Top 10 Reasons To Do Army HPSP

[ilovekitkat]

https://www.getyourdentiston.com/blog/

Just finished my top 10 reasons to do Army HPSP. My friend messaged me after I posted this and was very surprised that I posted this. He knows of my daily annoyances at work, but I reminded him that the Army has been good to me. It paid for school and lasik. Again, I would do it all over if I could. I do not regret my decision.

When you are in the Army, you have to remember that it is like working for a big corporation. It is just another job. You go in do your work, and go home. I have learned a lot of great life lessons about professional development and the "real working world" in the Army.

I hope this list helps some. Enjoy.

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[Buck-E-Badger]

Cecil the Lion.

 

[predental21250]

What did you do after the army and what was your salary when starting outside the army? How long did you do army for?

 

[acesofseven]

Would you still recommend the army if your debt was more manageable and below $200k after interest?

 

[ilovekitkat]

Cecil the Lion.

Good catch!!! Thank you!!! =D

 

[ilovekitkat]

What did you do after the army and what was your salary when starting outside the army? How long did you do army for?

I currently am still in the Army. I have a few more months left of my active duty commitment.

Right now I have the time to give back to the predental community while I am living the calm life of the Army. After I am finished with AD. I will return back to Cali where my family is from. I have not worked out the details yet because I plan on taking a vacation first. Dentist generally want you to work right away... if an add is placed for a job position.

 

[ilovekitkat]

I currently am still in the Army. I have a few more months left of my active duty commitment.

Right now I have the time to give back to the predental community while I am living the calm life of the Army. After I am finished with AD. I will return back to Cali where my family is from. I have not worked out the details yet because I plan on taking a vacation first. Dentist generally want you to work right away... if an add is placed for a job position.

I received a 4 year scholarship. I believe they do 3 year scholarship too. When you are AD you can work in the Army as long as you want, but they may or may not promote you. When people get passed over for rank promotion they tend to get out of the Army.

 

[ilovekitkat]

Would you still recommend the army if your debt was more manageable and below $200k after interest?

200K is a lot more manageable then 500K + interest. I would recommend that you speak to the debt specialist that has been recently posting.

I believe you can manage 200K, but aggressively pay off your loans so the interest does't accure. At this point you are asking if you want to pay off loans while working hard... or work a nice lifestyle and be debt free while getting paid. The trade off is that you lose your personal freedom being in the Army. It also depends on your significant other, is he/she okay with it?

I won't lie. The Army life is nice is relaxing.... you can PM if you would like or email at [email protected]

 

[ilovekitkat]

200K is a lot more manageable then 500K + interest. I would recommend that you speak to the debt specialist that has been recently posting.

I believe you can manage 200K, but aggressively pay off your loans so the interest does't accure. At this point you are asking if you want to pay off loans while working hard... or work a nice lifestyle and be debt free while getting paid. The trade off is that you lose your personal freedom being in the Army. It also depends on your significant other, is he/she okay with it?

I won't lie. The Army life is nice is relaxing.... you can PM if you would like or email at [email protected]

I like this thread: " Going to Dental School Will Almost Surely Wreck Your Finances... "

 

[Alpha Centauri]

You might have mentioned this in your last thread, but were you deployed? If not, life as an army dentist could be rough, especially when deployed to certain areas. I've also seen some dentists end up doing basic infantry-style labor as opposed to actual dental work because they were in certain bases. This might not be the majority case for all, but people sometimes forget that you are joining the armed forces, not a dental clinic serving the military.

 

[predental21250]

What does a normal day look like for you? Also what will be required of you once you are in the reserves?

 

[boburnham]

You might have mentioned this in your last thread, but were you deployed? If not, life as an army dentist could be rough, especially when deployed to certain areas. I've also seen some dentists end up doing basic infantry-style labor as opposed to actual dental work because they were in certain bases. This might not be the majority case for all, but people sometimes forget that you are joining the armed forces, not a dental clinic serving the military.

In another thread of hers she says she's never deployed

 

[ilovekitkat]

What does a normal day look like for you? Also what will be required of you once you are in the reserves?

MWF we have Physical Training at 0600. This is where we workout as a group. After that you get an hour and a half of personal time to shower, change, and eat. Then your clinic day starts.

Our work day are 7 hours on Physical Training days and 8 hours on non Physical training days.

Everyone that signs up for the Army has an 8 year service obligation. I have a 4 year AD service obligation. After this I will be put on the IRR. Inactive Ready Reserve. I have to keep the Army updated on my address so they can contact me if I am needed to be "called" back. No dentist has been called into AD from the IRR list that I know of ever....

 

[cacazor]

Top ten reasons?

Here I will save you the trouble...

Top 1 reason to do hpsp: $$$

 

[MaizeGoBlue]

Top ten reasons?

Here I will save you the trouble...

Top 1 reason to do hpsp: $$$

Some people actually do the HPSP because they want to serve their country, want to travel, etc. However its no secret that these scholarships are getting way more competitive due to increases in tuition.

 

[predental21250]

MWF we have Physical Training at 0600. This is where we workout as a group. After that you get an hour and a half of personal time to shower, change, and eat. Then your clinic day starts.

Our work day are 7 hours on Physical Training days and 8 hours on non Physical training days.

Everyone that signs up for the Army has an 8 year service obligation. I have a 4 year AD service obligation. After this I will be put on the IRR. Inactive Ready Reserve. I have to keep the Army updated on my address so they can contact me if I am needed to be "called" back. No dentist has been called into AD from the IRR list that I know of ever....

When does your clinic end? Do you have a lunch break? How many patients are you usually seeing and what sort of procedures do you do as a general dentist? I have many questions because im very interested in military dentistry as well

 

[ilovekitkat]

You might have mentioned this in your last thread, but were you deployed? If not, life as an army dentist could be rough, especially when deployed to certain areas. I've also seen some dentists end up doing basic infantry-style labor as opposed to actual dental work because they were in certain bases. This might not be the majority case for all, but people sometimes forget that you are joining the armed forces, not a dental clinic serving the military.

Sorry I missed this. I have never deployed. We were not actively deploying soldiers and it was on a voluntary basis.

 

[ilovekitkat]

Top ten reasons?

Here I will save you the trouble...

Top 1 reason to do hpsp: $$$

Funny. The $$$ does help....

 

[ilovekitkat]

Some people actually do the HPSP because they want to serve their country, want to travel, etc. However its no secret that these scholarships are getting way more competitive due to increases in tuition.

Exactly. It is a very rewarding experience serving. I love treating the soldiers. They come from very different backgrounds with different experiences. It is a great way to serve our country.

You are right the HPSP scholarships are becoming more competitive.

 

[ilovekitkat]

When does your clinic end? Do you have a lunch break? How many patients are you usually seeing and what sort of procedures do you do as a general dentist? I have many questions because im very interested in military dentistry as well

We get an hour lunch break. Sometimes your boss likes to use this time to ask you to meet. You can step out of the clinic and go elsewhere to eat. My colleagues will go home to have lunch with their families. As a general dentist I have done cleanings, exams, restorative, prosth, removable, endo, simple extractions. It all depends on what you are capable and like to do. It all depends on your patient population also.

If you are in a basic trainee clinic you will most likely be doing large gross restorations, pulps, and extractions.

If you are in a permanent party clinic you can do more comprehensive dentistry.

While you are serving they may move your around clinics. It all depends on the situation.

 

[cacazor]

. As a general dentist I have done cleanings, exams, restorative, prosth, removable, endo, simple extractions. It all depends on what you are capable and like to do. It all depends on your patient population also.

Cleanings too? Seems like pretty basic stuff, but at least you're not stuck in the amalgam mill. Is this with or without having done a 1yr AEGD?

 

[ilovekitkat]

Cleanings too? Sounds pretty limited, but at least you're not stuck in the amalgam mill. Is this with or without having done a 1yr AEGD?

I did not do a one year AEGD. I graduated from USC Dental School and felt very competent in my skills.

I know cleanings... Luckily I am not doing those anymore. It all depends you will do a cleaning if there is no one else to do it. Value your hygienists. You don't have to do amalgam if you don't want to. I do composite a majority of the time. I only do amalgam if I have VERY poor isolation cannot control heme and the patient has very bad OH.

 

[predental21250]

We get an hour lunch break. Sometimes your boss likes to use this time to ask you to meet. You can step out of the clinic and go elsewhere to eat. My colleagues will go home to have lunch with their families. As a general dentist I have done cleanings, exams, restorative, prosth, removable, endo, simple extractions. It all depends on what you are capable and like to do. It all depends on your patient population also.

If you are in a basic trainee clinic you will most likely be doing large gross restorations, pulps, and extractions.

If you are in a permanent party clinic you can do more comprehensive dentistry.

While you are serving they may move your around clinics. It all depends on the situation.

That's awesome! Is everything really top of the line in terms of equipment you have access to? Is there a milling machine for crowns that you use or how do you go about fabricating the crowns?

 

[ilovekitkat]

If it helps paint a picture. The clinic I used to work in had a complete remodel. My office was next to a cone beam. There were three milling machines, two chair side CAD/CAM and One in lab CAD/CAM w a porcelain lab.

Isolite was there. Adec Chair. Everything was nice and new and up to par. I was very impressed.

The current clinic I work in now was built from the ground up to become a dental clinic. It is very nice. All electric hand pieces. You can make the crown yourself or send it off to the in house lab tech to make. I usually make mine with chairside cad/cam.

 

[ilovekitkat]

That's awesome! Is everything really top of the line in terms of equipment you have access to? Is there a milling machine for crowns that you use or how do you go about fabricating the crowns?

I replied to your question... i hope you catch it. =)

 

[predental21250]

Sounds amazing! Thanks for the replies Dr. Loi

 

[SmileItsLife]

Any advice you would give to your past self as a....

1. predent

2.dental student

3.newly minted dentist

 

[ilovekitkat]

I forgot to mention the clinic with the three milling machines has the AEGD clinic in it with all of the specialties. I was lucky and in this clinic for three years.

The other clinics I worked in also had one lab in each. There should be one milling unit and cad/cam at each base. It is pretty much standard now adays. All digital x-rays. Remember the DOD gets a lot of money.... so they have to use it. Great state of the art facilities.

I was very surprised especially from the rumors. I talked to a recruiter and I was able to tour a dental clinic before I signed up for the Army.

 

[ilovekitkat]

hi SmileItsLife,

If you check out my blog on GetYourDentistOn.com there are some Q & As there. Let me know if you have any specific questions after reading it. Have a great day.

My advice: If becoming a dentist is your dream then work at it, don't give it. You will get there in time.

 

[ilovekitkat]

Next week I start transitioning out of the Army I am very excited to start civilian life! I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.

 

[Armyhealth]

Next week I start transitioning out of the Army I am very excited to start civilian life! I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.

Dr. Loi, we are sad to see you go! Are you still going to do reserves are did we lose you forever!