- Joined
- Oct 20, 2001
- Messages
- 76
- Reaction score
- 1
Which field in dentistry require the least manual skills?
would appreciate any input.
would appreciate any input.
which field in dentistry require the least handskill?
- Thread starter applicant
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2003
- Messages
- 194
- Reaction score
- 0
I think public health and oral and maxillofacial radiography would be safe bets for a clutz - provided you could at least get through dental school in the first place.
DesiDentist
G. S. Khurana, DMD, MBA
Moderator Emeritus
Vendor
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,573
- Reaction score
- 2
Here is an eloquent editorial from the new Dean of PENN Dental: Marjorie Jeffcoat who is also Editor in Chief of JADA: Journal of American Dental Association. Every aspiring Dentist and Dentist should read this.
VIEWS
Mens et manus
Striking a balance between skill and reason
MARJORIE K. JEFFCOAT, D.M.D. EDITOR
E-mail: [email protected]
An unthinking dentist is a bad dentist. Perfect technique misapplied is at least as unconscionable as sloppy work.
The humble Latin words ?mens et manus? (?Mind and Hand?) appear on the seal of my undergraduate college. If you recall your own school motto, chances are it embodies high academic principles that Aristotle himself would approve: usually truth, knowledge, wisdom and virtue, in various combinations and languages. This one, though, expresses a view of higher education at once modern and quintessentially American: that an educated person should know not only how to think, but also how to do something useful with his or her education.
Few professions embody the mind/hand duality as clearly and literally as dentistry. In the public mind, the dentist is right up there with the neurosurgeon in the pantheon of manual dexterity, and deservedly so. An unskilled dentist can?t be a good dentist?a gifted lecturer, perhaps, or a great researcher?because the profession inherently demands technical excellence. But it?s just as true that an unthinking dentist is a bad dentist. Perfect technique misapplied is at least as unconscionable as sloppy work.
Are we maintaining the balance between mind and hand? I?m not entirely sure. On the one hand, I believe that today?s dentist is both better educated and more sophisticated than his or her counterpart a generation ago. Our schools are generally teaching very up-to-date scientific material. The literature has never been more abundant or readily available. Quality continuing education is universally accessible. In my experience, most dentists are making good use of these resources to keep current and sharp.
EDITORIAL
On the other hand, we find ourselves working in an environment vastly more demanding in almost every way. We are seeing more elderly and medically compromised patients, for whom our understanding of drug interactions is more important than any mere procedure. With new techniques and materials arriving on the scene every day, we need to make rational decisions as to whether, and in what circumstances, to use them. Helping a patient decide among multiple treatment alternatives can be a challenging exercise in logic and communication.
To keep our bearings amid these shifting currents, our best compass is a habit of critical thinking. We can?t question everything?that way madness lies?but a regular internal dialog with a skeptical alter ego helps keep things in balance. Why do I do a particular thing in a particular way? Does this journal article pass the test of clinical plausibility? Exactly how will the new software improve my practice? Can I trust the authors of that study to have done it properly and to have reported the results fairly? Beware, though, of reserving your critical faculties only for new ideas; you should be equally hard on the old, familiar ways, which may be overdue for a change.
Critical thinking is something we can all do if we try, but it needs to be second nature, an automatic way of looking at things, if mind and hand are to be equals. It?s a habit that should be firmly established in dental school and made relevant across all subject matter. Sometimes I wonder if our schools are on the right track here.
For more than a century, and certainly since the Gies report of 1926, dentistry has been recognized as a ?learned profession,? and American dental schools are full citizens of their parent universities. Yet it can?t be denied that dental education is fundamentally different from mathematics or biology or even medicine. Most obviously, a dentist is qualified (and expected) to deliver independent patient care immediately on graduation. This stark reality drives dentistry toward curricula packed with facts and techniques, with limited time for reflection.
While acknowledging these constraints, I?m convinced that we teachers could do a better job of preparing our students for a lifetime of difficult decisions. The first step is to gain agreement that critical thinking is a central organizing principle rather than an isolated, and peripheral, elective. From there, we can proceed to redesign our courses so that the material is presented not as settled doctrine, but as a snapshot of a work in progress. Utopian that may sound, but it can be done and is being done, here and there, without compromising skills in the least. It just requires commitment.
I started with a Latin phrase, and I?ll close with another. The Royal Society of London has, for almost 350 years, proclaimed ?nullius in verba,? which I personally paraphrase as ?show me the data.? That?s a pretty good rule in itself. But the original line from Horace, from which the phrase was drawn, is even more apt: roughly, ?I am not bound to accept a thing merely because my master says it is so.?
If more dental schools took this motto to heart, they would be much more vibrant?if less placid?places to educate the next generation.
VIEWS
Mens et manus
Striking a balance between skill and reason
MARJORIE K. JEFFCOAT, D.M.D. EDITOR
E-mail: [email protected]
An unthinking dentist is a bad dentist. Perfect technique misapplied is at least as unconscionable as sloppy work.
The humble Latin words ?mens et manus? (?Mind and Hand?) appear on the seal of my undergraduate college. If you recall your own school motto, chances are it embodies high academic principles that Aristotle himself would approve: usually truth, knowledge, wisdom and virtue, in various combinations and languages. This one, though, expresses a view of higher education at once modern and quintessentially American: that an educated person should know not only how to think, but also how to do something useful with his or her education.
Few professions embody the mind/hand duality as clearly and literally as dentistry. In the public mind, the dentist is right up there with the neurosurgeon in the pantheon of manual dexterity, and deservedly so. An unskilled dentist can?t be a good dentist?a gifted lecturer, perhaps, or a great researcher?because the profession inherently demands technical excellence. But it?s just as true that an unthinking dentist is a bad dentist. Perfect technique misapplied is at least as unconscionable as sloppy work.
Are we maintaining the balance between mind and hand? I?m not entirely sure. On the one hand, I believe that today?s dentist is both better educated and more sophisticated than his or her counterpart a generation ago. Our schools are generally teaching very up-to-date scientific material. The literature has never been more abundant or readily available. Quality continuing education is universally accessible. In my experience, most dentists are making good use of these resources to keep current and sharp.
EDITORIAL
On the other hand, we find ourselves working in an environment vastly more demanding in almost every way. We are seeing more elderly and medically compromised patients, for whom our understanding of drug interactions is more important than any mere procedure. With new techniques and materials arriving on the scene every day, we need to make rational decisions as to whether, and in what circumstances, to use them. Helping a patient decide among multiple treatment alternatives can be a challenging exercise in logic and communication.
To keep our bearings amid these shifting currents, our best compass is a habit of critical thinking. We can?t question everything?that way madness lies?but a regular internal dialog with a skeptical alter ego helps keep things in balance. Why do I do a particular thing in a particular way? Does this journal article pass the test of clinical plausibility? Exactly how will the new software improve my practice? Can I trust the authors of that study to have done it properly and to have reported the results fairly? Beware, though, of reserving your critical faculties only for new ideas; you should be equally hard on the old, familiar ways, which may be overdue for a change.
Critical thinking is something we can all do if we try, but it needs to be second nature, an automatic way of looking at things, if mind and hand are to be equals. It?s a habit that should be firmly established in dental school and made relevant across all subject matter. Sometimes I wonder if our schools are on the right track here.
For more than a century, and certainly since the Gies report of 1926, dentistry has been recognized as a ?learned profession,? and American dental schools are full citizens of their parent universities. Yet it can?t be denied that dental education is fundamentally different from mathematics or biology or even medicine. Most obviously, a dentist is qualified (and expected) to deliver independent patient care immediately on graduation. This stark reality drives dentistry toward curricula packed with facts and techniques, with limited time for reflection.
While acknowledging these constraints, I?m convinced that we teachers could do a better job of preparing our students for a lifetime of difficult decisions. The first step is to gain agreement that critical thinking is a central organizing principle rather than an isolated, and peripheral, elective. From there, we can proceed to redesign our courses so that the material is presented not as settled doctrine, but as a snapshot of a work in progress. Utopian that may sound, but it can be done and is being done, here and there, without compromising skills in the least. It just requires commitment.
I started with a Latin phrase, and I?ll close with another. The Royal Society of London has, for almost 350 years, proclaimed ?nullius in verba,? which I personally paraphrase as ?show me the data.? That?s a pretty good rule in itself. But the original line from Horace, from which the phrase was drawn, is even more apt: roughly, ?I am not bound to accept a thing merely because my master says it is so.?
If more dental schools took this motto to heart, they would be much more vibrant?if less placid?places to educate the next generation.
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2003
- Messages
- 14,869
- Reaction score
- 13,175
DesiDentist--
Drivel. C'mon, I would be excited about attending Penn too, but why resort to posting the dean's mission statement?
At the least, you could've included the 1st two paragragphs which do speak directly to the question as to whether bumbling people should consider dentistry in the first place.
There's no doubt as to the validity of critical thinking and the proper application of techniques learned at school. Also, the Dean's words are wise, but they do stray fairly far from the topic at hand.
Drivel. C'mon, I would be excited about attending Penn too, but why resort to posting the dean's mission statement?
At the least, you could've included the 1st two paragragphs which do speak directly to the question as to whether bumbling people should consider dentistry in the first place.
There's no doubt as to the validity of critical thinking and the proper application of techniques learned at school. Also, the Dean's words are wise, but they do stray fairly far from the topic at hand.
DesiDentist
G. S. Khurana, DMD, MBA
Moderator Emeritus
Vendor
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,573
- Reaction score
- 2
this isn't a mission statement but from this months JADA . She states the importance of manual dexterity, and no this is not far off topic. People who want to go into dentistry should be ready to develop good manual dexterity. Unless you specifically want to teach or research.
DesiDentist
DesiDentist
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2001
- Messages
- 1,353
- Reaction score
- 5
Dental research requires the most manual dexterity of all kind of research. So, cross it off the list.
😡 😡 😡 😡
😡 😡 😡 😡
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2003
- Messages
- 457
- Reaction score
- 23
Ortho strikes me as a specialty with less emPHASIS on dexteRITY
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2003
- Messages
- 480
- Reaction score
- 7
I think some of you need to take a step back and listen to the original poster without making assumptions about what he or she had intended. The poster merely asked which field requires the least hand skills. It doesn't mean the poster doesn't recognize the importance of hand skills in dentistry. Still, some people can accept the fact that they may not possess the greatest of hand skills. And I wouldn't be suprised if there are dentists that contribute to the field of dentistry without possessing the best hand skills. It struck me as a dumb question initially, but I really don't know what the person intended without qualifying his or her question.
I don't have the answer to the original poster's question. However, I'm not going to belittle the person because he or she asked an honest question. Your future patients are going to ask questions that may seem dumb on the surface. Keep an open mind.
I don't have the answer to the original poster's question. However, I'm not going to belittle the person because he or she asked an honest question. Your future patients are going to ask questions that may seem dumb on the surface. Keep an open mind.
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2002
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
Here's my thing...
Applicant asked a pretty harmless and simple question...who knows what the motivation behind the question is but I think it deserves a simple answer. Whether or not Applicant understands the undertaking of choosing a career in dentistry, I think a lot of us in this forum need to be just a tad bit more...nice about this answer and its not for us to be judgmental. Applicant ended the question with "appreciate any input." I'm with DDStothecor on this.
DesiDentist...I think your answer did stray a bit off from what was asked. It's great that you can take and share with us what you found in the JADA from your new dean but it had nothing to do with the question. Absolutely none. If you wanted to start another thread to share your great find, that would have been nice.
It's a Pre-Dental Forum...I and I'm willing to bet...a lot of other forum users are going to be turned off by this great resource if we, many of us who got into schools already act and talk like this.
If I was an aspiring pre-dent, and I came to this forum to get some good advice, then get all this hard-core talk and insensitivity...would you come to this forum again ?
Let's play nice.
BustA
University of Pacific , School of Dentistry 2006
Applicant asked a pretty harmless and simple question...who knows what the motivation behind the question is but I think it deserves a simple answer. Whether or not Applicant understands the undertaking of choosing a career in dentistry, I think a lot of us in this forum need to be just a tad bit more...nice about this answer and its not for us to be judgmental. Applicant ended the question with "appreciate any input." I'm with DDStothecor on this.
DesiDentist...I think your answer did stray a bit off from what was asked. It's great that you can take and share with us what you found in the JADA from your new dean but it had nothing to do with the question. Absolutely none. If you wanted to start another thread to share your great find, that would have been nice.
It's a Pre-Dental Forum...I and I'm willing to bet...a lot of other forum users are going to be turned off by this great resource if we, many of us who got into schools already act and talk like this.
If I was an aspiring pre-dent, and I came to this forum to get some good advice, then get all this hard-core talk and insensitivity...would you come to this forum again ?
Let's play nice.
BustA
University of Pacific , School of Dentistry 2006
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2002
- Messages
- 137
- Reaction score
- 0
Good grief, is UPENN at least paying you for pimping their school like this? Brochure pictures and 'eloquent' speeches and everything! Alright we get it, you like your school and you're crazy about the profession. You sound like Yah-E back in the day when NOVA was the best thing since sliced bread.
It's just a school man. Most of your patients are going to give you blank stares when you mention you went to an Ivy league school. And chances are, the rest will say "Oh so you got into the EASIEST Ivy league school!"
Pardon the over-used cliche but it's like sex. You're still a dental school virgin and you're putting a lot of meaning and sentiment and hope into the Goddess that is UPENN. Once you get in there and start having sex on a daily basis, you'll see that the Goddess has morning breath and is really bitchy every two weeks and makes you WORK your ass off for some love. Then you'll understand that what you put into is exactly what you'll get out of it....and that the fact that it was UPENN or NYU or BACKWOODS U doesn't make ANY difference.
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT YET IN DENTAL SCHOOL, LISTEN CAREFULLY. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S IN CAPS: IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO TO DENTAL SCHOOL. ALL YOUR BACK AND FORTH DEBATES ABOUT WHICH IS THE BETTER SCHOOL MEANS NOTHING. IF YOU GET GOOD GRADES AND BOARD SCORES YOU CAN GO INTO ANY SPECIALTY. WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE IN SCHOOL BEFORE ACTING LIKE EXPERTS.
PREDENTS, STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE SCHOOL NAME AND PUT THE FOCUS ON BECOMING GOOD DENTISTS/RESEARCHERS. DON'T LISTEN TO MOST PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM, INCLUDING ME.😀 GO WITH WHAT YOUR HEART TELLS YOU.
Oh yeah....least manual dexterity involved: Public Heath Research position in a dental school.
It's just a school man. Most of your patients are going to give you blank stares when you mention you went to an Ivy league school. And chances are, the rest will say "Oh so you got into the EASIEST Ivy league school!"
Pardon the over-used cliche but it's like sex. You're still a dental school virgin and you're putting a lot of meaning and sentiment and hope into the Goddess that is UPENN. Once you get in there and start having sex on a daily basis, you'll see that the Goddess has morning breath and is really bitchy every two weeks and makes you WORK your ass off for some love. Then you'll understand that what you put into is exactly what you'll get out of it....and that the fact that it was UPENN or NYU or BACKWOODS U doesn't make ANY difference.
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT YET IN DENTAL SCHOOL, LISTEN CAREFULLY. THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S IN CAPS: IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU GO TO DENTAL SCHOOL. ALL YOUR BACK AND FORTH DEBATES ABOUT WHICH IS THE BETTER SCHOOL MEANS NOTHING. IF YOU GET GOOD GRADES AND BOARD SCORES YOU CAN GO INTO ANY SPECIALTY. WAIT UNTIL YOU ARE IN SCHOOL BEFORE ACTING LIKE EXPERTS.
PREDENTS, STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE SCHOOL NAME AND PUT THE FOCUS ON BECOMING GOOD DENTISTS/RESEARCHERS. DON'T LISTEN TO MOST PEOPLE ON THIS FORUM, INCLUDING ME.😀 GO WITH WHAT YOUR HEART TELLS YOU.
Oh yeah....least manual dexterity involved: Public Heath Research position in a dental school.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2001
- Messages
- 1,353
- Reaction score
- 5
mcataz
People come here to do both things: Listen and Post.
Not just listening. You can do what you want. But don't tell other people to do what you think is right. BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHY? YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER.
People come here to do both things: Listen and Post.
Not just listening. You can do what you want. But don't tell other people to do what you think is right. BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHY? YOU ARE NOT MY MOTHER.
DesiDentist
G. S. Khurana, DMD, MBA
Moderator Emeritus
Vendor
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,573
- Reaction score
- 2
Geez, people. All I did was post a clip from JADA written by Dr. Jeffcoat the editor. This isn't something from PENN's website and I am not advertising for PENN (not this time 🙂 ). I just posted something that I found to be relavant to this thread.
You guys need to calm down. I'm proud that Dr. Jeffcoat will be our Dean, but I just put that article up to show a real Dentist's point of view, not just an SDNer pre-dent.
If DrJEFF posts something we give him high regards, so I was posting something from another Dentist who has already been through the ropes.
And for those of you that don't know what JADA is, you better start reading it or journals for that matter. What you learn in dental school will become obsolete and if you want to be marketable you better learn how to learn on your own, and reading journals is a start.
I can't believe people think JADA is the Dean's mission statement. LOL.
DesiDentist
You guys need to calm down. I'm proud that Dr. Jeffcoat will be our Dean, but I just put that article up to show a real Dentist's point of view, not just an SDNer pre-dent.
If DrJEFF posts something we give him high regards, so I was posting something from another Dentist who has already been through the ropes.
And for those of you that don't know what JADA is, you better start reading it or journals for that matter. What you learn in dental school will become obsolete and if you want to be marketable you better learn how to learn on your own, and reading journals is a start.
I can't believe people think JADA is the Dean's mission statement. LOL.
DesiDentist
DesiDentist
G. S. Khurana, DMD, MBA
Moderator Emeritus
Vendor
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,573
- Reaction score
- 2
MCATaz:
I like your signature, but I thought "succes" was spelled SUCCESS.
Success = Life SUCks in exCESS but reaching the top is what matters.
I like your signature, but I thought "succes" was spelled SUCCESS.
Success = Life SUCks in exCESS but reaching the top is what matters.
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2002
- Messages
- 7
- Reaction score
- 0
Okay Desi,
You and your arrogance need to take a step back and check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Gosh...you just dont get it...did your friggin soliloquy at all answer Applicant's question...NOPE.
Man...NYCDOC hit it on the nail...more reality and less arrogance.
I dont know what field in dentistry requires less handskill, but Im not gonna pimp JADA nor my school to answer a simple question... Look at other threads in the forum and youll notice people dont pimp their schools and people are pretty helpful. You do neither.
And dont rip on other poster's spelling...thats pretty low and nitpicky which illustrates the level of maturity you possess...is this representative of a PENN dental student...to act arrogant and childish in a field that requires a certain amount of compassionand sympathy. If I'm a future PENN student, and have knowledge that I will have a classmate like you...then...school there may suck for me
if you know so much...what is the field in dentistry that requires the least handskill...answer that without pimping your school or massaging your ego...and maybe we can all move on.
Look at the member profiles of these people asking the question...they just became members...wanting help and advice...and youre not participating in the solution.
Quit with the attitude, and tote it elsewhere.
Busta
You and your arrogance need to take a step back and check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Gosh...you just dont get it...did your friggin soliloquy at all answer Applicant's question...NOPE.
Man...NYCDOC hit it on the nail...more reality and less arrogance.
I dont know what field in dentistry requires less handskill, but Im not gonna pimp JADA nor my school to answer a simple question... Look at other threads in the forum and youll notice people dont pimp their schools and people are pretty helpful. You do neither.
And dont rip on other poster's spelling...thats pretty low and nitpicky which illustrates the level of maturity you possess...is this representative of a PENN dental student...to act arrogant and childish in a field that requires a certain amount of compassionand sympathy. If I'm a future PENN student, and have knowledge that I will have a classmate like you...then...school there may suck for me
if you know so much...what is the field in dentistry that requires the least handskill...answer that without pimping your school or massaging your ego...and maybe we can all move on.
Look at the member profiles of these people asking the question...they just became members...wanting help and advice...and youre not participating in the solution.
Quit with the attitude, and tote it elsewhere.
Busta
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2003
- Messages
- 480
- Reaction score
- 7
desidentist
I'm glad you enjoyed the quote. But you failed to see the humor in the misspelling. I think the quote is ridiculous. It comes from a mad villain in a James Bond flick. Give me some credit. I would never try to impress people by using a quote from Tomorrow Never Dies. I was mocking him.
And I don't think you meant any harm. And I'm sorry if you felt like I was attacking you in return. It's just that it does get annoying when someone asks a question and others fail to respond, instead offering some advice of their own.
I'm glad you enjoyed the quote. But you failed to see the humor in the misspelling. I think the quote is ridiculous. It comes from a mad villain in a James Bond flick. Give me some credit. I would never try to impress people by using a quote from Tomorrow Never Dies. I was mocking him.
And I don't think you meant any harm. And I'm sorry if you felt like I was attacking you in return. It's just that it does get annoying when someone asks a question and others fail to respond, instead offering some advice of their own.
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2001
- Messages
- 1,353
- Reaction score
- 5
mcataz,
My answer to this post is that "research needs manual dexterity"
and what did u reply? You called people to chill and listen. You chill and listen all you want, but don't tell me to.
The guy posted the question, and we reply to his post. Every body knows how to read here. You don't have to interpret for us.
And don't say that I attack you, because I have better thing to do with my time. You should read first before you post and tell people to do this and that.
And if you have nothing to reply to any post, may I suggest you go to study for that DAT? If you aim for UOP, you know what they want?
My answer to this post is that "research needs manual dexterity"
and what did u reply? You called people to chill and listen. You chill and listen all you want, but don't tell me to.
The guy posted the question, and we reply to his post. Every body knows how to read here. You don't have to interpret for us.
And don't say that I attack you, because I have better thing to do with my time. You should read first before you post and tell people to do this and that.
And if you have nothing to reply to any post, may I suggest you go to study for that DAT? If you aim for UOP, you know what they want?
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2003
- Messages
- 480
- Reaction score
- 7
Tinkerbell
And what do you think you are doing right now? Yeah, telling me what to do. That's a bit hypocritical.
If someone is going to patronize another poster, you better believe I'm going to come to his or her defense. I would come to your defense as well.
And this argument is mute because I wasn't even addressing you. I thought your post was fine. I was speaking in regards to desidentist, but I didn't want to make it personal, so I didn't address him.
Unfortunately, some don't know how to read because they didn't answer the person's question.
Right, I haven't taken the DAT yet. So what's your excuse for being on here? Apparently, you have more time than you think. Like you said, don't tell other posters what to do.
And what do you think you are doing right now? Yeah, telling me what to do. That's a bit hypocritical.
If someone is going to patronize another poster, you better believe I'm going to come to his or her defense. I would come to your defense as well.
And this argument is mute because I wasn't even addressing you. I thought your post was fine. I was speaking in regards to desidentist, but I didn't want to make it personal, so I didn't address him.
Unfortunately, some don't know how to read because they didn't answer the person's question.
Right, I haven't taken the DAT yet. So what's your excuse for being on here? Apparently, you have more time than you think. Like you said, don't tell other posters what to do.
DesiDentist
G. S. Khurana, DMD, MBA
Moderator Emeritus
Vendor
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
20+ Year Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2001
- Messages
- 1,573
- Reaction score
- 2
Here is my list for the least manual dexterity required:
government policy making
Dental Public Health Sciences
Dental Psychologist
Professor in basic sciences
Editor of Dental Journal
CEO of an oral health pharmaceutical company
Author of Dental literature
President of the ADA
Dean of a Dental School
DMD/JD - Dental Lawyer
Unfortunately, most of these careers require you to have some "miles" put on your hands if you want to get there.
DesiDentist
government policy making
Dental Public Health Sciences
Dental Psychologist
Professor in basic sciences
Editor of Dental Journal
CEO of an oral health pharmaceutical company
Author of Dental literature
President of the ADA
Dean of a Dental School
DMD/JD - Dental Lawyer
Unfortunately, most of these careers require you to have some "miles" put on your hands if you want to get there.
DesiDentist
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2002
- Messages
- 3,069
- Reaction score
- 406
If after 4 years, you think doing dentures and drill-and-fill for caries is not your thing, go to oral pathology or oral medicine. One of our oral path teachers told us that is why she choose the specialty - she didn't like doing all the detailed hand work clinic involved. Public health is also a good choice, as is the DDS/JD.
Someone already said it - you don't need to have great handskills to be a dentist. In dental school, 90 of us learned how to properly control our hand pieces and have good control so we don't pulp out on a patient. However, in clinic, some of my classmates do beautiful composite fillings that you would swear was the real tooth, and others (myself included) do ones that look, well, like composite fillings. It's not that I don't have good handskills, I can operate the handpiece fine and still try to do the most conservative preps necessary. However, I am still fine tuning the skills all the time.
And to the "You better start reading JADA" comment - Only now in third year with six months of clinic behind me is any of the stuff in JADA make a tiny bit of sense to me. First year I'd flip to the back to see how much people sold their practices for - because the rest of the magazine has no appeal to a first year student worried about passing Histology and learning dental Anatomy. With time, you'll realize that it is important to read JADA (and join the ADA!). Don't freak out if you have classmates first year pouring over JADA and pretending to sound all intelligent yet you have no idea what "clinical attachment loss" means. Chances are, they don't either.
Someone already said it - you don't need to have great handskills to be a dentist. In dental school, 90 of us learned how to properly control our hand pieces and have good control so we don't pulp out on a patient. However, in clinic, some of my classmates do beautiful composite fillings that you would swear was the real tooth, and others (myself included) do ones that look, well, like composite fillings. It's not that I don't have good handskills, I can operate the handpiece fine and still try to do the most conservative preps necessary. However, I am still fine tuning the skills all the time.
And to the "You better start reading JADA" comment - Only now in third year with six months of clinic behind me is any of the stuff in JADA make a tiny bit of sense to me. First year I'd flip to the back to see how much people sold their practices for - because the rest of the magazine has no appeal to a first year student worried about passing Histology and learning dental Anatomy. With time, you'll realize that it is important to read JADA (and join the ADA!). Don't freak out if you have classmates first year pouring over JADA and pretending to sound all intelligent yet you have no idea what "clinical attachment loss" means. Chances are, they don't either.
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2003
- Messages
- 14,869
- Reaction score
- 13,175
O.K., I wasn't trying to harp on DesiDentist. His posts are usually helpful and impartial--except when he's doting on UPENN.
Anyhoo, all this talk about manual dexterity reminds me of the topic of circumcision; another procedure that requires exact hand control. Although, this doesn't directly relate to the topic at hand, it does demonstrate how the ability to use your digits transcends the dental industry. Check out this thoughtful poem (dedicated to the master, DesiDentist):
Circumcision must be driven by PRECISION
unsteady hands and back alleys are a bad DECISION
people who make this choice are assured DERISION
because medical procedures necessitate VISION
now if you'll excuse me I'll get back to FISHIN'
Anyhoo, all this talk about manual dexterity reminds me of the topic of circumcision; another procedure that requires exact hand control. Although, this doesn't directly relate to the topic at hand, it does demonstrate how the ability to use your digits transcends the dental industry. Check out this thoughtful poem (dedicated to the master, DesiDentist):
Circumcision must be driven by PRECISION
unsteady hands and back alleys are a bad DECISION
people who make this choice are assured DERISION
because medical procedures necessitate VISION
now if you'll excuse me I'll get back to FISHIN'
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2001
- Messages
- 219
- Reaction score
- 2
My mom's old dentist was in medical school. Had a freak accident and lost his thumb and enrolled in dental school. Oh yes, it was his working hand too, aka, right hand. If he can manage to become a respectable dentist, I see no problem a "clutz" cannot.
