Why do you want to be a dentist?

[Bronco]

Why do you want to be a dentist? The question that comes up in every interview.....Whats your answer?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[dinesh]

I love to have peoples mouths open infront of me

 

[Dr.BadVibes]

Why do you want to be a dentist? The question that comes up in every interview.....Whats your answer?

If you are applying to dental school, shouldnt you know the answer to this question already???

 

[PERFECT3435]

If you are applying to dental school, shouldnt you know the answer to this question already???

exactly what i was thinking.

 

[Pikeyman]

Why do you want to be a dentist? The question that comes up in every interview.....Whats your answer?

Let me guess: your reason for wanting to become a dentist is money but you know it won't work on your interviews so you have decided to ask around on SDN. And when some suckers on SDN start listing their reasons, you were going to use one that you could relate.

Shame on thee.

 

[UConn_SDM]

Let me guess: your reason for wanting to become a dentist is money but you know it won't work on your interviews so you have decided to ask around on SDN. And when some suckers on SDN start listing their reasons, you were going to use one that you could relate.

Shame on thee.

$$ as good a reason as any!

 

[DrTacoElf]

Running my own hands on business while helping people and using technology.

 

[Pikeyman]

$$ as good a reason as any!

I hear thee.

I was just making a point about lowering oneself to a point where you take someone else's reason and make it your own.

 

[UConn_SDM]

I hear thee.

I was just making a point about lowering oneself to a point where you take someone else's reason and make it your own.

I hear yee, um I mean three, you too?? Of course you have to go to the interview and say you want to help the world be a better place by selflessly dedicating your life to the eradication of oral disease.

Me, I had nothing better to do and it seemed like a nice gig.

 

[bor0000]

well im not applying for another year and i havent shadowed a dentist yet, but i'll list my reasons. of course i wouldnt say such silliness in an interview but here are some cons and pros:
pros
-lifestyle ($/hr)
-patients are healthy, except for their teeth problems
-you actually repair your patients, that is you make a cavity, and the patient then avoids getting a root canal,etc. most dr specialties cant say that.
-it is much easier to become a dentist than a dr, residensy is not necessary and you dont have to worry about getting into residensy by being in the top 5% of your class
-this relates to patients being healthy-even if you do root canals or even tooth extractions, you dont deal with icky stuff too much, it's not like a heart surgery.
-the way you make a cavity, a patient can really evaluate you(he can tell you the next day if the cavity is all right and really appreciates if it is, you're like a good carpenter), unlike a dr that prescribes you an aspirin and a patient wouldnt know if it has a placebo effect or it actually helped him, or maybe the patient even didnt take the aspirin but just came in to get himself a note from class.
-you can own your own business, be your own boss.

cons:
-dentists are not considered prestigious. most people think that doctors or professors are way smarter and more educated than the dentists, they equate you with construction company owners.
-you can probably get a teaching position at a university, but you still wont have as much academic prestige as a basic science professor, and you wont have as much $ as a private practice dentist(but this is not really a con).
-since you own your own business, you dont have too many colleagues unlike the doctors that work in big hospitals or the professors at the university. so you'll have to grasp at the chance of making friends from among your patients, which is not the same as having work colleagues!

 

[UConn_SDM]

this relates to patients being healthy-even if you do root canals or even tooth extractions, you dont deal with icky stuff too much, it's not like a heart surgery.

1. Well not exactly. Too many people have this perception that medicine does not play a huge role in dentistry - IT DOES! And your correct it's not heart surgery but you can still hurt/kill people.

You may not be treating your patients for a specific medical condition but you had better dam well know about there condition, ask the correct questions, order the correct labs, and make a sound decision on treatment base don your knowledge. Remember you can kill your patient in dentistry.

Also, remember a good dentist will not treat their patient's medical problems but EVERY medical problem should be considered in your treatment - when to treat, how to treat, etc.

2. Your patient most likely will not be perfectly healthy- especially in dental school. I had patients in dental school who took 20 medications daily. Think these won't be your patients in private practice? Think again. Wait for the "baby boomers" to get a little older an you'll be wondering if you're a dentist or an internist with how much effort you put into managing your elderly populations.

Your not going to be a medical doctor but that doesn't excuse you from having to know the basics of medicine.

 

[UConn_SDM]

Cons:
-dentists are not considered prestigious. most people think that doctors or professors are way smarter and more educated than the dentists, they equate you with construction company owners.
-you can probably get a teaching position at a university, but you still wont have as much academic prestige as a basic science professor, and you wont have as much $ as a private practice dentist(but this is not really a con).
-since you own your own business, you dont have too many colleagues unlike the doctors that work in big hospitals or the professors at the university. so you'll have to grasp at the chance of making friends from among your patients, which is not the same as having work colleagues!

3. This entire section is entirely [edit] inaccurate!

 

[busupshot83]

If you are applying to dental school, shouldnt you know the answer to this question already???

 

[IcemanDDS]

To bring pain and discomfort to hundreds while taking their money doing so

 

[UConn_SDM]

To bring pain and discomfort to hundreds while taking their money doing so

Close but it's actually, "To bring EXCRUCIATING pain and discomfort to hundreds while taking Lots of their money doing so

 

[IcemanDDS]

Close but it's actually, "To bring EXCRUCIATING pain and discomfort to hundreds while taking Lots of their money doing so

Naturally.