There is ONE question I wish I had asked myself before becoming a dentist.
But, before diving into the HOW, WHEN, WHERE, and WHAT, which will likely be overwhelming you right now, I gently urge you to take ten deep breaths IN through your nose (pause) and exhale out through your mouth with a sigh of relief.
Do you now feel more relaxed? Know you are in the right place, at the right time.
As a dentist who has been practicing for over six years, has become an owner of a "successful" dental practice and is now returning the help with dental mentoring, I am proud to say I have become a passionate and happy dentist.
Unfortunately, that is not the case for many of my dentist colleagues.
With time, I finally started to experience and realize why it's so important to start with the WHY.
Understanding the WHY of Dentistry
You MUST start with this question as if your life depended on it. (Literally)
Here are my five reasons why:
Time investment: Becoming a dentist takes, on average, 6-8 years. Time is priceless and cannot be earned back.
Money investment: A minimum of $200,000 to $500,000 USD is required in tuition costs alone. Often, it can take an average dentist 5-10 years just to pay back the debt (after taxes).
Physically demanding: Imagine hunched over, looking through a mini microscope loupe for 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. Your body will guarantee to take some damage.
Mentally stressful: Unfortunately, most patients you get to treat will come in with fear due to past traumas and/or dental pain. That negative energy is what you are expected to manage daily.
Burnout is real in the world of dentistry.
These are the five undeniable truths I wish I knew when I was in your shoes. Just imagine experiencing any one of these reasons. How does it make you feel? If your curiosity is heightened, keep on reading.
Why Become a Dentist? Dental Mentoring Can Provide the Answer...
You might ask if these are such obvious challenges of being a dentist, wouldn't most dentists realize that before taking on the challenge and embarking on this journey?
I will identify the elephant in the room and reveal to you the three most common reasons students (including myself) become blinded.
Parental influence: My parents said so.
Societal influence: Earning a (Dr.) in front of my name is cool! I bet my friends and strangers will respect me more.
Money influence: Dentists make lots of money, so it must be good.
Now, I was once a student just like you. I understand that obstacles and challenges of being a pre-dental student, such as learning dental anatomy or stressing about dental school applications, are likely taking away your time, energy and focus on investing in your most important question: why do you want to become a dentist?
If you resonate with what I have shared, then our FutureDMD team and doctors are here to give you more light and clarity.
Our FutureDMD passionate dentists have designed one of a kind dental shadowing externship program for a specific purpose. To help you strengthen your WHY of becoming a dentist. We will gift you a complimentary shadowing session to experience the true power of enriching your WHY.
And good news! We've also partnered with some knowledgeable dental students who will guide you through the HOW, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE.
Check out our Programs page for details.
We hope to see each one of you on our mentorship journey together!
Experience what it truly feels like to be a dentist with FutureDMD. We offer aspiring students mentorship programs, challenging them to "Think Like a Dentist" while avoiding the typical and uninspiring dentist shadowing experience. Our Dental Externship series will widen your perspective, encourage discussion and facilitate critical thinking while giving a true understanding of what it is like being and working as a dentist. We also help with dental school applications and offer dental school admissions consulting. Experience dental monitoring as it should be by contacting FutureDMD today.