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Medical Forum / General / Dentistry / July 2005Dental Career
Hello all, I've been working as an engineer for the past 6 years, and am seriously considering a career change to dentistry. I just turned 30 yrs old. Obviously I want to make sure I'm not making a horrible mistake, and prevent getting into the program and having serious doubts/regrets a few years down the road, after having made some big sacrifices. I think the main question I'd like answered is what are some of the difficulties/challenges/less likeable things associated with the job. I know there's the whole dentist = pain issue that some people have, but aside from that? And there's the "no work (i.e. vacation), no pay" thing. I'm not particularly concerned with either of these things to tell you the truth. OH, one last thing - does anyone know of an accredited program that's shorter than 4 years duration? That's the shortest program I could find by way of some preliminary research online. Thanks very much. Why do you want to change careers? What do you think you like about dentistry? It WILL be 4 years of dental school assuming you finish on time (some students do not)  Signature~+--~+--~+--~+--~+-- Stephen [What's a Temporary?], D.D.S. Michigan, USA .................................................... This posting is intended for informational or conversational purposes only. Always seek the opinion of a licensed dental professional before acting on the advice or opinion expressed here. Only a dentist who has examined you in person can diagnose your problems and make decisions which will affect your health. ...................... > Hello all, > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Thanks very much. Err, why does it matter why I want to change careers? Mostly I want a job where I'm helping people more directly, but there are many aspects of dentistry I believe I'd like. A few years ago I was contemplating studying chiropractic medicine, but I think dentistry would actually be a better fit for me. Would anyone be able to enlighten me as to what they perceive as some of the main drawbacks to the profession? Are irrational / irate patients ever an issue? I can't think of much that would be a big factor in deterring me. Thanks all. >Err, why does it matter why I want to change careers? > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >Thanks all. Drawbacks, hmmm. OK, you go to a wedding reception and some girl approaches you with a finger in her cheeck (looking like a hooked fish) and asks you to look at a tooth. Stand back, say hmmm, good thing I'm not a gynecologist.... -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com LOL. Then again, depends on how cute she is I suppose. > Err, why does it matter why I want to change careers? Just trying to advise you properly. The reason you wish to change careers, could be crucial to understanding if Dentistry would solve your present concerns or make them worse. > Mostly I want a job where I'm helping people more directly, but there > are many aspects of dentistry I believe I'd like. A few years ago I [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > Thanks all. If by 'present concerns' you mean the issues I have with my current line of work, well, the two fields seem worlds apart to me. Let me put it this way, I hate sitting at a computer all day, working on engineering reports, relatively isolated and with minimal interaction with others. The biggest issue of all, for me, is that it'd take a pretty wild imagination to believe that any of what I do actually helps people. I want to improve people's health or make them more comfortable in difficult situations, and I've thought long and hard about all the jobs in the medical & social services fields. I want to be able to use my hands and my mind and my compassion. For a number of reasons I've never wanted to be a doctor or a nurse. A couple of those reasons are that I'm not into being wrist-deep in blood & guts (so surgeon is out) and don't fancy being surrounded by sick people all day. But as I say I've considered a lot of professions and have drawn a blank, until someone mentioned dentistry to me a couple weeks ago. I sincerely appreciate any further assistance/advice anyone can provide. >If by 'present concerns' you mean the issues I have with my current >line of work, well, the two fields seem worlds apart to me. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >hard about all the jobs in the medical & social services fields. I >want to be able to use my hands and my mind and my compassion. That part sounds good for a dentist, >For a number of reasons I've never wanted to be a doctor or a nurse. A >couple of those reasons are that I'm not into being wrist-deep in blood >& guts (so surgeon is out) Don't forget that we see blood, saliva and pus all day long. > and don't fancy being surrounded by sick >people all day. But as I say I've considered a lot of professions and >have drawn a blank, until someone mentioned dentistry to me a couple >weeks ago. > >I sincerely appreciate any further assistance/advice anyone can provide. Are you prepared for 4+ years of training, followed by a few years of reduced income? .. Stephen Troy, Michigan, USA I am writing on a Tablet-PC,so forgive me if the PC misreads my handwriting. Actually I'm cool with blood, bone, etc. Not fussy about the guts & organs part (though I'd prob get used to it if I absolutely had to become a doctor). I worked in a biomedical engineering lab for the first year & a half after graduating, and handled donated bones, spines, hands and feet on almost a daily basis. I basically hate my work so much right now (and the other 3 jobs I've had over the past 4.5 yrs) that I'm more than ready to move into something else, and I know it will be a huge sacrifice. That's why I'm trying to do all the research I can and try to avoid going into a field that I'll later see as another thing that's not for me. But right now I'm more excited about this possibility than anything else I've looked at over the past few years. I'm trying to imagine any facets of being a dentist which might dissuade me, but haven't come up with any yet. > Actually I'm cool with blood, bone, etc. Not fussy about the guts & > organs part (though I'd prob get used to it if I absolutely had to [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > I'm trying to imagine any facets of being a dentist which might > dissuade me, but haven't come up with any yet. Have you considered a career as an educator? Webby >> I'm trying to imagine any facets of being a dentist which might >> dissuade me, but haven't come up with any yet. > >Have you considered a career as an educator? > >Webby Who would want to take the pay cut ? -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com > >> I'm trying to imagine any facets of being a dentist which might > >> dissuade me, but haven't come up with any yet. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Take out the G'RBAGE > wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com I didn't get the idea that *money* was his bottom line. If it is, why would he want to be a dentist? Webby >If by 'present concerns' you mean the issues I have with my current >line of work, well, the two fields seem worlds apart to me. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >hard about all the jobs in the medical & social services fields. I >want to be able to use my hands and my mind and my compassion. All good things. >For a number of reasons I've never wanted to be a doctor or a nurse. A >couple of those reasons are that I'm not into being wrist-deep in blood >& guts (so surgeon is out) and don't fancy being surrounded by sick >people all day. But as I say I've considered a lot of professions and >have drawn a blank, until someone mentioned dentistry to me a couple >weeks ago. As Dr. Steve said, all of what we do is not pretty. >I sincerely appreciate any further assistance/advice anyone can provide. It takes alot of dedication and a complete immersion to complete a dental education. Eye hand co-ordination is a must, as well as patience doing tedious tiny treatments. You also must like people. The main reward of being a dentist is being one's own boss. You will unlikely get wealthy, but you will make a good living. Sometimes it is very hard work. -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com > For a number of reasons I've never wanted to be a doctor or a nurse. A > couple of those reasons are that I'm not into being wrist-deep in blood > & guts (so surgeon is out) and don't fancy being surrounded by sick > people all day. But as I say I've considered a lot of professions and > have drawn a blank, until someone mentioned dentistry to me a couple > weeks ago. Have you considered BioMedical Engineering? If there is a Medical faculty in the University near you, you might want to consider that. Alernatively, the best way I know to know what Dentistry is all about is to go and volunteer to be an aide in a clinique and you will see what goes on and whether or not you would like to be in that environment 24/7. All the rest is academic and you need practical. SP SignatureFinally: take out the TRASHH >> For a number of reasons I've never wanted to be a doctor or a nurse. A >> couple of those reasons are that I'm not into being wrist-deep in blood [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Have you considered BioMedical Engineering? If there is a Medical >faculty in the University near you, you might want to consider that. >Alernatively, the best way I know to know what Dentistry is all about is >to go and volunteer to be an aide in a clinique and you will see what >goes on and whether or not you would like to be in that environment >24/7. All the rest is academic and you need practical. >SP SP has the best idea. --or-- Make friends with your dentist and hang out at the office for a few days. -- W_B Take out the G'RBAGE wubbabubbazG@RBAGEyahoo.com Biomedical engineering is probably an excellent suggestion, and I've actually tried that. Immediately after I graduated engineering I started my Master's in it. Problem was that I was working full time for the Faculty of Engineering as a project engineer, which was aside from my grad work. In the biomedical engineering lab it was just myself and my advisor, zero funding, and me trying to my research & classes in my spare time. Suffice it to say it was pretty far removed from actually helping people. I definitely need something that's more hands-on. I think I wil try to job-shadow or volunteer or something in the immediate future. Thanks for all the input guys. Keep it coming if anyone has anything else to add. |
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