Should have gone to Dental School?

[procrastinator911]

Hi all,

So as I'm sitting in my dentist chair this morning I suddenly got an epiphany. I should have thought of being a dentist. The money is still good. They work 9-5, mon-fri. , holidays off, they have different specialties to venture into, and they're not responsible for anyone's life, but what i love is that starting the first year of school you are in clinical assisting upperclassmen. Which is awesome because every year u are in clinical perfecting your knowledge and skills.

Whereas with nursing u don't get any clinical experience until ur junior year (for BSN program) and I don't know about other schools but my clincal rotations are maybe 6 wks long, to me that's nothing. I've heard that those who were in an RN program are better prepared clinically compared to BSN programs. And yeah I've heard it before, the BSN programs prepare students to critically think so they can properly assess and implement the best treatment option...

I guess b/c graduation is coming up in May I'm just terrified to have someone's life in my hands. I guess it's just pre-nurse jitters, idk.

Overall, I don't want to be a Dentist. I actually hate teeth and the inside of peoples mouths, i think its gross lol. But I know the great thing about nursing is the opportunity for advancement which allows me the branch away from being a bedside nurse in the near future.

Just me sharing my thoughts.

[sharpeimom]

When I was a senior in college, I signed up for an experiment in the university's dental school. We weren't told quite what it would be until that Saturday morning when we went. The experiment involved drilling teeth with both my right and my left hands (I'm lefthanded) to determine whether or not the "average" person had the dexterity to become a dentist and drill teeth. All I can say now is that it's a darned good thing I left all the drillin' and fillin' to my Grandfather because I certainly had ten thumbs!

[SC APRN, DNP, APRN, NP]

Dentists prescribe and administer systemic medications, most have an extensive emergency medicine rotation (one year), some become surgeons. They certainly are responsible for someone's life. On the battlefield they are the triage officer for a MASCAL they know more about medicine than you think. I work with them in the OR and saw them in action in combat, you really have no grasp of what a dentist does.

[KayyyT]

Nothing in my post indicated that I was implying that you don't like people. There is no need to get defensive, it was a legitimate question.