Is Dental School a better option? Forum

[Helioze]

Seriously guys, there's self driving cars right now.

Google has shown you don't even need to build a new vehicle, you can just automate an existing one.

Truck drivers are out and soon.
Its an easy money bet.

[ReasonableNprudent]

Seriously guys, there's self driving cars right now.

Google has shown you don't even need to build a new vehicle, you can just automate an existing one.

Truck drivers are out and soon.
Its an easy money bet.

There are enough people that can afford self-driving cars that they should be more popular now.
There has been the capability for picture-phones for decades. Most people I know still don't use facetime.

Just because there could be self-driving trucks doesn't mean there will be self driving trucks.

Bet on.

[heythatslife]

Why become a truck driver for a living when you can just play Euro Truck Simulator 2?

[ReasonableNprudent]

Btw, OP, can we get this thread renamed to something "truck" themed, since the dentis v. lawyer question is solved?

[RZ5646]

Btw, OP, can we get this thread renamed to something "truck" themed, since the dentis v. lawyer question is solved?

[victory]

Lol come find me in 2025 and we will see

self driving cars are already on the road in California

Meh, they still require an operator last I heard. A truck is slightly more complicated and requires someone to manage the load.

OP, in the event truck drivers go away you can be a ride-along load manager. Try telling that to your Tiger Mom!

I'd guess they would start sending self-driving trucks off in fleets with a single ride-along manager at point. We're not too far off from that.

[ReasonableNprudent]

PollyWolly hasn't posted since yesterday AM. I'm beginning to think she's not concerned with her future.

[JamesCK]

It's tough to get into the dental school. You can better pursue a career in law. But if dental part is your passion you should go for it. Don't be confused. As far as i can sense that you have a keen interest in dental field. Go for a dental career.

[pollywolly88]

It's tough to get into the dental school. You can better pursue a career in law. But if dental part is your passion you should go for it. Don't be confused. As far as i can sense that you have a keen interest in dental field. Go for a dental career.

Well you shouldn't just go to ANY law school. It's actually quite tough to get into the law schools that are actually worth going to as well (like the top 15 law schools). You can go to ANY dental school in the US and have about the same job prospects but for law, you really need to go to one of the best schools (if you don't have tons of connections or family members in the legal field). I have a friend who attended a decent (not top school but not horrible tier 4 either) who has 200K in debt and couldn't find a legal job. So you really can't go to any law school

[starry eyed]

Look if you want a steady career working easy hours and make good money, be a dentist. Yea it would be boring to the point where you want to end it all but if financial security is only what you're after, go for it. There are way more uncertainties and possible career paths in law, and i think that is freaking you out a little bit.

You have to give yourself an honest self-assessment, Are you a good writer? Are you more interested in science? Are you an effective communicator?

Looking at grads schools purely in terms of return-on-investment is a flawed way of thinking.

[pollywolly88]

Look if you want a steady career working easy hours and make good money, be a dentist. Yea it would be boring to the point where you want to end it all but if financial security is only what you're after, go for it. There are way more uncertainties and possible career paths in law, and i think that is freaking you out a little bit.

You have to give yourself an honest self-assessment, Are you a good writer? Are you more interested in science? Are you an effective communicator?

Looking at grads schools purely in terms of return-on-investment is a flawed way of thinking.

Well I generally ENJOY writing more. My liberal arts courses were easier for me. I am a very a strong writer. I had to work a lot harder in my premed courses to get high grades---but I guess in general, premed science courses are tougher than most liberal arts courses since they are designed to weed people out...I hated Organic Chemistry and had difficulty with it but managed to get a good grade at the end of it.

[pollywolly88]

I guess my mom has brainwashed me...She wanted me to be a medical doctor because they make the most money and then told me I should apply to dental school because they make "almost" as much as a doctor and have an "easy" life

[Hutz_and_Goodman]

I know a lot of doctors who have said if they could do it all over again they would go to dental school bc less debt, high salary, low stress
however dentistry has a high suicide rate so i'm not so sure about the satisfaction level

bottom line: Big law > Big tooth

[pollywolly88]

I know a lot of doctors who have said if they could do it all over again they would go to dental school bc less debt, high salary, low stress
however dentistry has a high suicide rate so i'm not so sure about the satisfaction level

bottom line: Big law > Big tooth

I want to get married and have babies though. BIGLAW is too intense (not only in terms of hours worked but it's VERY stressful from what I hear--people working all night and having to deal with law firm partners etc). Dentistry enables one to work 9 to 5 Monday to Thurs and have Fridays off, LOL

And actually PHYSICIANS have the HIGHEST suicide rate. Dentists are second

[preamble]

Are people completely certain that dental suicide rates are in any way related to job satisfaction? I read somewhere that the exposure to certain chemicals every day cause some science-thing to happen in the brain which makes suicidal ideation more likely.

[Hikikomorist]

.

[preamble]

Are people completely certain that dental suicide rates are in any way related to job satisfaction? I read somewhere that the exposure to certain chemicals every day cause some science-thing to happen in the brain which makes suicidal ideation more likely.

Honestly, that's a far more terrifying explanation. I can handle something as minor as a lack of job satisfaction.

When I heard about dentists and suicide, my first thought was it being something subconscious; dentistry doesn't strike me as the type of thing that would leave someone feeling "unfulfilled" or satisfied because dentistry has the whole "helping people" component while also allowing for a very comfortable salary for most.

I think the chemical the article mentioned was mercury.

[RZ5646]

Are people completely certain that dental suicide rates are in any way related to job satisfaction? I read somewhere that the exposure to certain chemicals every day cause some science-thing to happen in the brain which makes suicidal ideation more likely.

Honestly, that's a far more terrifying explanation. I can handle something as minor as a lack of job satisfaction.

When I heard about dentists and suicide, my first thought was it being something subconscious; dentistry doesn't strike me as the type of thing that would leave someone feeling "unfulfilled" or satisfied because dentistry has the whole "helping people" component while also allowing for a very comfortable salary for most.

I think the chemical the article mentioned was mercury.

But dentists are also universally despised and widely considered to be failed wannabe doctors. And they have to stick their hands in diseased people's mouths. Dentists are paid well, but I still don't think dentistry would be an enjoyable job.

To get this thread back on track, ibanker > truck driver > dentist.

[Hikikomorist]

Are people completely certain that dental suicide rates are in any way related to job satisfaction? I read somewhere that the exposure to certain chemicals every day cause some science-thing to happen in the brain which makes suicidal ideation more likely.

Honestly, that's a far more terrifying explanation. I can handle something as minor as a lack of job satisfaction.

When I heard about dentists and suicide, my first thought was it being something subconscious; dentistry doesn't strike me as the type of thing that would leave someone feeling "unfulfilled" or satisfied because dentistry has the whole "helping people" component while also allowing for a very comfortable salary for most.

I think the chemical the article mentioned was mercury.

But dentists are also universally despised and widely considered to be failed wannabe doctors. And they have to stick their hands in diseased people's mouths. Dentists are paid well, but I still don't think dentistry would be an enjoyable job.

To get this thread back on track, ibanker > truck driver > dentist.

Come again?

[RZ5646]

If you're going to the dentist, it's a bad day. No one is ever happy to see the dentist. Dentists also seem to be much less appreciated than doctors even though they serve basically the same problem-solving function.

[pollywolly88]

RZ5646, you said IBanker > Dentist....By what standards?

1. Investment banking associate works 90-100+ hours and has to deal with assholes all day for 150K+. Also lives in high-cost of living city like NYC where 150-200K is not that much

2. Dentist can live ANYWHERE in the country, works only 32 hours a week, can be his/her own boss, invest/buy other dental practices and make even more $$$$. Lots of Dentists drive Porsches. My Dentist bought out and runs like 3 Dental Practices


DENTIST >>>>>>>>>>>> IBANKER >>>>>>>>>>>> LAWYER

HTH

[preamble]

I have never heard anyone say they despise dentists as being failed doctors... People hate going to the dentist because of the fear dentists will embarrass them for their poor flossing and some people are certainly scared of dentists but I definitely don't hear people ridiculing dentists as being failures in some capacity.

And dentists stick their hands in diseased mouths much the same way most medical professionals stick their hands in a wide range of other diseased orifices. The idea is that your hands, because of your experience and training, will make it less diseased. And to many, that's quite profound.

[Hikikomorist]

If you're going to the dentist, it's a bad day. No one is ever happy to see the dentist. Dentists also seem to be much less appreciated than doctors even though they serve basically the same problem-solving function.

Yeah, but I don't think that makes them universally despised. And plenty of people have regular checkups for which they probably don't mind seeing the dentist.

[pollywolly88]

I have never heard anyone say they despise dentists as being failed doctors... People hate going to the dentist because of the fear dentists will embarrass them for their poor flossing and some people are certainly scared of dentists but I definitely don't hear people ridiculing dentists as being failures in some capacity.

And dentists stick their hands in diseased mouths much the same way most medical professionals stick their hands in a wide range of other diseased orifices. The idea is that your hands, because of your experience and training, will make it less diseased. And to many, that's quite profound.

EXACTLY. Doctors have to perform rectal exams (which is worse than sticking fingers in someone's mouth), examine prostate/penis, vagina, gasteroenterologists look at people's poop....All the medical/health professions (doctor/dentist/nurse/PA) involve this

[RZ5646]

I was going to note that too: people like dentists less than doctors because dental problems are often considered some kind of moral failing—you didn't brush / floss well enough. So if you have a problem with your teeth, you're not only in pain, but might also feel guilty and embarrassed about it. Your frustration can then be displaced onto the dentist.

Perhaps "universally despised" was a bit dramatic, but in any case being a dentist means seeing a parade of people who don't want to see you, and this is at the same time that other medical professionals are glorified in pop culture and constantly praised for benefitting society. I can understand how that would demoralizing.