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to all the dentistry students out there: why did you choose to study dentistry?
- Thread starter someone
- Start date
theillestill
Ludwig's Mangina
all of the above.
plus certain specialties like Orthodontics is even more lucrative while only having to work maybe 4.5 days a week.
plus certain specialties like Orthodontics is even more lucrative while only having to work maybe 4.5 days a week.
J
Joker
Guest
My friend wants to become a dentist for the money. Though I don't think it's really his dream job (he is afraid someone will vomit on him one day).
I'm not sure why most people would want to become dentists apart from the money. Perhaps the challenge?
theillestill
Ludwig's Mangina
You also alleviate pain while still maintaining reasonable hours and good financial remuneration.
theillestill
Ludwig's Mangina
that you're in it for the money? yeah. maybe phrase it a little differently like I like to get rewarded well for what I do.
SoPrection
Member
Instead of 'money', try saying something like the lifestyle it'll offer you (working hours, and hence the money for the work you do etc)
Bluebird
Regular Member
My reasons may sound weird but I'll tell you anyway.
Being able to see an actual outcome from your effort (eg rotten tooth --> beautiful shiny new one in like 30min)
Like someone else said, allieviating pain. Kinda falls under the above reason.
Actual "hands on" work
Interacting with people in a face to face way.
Even if people are ingrateful for what you've done, you still know you've helped them.
Flexible lifestyle (if you're female you can say like, able to take time off for having babies)
Being able to see an actual outcome from your effort (eg rotten tooth --> beautiful shiny new one in like 30min)
Like someone else said, allieviating pain. Kinda falls under the above reason.
Actual "hands on" work
Interacting with people in a face to face way.
Even if people are ingrateful for what you've done, you still know you've helped them.
Flexible lifestyle (if you're female you can say like, able to take time off for having babies)
NoobyMcNooberton
Regular Member
ehhh...satisfaction?
vincent168
Stimodont
Is looking in someone's mouth that disgusting? Anyway, dentists wear masks so it doesn't smell
OMG IT DOES. no joke. you will have a nasty shock LOL
Don't underestimate the power of a good lifestyle. There are many people in medicine who end up choosing speciliaties on the basis of lifestyle vs. what they truly enjoy. Furthermore as a previous thread highlighted, there are not many of us who would continue to do medicine if it were for minimum wage.
vincent168
Stimodont
Good point. But not many people admit it.
vincent168
Stimodont
Anymore contributions?
thehairyfoot
Regular Member
I don't understand all this talk about money. Sure it's good in dent, but there are a lot of other jobs that are well paid apart from dent that you don't have to study hard for for five years. The reason that is a bad answer in interviews is because it is a bad motive for dent. It's a sweetener for most careers of course, but shouldn't be motive.
I am sure there are ways of earning good wages without having to study for as long :S And if you poured the same effort you are pouring into dent into some other business related pursuit, I am sure you'd make quite a bit. You shouldn't go into dent if your not remotely interested in it. "Lifestyle" motives are fine, but a "lifestyle" that involves being away from your work life as much as possible is probably not a healthy motive either for your psychology.
ANYWAYs
My motives for dent were varied.
I wanted to get into a health related field because I want a job that does requires me to interact with and 'help' people. I also want a job that I can do that is hands on a physically useful to people. (trades are also hands-on and help people in a very physical way, but as you'll see in following motives that trades didn't suit me
)
Apart from that I love anatomy and biology, and enjoy the tougher intellectual aspects of Dent. There are also options to specialise. And there are options for research. There are options for small business. There are options for part time work for family life. It's extremely flexible, you can do with it what you want. It is happening field, always new things coming out to do and fix problems that couldn't be fixed before. There is prestige attached to being a dentist - as much as people hate dentists (they don't hate them in the same way as lawyers and politicians)
I wanted dent over med because in med, there are a lot of the above perks, but in med you have more life-and-death responsibility, and much much worse hours, and I can't handle midnight working. it's also a lot longer. (You CAN spend a long time studying dent and specialties, but you don't have to and aren't locked in) I wanted dent over pharm because pharm is not hands on, and doesn't require you to utilise your uni-learned knowledge as much or as often as dent.
I am sure there are ways of earning good wages without having to study for as long :S And if you poured the same effort you are pouring into dent into some other business related pursuit, I am sure you'd make quite a bit. You shouldn't go into dent if your not remotely interested in it. "Lifestyle" motives are fine, but a "lifestyle" that involves being away from your work life as much as possible is probably not a healthy motive either for your psychology.
ANYWAYs
My motives for dent were varied.
I wanted to get into a health related field because I want a job that does requires me to interact with and 'help' people. I also want a job that I can do that is hands on a physically useful to people. (trades are also hands-on and help people in a very physical way, but as you'll see in following motives that trades didn't suit me
)Apart from that I love anatomy and biology, and enjoy the tougher intellectual aspects of Dent. There are also options to specialise. And there are options for research. There are options for small business. There are options for part time work for family life. It's extremely flexible, you can do with it what you want. It is happening field, always new things coming out to do and fix problems that couldn't be fixed before. There is prestige attached to being a dentist - as much as people hate dentists (they don't hate them in the same way as lawyers and politicians)
I wanted dent over med because in med, there are a lot of the above perks, but in med you have more life-and-death responsibility, and much much worse hours, and I can't handle midnight working. it's also a lot longer. (You CAN spend a long time studying dent and specialties, but you don't have to and aren't locked in) I wanted dent over pharm because pharm is not hands on, and doesn't require you to utilise your uni-learned knowledge as much or as often as dent.