![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:45 • Filed to: Dentistry | ![]() | ![]() |
My brother starts classes soon. He's planning on studying computer engineering. All of the sudden he's taken an interest in dentistry. Pros? Cons? Two cons I can think of are cost and years spent at school. If he sticks with computer engineering he'll have his masters in 5 years.
Edit: I know Battery tender is a dentist/oral surgeon, anyone else?
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:48 |
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I've heard that Battery Tender Unnecessary is a dentist, but don't take my word for it.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:48 |
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paging BTU..
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:49 |
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I'm 90% sure he is.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:50 |
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computer major = major eye strain and wrist issues down the road - good money but work load can be INSANE
Dentistry - school is a long process, money can be nuts, work load is up to you (assuming you have your own clinic), back and neck issues are common from crouching and lookind down all the time.
depends on what he likes.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:51 |
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There is a dentist on Oppo. He has about 5 nice cars and is getting an I8.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:52 |
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Battery Tender Unnecessary is a dentist, I believe. He allegedly owns a SLS and is awaiting his i8 (it's in transit).
Pro: making enough money to own both a Mercedes SLS and a $100k+ Bimmer. Any questions?
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:53 |
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I'm laughing because we're all talking about him while he's at work. Legendary Oppo Status achieved.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:54 |
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He's an oral surgeon IIRC
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:55 |
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Close enough.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:56 |
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As I commented on your other comment, so it's clear that I'm aware I'm repeating myself, I think he's actually an oral surgeon.
Now, back to the point, just being a dentist/oral surgeon/doctor/surgeon/etc doesn't guarantee the money to own things. Also, money shouldn't be the only reason to chose a profession...
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:56 |
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Haha, I knew he was a dentist, I just haven't been seeing him around too much anymore besides the E30 updates.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:56 |
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I work in computers.
A well kept secret in this industry is that having a Masters doesn't mean a thing.
I used to have a coworker who had a bachelors in system administration. He couldn't diagnose a bad power supply.
If he wants to work with computers directly, get out now. If he wants to be a self righteous prick 80% of the time, by all means continue. I majored in something totally unrelated, and don't want to work in computers forever, but from my 4 years where I work now, that's what I've seen.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:58 |
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If the cons are cost and length of school (and the interest in the profession is already there), then money made during the career is definitely the pro.
Nothing guarantees you money except winning numbers in the lottery, but I can tell you for a fact that even average dentists make damn good money.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 15:59 |
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my roommate from freshman year of college is going to school to be a dentist. I graduated with my bachelors 4 years ago, he's still in school.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 16:03 |
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/shrug he referred to himself as a dentist.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 16:04 |
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and a Fiesta ST, and an E30 M3...not sure what else these days.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 16:12 |
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There are two things that will make you rich as a dentist:
1. Business acumen
2. Discipline to make it through school and discipline to run your own practice
I'm not a dentist and don't proclaim to be an expert on dentistry, but I am pretty well versed in evaluating the businesses of dentists. In my estimation, the dentists who are successful are the dentists who are the best businessmen. The ones who just go in to dentistry to be a dentist and play with teeth do mediocre-ly to fine, but the dentists who have the capacity for the business side of things and treat their practice like a business (you'd be surprised at how often this isn't the case; most of the time, really) are the ones who do very well for themselves.
A lot of people in medicine don't like that answer, but it's just the truth of the matter these days. You don't have to be unscrupulous or shady or gouge people, you just have to be able to run your practice in an efficient method and see advantageous non-dental opportunities (real estate/office space comes to mind) and go for them.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 16:15 |
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My dad's brother and sister are both dentists. My uncle taught dentistry at State university before retiring, I won't hold his Prowler against him too much. My aunt had her own practice but is now some sort of Dean at a dental school. They do well for themselves, nice houses and such but neither is really a car person so I can't comment on that aspect.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 17:08 |
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AE86. I think that's it until the I8 comes.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 18:08 |
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My wife's a dentist. As many others have mentioned, school kind of sucks (along with the student loans afterwards). Pay after school is kind of up to you but my wife has done really well. She just recently transitioned from working for a dental group to owning her own practice, and that has been more of a headache than she anticipated.
The great thing about being a Dentist is you get to choose how much you want to work. She usually only works 4 days a week and was still pulling in double my engineering salary.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 18:14 |
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Range Rover HSE too, I believe.
![]() 08/20/2014 at 19:10 |
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Yeah the school and student loans seem to be the only major cons. Other than that, it seems like a great career, very flexible and rewarding.
What kind of engineer are you?
![]() 08/20/2014 at 22:03 |
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"double my engineering salary"...
Since my father's engineering salary was (at one point) 5x my salary.....holy fuck.
10x my salary is a LOT!
![]() 08/21/2014 at 10:07 |
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Mechanical
![]() 08/21/2014 at 10:09 |
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Yeah. She made really good money. I'm making six figures and she was doubling that before we opened the office. It's dropped off since we just opened her practice, but I expect she will be back in that range before long.
![]() 08/21/2014 at 10:15 |
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Well good to luck to her. I appreciate all entrepreneurial small business owners even if I curse my dentist because I just had to get $3 grand (really, 3 grand?!!!!!!?) work done.
Losing teeth by getting a trailer hitch ball in the mouth when I was 14 keeps coming back to screw my wallet.