What a ghost town...

[tennisboy93]

Well, i hope I don't get booted out of the room,

but this is my first time, so please cut me slack. I am NOT a pre-med; rather I am a pre-dental...it is just that this is my first time on here, and I have been reading all of your amusing posts, BUT NO ONE is posting in the pre-dental thread. So I thought I would talk to you fine people.
What i want to know is: 1) Any of you know where i can meet any pre-dental students online, to chit-chat and stuff, and 2) After reading much about the two, medical and dental (Barron's and Kaplan kind of lump them together) it does seem that on the average, pre-dents have a little (I hesitate to say) easier time of getting in than pre-meds, yes? Also, do any of you know any pre-dents, and what do you think of them? I, myself, toyed around with the idea of an MD or a DO, but I have ALWAYS had such problems with my teeth, and I DO find them fascinating....I have GREAT looking teeth now, but that is after MUCH $$$$$. I have had about 15 root canals, and 19 crowns in my mouth (among other things). My biggest complaint with dentists is that NONE of them who i talked to ever had a tooth abcess on them, like I did (I had really terrible enamel). I have always identified with people who have had oral troubles...I like making them feel better, helping them.

OK, I rambled a little there...just wanting to get some input on anybodies experiences with pre-dents...it just seems like *I* am the only oone who is fascinated by teeth.

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[turtleboard]

I knew a couple of predental students in college. They took the same courses, did the same club stuff, and generally had the same sunny disposition as premed students. It's not as if you guys are some alien race, dude.

Heck, my own brother was in a BA/DDS program, 7-year program.

I believe that if you go to the main site, medstudents.net you'll find a dental student lounge. I don't know if that'll redirect you back towards this way, but it's worth a shot.


Tim of New York City.

 

[darly]

A good friend of mine is pre-dental. Actually a few of my friends are pre-dental. One got into UCLA and another at U of Michigan. Not too shabby. I believe that dental schools accept slightly lower GPA than med schools (not all schools though), but both of my friends have pretty decent GPA (~3.7 and 3.4). They went into dentistry because they really enjoy it. If you are interested in talking to them, email me and I'll see what I can do.

 

[carmstrong]

Sounds like you know exactly what you want to do. There are dental posts on a discussion group at premedical.com. I know b/c they are in the same discussion group with premeds. To be honest with you, you are the first person I can remember on this site who mentioned dental school. I hear people talking about PA, nursing, etc. as things to do rather than med but not much on dentistry. I really thought hard about it myself b/c of the family life it would give me. Dentists do a great service, work awesome hours, 4 years and your done, and make some jack. In my final analysis is was just not what I really wanted to do. It sounds like you have a real attachment to the field and sounds like you would make an excellent dentist. Hope that site helps.

 

[tennisboy93]

Darly: Thanks, and yes, I would love to talk with any other teeth freaks like myself. Remember, if you email them about me, or give me their email, I am PRE-dental, although I know that I will get into dental school, and that is defintely where my heart is.

Carmstrong: Thank you for the website..I will defintely check it out. Yes, dentitsry does offer all of those great things, but you hit the nail on the head: you have to get into it for the right reasons. I have thought about it (dental vs. med) and I have defintely come to the conclusion that 1) I am not sure I would make a very good MD, and 2) Even if I did, I would be getting into it for the WRONG reasons. I can DEFINTELY say about dentistry that I have GREAT reasons for wanting it, AND I think i'd make an awesome dentist. I love teeth, I love the more intimate relationships with people, and I love esthetics, and art. That's why i love smiles...

If I had to pinpoint the biggest PLUS to dental school over med school (besides the reasons listed above) I would say that while I love science, and helping people, and being the doctor of a certain ASPECT of the body (oral cavity, surrounding area), I can't say I want the RESPONSIBILITY of having someone's life in my hands, which happens very seldom in dentistry, but happens a LOT as an MD/DO. Hopefully, I won't kill anybody with a drill.

(Hope I didn't sound too much like a *****, but I recognize my strengths and my weaknesses)



[This message has been edited by tennisboy93 (edited 02-05-2000).]