what are peep reactions when...

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hafido

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Little bored here, so I figure I will ask a silly question. What is the reaction friends, family, and strangers have when you tell them you are pursuing dentistry. Is it "oh", "yuk", "Theres alot of money in it", or whatever. Most of the people who ask me say "That's a lot of school". But for the most part, noone is envious. That's a good thing. More patients for us🙂

OlllO
 
Most people react with "yuk, why do you want to stare into peoples mouths all day?" I think its funny how ignorant most people are to the profession. Yes, you look in peoples mouths for a large part of the day, but dentistry is much more than that, as I am sure you know. I have not found anyone who is envious, either, and like you I am completely fine with this as well, more patients for us!! I hope that the secret of how great dentistry is stays just that, a secret!

Later!🙂
 
Ive gotten, "You wanna clean teeth for the rest of your life?" 🙄
 
I just found out today that another bad thing about being a pre-dental student/dental student/dentist is that I cant offer sweets to people, otherwise, they think that i m trying to give them caries... So much for Halloween and Xmas candies
 
You covered just about every reaction I've heard in your first post.
1. Gross! You wanna look down people's throats all day?!
2. Ooooh. Following the money, huh?
3. That's a lot of school.

You'd think there'd be more variety than that, but people are just so darn predictable. If any of you have worked customer service you know what I mean. I have worked as both pizza delivery guy and grocery clerk; people will tell you the same thing about 50 times a day, but you still have to smile and act like it's the most clever, original thing you've heard all day.

As the pizza guy I was guaranteed to hear either "You wanna come in and have some?" or "Did you bring the beer?" at 90% of houses. Geez people, think of something new will ya'? 😉 Being the ***** that I am, I laughed anyway. We pizza guys work for tips ya' know. :laugh:
 
This is one I've heard from someone: "Who wakes up in the morning and decides one day they want to be a dentist."

Obviously, they don't know the pros of the profession, and plus, I'm sure (and hope) dentists enjoy their work and helping people.

You can rephrase that question for any profession. 🙄
 
Ive gotten SOOO many bad vibes when people know I wanna be a dentist. Ive gotten everything from the gross thing to the who sets a goal to clean teeth all day to the money hungry fool. Such ignorant comments.

Whenever someone asks why I would wanna look at dirty mouths all day, I always ask them, than why dont u say the same thing to doctors who look at nasty things all the time like the breasts of old ladies, or a dirty anus, etc. Or how bout people in computers who stare at a screen all day and are isolated in their little cubicles. Sure I may be in mouths all day, but at least there is a human element involved with the patient interaction and having your own employees.

I always tell people, If I can be my own boss, make 6 figure salary, work less than 40 hours a week, make my own hours, and work at my own pace and the only thing you got on me is that I have to be in mouths all day.....Bring on the stinky mouths.

I always tell people that make fun of me that they can continue being corporate pawns, and have little job security, while I have the easy paced comfortable lifestyle of a dentist. Sure you may say that I am idealizing the profession, but it sure beats working as a computer programmer/technician for some large corporation who would easily lay you off during times of economic downfalls.

OH yah...when people tell me that its a lot of school, I laugh at them. I dunno about you guys but I LOVE being a student. So much independence! I can wake up when I want, study when I want, be filthy when I want 😉.....whereas all my friends who now work fulltime, are working the typical 9-5 jobs, 5 days a week. THey are all 23-24, and are surrounded by adults all day......and when they see me doing all the things I do, they get pissed because they have job committments. WHenever I ask them to come out, they never want to because they are tired from work, etc. I cant wait to be a student for 4 more years and when I graduate dental school at the age of 27, I think I will be able to enter the real world, but right now at the age of 22, I am not willing nor mature enough to do so.

Many of my friends who were mocking me for being in school for so long are regretting their choices and many are quitting their jobs to go back to school to get more training.

90% of my friends still live at home, and when they make 40K a year at their fulltime job, they dont know what to do with all their money....they just sit on it and buy digital cameras and all these cool toys, which will surely be on Ebay in 1 year.

My friends are idiots...😀
 
Funny story, I told me good friend from HS that I was going to dental school and he was like so how long is dental school, a few month. He thought dental school was some kind of 4 week program you do and get a certificate. I just laughed my ass off.
 
Yeah, I get that. Apparently it is not an uncommon belief that Dentistry is a 30-credit requirement that you can satisfy at any community college.
 
A lot of people are just ignorant about the difficulties of getting admitted and what dentistry is about. Most of the people I am surround by in my family or area do not even visit the dentist and know nothing about college. Thus, when I tell them I am going to be a dental student, they just say that good. They seem to think that obtaining a dental education is like become a hygienist or a community college education. They are all surprised to that it requires for most people more then eight years of education.
 
Thanx God, my situation was much better than yours. All staffs and dentists at my office took me out for a nice dimsum lunch. Several friends called me out for for lunch and coffee break. I still have some lunch dates with few more friends this week and next week. .. oh.. my family and in-laws took me out for a big dinner treat.... Eventhough I didn't spread the news. My brother did. :clap: :clap: :clap: So far no negative comment yet !!!



oh.... lunch treat with my hospital's coworkers tomorrow. :clap: :clap:
 
You forgot the, "Oh, why didn't you want to become a doctor?"

I've gotten all sorts of garbage. But my family knows how great it is to be a dentist, including my aunts, uncles, cousins, etc...except they forget how expensive dental school is until I remind them. Then, I get the big "O" face with an explicative following shortly.

Too bad for the rest of the population...very good for us. Dentistry IS the best kept secret in todays career market.


ADD:
Aving,

The next four years of dental school aren't peaches and cream. You will have to wake up and be at school from 9-5 (or 8-4 or 12-4 depending) practically every day. It'll be long, you won't want to go out much, and you may have to be presentable (read: clean) every day.

We're pretty much working a full time job that we have to pay for and receive homework most of the time.
 
Where the hell do you guys live?? Everytime I tell someone I'm a dental student they are always impressed. I never get ******ed comments like the ones posted above. Strange...😕
 
im from nyc so people always ask me if i applied to NYU, for some reason they think its the best dental school around. Also the "youll be rich and suicidal", i just want to strangle people at that point.
 
It's nice to know that I am not alone in the comments I receive. Yup, other people's ignorance is bliss😀
 
The next four years of dental school aren't peaches and cream. You will have to wake up and be at school from 9-5 (or 8-4 or 12-4 depending) practically every day. It'll be long, you won't want to go out much, and you may have to be presentable (read: clean) every day.
Click to expand...

Hey Pheta....I know the schedule....however, I was only stating the life of a student because as a student you can miss those lectures and its your problem...whereas at a fulltime job, you miss a day, you will get yelled at and possibly fired. Get it?

And from the students Ive talked to at Temple and NYU, they say that lecture style is a lot like undergrad where some professors are amazing and you must go to their lectures and some just read off the textbook and lecture attendence is not necessary.

I took a Physical Chemistry for Pharmacy course this semester and I went to only 2 lectures the whole year....ended up with an A- with a class average of a C. Lectures are SO overrated. I enjoyed those sleep-ins! 😀
 
Originally posted by hafido
Little bored here, so I figure I will ask a silly question. What is the reaction friends, family, and strangers have when you tell them you are pursuing dentistry. Is it "oh", "yuk", "Theres alot of money in it", or whatever. Most of the people who ask me say "That's a lot of school". But for the most part, noone is envious. That's a good thing. More patients for us🙂

OlllO
Click to expand...

Most people I tell say something like "ohh gross, how can you do that??"

Then I reply by saying: "Well it's better than looking at nasty snatch all day..."

End of conversation.
 
You know...the number one comment I get from people is something like "oh, I've heard dental hygiene is a good profession" or "do you think you'll get bored being a dental hygienist?" Maybe its just because I'm a girl, but why is it that when I say I'm going to dental school, everyone reads dental hygiene? I've just started saying "I'm going to be a dentist" but some people still get it wrong.🙄
 
hardingsk, it could be worse, those mysogynists could say "dentistry? why not just settle down and raise a family"😛

I actually don't get too many of those negative things, I tend to get one of three things:

a) "Oh really, my (insert relative/friend/aquaintance's name) is a dentist out in (insert place)." EVERYONE knows a dentist

b) "What do you think of my mouth?" or they cover their mouths up, as if suddenly being pre-dent means i'm closely inspecting their mouth's and am knowledgeable on everything teeth already, could open up a practice if i wanted to right now

c) (my personal fave) "Oh, yeah, I like my dentist" This one I've actually gotten the most, surprisingly, and I have no idea why they feel the need to tell me, hehe in case i would look down on them as a dentist-hater otherwise

I almost wish i got the "ew" responses, at least i could have a cool response ready then instead of vague head nodding
 
If it wasnt for the people who lack dental hygiene and dont go for reg check ups the profession wouldnt be what it is. So i appreciate their lack of knowledge and will be happy to do 4 root canals every few years instead of a check up every half. Let them be ignorant and hate dentists, but when that tooth starts hurting theyll be begging me to give them my time. :laugh:
 
This is a funny thread.

I've gotten the "What do you call someone who can't get into med school?" (my reply "No, you're thinking of a PA" - usually throws them off) and almost all the other responses you all listed.

As a female, I get a few others.

From twentysomething guys - "Wow, dentists make bank!"

From older, parental types - "Oh dentistry is a really good profession for women. You can work and have a family too!" (I usually politely smile & nod, and then turn away and roll my eyes).

From even older, grandparent aged patients at the dental school - "So, what are you in school for? Are you going to be an assistant?"

hardingsk, don't feel bad. Two of my female classmates & I attended the Greater NY Dental Meeting last year and several vendors automatically assumed the three of us were hygienists, not dental students. Some of them looked at our tags & corrected themselves, others we had to nicely correct.
 
Originally posted by griffin04


hardingsk, don't feel bad. Two of my female classmates & I attended the Greater NY Dental Meeting last year and several vendors automatically assumed the three of us were hygienists, not dental students. Some of them looked at our tags & corrected themselves, others we had to nicely correct.
Click to expand...

hehehe 😛 I feel bad for you girls too. Anyway, several times when i introduced myself to the patients at my hospital that I'm a Med Tech. They immeditely replied "oh.. are you technician ?" i answered them "No, I'm their boss, a Technologist " and laugh out loud. :laugh: :laugh: Some occasions I had to explain the difference between lab technician and med technologist to them.
 
ahh yesss!!!! I would say for every 10 people I tell that I am going to "dental school" next year, 9 of them AUTOMATICALLY think I want to be a hygenist...and that's not just random people either....my best friend from h.s. thought that and so do some of my mom's friends! Don't get me wrong, I have enormous respect for dental hygenists as highly trained and important members of the dental team, but I get sooo annoyed when people mistake my educational plan for another that takes 4-6 years less time. also, yeah what is up with people that think dentists take some 9 month course at a community college?!?! nobody thinks of dentists as being doctors...which is just ridiculous....as if it takes the same amount of education to cut bones as it does to cut hair!(again, I'm not dissing hairdressers, they are very talented people. I'm just saying that cutting bones incorrectly would have more serious physical consequences that cutting hair incorrectly) sorry for the rambling, I just felt the need to vent. 🙂
 
I knew a kid in high school that we had all fallen out of touch with, and when he showed up at a party a few years ago, he told everyone that he was at Harvard Medical School. This summer when I began researching dental schools, I discovered his picture and name all over the Harvard Dental School website. First I laughed, then I felt sad that someone would be embarrassed to say he's in dental school, and now that I've heard the reactions first hand, I can almost understand why he misrepresented himself. If misunderstandings are inevitable, Medical and Dental are far more similar than Dental and Dental Hygiene programs. True story.
 
I'm still telling lots of people that I'm studying dental hygiene and 3 more extra years after that for my Master in Dental Hygiene. I can't wait to surprise them 5 yrs from now with my degree DMD ---> Master Degree in Dental Hygiene....heheheh :laugh: :laugh:
 
We all need to be happy that people react to dentistry like that. It's what makes it the best kept secret 😉 It's only us smart people that realize how awesome dentistry is.
 
Usually I have been hearing is don't dentists scare people, and how can you look in those mouths all day? I mean, it is like every patient goes out of their way to fill their mouth full of things that are not so pleasant. But, as any of us who have changed jobs or line of work, is "how can you even think of handling all those classes again"...

Eh, what do they know anyway....
 
Other than "why would you want to look at mouths all day", the reaction that I hear the most is definitely "so you'll be rich AND suicidal". It seems like it's become my mission in life to disprove on skewed suicide statistic from one lousy study.

Dentalbound
CU class of 2008
 
Considering I spent mos t of my younger years planning on being a physician, many of my family are suprised and want to know "Why Dentistry?"

It took me five years to realize what my calling was and once I explain to them how wonderful dentistry is all of them say the same thing: "Wow! You're right!"
 
I think the most idiotic reply I've gotten is 'why don't you just become a dental hygienist, they make the same amount of money with half the schooling'. This dolt of a guy was was in my physics class and of course was a dental hygienist. I replied and said 'hmmm, ok why don't I just find some crappy middle management job because I'm sure that pays the same as the CEO', then the professor kicked him out of the classroom for wearing rollerblades and really short cut off jeans - I mean really short (butt cheeks were showing).
 
Although hygienists do make plenty of bank. Several of my classmates have spouses working as hygienists right now, and they are all bring home $35-40 an hour as a minimum.

Not bad at all considering they have NO overhead, and don't have to manage other employees.
 
I realize they make good money and didn't mean to equate a crappy middle management job with a dental hygienist at all, but to say they make the same amount of money as dentists is ridiculous.
 
Originally posted by ItsGavinC
No, but my assistants do.
Click to expand...

Funny thing is, all my family and friends believe that the dentist will be doing the cleaning (I've gotten the "you want to clean teeth and smell bad breath for the rest of your life?" speech). :meanie:
 
Today...

Joe: So what is your major?
Me: psychobio
Joe: ohhh... are you pre-med
Me: no, dentistry all the way
Joe: So.. you want to become a dentist?!
Ewwwwww. I would never touch people's teeth!!!
Joe: You know what.. dentists have highest suicide rate!!!
Me: LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:laugh:
 
The other day...

I was getting my hair cut at supercuts and the lady was talking to me about careers etc. After talking for a while she asks me, "so, what are you going to school for?" Of course, this thread was ringing in my ears and I said, "dentistry." She says, "oh, I really think that you have the demeanor and personality to be a Dr., you should really go into that." I, of course, continued to explain that these days Dentists ARE Doctors. 😕 She then tried to salvage her tip by commending me on doing what interests me.+pity+
 
Originally posted by busupshot83
Funny thing is, all my family and friends believe that the dentist will be doing the cleaning (I've gotten the "you want to clean teeth and smell bad breath for the rest of your life?" speech). :meanie:
Click to expand...
I've been fortunate not to get much of this. I do enjoy when the occasional ignorant sod gives me that response, though; I tell them about a college buddy of mine who's currently an MS1, with hopes to subspecialize in gastroenterology. A few of them catch on right there and shut up, but most still don't get it, so I point out that I can manage my patients' problems with a mirror and a drill, rather than colonoscopes and colostomy bags. "All things considered," I tell them, "I'd say I got the nicer end of the digestive tract, eh?"

Watching their faces slowly contort into that silent, "EWWWWW" expression *more* than makes up for any irritation at having our legitimacy questioned. 😀 😎
 
Aphistis,

I have written your last post on a note card that will accompany my Biochem and Microbiology note cards for study. I hope to memorize your words and use them as often as I friggin can! Too funny my friend..:laugh:
 
I had this conversation with a friend yesterday...He said something to the extent of how he'd heard dentists have the highest rate of suicide because they spend all of their time looking in small holes..

My response was that based on that logic, proctologists would have a higher rate of suicide.

I'm only in year 1, and I've seen some nasty mouths, but I have never seen a gerbil, fusilli jerry or anything else stuck in anyone's mouth.
 
The worst i have gotten:

"you want to be a dentist?? i hate dentists"


or, trying to convince me to go to pharmacy school "to become a doctor instead of JUST being a dentist.
 
o yes, that's very common.
or they will ask y dentistry?
 
some patient ask me yesterday (has known me since last year) "oh so have yo gotten any news from any schools yet?". so i told her about my acceptance.

the very next thing out of her mouth was "you know you can make a really good living just owning a business. you should think about that b4 you start dental school".

i just told her ok i'll take your advice. have a good day now.

why are people soooo weird?
 
It's like our society (except for us who know this best-kept secret of dentistry) is "white-coat-stethoscope-physician oriented" when it comes to the word "doctor."

A doctor of medicine gets the oohs and ahhs--> for prescribing "Rest up at home and get fluids" for a flu, checking a newborn baby's diapers, partaking in the joy of colonoscopies, rectal and physical exams, and a lot of the time guessing about a person's condition ("You have a 'viral syndrome' and you just have to let it run its course"). To be fair, there are also beautiful moments of childbirth and successful treatments.. sitting at the bedside providing reassurance..

I like to know that there's little to no guessing in dentistry and that each and every dentist (doctor of dental medicine) is trained to send a patient home with a fixed mouth (at least relieved pain/removed infection). Every mouth and person is different; every mouth is of the utmost importance to overall health and psychological well being. Every dentist can do it a different way. No matter what, we are (or will be, as in my case) VERY good at what we do, no second guessing.

"I want to be a dentist"

"Are you sure you want to be doing that for the rest of your life? What about medical school?"

Hey, you want to put in your next crown by yourself? Be my guest. Don't blame me when you lose the tooth and can't chew your sirloin steak next year..
 
Again I ask... where do you guys get this?? I have never experienced any of this negative response when I tell people I'm going into dental medicine. Hey maybe thats it! Dont say you're going into dentistry, say you're going into dental medicine. It makes it sound cooler.:idea:
 
Hardingsk- I get those comments all the time! It must be a southern thing, because I'm a girl too. And people are always like, dental hygenists make GOOD money. I want to be like, yeah, and dentists make even better!
 
Originally posted by Dentaldream
Again I ask... where do you guys get this?? I have never experienced any of this negative response when I tell people I'm going into dental medicine. Hey maybe thats it! Dont say you're going into dentistry, say you're going into dental medicine. It makes it sound cooler.:idea:
Click to expand...

No offense, Dentaldream, but I think it sounds totally pathetic when people use terms like "dental medicine" or say they are going to be "dental doctors." Yes, technically it's correct; it just sounds too much like the chiropractors with their inferiority complex who feel the need to call themselves "chiropractic physicians."

We are entering the field of dentistry and are going to be dentists. Be proud of that fact and don't worry about dressing it up to remind everybody that yes, dentists are doctors, too. We are going to be in the enviable position of enjoying our jobs and making a load of money in the process. What other people think about your job shouldn't mean squat. You're the one who has to do it day in and day out, not them. 😀
 
Hey man, as long as we aren't running the same managed care game that our MD colleagues are, I'm fine with whatever people call me.

Besides, half the people who mock dentists for their "inferiority" to physicians couldn't run the pre dental guantlet, let alone make good judgement on people's career goals. Just as we enjoy our career, others enjoy being lemmings of the corporate America. Go figure.

I think it's a United States thing, dentaldream. People in Canada have universal healthcare, so the Canadian public actually sees and learns more about dentistry than they do over here...or at least they should.

Oh well, they'll be begging for your expertise and calling you doctor when they call to make an appointment for that nasty absess.
 
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