What is your number one motivation for dentistry?

[ISU_Steve]

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Why dentistry? The question we all get asked so frequently, and a question that has been rehashed on here several times (at least 5 that I can recall seeing in my short time here). But I would like to see a specific breakdown of what motivates we predental and dental students. Completely anonymously and without judgement, I'd like to know your #1 reason for picking dentistry. Mine is better hours than medicine. 👍

 

[ISU_Steve]

Nice to see that people are honest.

 

[stw1976]

1) Stay in healthcare (been full time for 4 yrs) and, continue to recieve intrinsic satisfaction of spending my energy helping other people feel better.

2) Work for myself...not the man! Health care administration always wants to get more out of less (i.e. they understaff and overwork....and they get fat year end bonuses for that kind of stuff.)

3) Be able to work with my hands and see what i've accomplished rather instantly. (Think about how good a freshly manicured lawn looks after 3 weeks of neglect...very similar situation in dentistry.)

The Hours!!! Try getting called in at 7 pm. 10:30pm 1:45am and maybe 4 am. This is after already working a tough 10 hour shift earlier. Happens all to often in vascular ultrasound.

 

[ISU_Steve]

I don't mind doing late night call-ins as an echocardiographer. If it's after 11 pm I get an extra chunk of money from the docs I have contracts with.

 

[stw1976]

I don't mind doing late night call-ins as an echocardiographer. If it's after 11 pm I get an extra chunk of money from the docs I have contracts with.

Is quality of life measured only in money? Personally, I've made 75K a year doing vascular/echo/and general ultrasound. I could've made more too, if I didn't mind compromising every other aspect of life...sports, and, that special someone in my life.

 

[ISU_Steve]

No, as I said before, I'm not into anything for the money- it's nice don't get me wrong, but it's not everything.

I only do on-call time for echos at night now (until very recently I more or less ran my own business as an independent contractor providing ultrasound services to quite a few local doctors). It's supplemental income and besides at that time of night my fiancee is asleep- so it's not like I am missing out on anything. I also work a couple nights a week as an RT just to keep health insurance coverage and pay my rent. It's not like I'm only out for the money, and the extra after hours pay was the idea of one of the cardiologists (I shot an echo for him at 2am on Christmas morning and he put an extra $250 on the payment as a thanks and he just started doing that as a regular benefit for the "inconvienence" of odd hour callouts). I shoot echos mainly because I find it fun.

 

[burton117]

Here is a similar poll...

Poll: What influenced your desire to be a dentist the most

 

[dWiz]

i really really like teeth

 

[TX Hopeful]

4. The science and technical aspect of it is fascinating
3. You're your own boss (if you own a practice)
2. Working with your hands

Most importantly..... 1. The way of life is better than what I've been doing for the past 7 years...not just for me, but for family.