Why Dentistry and not medicine?

[-me-]

I cant decide on what I want to do in uni between the two...

I've managed to get hold of work experince in a local dental clinic to help me out... I tried looking for hospital work placements, but they keep putting me on waiting lists (like I have all the time in the world to decide!!) or they say they are too full...

What made you guys decide to do dentistry and not medicine???

Ps if there's already a topic like this could someone please post the link... Because I think I'm blind and hence I cant find it... Thank you...

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[Biogirl361]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=159289&highlight=dentistry+medicine

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=121495&highlight=dentistry+medicine

that should get you started, i'll post more if i find them

 

[-me-]

Oh thank you sooo much for those links, Biogirl361.

And I apologies for creating another topic as such...

 

[DrTacoElf]

1) life and death isn't in your hands on a day to day basis
2) hands on profession unlike primary care
3) less litigation
4) solo practices are very common
5) wide variety of procedures that a general dentist can perform (crowns, bridges, implants, fillings, endo, invisalign, bleaching, cosmetics, etc.)
6) lasting patient relationships are formed

 

[DREDAY]

1) life and death isn't in your hands on a day to day basis
2) hands on profession unlike primary care
3) less litigation
4) solo practices are very common
5) wide variety of procedures that a general dentist can perform (crowns, bridges, implants, fillings, endo, invisalign, bleaching, cosmetics, etc.)
6) lasting patient relationships are formed

your number 1 reason is way wrong man. are you kidding me bro? A GP dds has more life at his hands than a GP md. A gp MD will never perform surgery while a GP dds performs 5 or more surgeries a day.

 

[busupshot83]

your number 1 reason is way wrong man. are you kidding me bro? A GP dds has more life at his hands than a GP md. A gp MD will never perform surgery while a GP dds performs 5 or more surgeries a day.

Correct, not all physicians deal with life and death.

 

[DrTacoElf]

your number 1 reason is way wrong man. are you kidding me bro? A GP dds has more life at his hands than a GP md. A gp MD will never perform surgery while a GP dds performs 5 or more surgeries a day.

I never wanted to be a GP MD because they are VERY hands-off, I wanted to be a surgeon no doubt, a surgeon that goes home at night and usually sleeps!

 

[DREDAY]

I never wanted to be a GP MD because they are VERY hands-off, I wanted to be a surgeon no doubt, a surgeon that goes home at night and usually sleeps!

well then go into maxillo facial surgery and you will still be alot more hands on than an MD

 

[trypmo]

well then go into maxillo facial surgery and you will still be alot more hands on than an MD

...maybe even more like hands-IN!

 

[aphistis]

Correct, not all physicians deal with life and death.

Right, but how many dentists do? Let's not kid ourselves here.

 

[aphistis]

your number 1 reason is way wrong man. are you kidding me bro? A GP dds has more life at his hands than a GP md. A gp MD will never perform surgery while a GP dds performs 5 or more surgeries a day.

I think you're underestimating the responsibilities associated with being a primary care physician. We have the luxury of focusing on a specific anatomical region; they have to strive to maintain that same expertise across the entire body. Don't sell them short.

 

[busupshot83]

Both careers have its pros and cons, and either is a good profession, but it is ultimately up to the individual.

 

[DREDAY]

I think you're underestimating the responsibilities associated with being a primary care physician. We have the luxury of focusing on a specific anatomical region; they have to strive to maintain that same expertise across the entire body. Don't sell them short.

I am not selling them short. I am merely stating what advantages I feel dentistry has over medicine. My mom is a dentist and my father is a doctor and I have the pros and cons of both, and I can decidedly say that my mom has it much better than my dad.

 

[msf41]

Many gp may never really "cure" any disease. They just pass out meds to cover up symptoms. I like dentistry because you can repair a variety of pain causing problems in just one short visit.

Also, if your dad is a physician, you know how much being on call can have it's down sides. I want a job that when I come home to be with my family, they can have my full undivided attention. I also want enough free time to coach a little league team some day (silly life goal of mine). I've never met a little league coach that was an MD.

But for some type-A personalities, maybe not having a career that keeps you up at night stressing makes them feel like they aren't achieving enough in life (like being a physician and saving mankind from the plague).

As others have said, it is about what YOU want to do with your life.

 

[Bruxomaniac]

When I first went to college I had a difficult time with the same decision. I ended up calling an older guy from back home who was in the middle of his general surgery residency and asked him a few questions. There was one statement he said that clinched it for me. I asked him what his usual schedule was like and he said, "Well, I haven't seen my family in three days." From then on I knew I wanted to be a dentist.

 

[Tzips]

But for some type-A personalities, maybe not having a career that keeps you up at night stressing makes them feel like they aren't achieving enough in life (like being a physician and saving mankind from the plague).

Though in that case, better go for a MD/PhD... not like a gp MD has time to do research and find a cure for cancer...

and second the motion about family time; that's my prime motivation.

 

[DREDAY]

I think you're underestimating the responsibilities associated with being a primary care physician. We have the luxury of focusing on a specific anatomical region; they have to strive to maintain that same expertise across the entire body. Don't sell them short.

Are you kidding me bro??? lmao ... you really think that a doctor is as specialize in all parts of the body as a dentist is specialized in the mouth???? lmao hahah your funny

 

[DrTacoElf]

Are you kidding me bro??? lmao ... you really think that a doctor is as specialize in all parts of the body as a dentist is specialized in the mouth???? lmao hahah your funny

Clearly not in most cases, although they are RESPONSIBLE for it . For instance if you see your GP for a checkup and then later discover you had liver cancer or something similar its most likely possible you could take the GP to court for missing this -- and thats why we have defensive medicine.

 

[JavadiCavity]

Not being a dentist yet, I may be wrong . . . but, the comment about dentists dealing with life or death situations is a little bit extreme.

 

[Tzips]

Not being a dentist yet, I may be wrong . . . but, the comment about dentists dealing with life or death situations is a little bit extreme.

well, you never know about those abcesses... didn't they discover that one of those mummies had died from a tooth infection that got into the bloodstream?

 

[JavadiCavity]

Oh, I see. We're going to use procedures that occured 4,000 years ago to justify this idea? Ancient egyptians probably practiced the same level of sterility in the OR that we do today.

 

[Tzips]

Oh, I see. We're going to use procedures that occured 4,000 years ago to justify this idea? Ancient egyptians probably practiced the same level of sterility in the OR that we do today.

i think he died before he could get to an OR... i guess their oral healthcare fell a bit short of today's standards

but the (facetious) point was, that anything could be life-and-death, if you leave it long enough. dermatologists could use the same argument (well, except in the case of burn victims. those really are.)

 

[Bruxomaniac]

dermatologists could use the same argument

"You say life-saver I say pimple-popper, MD"

Don't forget about skin cancer.

 

[mike3kgt]

"You say life-saver I say pimple-popper, MD"

Don't forget about skin cancer.

You beat me to it

-Mike