Don't go to Dental School

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Its cool, I already have an associate job at Aspen Dental lined up and I will be make 6ook / yr. I aint worried
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ClosetNerd828 said:
Youre miserable, we get it. You made your point.
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I'm happy dude. I graduated a long time ago before the tuition skyrocketed and my interest is ridiculously low. I have my own practice that I started before the recession. It's a totally different world for you today. In 10 years, with the increase in schools, it will be worse.
 
rxdmx372 said:
This is a legitimate problem but I don't think it is enough to make me not want to go to dental school. If you are right 30 years from now I will personally apologize to you with a mouthful of Red Sox hat.
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If you have a sound financial plan and know how you will find a job then it can work but it's not a slam dunk like it use to be.
 
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nonociceptors said:
Yeah my interviewer at UCLA, who must have been pushing 80, was telling me how him and his colleagues used to think they were going to see the end of dentistry as well.
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Then the 90's came which was the greatest economic expansion in US history. Will that happen again? Maybe.
 
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Firm said:
I'm happy dude. I graduated a long time ago before the tuition skyrocketed and my interest is ridiculously low. I have my own practice that I started before the recession. It's a totally different world for you today. In 10 years, with the increase in schools, it will be worse.
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Possibly. Or, this could be a repeat of the 1970s where 15,000 applicants quickly precipitated to ~5,000 due to market forces. Markets correct themselves. We are getting in at a rough time certainly given the student loan situation, and all of these new school openings. However, if what you're saying is true, then the market will almost certainly correct itself again (as it did in the '70s) and we will find ourselves in a profession with far fewer grads, schools closing, and an aging population to work with years down the road.

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/le...regarding-the-consequences-of-a-decline-.html
 
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Firm said:
No. We were having a discussion about it on the professional board this morning after hearing about more schools opening and dental students just graduating. If you don't believe me just sign up for Dentaltown and read some of the experiences of the new grads.
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I wouldn't deny that some people end up in less than ideal situations, but when you have a forum like dental town, there seem to only be highly successful dentists, and highly unsuccessful ones. There's a reason for that. I'll listen to the experience of recent graduates from my own school, good, bad, and neutral.
 
Incis0r said:
@Firm , in the off-chance that you are GENUINELY trying to warn us about what's going on and are puzzled by the hostility some of the members here (*cough cough @ClosetNerd828 *) are releasing on you, it's because we've had LOTS of dentists come over in the last few weeks and give conflicting accounts on whether dentistry is saturated or not.

I'm sure you mean well, but considering that many people here worked their butts off throughout college and received an acceptance that they'd been working hard for less than 72 hours ago, most people may not be in a receptive mood to your information. The main problem here is the timing of this post, not the content. Still, thank you for taking the time to come on here and put this information up.

FWIW, I agree, that 500K in loans is a VERY big burden, and I personally will not go to dental school if I have that much in loans. I've said it on these forums before, and I'll say it again. My personal max limit on student loans is set at $250K.
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I get the anger. You put in A LOT of work. The last thing you want to hear is that your plan won't work. I don't post this to take the wind out of your sails, it's just a very high risk and the reward isn't what it use to be.
 
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I come from a family of farmers, soldiers, nurses, firefighters, everyone living from pay check to pay check. When some comes along and says "hey youre gonna have to pay off some debt and wont be pocketing 300k/yr and you wont be driving a Mercedes" it makes me puke in my mouth.
 
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Cello said:
Possibly. Or, this could be a repeat of the 1970s where 15,000 applicants quickly precipitated to ~5,000 due to market forces. Markets correct themselves. We are getting in at a rough time certainly given the student loan situation, and all of these new school openings. However, if what you're saying is true, then the market will almost certainly correct itself again (as it did in the '70s) and we will find ourselves in a profession with far fewer grads, schools closing, and an aging population to work with years down the road.

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/le...regarding-the-consequences-of-a-decline-.html
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Honestly, I think that is exactly what will happen. Schools will close but not for at least 10-20 years from now and inflation will help you pay those loans back. However the time in between you graduating and that happening will be dark, like the 1970's.
 
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Firm said:
I get the anger. You put in A LOT of work. The last thing you want to hear is that your plan won't work. I don't post this to take the wind out of your sails, it's just a very high risk and the reward isn't what it use to be.
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I completely understand. I maintain an account on DentalTown and have read the threads that you are referring to. Your advice is taken!

P.S.- I just want to say- it's pretty amazing how calm/collected your tone has been throughout this thread, even when other people have hurled insults at you. Very respectable!
 
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nonociceptors said:
I wouldn't deny that some people end up in less than ideal situations, but when you have a forum like dental town, there seem to only be highly successful dentists, and highly unsuccessful ones. There's a reason for that. I'll listen to the experience of recent graduates from my own school, good, bad, and neutral.
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Good place to start. Not sure if all of them will be as honest as anonymous posters. Listen to all points of view but there will always be some dude that says that he's "killing it!"
 
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Firm said:
Good place to start. Not sure if all of them will be as honest as anonymous posters. Listen to all points of view but there will always be some dude that says that he's "killing it!"
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This is certainly true. But consider also that there will always be people who complain no matter what the profession.
 
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Incis0r said:
I completely understand. I maintain an account on DentalTown and have read the threads that you are referring to. Your advice is taken!

P.S.- I just want to say- it's pretty amazing how calm/collected your tone has been throughout this thread, even when other people have hurled insults at you. Very respectable!
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I got a little angry but responding to insults with insults wouldn't have helped you all and that was my intention.
 
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But who's fixing my dads teeth 10 years from now?
 
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Cello said:
This is certainly true. But consider also that there will always be people who complain no matter what the profession.
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Don't get me wrong. I LOVE my job. I just don't know how I would have gotten to the position that I am in during this economic climate. I caught a good wave.
 
The problem is not demand, it is new dentists who don't want to move from their saturated markets.

If you're willing to step outside your comfort zone, there is lots of opportunity.
 
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lemoncurry said:
The problem is not demand, it is new dentists who don't want to move from their saturated markets.

If you're willing to step outside your comfort zone, there is lots of opportunity.
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This. Plenty of places in middle America to go. Corporation usually don't go there.
 
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Thank you for the warning we are all very appreciative, you have saved us all. We are rejecting our acceptance letters as we speak. We will all go into Petroleum Engineering now so we can stack fat stacks of cheese.
 
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Firm said:
Don't get me wrong. I LOVE my job. I just don't know how I would have gotten to the position that I am in during this economic climate. I caught a good wave.
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I wasn't referring to you specifically. You suggested that people who post that being a dentist is great may not be entirely honest. I am just pointing out that the same can be said for people who post that being a dentist is terrible. So, on Dental Town, people are often skeptical of the success stories but quick to believe the horror stories.
 
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nonociceptors said:
If that happens now with how expensive most schools already are, I'll agree with you. For now, nah. Did you wake up this morning and catch a glimpse of your neighbor's lawn or something? Must have been nice and green!
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Meh, this late in the year they probably threw out rye grass. Not worth the mowing and up keep throughout winter, stuff grows like a weed.
 
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Thread posted one hour ago and 75+ comments? Amazing.
 
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The biggest fallacy that one can believe right now is once they made it to dental school...they've( so to speak) "made it". Not true nowadays, Dentistry is becoming what I feel it should...those that work hard, have proper business sense, and go the extra mile can do well. Those that graduate and believe they can work 4 days a week bring in 250k upon graduation are going to be in for a huge shocker. Your right Firm, dentisty isnt what it used to be...but i'm sure ill be in a better situation than my 2 friends still doing landscaping since high school.
 
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Seriously? Another one of these threads? It took forever for the other one to die....
 
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@Firm I've always wondered what the story behind your avatar was. That looks like UF, Colorado, and UNLV, but it's hard to tell. Care to elaborate?
 
CraigHack said:
@Firm I've always wondered what the story behind your avatar was. That looks like UF, Colorado, and UNLV, but it's hard to tell. Care to elaborate?
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I made it over a decade ago when they were opening ortho programs for profit. Just never changed it because I'm not on here as much as I used to be when I was in school.
 
Firm said:
This. Plenty of places in middle America to go. Corporation usually don't go there.
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So I've kind of been weary of the future our profession is going in for some time. I figured middle America would be a good place when I graduate, but guess what??? The chains are popping up even in places like Oklahoma. The chains are all over the MidWest now!!

You think it is possible to make a decent salary at these corporations in the Midwest?

Thanks for your input.
 
namasteinbed said:
Who is going to take over for you once you decide you want to retire? If no one were to go into dentistry ever again (which is what you suggested in your first post), then who will take over for you and all the other old dentists who actually want to retire at a reasonable age? Who will then take care of your patients (unless you don't care, then this is a weird profession for you)?

Look, obviously we are not going to listen just because you decided to make a post on a forum for pre-dental students. So by starting this thread, you've accomplished nothing. Instead, you could give us advice on how to be a successful dentist in these rough upcoming times. That'd be helpful. You're supposed to be a leader, so be one.
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That's what I'm telling you. I took a path to get where I am today and I don't know how I would make a path if I got out of school today or even worse 5 years from now. When I was in school if 100 people made a tuition investment of ~$100,000 (less than 2% interest), 98% of them were going to be successful 10 years after graduating. Today, the success rate is much lower and the investment is much higher. Risk/Reward.
I realize that you all are probably still going to go to dental school but if you are taking out more than $300,000 with these interest rates and you aren't walking into a successful practice it's going to be really hard to be successful. Not a risk that I would want to take if I'm starting over. Yes. There will be a need for replacement dentists but 11 dental schools have opened since I got out of school. That is going to change supply and demand tremendously. There is a reason that people with money aren't sending their kids to dental school anymore.
 
Miley Cyrus. said:
So I've kind of been weary of the future our profession is going in for some time. I figured middle America would be a good place when I graduate, but guess what??? The chains are popping up even in places like Oklahoma. The chains are all over the MidWest now!!

You think it is possible to make a decent salary at these corporations in the Midwest?

Thanks for your input.
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Treat the corporations like extended dental school. Stay 2-4 years (I stayed 4) and save all your money, no new cars or houses. Look for a good value private practice and stay there 30 years. People want cheap or they want the best. Try to get to the best side.
 
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Firm said:
This thread is your help. What specifically would you like?
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Oh...the specific help I would like are these: how to get into a dental school? How to manage financial problems in dental school? And how to become a competitive dentist? Discouragement certainly doesn't help at all. I can tell you that even a serve job at Applebee is saturated. Why don't we all just quit what we are doing now then stay at home and wait to die. :wtf:
 
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Firm said:
Treat the corporations like extended dental school. Stay 2-4 years (I stayed 4) and save all your money, no new cars or houses. Look for a good value private practice and stay there 30 years. People want cheap or they want the best. Try to get to the best side.
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Thanks. I also see you are an orthodontist. You think it is worth specializing in ortho anymore?
 
Most likely 500k+ debt club member reporting in. I believe that it will still be worth it. Maybe not if you only care about the money, but dentistry is a rewarding profession which you can improve the lives of people every day. It is going to be rough but I don't know a profession that wouldn't be. The plan right now is to work in a rural area at a corporation maybe in order to be able to pay off my loans on schedule within 10 years. Loan repayment programs would be great too but those are tough to get accepted to. Grass is always greener.
 
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stc190 said:
Oh...the specific help I would like are these: how to get into a dental school? How to manage financial problems in dental school? And how to become a competitive dentist? Discouragement certainly doesn't help at all. I can tell you that even a serve job at Applebee is saturated. Why don't we all just quit what we are doing now then stay at home and wait to die. :wtf:
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I don't know how to get into dental school today. I would suggest going to the cheapest state school you can or waiting until you can get in the cheapest state school you can. Live like a pauper. Buy some economics books. Work in a chain. You also need to figure out how you are going to be different. Why should I see you?
 
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