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I'm not talking about an answer you would give to interviewers, but the truth. Is it the money, being your own boss, or something else? Maybe you just like teeth? I'd be interested in knowing!
Why do you *really* want to be a dentist?
- Thread starter NDBeast
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The top two reasons for me in no specific order are:
1) patient interaction/relationships
2) autonomy
I love meeting new people and have always considered myself an honest, caring, and overall nice person (sometimes too nice 😉). I want to be able to utilize my personality traits to work with people. My strong love of science combined with my personality and desire to work with people led me to the field of dentistry!! In addition, I have spent the last few years of my life trying to understand myself better and what I want out of a career and life. I came to the conclusion that dentistry offers everything I want and need and then some!!
The autonomy is very very important. Honestly, I would be happy as a dentist even if I wasn't making the big bucks. The autonomy itself is worth all the money in the world. Being your own boss and having a marketable skill that not many people can perform is a great feeling. Dentsitry is the last health care profession that truly offers autonony (relatively speaking) With managed care taking over medicine, medical doctors are slowly losing whatever autonomy they once had. I'll take autonomy over money any day of the week. However, it is agreat feeling knowing that the potential to make the money will always be there. My priorities will probably never be monetary based, as I have always had strong family values and want to develop my work schedule around my future kids and family, and not the other way around.
1) patient interaction/relationships
2) autonomy
I love meeting new people and have always considered myself an honest, caring, and overall nice person (sometimes too nice 😉). I want to be able to utilize my personality traits to work with people. My strong love of science combined with my personality and desire to work with people led me to the field of dentistry!! In addition, I have spent the last few years of my life trying to understand myself better and what I want out of a career and life. I came to the conclusion that dentistry offers everything I want and need and then some!!
The autonomy is very very important. Honestly, I would be happy as a dentist even if I wasn't making the big bucks. The autonomy itself is worth all the money in the world. Being your own boss and having a marketable skill that not many people can perform is a great feeling. Dentsitry is the last health care profession that truly offers autonony (relatively speaking) With managed care taking over medicine, medical doctors are slowly losing whatever autonomy they once had. I'll take autonomy over money any day of the week. However, it is agreat feeling knowing that the potential to make the money will always be there. My priorities will probably never be monetary based, as I have always had strong family values and want to develop my work schedule around my future kids and family, and not the other way around.
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Lifestyle is a large motivator for me. That includes, to an extent, money. I want to retire early if I can and spend lots of time with my wife and kids.
I'm working hard now so I can take it easy later in life.
I'm working hard now so I can take it easy later in life.
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Autonomy is a huge factor for me. I have owned and ran businesses in the past and that was a huge factor to decide dentistry. I would rather make myself rich than someone else. It provides a standard of living that will allow me to spend time with my family and control my future. I can work as much or little as I want. I can open multiple practices and employ dentists who would rather work for a dentist and not own their own practice. Another huge factor which you will hear over and over again, it the opportunity it gives you to improve the quality of life of others.
I have gained alot of satisfaction from being successful professionally but the feeling you receive from improving someone's quality of life while succeeding professionally is what I look forward to.
Some of the other reasons are:
Problem solving
Respected professional
Status of being a doctor (not a motivating factor for me though, just an added bonus)
Ability to improve your skills by personal study or attending conferences.
Ability to move into many different areas.
Those are just some of my reasons.
I have gained alot of satisfaction from being successful professionally but the feeling you receive from improving someone's quality of life while succeeding professionally is what I look forward to.
Some of the other reasons are:
Problem solving
Respected professional
Status of being a doctor (not a motivating factor for me though, just an added bonus)
Ability to improve your skills by personal study or attending conferences.
Ability to move into many different areas.
Those are just some of my reasons.
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The job security. The flexibility to be your own boss. The challenge. The satisfaction when the treatment you did turned out right. The financial rewards.
I have watched the profession in practice all my life (being from a family of dentists and all) and seen ALL OF THE ABOVE first hand.
Just one more year and I will be able to enjoy life like my dad and sister do.
I have watched the profession in practice all my life (being from a family of dentists and all) and seen ALL OF THE ABOVE first hand.
Just one more year and I will be able to enjoy life like my dad and sister do.
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Tom,
You don't have to answer this if you don't want to. But, since you come from a family of dentists, why did you decide later in life that you wanted to pursue dentistry? I'm just curious.
The reason I ask is because I had a buddy in college who is now in med school. He was in his early 30's when he went back to school. He had a degree in law and was a practicing lawyer when he went back to school in the first place. His father was a physician and his wife was also a physician. It was interesting to see that he decided later in life to pursue something he had been around his whole life, which was medicine.
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to Critterbug:
I've always wanted to go dentistry actually... Problem is that I partied a bit too hardy while in college and that kind of sidetracked my plans a bit. 😛
After working for a few years and doing a masters program in biology (non-thesis, ALL lecture courses, graded by exams-- NOT a lab-research masters program), I was finally able to get my foot in the door.
Ah vell... Better late than never, LOL.
to ecdoesit:
You got time to decide. While in dental school you will go on rotation with OMFS and see how you like surgery. I'm talking for-real no-kidding surgery in an OR setting where you have to scrub in. You just might find it to be interesting enough to worth 6 more years of your time!
I've always wanted to go dentistry actually... Problem is that I partied a bit too hardy while in college and that kind of sidetracked my plans a bit. 😛
After working for a few years and doing a masters program in biology (non-thesis, ALL lecture courses, graded by exams-- NOT a lab-research masters program), I was finally able to get my foot in the door.
Ah vell... Better late than never, LOL.
to ecdoesit:
You got time to decide. While in dental school you will go on rotation with OMFS and see how you like surgery. I'm talking for-real no-kidding surgery in an OR setting where you have to scrub in. You just might find it to be interesting enough to worth 6 more years of your time!
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Great replies, everyone!
Although I was kind of surprised that only one person mentioned that he liked working with his hands.
I guess the autonomy factor is the major difference between being a doctor of medicine or a dentist.
Although I was kind of surprised that only one person mentioned that he liked working with his hands.
I guess the autonomy factor is the major difference between being a doctor of medicine or a dentist.
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Well, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all must like working with our hands or we would't be goin into this profession. I think an interest in art, science, and working with one's hands are pre-requisites for the career of dentistry. If you are lacking in any of these traits, you should begin to re-think your career choice. The dentist I shadow told me that most good dentists are also perfectionists.
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To add to this number of really great answers i want to say that Dentistry offers great opportunity for personal satisfaction from what you do. In many cases (this is with many exceptions of course, and I am talking from my personal experience) dentist are able to treat their patient's problems in one or two visits. This is a great advantage, and when compared with the work of most physicians offers faster results. I'll tell you for sure that I was delighted and satisfied as much as the doctor , when in 2 visits he was able to perform a root canal and the patient left with improved self esteem and great smile. I think this has to do with the surgical nature of Dentistry and this certainly attracts me a lot., in addition of many factors listed on this thread.
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I enjoy causing pain to others.
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its all about the laughing gas...getting high...and oh yeah...the laughing gas...
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Originally posted by Zurich5
Bling-bling...agreed. I for one am not interested in helping others, or making a better society, i just want to be ritch and have a trophy wife.
Hmmm...I applaud your honesty. As for the rest of your post....
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It just seems that we get so many threads regarding the question "WHY." However, after reading so many people who share the same reasons as we are, SDN just feels like my home.
Isnt being a dentist also include to cease pain? You know if you are going into dentistry, you will cause pain to people, but benefit over cost.
Feeling that my patients with durable teeth will be quite satisfying.
Isnt being a dentist also include to cease pain? You know if you are going into dentistry, you will cause pain to people, but benefit over cost.
Feeling that my patients with durable teeth will be quite satisfying.
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A) As Gavin has mentioned more than once, we're not just tooth masons. Dentistry is becoming increasingly recognized as a legitimate medical field (we've known it all along, of course 😀), and that means diagnosing and treating the entire oral cavity, not just those two lovely arches.
B) Causing pain for therapeutic benefit isn't just a dentist's domain. I've never been plated or screwed or bolted, or any surgery for that matter, but I imagine it must hurt like hell when you wake up 😉
B) Causing pain for therapeutic benefit isn't just a dentist's domain. I've never been plated or screwed or bolted, or any surgery for that matter, but I imagine it must hurt like hell when you wake up 😉
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The ability to work with people and be social, owning my own business, producing something tangible, as well as the lifestyle (hours/money etc). An important one that nobody has mentioned....
The challenge!
The whole process (pre-reqs, DAT's, applications, acceptance, finishing school, starting practice) is/will be an awesome experience.
Also, another aspect I value is teaching. I would love to be an instructor some time down the line. Teaching eager dental students will kicks butt!
The challenge!
The whole process (pre-reqs, DAT's, applications, acceptance, finishing school, starting practice) is/will be an awesome experience.
Also, another aspect I value is teaching. I would love to be an instructor some time down the line. Teaching eager dental students will kicks butt!
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Ah yes, Shawn brings up a good point....Teaching
I love to teach. In fact, I also see myself teaching in an academic setting someday, hopefully as a dentist. But what Shawn didn't mention is, as a dentist, you also have to "teach" your patients. This will be great!! I can't wait!!
This brings up another good point. The luxury that dentists have compared to our medical counterparts is that we have the liberty/luxury to choose our own practice philosophy. If we want to run a practice where we don't depend on managed care and we choose to spend more time with our patients explaining procedures, developing comprehensive treatment plans, and teaching preventive dentistry then we have the freedom to do that without the fear of goin bankrupt.
I love to teach. In fact, I also see myself teaching in an academic setting someday, hopefully as a dentist. But what Shawn didn't mention is, as a dentist, you also have to "teach" your patients. This will be great!! I can't wait!!
This brings up another good point. The luxury that dentists have compared to our medical counterparts is that we have the liberty/luxury to choose our own practice philosophy. If we want to run a practice where we don't depend on managed care and we choose to spend more time with our patients explaining procedures, developing comprehensive treatment plans, and teaching preventive dentistry then we have the freedom to do that without the fear of goin bankrupt.
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HAHA....I dare you to say that in your interview!!
Just kidding, don't!!
