Becoming a dentist later in life

[Brian712]

Hello,
I'm considering becoming a dentist. However I'm already 31. I'll have to start from ground zero since I don't have any of the prerequisites. Am I out of my mind for even considering it? Also I keep hearing about how dentistry is going to become over saturated with dentists. Do I really need to be concerned about over saturation in the the job market?

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[btou113]

I am 36 just got accepted this cycle. I finished my all prerequisites last summer. I also got a higher DAT score than average, AA24 TS 25. I do not think you are out of mind, just take all prerequisites and apply. If you think saturation in job market, everything will be saturation.

Do well in prerequisites and DAT. Good luck

 

[Ivy.ch]

I don’t think it’s worth it. I’m 29 now, and already feel years behind my peers. You will be ~37, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, making $120k, working like a dog.

 

[Blueshirts]

Depends, where do you plan on working, and if that area is saturated, are you willing to move in order to make a commensurate salary that can pay off the debts?

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Strongly consider the HPSP if you do go. I wouldn’t want to be worried about possibly $700,000+ in student loans at age 40…

Big Hoss

 

[LFA20]

I would never go back to dental school today unless I did the military/NHSC scholarships

 

[askadds]

I wouldn't go into dentistry. PS bank managers at wells fargo are now making 120k plus benefits. take that DDS degree and flush it down the toilet. You're telling me a bank teller can show up and smile and do their paper pushing really well and be promoted into a branch manager and make as much as a new grad w/o any professional schooling? What a joke we have become.

 

[LFA20]

I wouldn't go into dentistry. PS bank managers at wells fargo are now making 120k plus benefits. take that DDS degree and flush it down the toilet. You're telling me a bank teller can show up and smile and do their paper pushing really well and be promoted into a branch manager and make as much as a new grad w/o any professional schooling? What a joke we have become.

My friend got a computer information systems degree in from a no-name state school. He's working as a SEO manager in a major city banking 200k+ with no student loans and got more savings than me.

 

[charlestweed]

My friend got a computer information systems degree in from a no-name state school. He's working as a SEO manager in a major city banking 200k+ with no student loans and got more savings than me.

LFA20, I believe you are currently doing a residency (ortho?) and you have no debt because you are in the military. Am I correct? Your friend has more saving because he is working. Once you start working, I think you will catch up with your friend. There's no guarantee that your friend will continue to have this good paying job in the future. There has been a lot of tech lay offs in recent months. It's not easy to make money nowadays.....only 18% of individual Americans make above $100k/yr.

I agree with most of the posters here. I don't think the OP should pursue dentistry at 31....unless he has saved enough to pay for at least half of the tuitions. Even taking prerequisite classes requires considerable amount of money.

 

[Thehighwind87]

I graduated at 26… took me a decade to get debt free with some money saved up.

It will take me another 10 years of saving to get out so about 45-50. 20 year career.

At 31 you will graduate at 35-36… take about 10-15 years to get debt fee and then another 10-15 to save up…

A lot of it depends on how much loans you have. If you are going into it with 500k loans then lol you will be drilling teeth at 70 years old.

Not worth it

 

[TanMan]

I don’t think it’s worth it. I’m 29 now, and already feel years behind my peers. You will be ~37, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, making $120k, working like a dog.

Who makes 120k only?

 

[2TH MVR]

Well. Looks like you guys scared the OP away.