I'm thinking about being a dentist. Any dentists out there for any tips? Warnings? Anything..?
473836
Schooling for dentistry is very expensive.  Be ready with your checkbook or lots of grants and scholarships.  Being a dentist in practice for yourself is expensive starting up.  You have a lot of overhead cost, add that on to student loans, and well you get the picture.  If you do an associateship with another dentist then you have a contract with that dentist for a certain period of time.  Science classes are a must, biology,anatomy, biochemistry, chemistry, pharmacology, etc.  I would try to get a job in a dental office doing something to see if dentistry is for you.  Ask around, tell the dental offices that you would like to be a dentist and see what dentistry is all about.  Some offices will let you "hang out" and observe sometimes. Do a lot of research and see what the pros and cons are.  You have to have a strong stomach, love dentistry, and people to survive in the dental field.  It is for some people and then not for others.  You put yourself at risk for exposure to infectious diseases, even though we take universal precautions (gloves,safety glasses and masks) you can cut yourself, injure the patient or cut them.  There is a lot of liability involved.  I would def. spend some time getting to know dentistry before you make your decision.  Sounds pretty scary right?  I love dentistry and would never change it, though being a hygienist I have less liability then a dentist, but I still carry liability insurance in case of problems.
1044199
I would recommend the following:\n1) Do a survey of some of the best dentists in the San Diego Area.\n2) Do a survey of some of the students currently enrolled in the program. \n\nBased on my personal experience, I've found both of the above to be pretty effective.  Professionals are well aware of the best programs because they tend to work with a lot of the programs' graduates and have a good take on how well they were taught in school.  And the students, who are 3 to 4 years into the programs (or close to graduation), are very aware of the pros and cons of their programs and what the competition in other schools are like.  Visit the schools, and get permission from the departments to sit in a couple of the advanced classes.  Before or after the class, talk to the students.  You'll be surprised at how candid they are.\n\nCriteria to determine in putting together your surveys are:\n-- Is the equipment that is used to teach in these schools the latest and greatest in technology? or is it something that was used 10 years ago?\n-- What are the credentials of the professors.  Have they been in academia for their entire professional career, or do they have experience as practitioners (the latter is VERY important, because that means what they teach is grounded in reality)\n-- Is the curriculum well-rounded? Meaning does it provide a good foundation of basic courses/knowledge, as well as courses focusing on specialized or advanced topics.\n-- Is there any assistance with helping you get placed in good jobs.\n-- Do you know where you want to work once you graduate or at least the type of working atomosphere you prefer?  If you do, find out which programs/schools these professionals got their training from.\n\nGood luck!
159308
Dentistry is good. I'm not sure how it is in the States, but here you can (and must) practice dentistry with only an undergraduate degree. You will not be accepted into a doctorate degree without at least 8 years' clinical experience, if memory serves me correctly.\n\nBut you do have to ask yourself if you want to spend the rest of your professional life staring into people's mouths, especially when many of them will have bad breath and a lot of them will only have come to you because they have a problem and haven't had a checkup in years.
912840
I hate, loath. detest the dentist so my every empathy and support to you.\nMy dentist was so rude and nasty and that was one of my problems he scared me more so in the end my husband changed my dentist and went with me to the new one. I am still scared but finding a nice, understanding dentist does help honest.My husband come with  me every time I go and nowing someone else is outside waiting for you helps so is there anyone that will go with you? If not think of all of us on here when you are in chair and all the support you have and you are not on your own there are thousands like you and even though I am 46 still like it!
404967
Go to any Universities near your town.  Quite a few of them have students who do the work for not as much as a licensed dentist.  And they should always have a licensed dentist at their side observing the whole procedure to make sure they don't do anything incorrectly.
805874
Trust your instincts.  An insurance company is the last place you should ask for a recommendation for a new dentist.\n\nAsk co-workers or people at your church (or whatever) or even people you meet in stores.  After a while, you will start to hear the same name over and over again and this is a good place to try.\n~
503046
I'm a dentist.\n\nI find it absolutely hilarious that three dental assistants would answer a question about "what makes a good dental assistant".\n\nObviously, personality goes a long way.  Your personality should be similar to that of the doctor with whom you work.  If you're loud and rambunctious and your doctor is quiet and reserved, he/she will not like you.\n\nAppearance is important.  If you look like a punk, you'll be treated like one and your stay in the practice will be short-lived.  We run a doctor's office, and our staff should dress and carry themselves accordingly.\n\nAbility is also paramount.  Some assistants don't know where to put the suction and don't know how to retract the cheek.  Furthermore, some assistants are great at keeping the doctor's mirror clean.  Others are terrible in that respect.  Furthermore, a good dental assistant will never let the doctor "work underwater".  Being skilled at keeping the tooth dry is of paramount importance.\n\nKnowing how to take good x-rays.  Unless the practice uses digital x-rays, an assistant who has to repeat x-rays is more of a detriment to the doctor than a help.  Simply "getting" the tooth on the film isn't enough.  The tooth shouldn't be elongated or shortened much in the film.\n\nKnowing your instruments.  There are few things more frustrating than asking an assistant for a Potts or a Woodson Periostial during a difficult surgery case and receiving a blank stare.  When you start in your new practice, learn the names of all of the instruments ASAP, and know what they are used for.  Do whatever you can to memorize this stuff.  I work with assistants who have been in the practice longer than I have and STILL don't know some of the things I ask for.  It's annoying, and it's shameful.  But I love the ones who know the instruments and their uses.\n\nHaving things set-up properly.  Don't cut corners.  If your doctor is doing endo, have everything set up.  It's exquisitely annoying when I reach for the endo handpiece and, oops, it's not there.  Or when I'm placing a composite filling and, oops, the curing light isn't there.\n\nNever pass blame on to someone else.  That kind of nonsense doesn't fly with us.  We don't care who forgot to replace the burs in the bur block, and we don't care who forgot to re-stock the anesthetic in that operatory.  If you're assisting with the procedure, it's YOUR responsibility to make sure that everything we need is there.\n\nShow initiative, and take responsibility for the upkeep of the operatories.  I cannot tell you how many times I've worked on patients where I had no light coming from the handpiece because the bulbs on the hoses burned out.  If I didn't mention it to the assistants, I could work for 10 years before any of them noticed it.  Look around and see what needs to be fixed, replaced, cleaned, etc.  You are the ones who keep us running smoothly.\n\nNEVER try to diagnose patients.  Some of the more experienced (or gutsy) assistants try.  They seem to think that over the years they've heard us say to patients pretty-much everything there is to know about the science of dentistry, and therefore able to usurp some of the diagnostic responsibility.  When you try to diagnose, you are going to be partially wrong or completely wrong on anything that isn't just plain obvious...even if you're an experienced assistant.  When the doctor comes in and gives the patient the diagnosis, the patient responds, "but your assistant said.....".  We hate that.  We don't want our patients being primed with ideas in their heads that we wouldn't want there.  Let the doctor do the diagnosing.\n\nNever predict treatments.  Never tell a patient "you are probably going to need a root canal on this tooth" unless the doctor told you to inform the patient.  I've had assistants do this and it i
321423
Use a reliable dentist!
614419
I'm a dentist.\n\nNo, we are not con men.  You are just a very untrusting patient and a cheapskate who doesn't want to pay for necessary work.  Gold fillings, caps, and "all sorts of stuff" exist because people need them.\n\nThe problem with many patients we see is that they seem to think that they are perfectly capable of diagnosing their dental needs, and that when we dentists make a diagnosis different than their own we are trying to "upsell".\n\nWe, as dentists, put up with patient ignorance and stupidity more than any other type of doctor.  We spend more time with you than your primary care physician does.  We listen to your useless, meaningless descriptions of "how much my tooth has been hurting" more than any other kind of doctor, and you patients put the kinds of unrealistic expectations on us that you wouldn't dare put on your physician.\n\nYou really don't understand what it is we do.  We take your diseased mouth and fix it so that you can eat normally instead of gumming your food, or worse, dying.  That little cavity we diagnosed and treated would have progressed into an abscess that could kill you.  Trust me, I've seen many patients admitted into hospitals for infections so extensive that they had to be intubated in order to protect the airway.  And when a tooth is sensitive after we place a filling in it, you blame us as if we damaged a pefectly healthy tooth.\n\nThere are thousands of fillings out there, placed by me, that are chomping down on food in thousands of peoples' mouths.  Few if any of these patients give a second thought about the fact that they've got dental work in there.  But if it wasn't there, they'd certainly miss it.  What we do is truly amazing, yet unappreciated.\n\nOur job is exceedingly difficult.  It's why dentists are more prone to suicide.  A recent study showed that 68% of dentists wish they were in another profession.  We stick with it out of a sense of obligation to our patients.  Despite the fact that you drive us nuts and often treat us like sh*t, we are concerned for your health.\n\nMake no mistake about it, though, we record our treatment recommendations as well as the fact you ignored them.
383815
You really can't find out anything bad.  As a dentist I'm amazed how much bad stuff I hear about other dentist from patients, which makes sense, unhappy patients migrate to other offices.  Advertisements such as 1-800 dentist, Top Docs and the like are not really good either.  I know a dentist that had four lawsuits going at the same time as he was in Top Docs .  Really the best way is to ask around.  you will eventually find someone who knows a fabulous dentist and can say enough good things.  These type of people would drive 100 miles or more to see their dentist.
1098979
see if you can find a dental school in your area...probably not free...but very cheap. its worth it...if your vain like me, you'll want to preserve your smile.  just find some toothless chick and see how many people are jockin' her.......trust me hon........none.
592741
Hi Lucy,\nI put off going to a dentist too because I was so scared. But when a tooth cracked I had to go, so I looked for a dentist who specialized in treating nervous patients like you and me. So I went, and guess what? It turned out to be not bad at all!\nI got to wear headphones and listen to really relaxing music. He also put cotton or a foam spongy thing to keep my mouth open and a tube that kept taking the saliva out. Then he put a numbing cream in my mouth. When he was sure it worked, he then very gently gave me some tiny shots of novocaine which didn't bother me at all. My eyes were closed, so I had to ask him if he really DID give me the shots!\nObviously he did, because when he repaired my tooth I didn't feel anything. He also kept explaining what he was doing or what I was going to hear next (drilling and grinding noises) but honestly, there was no pain. I was more worried that I would fall asleep, I was so relaxed! Afterwards, he just had me tap my teeth on a small piece of film a few times to make sure that the bite was ok (and drill a bit until it was perfect.)\nAnd that was it! \nSo please tell your mom but let her know how scared you are. And best of luck!
812031
Talk to your doctor and to your dentist and see what they have to say. I would probably say it's okay (except for the painkillers, possible), but to be on the safe side, TALK TO YOUR DENTIST AND YOUR DOCTOR!
392120
Work for a regular dentist instead of say a periodontist who does surgeries to correct problems. Schooling is only about 9 months so if you don't like it there is always time to change your career again. Plus most interviews are working interviews where you go in for a day or two to work to see if they want to hire you or not. \nThere will be some blood of course because fo the field and gums bleed rather easily in some. The plus is its good money, here in Florida you can make about $16.00 hr working as an assitant for a periodontist. Decent money for little schooling .
837323
It really depends.  Some dentists are willing to do more things for purely cosmetic reasons than others are.  Have you thought about having them capped?
134050
Genrally, I think I think all dental works hurts. If it hurts too bad, ask your dentist about it.
1030783
hey try t dentist....