Why dentistry?

[Dental Caries]

I wanted to ask everyone why you all chose dentistry. I chose dentistry because of all the bad dentists that I saw as a child. Most were not very sympathetic towards kids. I don't remember once when I was little kid when a dentist tried to calm me down or try and relieve my anxeity about all the stuff he was sticking into my mouth. The most significant event was when I was about 5 or 6. My father took my brother and I to a place near our home. It seemed ok from the outside because there was this yellow happy face on the side of the building. When we got inside there were ten chairs lined up with no walls to separate them. The kids were screaming their heads off and some kids were even seat belted down (all the chairs had seatbelts on them). I begged my father to take us somewhere else because I was so terrified. I want to be the one to be able to make these terrified kids (like the one I used to be) feel more relaxed at. I hate seeing kids cry and scared. I'd rather see them smiling even if it's with a missing front tooth.

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[dragonfly9]

I can really understand your reasons for wishing to become a dentist. The idea of making people feel totally comfortable in a situation that is so stressful is what got me through organic chem when everyone spent the summer on the beach or out at the bars. Plus, I know the cosmetic aspect is really important to a person's self confidence. Combine this with the potential for self-employment and flexibility and I realized, after years of questioning what I wanted to do when I "grew up", I had found what was right for me.

 

[dragonfly9]

I just wanted to add that my 2 year old niece just loves her dentist. Dentists don't have to be feared!