Why did you become a dentist?
in [Dentistry]
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From: freshes on 26 Nov 2005 06:09 I am an Australian student, about to undertake a number of interviews to hopefully gain entry into a dental science program. In preparation for these interviews, I've been reflecting on my reasons for wanting to study dentistry, and I was hoping someone who has been through a similar experience could offer me some feedback or advice. The biggest questions I think I have to answer for myself is; why dentistry? and then, why dentistry over med? My personal motivation to pursue a career as a dentist I think comes from the very nature of the work. It's diagnostic, technical, and surgical enough to be continually interesting. I realise that like any job, some aspects would become mundane, but with the human form, I feel like there would be enough patient variation to constantly pose a challenge. Coupled with this is the human aspect. I'm not an extremely outgoing 'people person', but I do enjoy communicating. If any practising dentists are reading this, how important are patient relationships in your work? Are they as big a part as they seem to be in my mind? Or, does being a nice person take a back seat to technical ability? Basically I see dentistry as a career in which you require a lot of balance in order to be successful - mostly between technical proficiency and interpersonal skills. Although I suppose that's true for most careers. Can anyone offer advice about any aspect I've overlooked? What makes dentistry better than medicine? (I'd be really interested to hear dentists' opinions on this). For me it comes down to a few reasons - the most notable relating to the amount of work related stress. I can't imagine a situation where a dentist would be forced to make a life or death decision for a patient, or where a momentary lapse of concentration could lead to a lawsuit. But at the same time, being a dentist is just like being a specialist, so I think succinctly, dentistry when it comes down to it is having the best of both worlds: an interesting medical career, with minimal stress and hassle. I think what it comes down to in the end for me, is the personal aspect. I get the feeling that it's a lot more difficult to make a patient feel comfortable, and to have them trust your abilities than it is to drill a hole in a tooth. So how do you do it? I'm sure there isn't one secret, but what are your opinions on the matter? Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply, any helpful words or advice would be greatly appreciated!
From: Jeffrey Krantz on 26 Nov 2005 15:42 MONEY, we make a good living and no one dies. <freshes(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:1133003379.783031.33500(a)z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com... >I am an Australian student, about to undertake a number of interviews > to hopefully gain entry into a dental science program. In preparation > for these interviews, I've been reflecting on my reasons for wanting to > study dentistry, and I was hoping someone who has been through a > similar experience could offer me some feedback or advice. > > The biggest questions I think I have to answer for myself is; why > dentistry? and then, why dentistry over med? > > My personal motivation to pursue a career as a dentist I think comes > from the very nature of the work. It's diagnostic, technical, and > surgical enough to be continually interesting. I realise that like any > job, some aspects would become mundane, but with the human form, I feel > like there would be enough patient variation to constantly pose a > challenge. Coupled with this is the human aspect. I'm not an extremely > outgoing 'people person', but I do enjoy communicating. > > If any practising dentists are reading this, how important are patient > relationships in your work? Are they as big a part as they seem to be > in my mind? Or, does being a nice person take a back seat to technical > ability? > > Basically I see dentistry as a career in which you require a lot of > balance in order to be successful - mostly between technical > proficiency and interpersonal skills. Although I suppose that's true > for most careers. Can anyone offer advice about any aspect I've > overlooked? > > What makes dentistry better than medicine? (I'd be really interested to > hear dentists' opinions on this). For me it comes down to a few > reasons - the most notable relating to the amount of work related > stress. I can't imagine a situation where a dentist would be forced to > make a life or death decision for a patient, or where a momentary lapse > of concentration could lead to a lawsuit. But at the same time, being a > dentist is just like being a specialist, so I think succinctly, > dentistry when it comes down to it is having the best of both worlds: > an interesting medical career, with minimal stress and hassle. > > > > I think what it comes down to in the end for me, is the personal > aspect. I get the feeling that it's a lot more difficult to make a > patient feel comfortable, and to have them trust your abilities than it > is to drill a hole in a tooth. So how do you do it? I'm sure there > isn't one secret, but what are your opinions on the matter? > > > > > Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply, any helpful words or > advice would be greatly appreciated! >
From: Stovepipe on 26 Nov 2005 20:34 <freshes(a)gmail.com> wrote: > It's diagnostic, technical, and > surgical enough to be continually interesting. I think that is _IT_ right there. I wouldn't go any further. Go visit some dentists and tag along for a whole days' work, and see how you feel. HTH SP -- Take out the TRAASH to reply
From: Dartos on 28 Nov 2005 14:51 freshes(a)gmail.com wrote: > The biggest questions I think I have to answer for myself is; why > dentistry? and then, why dentistry over med? With dentistry, you can have a life outside of your practice. Many physicians work more hours than you would imagine. Good living, good hours, a chance to be your own boss, and job satisfaction would be at the top of my list. It's not exactly 'low stress', but life is full of stress anyway. YMMV, Dartos
From: Sue on 30 Nov 2005 11:26 freshes(a)gmail.com wrote: > I am an Australian student, about to undertake a number of interviews > to hopefully gain entry into a dental science program. In preparation > for these interviews, I've been reflecting on my reasons for wanting to > study dentistry, and I was hoping someone who has been through a > similar experience could offer me some feedback or advice. > > The biggest questions I think I have to answer for myself is; why > dentistry? and then, why dentistry over med? > > My personal motivation to pursue a career as a dentist I think comes > from the very nature of the work. It's diagnostic, technical, and > surgical enough to be continually interesting. I realise that like any > job, some aspects would become mundane, but with the human form, I feel > like there would be enough patient variation to constantly pose a > challenge. Coupled with this is the human aspect. I'm not an extremely > outgoing 'people person', but I do enjoy communicating. > > If any practising dentists are reading this, how important are patient > relationships in your work? Are they as big a part as they seem to be > in my mind? Or, does being a nice person take a back seat to technical > ability? > > Basically I see dentistry as a career in which you require a lot of > balance in order to be successful - mostly between technical > proficiency and interpersonal skills. Although I suppose that's true > for most careers. Can anyone offer advice about any aspect I've > overlooked? > > What makes dentistry better than medicine? (I'd be really interested to > hear dentists' opinions on this). For me it comes down to a few > reasons - the most notable relating to the amount of work related > stress. I can't imagine a situation where a dentist would be forced to > make a life or death decision for a patient, or where a momentary lapse > of concentration could lead to a lawsuit. But at the same time, being a > dentist is just like being a specialist, so I think succinctly, > dentistry when it comes down to it is having the best of both worlds: > an interesting medical career, with minimal stress and hassle. > > > > I think what it comes down to in the end for me, is the personal > aspect. I get the feeling that it's a lot more difficult to make a > patient feel comfortable, and to have them trust your abilities than it > is to drill a hole in a tooth. So how do you do it? I'm sure there > isn't one secret, but what are your opinions on the matter? > > > > > Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply, any helpful words or > advice would be greatly appreciated! This is some wonderful reflection and introspection. It sounds like you have been looking at this from a standpoint of what you will be doing hands-on as a dentist... and the dentist/ patient relationship. However in dentistry you must also be prepared to take on a business if you wish to run your own practice. You must consider that you will be an employer and dealing with personnel issues, as well as making a huge financial investment. Also, you must realize that as a dentist, you will never gain the same respect as physicians command from the standpoint of being a "healer" (if this is important to you). For SOME dentists this becomes an issue (as I have seen this in some that I know). For some it bugs the hell out of them when they are referred to as "only a dentist," even if it is a colleague that says it! I am not saying this with disrespect to any of the dentists here, but the fact of the matter is since dentists do not assume the same risks as MDs, it is just the way the cookie crumbles in the "supposed" hierarchy of the medical, health, and public world. Personally I think the good outweighs the bad and dentistry can be a wonderful career if you are willing to assume all of this, but I am just throwing these other aspects for your consideration. Best wishes to you as you decide your career path, Sue (nondentist, work for a medical device company)
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