-dentalguy]

I've been wondering about this for a long while and I wanted to see what do you guys think about it....

Is there a big disavantage for being a "young" dentist? I'll be 25 when I come out; I'll still be young, fresh, and handsome. The reason why I asked is because i went to pay for my car insurance the other day and after talking to the insurance lady for a while, she told me "aren't you too young to be a dentist?" ....I told her I'll have 4 years to get old, and she told me "even at 25 you're still too young, I want my doctor to be at least 30. My dentist is 50." That insurance lady is kindda "old" herself. Also, this morning I was listening to a political debate on abc (it might be cbs), and they were making an analogy, and i remember one guy said, "at the end of the day, we want our dentists to be old and been around for many years"....the analogy was directed to Obama and the guy was saying how Obama is too young and inexperience to be the president. I mean, is it that big of a deal if you look young and you're a dentist? At the end of the day, isn't it about skills and not how old you look? Is this "one" of the reasons why old dentists' are making more than young dentists?

Well, I'll be 31 when I'm done, but I've got the babyface thing! Just exercise your maturity and skill at it optimum everyday. Don't worry about patients ages whether or not they will come to you because at the end of the day, your salary will speak for itself.

MARION

 

[HurricaneAlana]

whats the average age for someone graduating dental school?

i felt like a baby at my college graduation on Friday since I'm 20... I feel like its good that I'm taking a year off from my education, since I'm applying of '08... anyone think this will hurt me? I will be taking biochemistry and microbiology, and working... anyone have any suggestions on how to get involved in dental research? I'll be living in NYC...

thanks

 

[SugarNaCl]

Most I talk to say the same thing. I wanted my Masters degree before I even took the DAT or applied to dental school because I wanted research exposure. After that I expressed concern because I wouldn't be graduating until I was 31. I told 3 different people and had the same response come back to me... "Well I probably wouldn't want to go to a dentist younger than that anyway." Then again, many won't be able to go into private practice right from the get go, so age really probably isn't that big of a deal. Aside from that, 25 is only a year off from anyone coming fresh out of undergrad.

 

[OceanBlue]

whats the average age for someone graduating dental school?

i felt like a baby at my college graduation on Friday since I'm 20... I feel like its good that I'm taking a year off from my education, since I'm applying of '08... anyone think this will hurt me? I will be taking biochemistry and microbiology, and working... anyone have any suggestions on how to get involved in dental research? I'll be living in NYC...

thanks

The average age for my dental school is around 25 so when they come out...most of them will be around 29-30.
Don't worry about it, that was just a little bit of something I want to ask. I know some young dentists around here and they always have their offices filled up with patients. Some had to wait outside because it's that crowded.
True! people will have more confidence in you if you're older, but if your a younger dentist and you show your skills and maturity, they'll come back to you. Trust me

 

[Greensalad]

I know some young dentists around here and they always have their offices filled up with patients. Some had to wait outside because it's that crowded.

And where do you live?

 

[OceanBlue]

And where do you live?

North Carolina, sir!

 

[aphistis]

Closing. Don't cross-post, please.