After active duty, what kind of jobs?

[bravo]

Here's my dilemma. I'm trying to decide between a private school in a big city and a state school (which I am not a resident of) to which I received a hefty scholarship. I would basically be paying the same as residents for all 4 years.

If I go to the private school, I'm looking to do the 3 year HPSP with the airforce. How valuable will this experience be in terms of me getting a job afterward? Will my rank as an officer make me more desirable for established dentists to partner up with? How much will I make in my first real job? More than someone just coming out of school?

This is extremely important since if I go to the state school, I will not do the HPSP. I assume that I would make around 100k coming out of school then.

P.S. I'm not doing HPSP for the money, I am merely trying to figure it all out financially so I can convince my parents to let me do HPSP.

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[Kabek]

P.S. I'm not doing HPSP for the money, I am merely trying to figure it all out financially so I can convince my parents to let me do HPSP.

Bravo,

Well, I am glad you aren't looking at the HPSP just for the money although it is hard to beat. If you have the chance to serve your country I believe you should engage the opportunity. There is no finer population to work on.

I apparently come from a completely different background where my choices were my own to make since my late teenage years. At this point in your life your career should possibly be based on your own thought process but like I said we come from different backgrounds.

Best of luck.

 

[Tooth]

Go to the state school and take the scholarship. Then specialize and make even more. It seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[makushin]

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[bravo]

You will have a solid skill set out of the AF. Great place to get your feet wet. I have resident tuition, and HPSP is still a good deal, so don't feel like you are "wasting" it on a cheap school. If you're not doing it at the state school, it kind of seems like you are mostly interested in the money aspect. Not really a good enough reason.

It really comes down to if you want the AF life experience or not. It's not up to your parents.

My parents would be paying for everything, so I would come out debt free. There would be no point in getting the scholarship. And since they have done everything for me since I was born, I'm in no position to disregard their opinion.

 

[xhamburgersamx]

How in the world can the state school which you are not a resident from but which you can gain residency after a year and with a scholarship be the same price as a private school in a big city ?

My mentality is that the military will allow you to save enough money while allowing you to "practice" on patients so that you can open a practice within a year or 2 after serving active duty

 

[countach]

My parents would be paying for everything, so I would come out debt free. There would be no point in getting the scholarship. And since they have done everything for me since I was born, I'm in no position to disregard their opinion.

Your parents have done everything for you and are paying for everything, but what are they buying? You're just taking on a different sort of debt by taking their money, their help, their advice. From the sound of it, it's a debt that you may never pay off.

 

[Saddleshoes]

Hi bravo

There is another issue you would not know about......

In dentistry the stuff you learn AFTER dental school is more important to your success as a dentist then the basics you learn in school. (Just trust me on this.)

There is no better place to learn "post dental school dentistry" then in the military.

 

[AFDDS]

Hi bravo

There is another issue you would not know about......

In dentistry the stuff you learn AFTER dental school is more important to your success as a dentist then the basics you learn in school. (Just trust me on this.)

There is no better place to learn "post dental school dentistry" then in the military.

Well said. I went to private practice right out of dental school for 2 years. After being in the AF for over 10 years now and seeing the type of group practice we have and the willingness of more experienced docs to help our new colleagues, I'd say you can't beat the experience either.

 

[desert rat]

Most dentists I know would rather chose a dentist with experience over one without experience when looking for associates. I would not hire someone right out of school. When you graduate school you really don't know much. You may feel you do, but trust me you don't.

The Air Force would be a great place to find out what you do and don't like in dentistry. You will have a chance to try many things and experience the world.

In private practice you are stuck in one place. You end up in a rut and not having dental peers to bounce ideas off and to hang out with.

Remember this, in the military there is "geographic sucess". This sounds funny, but if you get those awfull patients either they move or you do so your not stuck with them. Even your worst TX becomes a success when they have moved away.lol

If your making your school decision on finances you need to also look at the cost of living as well. You can have the HPSP and be paid a stipend a a school and the cost of living so high that it makes no scense to take it.

 

[makushin]

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[kavin]

How in the world can the state school which you are not a resident from but which you can gain residency after a year and with a scholarship be the same price as a private school in a big city ?
My mentality is that the military will allow you to save enough money while allowing you to "practice" on patients so that you can open a practice within a year or 2 after serving active duty



Wounded Soldiers
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[Lifetime2Drill]

P.S. I'm not doing HPSP for the money, I am merely trying to figure it all out financially so I can convince my parents to let me do HPSP.

Wow I feel old.