Contemplating a career in dentistry?
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
If so, you’ll be happy to hear that US News and World Report recently crowned the dentist as the #1 best job of 2013. But wait, not so fast. Is this report sugar-coating the realities of the job? Is dentistry really all about the great hours, reliable income, warm fuzzies, and constant demand? If you’ve spent a day or two shadowing a dentist in his/her office, chances are good that it appeared as great as the US News article makes it seem. It’s pretty hard to find a dentist to shadow that hates their job, and even if they did, would they tell you? Probably not– it’s likely they’re hiding that fact from everyone they know, maybe even themselves. So, recognize that you might not be getting the full picture. When I was researching and observed dentists in their offices, they seemed to love their jobs. I only got to see the good side, or more accurately, I only saw what I wanted to see.
I never had the chance see the downside of dentistry before making the commitment.
Since I’ve established myself as the expert who loves to hate dentistry (I know, it’s quite an accolade,) this blog has attracted potentials who want to know the truth about a career in dentistry. It’s the only place they can go to learn the other side of the story. So I’ve compiled a list to help those searching for answers, and maybe to show that I’m not all about the hate.
The Pros and Cons of Dentistry
Pros:
- Good Income. There’s no question this career does allow for a solid, stable income, and there is potential to earn a phenomenal income. But don’t be fooled… it does come with a price. It is an extremely challenging job with a lot of responsibility. Don’t expect it to be easy money. Are you willing to work your booty off to earn that income? If not, this is the wrong career.
- Autonomy. Be your own boss. Make the decisions you want to make. No need to answer to anyone. But you hold all the financial risk, you have to make the tough decisions, and the buck stops with you. Are you willing to take on that type of responsibility?
- Respect. Dentists are generally highly trusted and respected. Who doesn’t want that?
- People. If you like to work with people, you’ll certainly get a lot of people time. It is a very caring profession, and the relationships are the best part of it. Unlike some other businesses it ISN’T all about the money.
- Variety. It’s always challenging and interesting. No two days are ever the same. When you think you’ve learned all there is to learn, you’ll see something new. Do you deal well with change and constant learning? If you want life to be black and white, this isn’t for you.
- Excitement. You wouldn’t expect it to be action-packed, but it’s not your average desk job pushing paper around. There’s never a dull moment. Whether it’s a kooky patient, an assistant who calls in sick, or an emergency root canal, you will not get bored. The day will fly by, and there will be no chance to sit around, bored, staring at the clock waiting for the hours to pass you by.
- Great hours. You can generally set your hours. Part-time is always a possibility, allowing you to maintain a balanced lifestyle. It’s also a great career for women who want to have a family.
- Warm Fuzzies. Yes, folks, the warm fuzzies are real. You get a chance to help others and even change lives. Your job is to help make people smile– not a bad goal in my book.
- Solutions. Everyday you get the chance to offer real, concrete solutions and actually fix things for people.
- Creativity. People may not realize that there is a lot of creativity to being a dentist. On some levels it’s very pragmatic and scientific, but the actual work is like carving or sculpting. It is an art. You also have many opportunities to use your creativity for problem solving.
- Demand. This is true. People always need dental services. It seems there is a lot of competition out there now, but if you find your niche, the patients will come.
Cons:
- Education. Get ready for many years of school. It’ll take at least 8 years (including 4 years of college) but it’s well worth it if you enjoy the outcome. And if you love being a student like I do, this can actually be a good thing.
- Costs. Dental school is expensive. Expect to enter into the real world with several hundred thousand dollars of student loans. Don’t let this deter you though– your income will help you pay it off eventually. Also, if you want to stay at the top of your game, you’ll want to take continuing education every year. This is a fun aspect of the career, but it still costs money.
- High Responsibility. You are in charge of someone’s health. Administering anesthesia, prescribing drugs, and essentially performing surgery on teeth are all great responsibilities that are to be taken seriously. When things go wrong, which they do– even when you do everything properly– it’s your responsibility.
- Stress. With the high responsibility comes the high stress. Not only is someone’s health in your hands, but this is a customer service industry. You have to keep the customer happy. If you do the right thing, this will generally work itself out, but sometimes there are customers that can never be pleased no matter what you do. The pressure is on to do your best work in a limited amount of time, keep the customer happy, and manage your business.
- Costs, again. High practice overhead. It’s expensive just to open the doors to your practice. Patients may not understand that dental fees are high for a reason.
- Call. Being on call on the weekends. Some people don’t mind this, but I hated it. For me my weekends were a break from my stressful week, and this “violated” that personal time. I liked my job so much more when I didn’t have to be on call. But you must accept it because it is part of the job description.
- Challenging Patients. No matter how great you want your work to be, you are not the only determining factor here. If a challenging patient makes it difficult for you to do your best work, chances are the results might not be up to your expectations.
- Unpredictability. There’s never a dull moment. Whether it’s a kooky patient, an assistant who calls in sick, or an emergency root canal the day will fly by. Recognize this point from the Excitement point in the “Pros” section? While it certainly keeps you on your toes, these unpredictable events can make a day really challenging, really long, and really tiring.
- High Intensity. Expect intense, close contact with many people throughout the day. Working with people can be a “Pro”, but spending a lot of time 6 inches from another person’s face can get exhausting.
- The Yuck Factor. You might have to deal with bad breath, stinky people, and some really gross mouths. When you’re used to practicing, the gross-out factor is pretty rare, but I’ve almost thrown up in my mouth one or twice in the 10 years I practiced.
- Surprises. The text books seem to be in absolutes, but in nature, some things are out of our control. You may do everything by the book, but the results still don’t work out right. Luckily, there are a few pleasant surprises too.
- Dental Insurance. Fortunately, we haven’t taken the same road that medicine has, but it is still a driving force in dental practice today. Insurance coverage is poor at best, and in the end this leaves both the patients and the dentists unhappy. Dentists struggle to get paid for their work, and patients get pissed at the dentists when their insurance won’t cover a procedure.
- Physical Stress and Risks. Dentistry can take a serious toll on your body. You are trying to see and work in a very small space and often have to contort your body for long periods of time. The constant high-pitched buzz of the dental drill may lead to hearing loss. And chances are good you will accidentally poke yourself with a needle or dental instrument, potentially leaving you exposed to a blood-borne illness. The body aches can be counteracted with daily exercise and splurges such as massages. The potential of hearing loss can be prevented with earplugs. And the risks of getting HIV or Hepatitis are extremely low, but when it happens, it can lead to some unnerving emotions.
- The Haters. And let’s not forget… patients that hate the dentist but still come to you anyway. Remember those warm fuzzies I mentioned above? Well, they sometimes disappear in the shuffle. We often have 9 patient experiences in a day that give us the warm fuzzies, but the 1 bad apple makes us forget all the good ones. It is possible, but it takes work to let go of the negative and embrace the positive.
Now it’s your turn docs. Whether you love, hate, or are indifferent to dentistry, share any pros and cons I may have missed.
Is there a post in which you said how where you able to quit it. Did you saved money? Or just a Im not doing this anymore people, deal with it? What do you do now?. Im so curious Im devouring this blog. Any links.
Hi Tavo,
My story is a long, convoluted one– or maybe I just made it that way. I practiced for 10 years and was never fully content. It was okay initially, and then as the years went on I began to despise it more and more. Finally after years of despair and feeling stuck, I couldn’t take it any longer. But when I hit that point, it still took me a few years to actually make the change. Those years sucked! I now run a weight loss business in which I do personal one-on-one coaching. If you want to see my process from the beginning of practice, it starts at this post: http://lolabees.me/2012/02/23/love-is-blind/ and the following 20-25 posts continue the story. I know, it’s a lot. There is also a tab across the top titled Career Change that has all of the posts in which I discuss different aspects of my experience. I still have some more posts planned. They’ll be less about my specific story and more about my beliefs on how to change. I hope you’ll stick around and continue to share any insights you may have. From my end, writing the blog and hearing from people who may feel similarly has been a huge part in helping me break free.
I love to hear that you are “devouring this blog”. I never really know if I am boring people.
My parents were dentist haters. Because of that I remember going to a “bargain” dentist (not unlike the one in the photo above) in Green Forest, Arkansas. I have night terrors of that crazy man with his grinder slipping off of my teeth and hitting me in the upper lip and nose.
Damn.
Anyway, I believe that dentists, like everybody else, are expensive. And they’re hella worth it.
No hating here.
Yeah, those types of experiences as kids can cause major problems for people when they become adults. Sounds like your desire to take care of yourself is stronger than those nightmares. Glad you’re not an anti-dentite. Your opinion is still welcome here anytime.
BTW– isn’t that photo CREEPY?!?!
Yeah. It is.
Re photo: Really, that never happened to you?
I love your posts Lolabees, I wish so much they were around when I was still a student. Even though I’ve left the profession now, (well, until my registration expires at the end of the year anyway), I still love reading your posts. Keep ‘em coming!
Thanks, Mia! It seems that you can’t get info with this perspective anywhere on the internet. What are you doing now and when did you leave?
And re your comment about having the right personality… not unoriginal at all, but instead very insightful. There’s a reason so many are talking about that here. It’s so true, and it took me a LONNNNNG time to realize that about myself. So instead of changing something I can’t (and believe me, I tried,) I decided to make my life fit around my personality. Duh, if only I knew that earlier.
Great pro and con breakdown!
I am relatively new to the game, but as of right now I am definitely on the Pro side. There are always bad days and tough patient situations, but most high paying jobs in every field are stressful in their own way. The great thing about dentistry is that you have the freedom to limit and make your own hours, so having a lot of stress free personal time is a nice perk. Many of my friends in other job fields make similar amounts of money, but have much less vacation time and longer hours than I do.
There are also many different ways to practice dentistry, which will affect how you view your job. As you have described in your previous posts, not all dental offices are created equal!
Hey Dr H! It’s great to hear from the Pro side of things because I’m definitely not trying to talk anyone out of dentistry– just give both sides– and your comment helps even that out. There are a lot of you out there that enjoy it, so it must be good for a reason or two.
I’m glad to hear it’s serving you well. Thanks for chiming in!
Hey Lolabees, great post, had to share it on my “How to Avoid the Dentist” facebook page! Hope you don’t mind. I also note that under pros and people you said “it’s not about the money”. That and many other qualities is what made YOU a great dentist. I wish all dentist’s felt that way. Additionally, you may have had moments without the warm fuzzies, but you never made your patients feel that way. Which is extraordinary given your honest direct way of being. Love it! Heidi
Aww, Heidi! I’m humbled. Talk about warm fuzzies! I miss you, girl. One thing is we certainly made a GREAT team. I always felt (and still do) that if you do the right thing, the money will follow. The idea of quotas makes me uncomfortable. It’s hard to imagine some practices (you know which ones) run that way. When you do the right thing, you don’t have to “sell” services people don’t need, and you can respect their individual financial situations, and they’ll trust that you have their best interest in mind and keep coming back. I’ve recently come into contact with another hygienist I might connect you with. She’s doing some pretty cool stuff. And BTW– you are welcome to share my posts anytime– especially if you flatter me this much along the way.
You summed it up well once again! Great dissection of the pros and cons of the profession. As usual, I’m more in line w/ the cons-side of things. Right now working to get my debts down so I can either go to part-time or do something else. Someday, I’ll be free of the needle and the drill!
Thanks, Natalie. Sounds like you’re making it happen. Woohoo! Someday…
Well said Lolabees!! I would like to add a few comments as someone who has practiced for 15 years and is not content with dentistry anymore either (as I have already stated on your blog many times). This is regarding the con about the debt. This is a BIG con and must be taken very seriously. My alma mater dental school now has a total cost of about $400k for 4 years. Thankfully it was less than half of that when I attended. If I had to pay that much now I would never have gone!! To pay off that debt in 20 years at a 4% interest rate you will have to pay about $2500 per month. That’s 30k a year in payments!! That is not chump change for a recent grad who cannot expect to make a high income right away working as an associate. You have a real burden that will be a monkey on your back for years even if you are making good money and if you have undergrad loans too it is even worse!! I would suggest going to a state dental school vs. a private one if possible which is half the cost. Still, 200k in loans is an awful lot too but much more manageable. If you want to start or purchase an exisiting practice, plan to go into serious debt for that as well. I paid over 450k for my practice and the loan payments were about $7000 per month that was taken directly off the top of my earnings for 7 years. While you might be making good money it takes YEARS before you able to be out of that debt and actually get the full benefit from your earning potential. Don’t forget you will need to buy a home and if you are in that much debt from school loans you won’t get the home of your dreams. You will have to settle for what you can afford after your the school loans are paid each month. I was very unhappy that my first home was not the dream home that I thought a dentist should be living in when I realized that although I had great credit, I only qualified for a certain mortgage amount because of my student loan debt. If you are a woman you may not be able to pay off all this debt by working only part-time if you want to have a family (see the pro about great hours- it is not always true). Unless you have a spouse that makes good money, plan on picking up your drill full-time soon after your maternity leave so you can pay your student loan debt and if you own your own practice, you have to get back to pay your practice loan and overhead. Also, you may have to work nights and Saturdays to accommodate your patients and those are not great hours. You can choose not work those hours but in doing so you may not be able to have all the patients/ income you could have so you have to make a choice. This is especially tough on parents who want to attend their children’s sporting events, plays etc. I would think long and hard about some of these things and your future earning potential and happiness before choosing to be a dentist. I personally put so much in that I can’t quit now (I still owe money but thankfully I am almost done paying my loans) however, now I have discovered I really am not content with my career. All that time, effort and money and I am really not happy. It sucks.
I totally agree with you, Blue Heron, with today’s competitive market you have to cater to your patients’ demands on your time. When I started dental school never thought about the time it would take away from my future family. I cannot attend my children’s sport events, miss out on school activities e.g. Halloween parades, holiday parties, ect. Like most people we don’t think about how our career would affect our future children since our main focus was getting accepted into a school. Looking back, I wished I had gone to hygiene school, less headaches, less financial investment, and still enjoy the people to people interaction. Yes after working in the field for 10+ years, my friends and I call each other often to daydream about our “early retirement”
RTR, more great points. I hear from a lot of people who also wonder if they should go to hygiene school instead, so I think they’ll find what you have to say helpful. I still think you can make a great living on a hygienist’s income, though it’s funny… a lot of the hygienists I know seem to think they are poor. I’d love to hear from a hygienist or 2 about that. But I agree– much less stress and pressure with a lot of the perks. I wish you lots of luck reaching your early retirement!!
I think your blog has turned into a support group for checked out dental professionals! Add me to the list, I have 20 yrs as an assistant, front office and hygienist…..and I’m only 38
Yes, I too am burned out, but my burn out has lead to ignition of another flame.
In answer to the financials, I think we are all broke at different levels. It is the attitude that keeps you broke (and I don’t mean YOU as in I’m pointing a finger at you). If you want things to change, you have to change….find something that adds a value to your practice so that you are not having to chase the drill. Show up in different ways to patients and they will show up for you….trust me, if you want it, it’s there for you….but YES I agree that clinical can suck and so can dentistry. I’ve worked with the best and I’ve worked with the worst, and the only difference with the best was their passion, and communication. When you let your patients show up, they will
If you want to add a product to your practice that has the potential to explode it, I’d be happy to talk to you about it. If you want to learn about all natural products and supply your patients with an experience, I’d be happy to talk to you about that too. I am becoming quite fond of helping offices do great things for their bottom line and helping patients feel great about their smiles and lives.
I love the art of dentistry, but I don’t love the relationships that dentistry has for itself, its patients or its coworkers….who btw are more like the family that you never really wanted….unless you are lucky enough to work with an amazing staff where everything flows smoothly……I’ve seen like 20 of those in my life, and I’ve temped off and on for 10 of those 20 years…..I’ve seen A LOT of offices in my tenure.
We have become a profession that cares so much, that we carry the bureden of disease and the stress of repairing it, all without tackling the basics. Really teaching, and I mean REALLY teaching people HOW to be healthy at home is where it’s all at! Sell them products……they want what you recommend….if they get it from you, you could add the value of teaching them how to use it. Sell them supplements that are not only good for their mouths, that are also good for their bodies. Learn about prevention techniques and get in there with them.
2 yrs ago I “retired” somewhat (I’ll still fill in at times) and became an oral health coach. I started a blog http://www.naturalgumption.com, have dedicated myself to helping people get clear about the true causes of periodontal disease, decay and occlusion. I’ve compiled a laundry list of what products work with what, and why. Fire ignited…….finally
Good luck fellow dental-ites…..who’s starting the closed FB Group page for burned out dental professionals? I would, but I just don’t have the time to admin it!!!
Blue Heron-
That’s a great example of how I assumed something I don’t really know about firsthand. You are right. I was able to work part-time for a few reasons. 1) I am a DINK– Dual Income No Kids. So yes, if I had kids I would have more expenses and would have to work more hours. 2) I never owned my own practice, so I only had student loans to pay back– I never had practice loans, so I too am pretty delusional about that. And all this time I thought one of the reasons I never liked practicing was because of bad jobs, and that maybe it would have been better for me if I owned my practice. I know many people love it that way, but knowing myself and knowing what I know about you, I can only assume that if I had owned, I would have only felt more trapped in the career also. The other thing you mentioned that I didn’t consider is that tuition costs are SO MUCH higher than when we went to school. That’s important.
Such great points, and I’m so happy to have you weigh in because the reality is… here I am making a statement that it is a great career if you want to have a family, and I don’t even have kids!! Haha! What do I know!?!?
I think you’ll help a lot of people make an important decision. Thanks, as always I love your input! Keep at it, and eventually you’ll get there!! (We all need a little cheerleading at times, right?)
Hi Blue Heron, I think your posts are great and extremely insightful. I’m only sorry that you had to come to the realisation through experiencing the difficulties you’ve experienced and continue to do so. I am really shocked by the tuition costs of dentistry you guys have to pay. As RTR pointed out, it must be extremely tough when you’ve got a family to consider. I really hope things get better for you both.
Hello lolabees! I just came across your blog googling for reasons that dentists don’t like their jobs for a school assignment – I’m a pre-dental student (also in Denver! Hooray!) and just wanted to leave you a note on how inspiring and encouraging your blog is. Is it SO refreshing to hear someone talk about the downsides to dentistry because I haven’t heard one person ever bring up the topic. I think its great to see the other side of the profession and to get a glimpse into your life and how you walked away. You are a kick-ass woman! Thank you from all of us pre-dents who needed to hear a little more truth and a little less warm fuzzies.
Hi gray- You made my day!
I’m so glad to hear from you and that you’re finding this information helpful. Check out the comments and you might get even more helpful opinions. I think it’s so important to have a good understanding of what it’s all about. How cool you are in Denver too! It’s such a great place. Thanks for the kind words, and feel free to ask any questions or share your thoughts along the way. Good luck!!
Great picture as a hook; drew me right here again!
And then it probably tricked you into reading something not very interesting! Ha! I couldn’t resist the photo– so creepy.
Excellent post. Being a practising dentist for past 18 years i think you have summed it up well.
Thanks, Doc!
The photo of your dental assistant from your practice is very telling….or is/was said assistant the hygienist…?
Do you mean the photo at the top?
Great blog, lolabees! I have to admit, I’ve really enjoyed reading this thread. Admittedly, when I first read someone’s negative review of my chosen profession, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat “attacked”. But then reason quickly set in and I realized that dentistry isn’t for everyone. And better to get out for the right reasons than to stick with it for all the wrong ones, practicing clinically marginal or unacceptable dentistry. So, to those with the “teeth” to get out, I say well done.
For me, I absolutely LOVE my job; I think I have the greatest job in the world! I get up in the morning excited to go to work. I get to meet some wonderful people and take care of them/help them. I have an amazing staff that is like family to me. And the work challenges both my scientific intellect as well as my artistic side.
Am I rich? Well, based on my tax bracket, the government sure thinks so. But I agree with the earlier comment that wealth is an attitude. I have everything I need and some of what I want…so, yeah, I’m a “rich” man because I can afford a home and food for my family. I truly believe as my mentor told me: “if you just focus on practicing the absolute best dentistry you can do, the income will follow”.
Granted, my bills would choke a mule and the uninformed public has no idea how we are nickle and dimed to death by various taxes, licensing fees, organization dues, staffing costs, lab fees, etc. As we often joke, most are convinced that we take home every single penny that walks in the front door. Ironically, many of these “complainers” are my patients that are car dealers, lawyers or farmers whose income far exceed mine and their overhead is trifle compared to ours.
Oh, well. If that’s the price we have to pay to have this great job, so be it.
That said, I hope that prospective “future dentists” really look at the pros and cons you are setting forth. Going into a profession as stressful as this just for the money is a recipe for failure. We all can point to dozens of our colleagues who are miserable. They hate their jobs, and because of that, they are lousy dentists that do mediocre work at best, and their income reflects that. These are the ones that need to find another career…their true passion. Because they sure as heck aren’t helping to improve the public image of dentistry.
Hi Dr B! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I find it very refreshing to hear your honesty about feeling “attacked.” I don’t find it refreshing because I want to make anyone feel defensive, but because you admit that with the same honesty with which I admit my confessions on this blog. It’s good to hear that perspective because it’s not a response I would have ever expected, but one I totally understand. It’s like insulting someone’s mom.
Anyway, I’m glad you realized that the blog isn’t really about that.
I’m also really happy to hear your perspective on this post. This post should really be about the pros as well as the cons of dentistry. Since my blog has become sort of a “support group” for those not entirely content with the career, it tends to sway in that direction. I can certainly understand your love of the field, and I admire it. If only I could have felt that way!! It also sounds completely genuine. While I can say I have no regrets and do not miss practicing dentistry at all, it’s like breaking up with your first love– I still have a lot of positive memories and think fondly of the career. I think the best part about your comment is that you show that if you love doing this, the rest will follow, and the challenges that go along with it do NOT outweigh the rewards. Thanks for sharing your perspective and thanks for getting that it’s not the right career for all of us! It’s nice to get that support from our fellow dentists. Your comment could really help a lot of prospective dental students decide if they are doing this for the right reasons.
In response to Dr. Bever’s post I just wanted to say that I am glad to see a dentist on here who is happy with their career. I honestly used to feel that way about dentistry too until various disappointments happened along the way during my career that added up to the state of unhappiness I feel now. I won’t go into all of these now but I do want to say that just because a dentist may not be happy with their career it does not automatically mean that they are practicing clinically marginal or unacceptable dentistry. While I am no longer crazy about doing dentistry, I still make sure I do the best job possible for my patients. I have practiced long enough that I can do my procedures well and have consistent results. If there ever is an issue with my work, it is corrected at no charge to the patient. I care about people and that will never change no matter how much I dislike dentistry and therefore I will never compromise on my work. I do refer out endo, oral surgery and give certain cases to my partner if I don’t want to do them. I do agree though that there are dentists out there who aren’t doing a good job (for various reasons) and if you are not doing a good job you should have the “teeth to get out” because you are not being fair to your patients and could potentially cause them harm. Until I decide on another career though, I will continue to do a good job no matter what because I am just not built that way to not care. I did not go into dentistry just for the money, I accepted the fact that is was hard work and stressful but it has not turned out the way I had hoped (and money is not the reason why). I never thought I would feel this way but I do. I have seen both kinds- a happy dentist that is a terrible clinician and an unhappy one who is extremely talented so I would say that there are good and bad dentists out there and whether they are happy or not does not necessarily affect the quality of dentistry that they produce.
Blue Heron,
I sure hope my comment didn’t give the impression that I was implying all practitioners unhappy in their field automatically do marginal work. If it did, I sincerely apologize. I am quite certain there are dentists out there unhappy with their career choice, but still performing their duties at or above the standard of care. I applaud you (and those in your predicament) for continuing to give your patients excellent care, even though you may be dreading each and every day. That is incredibly hard to do. [In undergrad, I got a lucrative job as a vacuum cleaner salesman...the worst 4 days of my life.]
My comment was merely to suggest a relationship or correlation between happiness and desire to perform at very high levels. I am well aware that correlation does equal causation.
Sadly, dentists like you fly under the radar of the peer review systems because you do continue to provide excellent care. Being unhappy in ones chosen profession ultimately leads to dismal rewards…and not just monetary rewards. Personal satisfaction, emotional health, etc. All the “intangibles” that young people in search of a career wouldn’t necessarily know to include in a list of benefits they want.
Had I chosen to follow my original career path, I would be making substantially more money…but I would be MISERABLE! And in my opinion (humble as it may be), it just isn’t worth it.
To make a long story short, I just hope people looking at dentistry as a career option see it as more than a paycheck. If you love the work, the people and the risk/responsibilities, it is incredibly rewarding.
Dr bever is rigth if you follow your passion money will come, but for students all I can say its that they need to know first hand, job conditions and actual clinic enviroment to decide if dentistry is what they really want? And they need to know first hand, all of what a dentist do, because its not all glamour and smiles, And you also need to picture yourself doing all that for a big part of your life becouse in dentistry its all about doing, and that gets tedious. From what I know now about it. I would choose something else. So make sure you weigth all the things.
That’s a good point. It would be nice if there were a way to find out what it’s really like in practice because it is very different from school. Observing a dentist at work doesn’t really give an idea of what it is like to actually walk in their shoes and do the job. Hmm… that would have saved me a lot of time.
In deciding whether to apply to dental school, I sought out a local dental lab and paid the lab to put me through a mini-apprenticeship/internship. The lab taught me waxing and crown & bridge fabrication. Wow, was that challenging work and not nearly as fun as I though it would be!!!
Now, I know plenty of dentists who say that your hand skills will improve with time and that anyone can do this job. That may be true for some, but I’m convinced that you really do need (at least) above average 3-D visualization skills and some artistic ability to *thrive* at this job. Teeth are highly irregular in shape and contour. You need to be able to hold the image of what the tooth should look like in your mind, and then you need to be able to meticulously carve and shape to those specifications. (And you won’t know what is meant by “meticulous” until you’ve actually picked up the tools, carved/shaped the tooth to the best of your ability, and then had your work critiqued by someone who really understands what the final result should look like.)
Dentistry is NOT simply drilling a hole, filling it to the rim with putty, flashing the putty with a blue light, and then charging the patient $200 for 15 minutes of your time. It is MUCH harder than that. It is nothing like carpentry where you push the plywood board flush against the guide and then run it through the saw to produce a beautiful clean cut. At least in the dental lab, there are literally no easy steps like that.
So, if you’re thinking about applying to dental school, I would highly recommend working in a dental lab in some capacity. If you’re already carving wooden ducks or sculpting wax figurines as a hobby, then maybe it’s OK to skip this step. But for most people, shadowing a dentist is in no way a substitute for actually doing dental lab work in a dental lab. Make sure that you have the genuine interest and ability to do this type of work BEFORE you apply to dental school.
If dentistry isn’t for you, then you can always use your pre-health courses for a career in medicine, podiatry, pharmacy, etc… Remember, it is very easy to fool both yourself and the admissions committee into thinking that you really want to be a dentist.
Wise words, Dave. I had never thought of that, but I think that’s a really cool idea. At least it allows you to experience some of the technical side of the job. I can remember waxing up crowns in dental school. You’d get it as perfect as you could, and as you were pulling it off the die it would crack in your hands. So frustrating!! Anyway, imagine doing work that has to be that meticulous in a wet environment that you have to keep dry, not to mention managing a person’s comfort and personality. It’s tough work! But you seem to get that.
So did you get anywhere with your decision??
I think a lab is a good idea but I rather shadow a dentist, because that the main mistake most people make. they ask themselves Am I good enougth with my hands? Am I artistic enougth? But I dont think thats a good question, because that just require practice.
A better question is, Do I really want to work on people mouths? Do I really want to work ON people? Do I really want to work ON the organs able to produce more pain to people?
Am I willing to risk my health everyday? If you answer Yes to that type of questions with full knowledge then the hands part is easy and not really a challege in normal conditions.
Reality is you dont have to be michelangelo to practice dentistry, you will need just patience to not smack a canvas that keeps moving ruining your masterpiece or that start crying before you even start painting.
Tavo,
” Reality is you dont have to be michelangelo to practice dentistry, you will need just patience to not smack a canvas that keeps moving ruining your masterpiece or that start crying before you even start painting.”
Your comment made me laugh and is so true. The hand skills can be learned with practice so just because you aren’t carving perfect wax teeth prior to entering dental school does not mean you can’t learn to drill and fill. It is true about the “canvas” though. Some patients are so difficult to work on that you just can’t do a good job on them no matter how hard you try. They move around too much, have a very small mouth, refuse to stay open or are generally not very cooperative. This has been one of my greatest frustrations. My “masterpiece” gets ruined and I need to accept the fact that it’s the best I can do with the situation. Perfect dentistry is not always achieveable in an imperfect world with imperfect patients. Of course in dental school they neglect to tell you that!!
Hi Dave, that is the best advice I have ever heard regarding the profession. I think those two aspects you mentioned are critical-having a genuine interest and ability. I also agree that working in the dental lab is BY FAR one of the best ways you can gauge this. The third aspect in working out your suitability would be an awareness of the stress that can be generated in the clinic, and whether you have the personality type to deal with it. Those combined should make it fairly clear to someone whether they can last the distance in dentistry without burning out. Awesome comment, thanks.
Just read the rest of the comments about personality types. Damn! So much for being original…lol
Sorry for not proof reading before posting: correlation does NOT equal causation. My Sociology professor is rolling in his grave, I’m sure.
Dr. Bever,
I figured you were not trying to imply that but I responded to help clarify for others who may be reading this post who are dental patients and for those possibly contemplating a career in dentistry that not all unhappy dentists are doing substandard work. Dentistry aside, there are many people out there that are unhappy with their jobs but they still perform them properly because they are still ethical people with a good moral compass. That being said, I agree that being happy with one’s career choice certainly can make a difference in the outcome of their career. Doing it because you have to and doing it because you love it are two entirely different things. Glad to hear you love it and that there are people like you out there. I got as far as Sociology 101 (after all I had to take my science and math pre reqs for dental school) so don’t worry about your misquote in that department. Your professor is probably happy you remembered something after all.
I’m really glad you said that because it is important to clarify (I think mostly for patients’ sake) that as dentists we can dislike what we do, but because we operate from wanting to do what’s right and ethical, we still give great care and the best we have. I can absolutely say that was my case while in practice. Like you, I cannot sleep at night if I’m not doing what’s best for my patients. It’s interesting that it has come up because I think I can speak for anyone in our shoes that it may be a sensitive issue– I always worried that my colleagues or my patients would assume that I was mediocre at what I did. Yes, I made mistakes along the way, but I think I was good at what I did. I guess it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, but being human that’s hard to let go.
I’m laughing because as you mentioned in your other comment, I knew some blissfully happy dentists that were so clued out– they left decay, deliberately and regularly seated crowns with open contacts or completely out of occlusion, and cut a lot of corners in their work. They were super successful, but they really didn’t care about consequences for their patients. I sometimes thought that they were so happy in the field because they were so delusional about the quality of their work and just didn’t care about accountability or outcomes. I guess it just goes to show that very case is so different and full of shades of gray.
Lolabees,
I think you and I have something in common that could explain why both of feel the way we do about dentistry. We are perfectionists and we worry about how others perceive us. We also have a conscience that won’t allow us to sleep at night if something does not go right. This type of personality can make practicing dentistry extremely stressful. I have come to realize that is probably the root of why I am unhappy. I don’t seem to have the ability to put things into perspective and I take everything to heart. I get upset when things don’t go perfectly or when I make a mistake I tend to dwell on it. When a patient is unhappy (no matter how irrational the person may be) it just ruins my day. When I do a procdure and the outcome is not what I was hoping I get very upset with myself. I used to take a long time to do procedures at the beginning of my career because I wanted everything perfect. In order to keep a schedule and to make a profit I have to work faster and sometimes I feel as though I could have done a better job. I have had to suffice for “good enough” at times which in reality is totally acceptable but I still don’t feel that way. Over the years I have tried to put a wall up to those feelings and accept that things are never going to be perfect and that you will always have to deal with the occasional mean patient. However, in trying to live in this denial, I tend to get depressed because I feel like I am not being true to myself. Dentistry is a stressful career and I think a person needs to have the right personality type to deal with the stress that it brings. I applaud those that are able to let things roll off their backs, fix their mistakes without dwelling on them and let the mean patients go somewhere else without giving them a second thought. You need a thick skin for this career and even though I have tried to obtain one, I have remained unsuccessful in my attempts to do so. I am not sure I will ever be able to either and this is why I am unhappy. So for all of you contemplating a career in dentistry-make sure you have the stomach to take it because you will be in for a stressful ride (unless of course you can the blissfully happy type that does bad work and doesn’t seem to notice or care??) lol!!
You have described my feelings exactly. I’m actually amazed by that. I wonder how many out there feel those same things. I mean, it’s one thing to not like it, but to feel tortured by it everyday is a different story. I always felt like it was a curse. I worked very hard (with some therapy) to ditch that need to be perfect and learned some techniques that helped me manage that while sitting at the chair. I used to feel tortured by the fact that I cared too much. If only I could have been delusional like some of those hacks out there… haha! Oh, the drama!
Yes dentist who dont care are more happy. I know an almost blind one who does a lot of surgery with extended flaps and bone drilling for easy access. Send stuff to the cheapest laboratory. He is a good person, and seems to love dentistry, he does a lot of charity work, and free work for people he knows too.
Emphaty in dentistry is a bad thing to have because you suffer with the patient.
Orthos are happy too cuz they just put braces, and see happy patients. I sometimes wish I was a orthodontist. But the investment to become one is too big.
I agree with you, but I do think some level of empathy is good to have. Patients can sense it, and they appreciate it. As long as it allows you to care about what you do, but not drag you down with patients, a little bit is good. For me, it was exactly as you say– I suffered with the patient.
I’d love to hear from some orthos. It seems like most love it, but I bet there are some major challenges too. No shots though!!
Great post. Your pros are ok, but as far as creativity is concerned, I’m afraid of highly creative dentists: they can be very painful
Ha! Right, you definitely wouldn’t want a dentist deciding to give you rainbow colored teeth or carving hearts in your teeth..
YEAH ! Finally found some common ground. It was refreshing to find this blog after feeling for so many years that something must be wrong with you for not loving your profession anymore. All of lolabees statements/ lists have been pretty spot on, at least as far as I am concerned. I think we are all entitled to our beliefs and I applaud all of the dentists out there that truly love their job. I think dentistry is still a noble profession, it’s just not for me anymore. For me, it wears and tears on my soul. I have always been a perfectionist, but with dentistry I don’t like feeling like an imperfect perfectionist. I still love caring for people, I just want to do it in some other capacity. I have been practicing for 19 years, still put a smile on my face and do the best I can everyday and I make sure my team members do the same. I have never been motivated by money and will accept less in a different career if need be. Just planning right now and have plans to talk with a career counselor on what options I may have. 3 years ago I was accepted into school again to obtain a degree in counseling, but proved to be too much school work on top of trying to practice full time and running a business, so I quit. Just venting here and enjoying reading everyone’s comments and viewpoints.
Hi LandsEnd, I can relate to everything you say. I’ve realized that while its important that I try to overcome my perfectionism, it just means that my personality is not cut out for something like dentistry– it’s too hard on my psyche. Wow, 19 years! Sounds like the perfect time for a career change. Congrats to you for making the decision and taking the steps to move forward. Thanks for your thoughts. I’d love to hear how you make your changes when the time comes.
Hi,
I’ll let you know how it goes. I printed off your ” Your dentist probably hates you too list ” and gave to my team. All we could do was laugh because we know it’s true. There are days when all of those things happen in one day, believe it or not. Looking forward to reading more of your story. Have a good one.
LandsEnd,
Well said!!
As you have discovered you are not alone in how you feel. I feel the same way you do-I care and will continue to do a good job but dentistry has just worn me down. Glad you are taking steps towards another career. Keep us posted in how you do. I hope to be there someday too when I find what it is that I really want to do. One thing that I have learned by reading and commenting on this blog is that you need the right personality for dentistry or this career will suck you dry and make you miserable. Thanks again Lolabees for this blog. You are helping us vent and it is so nice to know that we are not alone in how we feel.
Thank you and you’re welcome. You’d be surprised to hear how much it helps me too!
Hi blue heron,
You are right about the personality aspect. I questioned my choices when I first started dental school. All professions have stress, I just want some different stress. I am a firm believer in career change. Just because something was good for you in your 20′s, doesn’t mean it is suited for you later in life. I had a patient a few weeks ago, she has been an attorney for about 5 years. I asked her if she still enjoys what she does, she looked at me funny for a second and then point blank said ” I hate it “. She said she was just following the masses and regrets it now. When I told my family that I was going to school to get a counseling degree and eventually quit dentistry you would have thought that I just murdered someone, lol ! They just couldn’t believe I would throw a career, education, etc.. away. So I think they were relieved when I quit. We only have one life to live, I wish I would have done my career change sooner, but it’s never too late. I’m looking forward to hearing more of your story. Take care.
LandsEnd,
I completely agree with your comment “Just because something was good for you in your 20′s, doesn’t mean it is suited for you later in life.” As someone who is now in their (ahem) 40′s I feel totally different about my career than I did in my 20′s as well. I was just thinking about that the other day and questioning why a decision I made so long ago now has to follow me forever. It’s like I committed a crime and now I am doing a life sentence!! (ok maybe that’s a little drastic but you get my point). Yes, my family would fall over too if I told them I was quitting. I have told them I am unhappy but I don’t think they realize how truly unhappy I am. For people considering a career in dentistry they really have to be committed for the long haul if they are going to put themselves into big student loan debt to do it. That is one of the things that has forced me to stay in this career. I had to pay back my loans so I really had no choice. After 15 years I am almost done paying them off so there is now a light at the end of the tunnel and it could be why I am finally admitting to myself that this is no longer for me. It is a shame that student loan debt can keep you trapped in a career that is no longer for you. Not to mention if you own a practice you will have a practice loan as well. The debt you have to put yourself in for this career can be daunting and there is no guarantee of success or happiness either. It only adds to the stress and makes it difficult to make a change. On the flip side though, like you said, it is never too late to make a change and I wish you lots of luck. Maybe the change will be that much sweeter because we have waited so long…
The other day I was reading a Marketing lecture in which they deconstructed every professional in order to sell them stuff, kind of like “know what you are dealing with”, and the dentist caracter was basically formed around how dentist resent their job and type of work. We know what we are going to do on tuesday at 10 o clock In which patient and what teeth. And how dental school almost sucked the life out of us. And how dentist have higth suicide rates. So what to sell to dentist, financial freedom stuff. Enougth financial freedom to quit dentistry. Funny.
Ooh, I’d love to read that if you have a link to it. That’s too funny! I spent my first and only 10 years saving for retirement and paying off loans– no joke!
It’s actually kind of sad, isn’t it?
It was a printed lecture a patient was reading, I got interested and skim through it. The funny part is that its not just a few that are not really happy with the career, and that some scammer guy knows about it and teach it to others, but its basic stuff too, he wrote the similar stuff about other professions and groups of people. How to feed lawyer egos and how phisicians think they are gods. If I get to see the guy again I will ask for the name of the lecture and who wrotte it if you want. But its no really that good.
It’s all a big scam! LOL. Cool, thanks, Tavo.
Hi LolaBees, came here via Dinktography looking for the soup with broccoli! , and having had mega dental work over the past year got sucked into reading about dentists! As I’m in Uk I am not sure our dentists end up so bogged down in debt and misery, but anyway my lovely dentist seems quite happy so will keep my fingers crossed for her! Great blog, fab to find such interesting things to read, now off to find the soup!
Hi Fragglerocking, thanks for coming on over! The soup was actually a roasted squash soup, and it is delicious and healthy! Here is the link: https://idealdiet.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/roasted-kabocha-squash-soup/
Your dentist probably is happy, and I’m glad to hear she is lovely. I’ve heard from some dentists over there, and there are a few that feel the stress. You’re definitely getting a glimpse of the ones here in the US that are unhappy in the field. Many of the ones that love it just haven’t gravitated to this blog… understandably so.
I stumbled on your blog last year and recently returned to see what became of the person that left dentistry. The discussion here is very much like the ones I have with friends who are close enough not to feel peer pressure to profess how wonderful it is being a dentist. If I (or any other dentist) were to say they wanted to quit in the company of people who weren’t friends they would look at us like we had grown an extra nose on our forehead. In more comfortable environments, among people that we aren’t trying to impress, most of us say the same things-it’s a good way to make a comfortable living but IT IS A GRIND THAT WEARS ON YOUR SOUL. Anyway, after 25 years practicing, I am selling my practice and jumping off of the proverbial cliff to perhaps some new career. Reading your story (and the others here) confirms to me that it’s the correct decision, which I guess I’ve known for quite some time now. As someone mentioned above, the decision of a twenty-year-old should not dictate the rest of your life. Dentistry has provided a life that I could only dream of as a kid but I’ve been very unhappy working ten inches from people’s (very sensitive, often dirty, smelly and bloody) mouths for the last several years. Congratulations for doing the soul searching and preparation that it took to get out when you did-it took me another 15 years. Kids, a house, practice loans etc. all need to be paid for with real money that requires a tremendous number of teeth to be fixed before the balance sheet goes into the black. When I have discussions with dental students (I work part-time at a dental school) I try to emphasize that point-it’s very easy to see it almost as “play” money. A few extra loans, a lexus, a cerec machine, a McMansion etc. and your in it for life- even if you decide it’s not for you at 40. Anyway, a good discussion for anyone considering dentistry or anyone considering going on to something else. Thank you and good luck.
I’m glad you decided to come back! Wow, 25 years! Kudos to you for surviving that long.
I think it’s great that you are now in a place that you can move on, and it just goes to show that it’s never too late. When I felt so trapped, I always felt so bad for the main breadwinner with kids who was unhappy in their career (much like Blue Heron.) Because if I felt so trapped, I could only imagine how trapped they felt!
It’s slightly sad that people have to keep up these fronts, hiding any true negative feelings about dentistry with their colleagues. (Though I understand why and it’s probably best that way.) It almost makes us all phony with each other. I wrote about that in a recent post– I never felt like I connected with most dentists I met at CE events, but when I went to a CE dinner after I “came out” and was honest about my feelings, a few came out of the woodwork and opened up to me. It was days after I “retired.” We then proceeded to have very real, fun, and interesting conversations about all sorts of things. That was a very memorable moment for me. It’s nice that you have close enough friends that can share this with each other.
Good luck, and keep us posted on what you decide to do, when it happens, and how you like the changes! Just curious… do you have any idea what you will do next?
EmeraldDiscus,
Best of luck. Tell us what you ultimately end up doing because I have a feeling that like you, I won’t be getting out for another 10 years (which will be 25 years in practice for me by then). I always wanted to go into teaching at a dental school but the closest school is a long commute from where I live. I am glad you are educating today’s dental students about what life is like in the real world. They seem to forget to tell us about that in the “ivory tower” of dental school. They just sat us down one day at the end of our senior year and told us how much money per month we could expect to pay for the next 20 or more years on our student loans. That was the only reality check I ever got. I also get sick of going to continuing education courses or meetings with other dentists and have to listen to everyone puff out their chests and talk about how “great” things are. Clearly many dentists can’t or won’t admit that maybe this career isn’t so great after all. I have yet to find any other colleagues I can really talk to about this-that is why I vent on this blog (thanks again Lolabees).
Continuing education sucks, in the cult analogy its like a mass, you get to hear stuff you already know or should know by people who are already quitting and thats their bussiness.
I went to a CE course (Dr. Gordon Christensen) in Denver as a student. I sat towards the back, and almost everyone was on their phones, clinging to consciousness, or had a cloudy haze in their eyes from years of forced CE.
As a student that starts dental student in the fall, posts like these are nerve racking. Do you think you and dentistry were doomed from the start?
I think it’s good to know the realities of what you are in for when you choose dentistry. Then you can have realistic expectations and not be so blindsided when you face some of the challenges we face. That’s not to say that you won’t enjoy the profession. There are many people out there who LOVE being dentists, despite the challenges. I guess you could say we were doomed. It just wasn’t right for me, and some bad experiences made it even worse.
Absolutely love your site. After 15 years as a general dentist I identify 100% with your sentiments. I pride myself on being warm, reassuring, gentle & always charged people fairly for their treatment. The permanent panic of failing to deliver perfect, excellent care to every single person added to the sickening worry that one day the authorities may investigate something or other and that I’d be struck off…perfectionism, too much responsibility, too caring, too ethical…struggled to put brave face on each day but did it as it was vital to be tiptop fresh & superb for every single patient who came in the door. I always kept up to date with new procedures and was extremely competent. A lot of swagger and BS displayed by other dentists who were less kind/less technically expert made me even more upset…anyway. Said goodbye to teeth (thankfully not my own) last year but still hunting for plan B. Wishing you every success in your new life!
I know exactly how you feel Flosstastic. Perfectionist personalities like ours and Lolabees and many of the others on here seem to be the main culprit in our unhappiness with a career in dentistry. Years ago, I had one patient tell me that he felt my job (being a dentist) was hard because I had to be “front and center” everyday. The more I thought about what he said, the more I realized he was absolutely right. Everything you say and do is scrutinized. You have to be on your A game every second of everyday. You are not allowed to have an “off day” in dentistry because that could be a real disaster. I have had patients leave me based on something I said that they took the wrong way or when I have done a procedure and something doesn’t work out perfectly even though I have seen them 100 other times and everything else has gone great. I just had an issue with one of my staff members the other day too (long story) and I usually never have issues with them. Now I have to deal with the stress of smoothing over that situation too. I am tired to being on stage and expected to perform a certain way for everyone all the time. I would love to just sit behind a computer and not be bothered. The constant interruptions also get to me. The hygienist needs and exam, someone has an emergency that has to be seen right away, the oral surgeon has one of your patients in the chair and needs to talk to you right now-all while I am trying to prep a bridge on a patient who is a pain to work on!!! How can I do a good job with all the crap going on around me? Based on the number of years you practiced, you must be around my age. I would love to hear how you got out. Are you currently working at another job until you figure out Plan B? I can’t just quit and walk away or I would. There was a powerball winner today not too far from my home. Too bad it wasn’t me-lol!!
Making you a virtual cup of tea as I type, Blue Heron. The force needed to handle the demands of the daily grind (no pun intended) is huge. Added to that, we are unable to admit to being swamped as it reflects so much on perception of our capacity to do our job. I was so relieved to stumble across this site and realise others share the same
feelings. My escape however is not all rosy. My husband’s new job in a new country gave me the chance to break free from Dentistry. I initially intended to register as a hygenist -OK not a clean break but familiar enough to allow me to apply some skills but less concern over huge, costly advanced restorative headaches. Well. My Plan B went down the toilet as I learned it is not possible to work here as a hygenist (another crazy weirdness to add to the cultureshock). So. Gladly thought about admin work in an office somewhere…just to earn enough to keep the wolf from the door. Again easier said than done. Despite all the experience I have in record-keeping, appointment scheduling, ordering, etc. this has proved impossible so far. Moments have been very dark indeed…not at all rosy.
My advice is to stick to the day job for a while but if possible reduce your hours: take a day or two per week to retrain or gain experience in a different field. Going cold turkey and naively expecting to land a job easily with no inome was stupid. You live and learn. But you only get one shot at the live bit so make it the best you can. There is a lot of life outside Dentistry and if you have given it a very good shot use it to your advantage and see it as your helping hand towards your next phase. I wish I had. Hey ho. Onwards and upwards…
Thank you for the tea and advice Flosstastic. I am pouring some virtual wine for us right now.
I actually have reduced my hours-I am very fortunate to have a great partner that I brought into the practice that I work with so I am able to work less than I did before. Before that, I was by myself and totally swamped (but like you could not admit that to anyone for fear of the perception that I could not do my job). That saved me in more ways than one because I was so depressed that I was at weekly therapy sessions. With my newfound extra time I devote it to being there for my children and attempting to come up with a Plan B. So far, no Plan B has emerged but I certainly don’t miss working as much as I was and will never go back to that schedule again. I am not able to share my feelings with many people that is why I am a follower of this blog. My own partner has no idea how I really feel about dentistry. My partner is truly a happy dentist and in a way I am jealous-I wish I could have felt the same way. In trying to figure out why my partner is a happy dentist and I am not I have concluded that it is due to differing personality types. My partner can totally roll with the punches while I let the punches knock me out. Outwardly I try to look like I can handle it but on the inside, dentistry has worn away my soul.
P.S. Any suggestions in figuring out plan B would be most welcome!
Thanks, Flosstastic! Very well said. Looks like we had a lot of similarities in how we practiced. I know it’s just a small comment, but your writing style is really engaging. Have you ever thought about doing something that involves that? It might not have to be the next career/job, but somehow it may help you discover what that is. You could start out by writing a guest post here about how you got away from all those teeth, how your experience was in practice, how it is now??? (No pressure… only if it interests you.) Congrats to you for making the switch!
As far as a plan B, what has worked for me is trying to have fun along the way in order to relieve the pressure and stress of the unknown. It’s amazing how that attitude makes me more excited about the future vs. more fearful. While I am working on starting and growing my weight loss business, which I enjoy, I am also dabbling in other things. It makes me feel a little more free knowing that there might also be other things out there for my future. So while I have a plan B, I sometimes think I don’t really have a plan at all. Do you want to work with people? Do you want to stay in health care? Have you ever thought of working with a career coach? I did all of my sessions with mine over the phone, and she was amazing! Let me know if you’d like her contact info.
I wish you lots of luck! I’m dying to hear your story…
Lolabees, thank you for your kind vote of confidence… The past year has been difficult. Like navigating out of a labyrinth in the dark. Lots of dead ends. Usually I am creative, resourceful, with a big reserve of oomph to get on with whatever is in my way but I was ill-prepared for the reality of my new life. The red tape in my new country & competition for straightforward roles was a big shock for me. Straight through school, never rejected at interviews, great references, held very good working relationships everywhere, always needed and respected…anyway. I am praying for a job in a school to help fit around the demands of motherhood (which I found difficult as a dentist). Secretly I’d love to organise people’s homes but there is no way to earn a living here doing that. I have two kidneys which as far as I know are in good shape… If I’m totally stuck…
So glad to have happened on your site. It has validated how I felt about my career before. I know times are hard everywhere with a global recession…I know the grass isn’t always greener…but it is great to be free of the dread in the pit of my stomach and to have to go grocery shopping in the wee small hours to dodge potential patients complaining about that abscess they insist I gave them! Thanks again for your honest & open account of our bizarre trade.
There is nothing like being “free of the dread in the pit of my stomach”. I am thankful for that freedom everyday. I cannot describe how the change has made me feel like a new person… or actually like who I really am. The other me (the miserable, unhappy dentist me) isn’t who I was. I see it is the same for you.
It sounds like you are at least moving in the right direction to find your new path, and by your description of yourself, I have a feeling you are not far off.
I wish you lots of luck, and remember, the offer to write a guest post for me about your experience of leaving the career still stands!
I spent awhile in Barbados. I was asked by a dentist there to come into the office and help his staff – we had a mutual friend in Canada he went to school with. There was a real lack of organization, morale and a potential for receivership. I spent a month working there, trying to restructure and retrain staff. Turns out it was the dentist himself who was burned out. He had a ‘drill-em & bill-em’ mentality because he needed the cash-flow and worried he had no other skills.
He would sneak away all the time and I would be in charge of explaining to patients whose anesthetic wore off and had to get ‘re-stuck’ as they said it. There came a point when he advised I re-administer myself which I was not licensed to do, so didn’t of course. He had a back door in his office and would disappear for hours with a patient in a chair. When I finally brought this to his attention, that his staff was fine and he needed a career change, he was not a happy camper.
I guess the moral is his frustration affected his patients and his staff. It was a very sad catch 22.
Wow! This is one of the worst stories I have heard. How horrible to leave patients in the chair for hours and then to put you in the awful position of having to clean up his mess. It’s very sad for all parties involved here. As with any business or organization, the attitude/spirit/morale/culture/etc… all comes from the top. If not only the message but also the actions coming from the top are negative, the business is doomed. It makes me wonder if there was something else going on with this guy in addition to burnout. I know a lot of people here who want out and I, myself, could never treat patients that way… no matter how much we hated working.
I’m impressed that you had the courage to speak up to him, and I certainly hope he has found his bliss!
I certainly hope so too….
Ahahah! Great!
I just read an interesting article today about bad financial decisions that people have made in their lives. I got to thinking that going into debt to be a dentist is a huge financial decision that is usually made by a young, naive, early twenty-something person (which was me) that can have lasting effects on the rest of that person’s life. This can be a good decision if you are happy with your career choice and end up being successful but this can turn out to be a bad financial decision if you end up realizing you don’t like your career but you are stuck because you invested way too much to get out. In the article I read one person invested a lot of money so he could sell real estate and it turned out that he actually hated real estate and realized that he wasn’t “wired” to be in that kind of business. This hit home with me when I realized that I don’t think I was “wired” to be a dentist and deal with the stress that this career brings. I guess the big question is how can someone know that before making the plunge? I thought I would be happy as a dentist but 15 years later, I am not. Maybe this is normal? Are there a lot of other people unhappy with their careers after a certain period of time? The issue is that it is not easy to get out. How would I have known this 20 years ago? I have more questions than answers but I am starting to think that maybe having more than one career is the track that more and more people will be taking. That being said, we need to be careful we don’t invest so much in one career that we can’t get out. Just some thoughts for the day.
It’s definitely a risk, isn’t it? That was a huge marker for me as to whether I could get out or not. I paid off my student loans very aggressively, and once I was done, I really knew I could make the switch. Those are good questions about other careers. I bet it’s a similar level of dissatisfaction after many years, but many careers don’t put you into nearly as much debt. I would bet it’s still hard for those people to walk away– there are a million other excuses we can rely on. I know I did.
Funny you mention the idea of being invested in 1 career. I find that this is how I view it now. I sort of have my hand in a few pots… just in case. It’s like I am a career commitment-phobe now.
Thank you so much for this post. I was a pre-dental student. Well, technically, I still am until the semester is over. I have always had this dream of becoming dentist since I was in high school. Reality check this semester: after extensive research and walking into my dentists dental office on a bad day (seeing the unhappy side to dentistry), I’ve decided that I could not see myself going down that path. Although it also made me realize that I wasn’t doing it for myself anymore but only to make my family happy. Thanks again, I will continue reading your posts.
Glad you found this helpful, Mayra. I can only imagine what you witnessed that day in the office!
It’s great that you’ve had the chance to make a well-informed decision about such a huge commitment. And it’s great to recognize who you were pursuing the career for. I hope you do stick around the blog and when you decide what to do, share your decision with us.
Thanks!Really helped on my assignment.
Hey,
. Majority of my friends and family says that its better for my health and personality to leave it, My counselor says the same but i keep on thinking about it, about the respect, the title and all the pros you mentioned.
i stumbled upon your blog and thought you might be able to help me out. I am going through a very weird phase. i planned to do dentistry a long way back because i liked biology and thought of medicine as really hard and long so i chose dentistry thinking that the studies will be less stressful and hectic. I was a good student in school but never the kind who sits alone in one room and studies everyday. I got admission in a dental college,( here in my country we do not require a bachelors degree beforehand) at first seeing the piles and piles of books i got reallly scared and cried everyday. For 2 3 weeks in the middle i tried to adjust but then again i started to get so stressed out, faced severe panic attacks, lost my sleep and appetite. My health was getting affected really badly. I wanted to push myself but i just wasn’t settling in. i worried my parents, my friends and family. After looking at myself and giving it a lot of thinking i decided to quit it and opt for nutrition instead because i think its lighter, health related and it interests me. Now i have stopped going to my dental school since almost a month. But at times i feel that my friends are doing it and later in life i don’t want to regret it. The clinical side of dentistry seems attractive but i can’t see a lot of flesh and gore
Any suggestions would be great
Thanks
Hi Hibba,
Keep in mind that my response to you might be a bit biased. However, I have the feeling that even the dentists that LOVE their careers in dentistry might agree with me on this one. It seems so clear to me that dentistry is not for you. If being in school gives you the feelings you describe (which seem unbearable,) than being out in practice will not be any easier. I think practice is harder and more stressful than school. It will not be easy or stress-free, and your personality sounds like a low-stress job is important to you. If you read the comments here, you will see that many just feel that they are not cut out for dentistry. Decide what it is that appeals to you about dentistry. Is it working with people in health care? You can certainly get that in the nutrition field. Is it the mechanics of fixing teeth and smiles? It sounds like you don’t like blood. Is it the respect and the supposed “freedom”? If it’s that, I personally don’t think that is enough to create a happy life. Also, I should add that there really is no freedom, and the respect isn’t always there. However, if you love many things about dentistry, then maybe it is worth working through the tough times. Don’t forget to read the cons on the list if you are as unsure as you are.
It sounds like you have overcome the HARDEST part of making your decision. You have the support of your family, friends, and therapist in this decision you’ve made. They aren’t questioning your decision and pressuring to stay in because it is prestigious or important and will make them feel good. They have seen how you respond to it, and they believe this is best for you. You are lucky to have such a great support system.
Hey,
Thanks for the reply. Yes you are right i am really lucky to have such an amazing support system and to be getting a chance to opt for something else not many people do. I just like the clinical aspect of dentistry somewhat. The tools and the clinical setting attracted me. But i guess everything is not meant for everyone. If i look at it realistically the amount of stress i take and the way my health gets affected so badly even if i somehow push myself and try and do it with all these things i don’t think i will turn out as a good dentist and neither will my parents be happy in seeing me becoming one like this.
A dentist of my friend told her that girls who are physically not that strong should not opt for dentistry because even extracting a teeth needs a lot of strength and right now dentistry was making me both physically and mentally drained, so i guess no point.
I just hope i am making the right decision and i enjoy and excel in my new field.