Change from BSN to DDS

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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hey,

i'm a 20 years old nursing student and i'm currently still doing my nursing diploma. after i've done my diploma, i'm planning on taking a degree in nursing(BSN). is there a way for me to move on to dentistry(DDS) from BSN?

i like nursing but i really wanna become a dentist. the reason why i'm studying nursing is because my grades weren't good enough. i thought since nurses and dentists are all health care people it would be easy to switch from one career to the other. i should have done my research then. :eek:

anyways, is there a faster way to becoming a dentist once i'm a RN? i know i don't meet the prerequisites of DDS so is there any other way for me to become a dentist without re-taking my diploma. should i take BSN to move on to DDS? what should i do? can anyone please give me info on how i can become a dentist with my nursing degree/diploma? :confused: it would be great if you could tell me which school i should go to and what steps i should take without spending too much time on becoming a dentist.

thank you so much! your help would be much appreciated.:up:

Why not go the route of dental hygienist rather then nursing if your interest is in dentistry? You can get your associate's in that and then move on to bigger things then. My community college offers both.

Agreed.

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two completely entire different career paths......meaning you have no clue as to what you want other than that you like science and the human body. As a critical care nurse i love my job and everything that comes along with it. If you are interested in mouths and teeth and dentistry than go the dental route, but please don't use nursing as an alternative route to DDS school because you couldn't make the cut. Nursing and Dentistry are completely different and unrelated, and is rather insulting to nursing that you chose nursing over dentistry due to grades. Nursing takes a special kind of person, as a nurse you not only have to be aware of anatomy and physiology but the human psyche. It takes a special person to care for someone for weeks and build a relationship with them, to then hold their hand as they die. It takes a special person to watch and hold someones hand as they die, and then be expected to take care of the next person as if nothing ever happened. I am proud to be a nurse and feel that it is an amazing journey in life that only a certain few are cut out for....

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Specializes in Critical Care.

you need to have a good story as to when your change of heart happened, or they may fear you will bail on dental school as well. volunteer at free dental clinics, shadow dentists (SO easy to do this, compared to MD's!). If your grades are not good, avoid science classes until you know you are ready to do well. (A's only, maybe a B. C's ... kiss it goodbye). Finish your BSN, and go do a post bac if you still want to do it. Then if it doesn't work out, you will still be an RN, not another Biology major who cant get a job or into grad school.

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Specializes in Legal, Ortho, Rehab.
thanks guys! the things is, i'm already doing my diploma in nursing and i'm not sure what i should do next to pursue dentist. what degree should i take exactly and how long will it take?

If you really want dental school there is no way around it....you will need a four year degree in biology/chemistry/pre-dental/some other "hard" science.

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I would love to know what decision she have made. I stumbled across this thread because im in similar situation. My passion has always been denistry then is it went to dental hygienist to dental assisting now I have my Associates Degree in Medical Assisting. The pay is not what i thought but there wasnt any thinking obvious i wasnt prepared to go for a medical assisting but i did do research on dental hygienist I believe i would of liked it just conflict with the distance and transportation. I came to my decision if i dont like where im at within a year then biology major here i come. Also there are credentials of a DMD and DDS I prefer DDS Doctor of Dental Surgery at Chapel Hill NC versus DMD at ECU they could be the same thing as long as after a decade I have my own dental practice set up and cleaning teeth and giving people wonderful bright smiles across the globe im fine with which ever.

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Specializes in ICU, Postpartum, Onc, PACU.

Haha! I started music/pre-med (and continued the music through the nursing program) and then Physics happened. I couldn't do it no matter what I did so that's why I personally switched to nursing. I've heard of people doing nursing for pre-med, but I've never heard of someone doing nursing/pre-dent, but good for you! xo

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Specializes in ER.

We have a nurse who is in dental school right now. You would just have to make sure that you have the pre-reqs for dental school completed along with a high enough GPA.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

You would have taken a step backwards by going from being a dental hygienist to a dental assistant. Also, and associate degree in medical assisting is not the norm. Some of your facts sound "off"

I would love to know what decision she have made. I stumbled across this thread because im in similar situation. My passion has always been denistry then is it went to dental hygienist to dental assisting now I have my Associates Degree in Medical Assisting. The pay is not what i thought but there wasnt any thinking obvious i wasnt prepared to go for a medical assisting but i did do research on dental hygienist I believe i would of liked it just conflict with the distance and transportation. I came to my decision if i dont like where im at within a year then biology major here i come. Also there are credentials of a DMD and DDS I prefer DDS Doctor of Dental Surgery at Chapel Hill NC versus DMD at ECU they could be the same thing as long as after a decade I have my own dental practice set up and cleaning teeth and giving people wonderful bright smiles across the globe im fine with which ever.
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