Thanks so much Dana!! You also have amazingly inspiring career change stories.

Congrats, DJ! It is exhausting. So funny about the disapproval of other dentists. I’ve been surprised that a bunch have told me they’re jealous… although I’ve had my share of disapproval or even confusion. They can’t seem to understand. From others I’ve had the “you’re too young to quit,” but I think my favorite is when people (usually moms) look at me with pity, shake their heads, and say, “after all that schooling.” I just choose to laugh at it, but it can make you feel a bit self-conscious or defensive. I take it with a grain of salt because I know they don’t mean any harm by it, but it can be a slightly rude comment.

I love your advice, and I agree. Life is too short to spend it the wrong way.
What are you doing now that you’ve “retired?”

Hi Alina, For me it was a little different. I actually really enjoyed my natural science education leading up to dental school…biology, chemistry, physics, math. And I really had no problems working on the human body.

But yes, as you said, there was just too much detail, while at the same time, the work is so imprecise. In other words, you can do a perfect job, and sometimes the work still fails. Other times, things seem to go badly, and the work lasts forever.

Another factor was the monotony–SO boring!

Perhaps the worst part, though, was always dealing with fearful patients who were often in pain…their collective anxiety is contagious and it made me a very tense, irritable person.

Then there are the business concerns that sometimes conflict with the patients best interests in today’s “sales-oriented” environment. That was something that I didn’t sign up for 25 years ago, yet today it’s the standard mentality. Dentists have all kinds of excuses to justify it (“If I don’t crown their teeth, someone else will!!) but really I just see way, WAY too much overselling in today’s dental offices. “Perio” programs are the worse of these practices in my opinion. A 22-year old with some mild. localized gingivitis is presented with a $600 “soft tissue management” proposal? Really?

So, I guess all the above. But that’s my personal opinion. Everyone has to do what’s best for their own sanity.

Good luck!

Rick

I’ve re-read the story and my question.
And now I have another one- why didn’t you like dentistry after all? What were the reasons?
For me I think it’s that I wasn’t born to be in the medical field of any kind.I had a fear of working with the human body which I was told it will go away after practicing more, but somewhere in me I still have the same fear even though it’s true it has diminished.Also I never had a passion for studying the human body and nevertheless about dental materials;I think dentistry is very technical to me and I am not the “technical” type.
Any ideas?
I always ask myself what was I meant to be.

Thanks, engineergal! I’m glad you found it too and it’s great to hear from you! Believe me– I completely understand your hesitations. I felt the same way about going back to school for another career. I was 38 at the time and did not want to waste more time in more school only to feel the same way in the end. However, if it were a reality, I love school enough too that I could be a student forever! Good luck with your change and keep me posted on what you decide. Glad you’re finding some personal value in all of our experiences! Just don’t give up– you will find something you love even if it takes a bit of trial and error! Let me know if you have questions…

Chuckyteeth– so glad you found this little community. I bet there are even more of us than what you see here. And as you can see, those of us have found change have all found it in different types of careers. How long have you practiced? Do you know what you want to do?