Dentistry vs CRNA

[drornot]

I am in a tough position. I currently have offers to start dental school this fall. The one I’m looking at going to is gonna cost me a total of about $250K in loans. For 3 years now I’ve envisioned myself as a dentist and figured it was the best thing for me, but after shadowing some more, I’ve been advised by dentist’s themselves to move another direction. I don’t know if they were having a bad day, but the dentists I’ve shadowed have told me to look for another career. One even told me to pursue the nursing route and become a CRNA instead. I’ve looked into it more and did some shadowing and it definitely seems like something I would love to do. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think the finances may be better as well…

4 years of dental school = -$250K to start off making $120K as an associate working 5 days a week (I don’t plan to open a practice) with a potential to make $150K later on in your career

1 year BSN accelerated track = -30K to start off making $60K. Work for 1-2 years in the ICU. Then apply to CRNA school = -$100K (in my case the schools in my area cost roughly this amount or less). After 3 years start off making $150K with a potential to reach $200K later on in your career. This is working three 12 hour shifts or four 10 hour shifts or even one 24 hour shift with a 16 hour shift.

I like both careers because they are pretty hands on and they have a significant impact on someone’s life. The one thing that worries me about dentistry though is that I would prefer being an associate vs a business owner.

Is my thinking right here? What would you guys do if you were me? Go to dental school or switch to the nursing route? Is there anything I am getting wrong here or is there anything I should know about these careers. I appreciate any information/opinion!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[GoDental101]

CRNA is way less hands on than dentistry. That's one of a few things you are getting wrong here, but I don't really have time to go into it.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I'm a little suspicious: are the dentists saying they wish they were nurses, or are they saying you would be better off as a nurse? There is important to tease out. The current pandemic has a lot of burnout among nurses (How to navigate job stress as a new CRNA amid a global pandemic). There's a lot in dentistry as well of course, especially when it comes to earning your salary in a practice so the source of stress is very different.

 

[LegendaryPanda]

Dentists don't make 120k for years, this is a giant myth perpetuated here. By your 2nd year, you should be making 150k+, and I would consider the 2nd year to be quite early rather than later in your career.

Also, if you go to dental school, you could always be a dentist anesthesiologist, which would make more than a CRNA. You'll have more education, more training, and more salary. 250k debt is great as a dentist.

 

[somefuturedoc]

I can promise you dentistry offers more autonomy, income potential, and hands on work than any field of nursing.

 

[Dochopeful13]

I am in a tough position. I currently have offers to start dental school this fall. The one I’m looking at going to is gonna cost me a total of about $250K in loans. For 3 years now I’ve envisioned myself as a dentist and figured it was the best thing for me, but after shadowing some more, I’ve been advised by dentist’s themselves to move another direction. I don’t know if they were having a bad day, but the dentists I’ve shadowed have told me to look for another career. One even told me to pursue the nursing route and become a CRNA instead. I’ve looked into it more and did some shadowing and it definitely seems like something I would love to do. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think the finances may be better as well…

4 years of dental school = -$250K to start off making $120K as an associate working 5 days a week (I don’t plan to open a practice) with a potential to make $150K later on in your career

1 year BSN accelerated track = -30K to start off making $60K. Work for 1-2 years in the ICU. Then apply to CRNA school = -$100K (in my case the schools in my area cost roughly this amount or less). After 3 years start off making $150K with a potential to reach $200K later on in your career. This is working three 12 hour shifts or four 10 hour shifts or even one 24 hour shift with a 16 hour shift.

I like both careers because they are pretty hands on and they have a significant impact on someone’s life. The one thing that worries me about dentistry though is that I would prefer being an associate vs a business owner.

Is my thinking right here? What would you guys do if you were me? Go to dental school or switch to the nursing route? Is there anything I am getting wrong here or is there anything I should know about these careers. I appreciate any information/opinion!

I had the same experience when shadowing three MD’s and one oral surgeon. The advice I got was medicine is too long and too much debt these days. YMMV.

I do have several crna friends though. These days they start off at $180k plus and that’s usually for four shifts a week.

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

Do you like being more hands on (dentistry) or hands off (nursing)? Do you like being the doctor in charge (dentistry) or following the orders of the MD (nursing). Ask yourself these questions. There are a lot of differences between the two jobs.

Relating to salary I am getting starting dental associate offers for $200k for 4 days a week. You have to search for good offers and know what you are looking for, but to say you are going to be making $120k as a dentist for many years is setting the bar very low.

 

[Screwtape]

My advice would be to pick the job that you think you’d enjoy more for a hopefully long career. If you have no plans of ownership as a dentist (really gotta think about that one—ownership opens up a lot of income potential) I would imagine the ROI of CRNA vs perpetual associate dentist is fairly similar at the costs you are talking about. It also may be wise to consider the area you plan on living your life. Some areas are very favorable for dentists vs CRNA and vice versa. There are pros and cons to both of these careers.

 

[Dochopeful13]

Do you like being more hands on (dentistry) or hands off (nursing)? Do you like being the doctor in charge (dentistry) or following the orders of the MD (nursing). Ask yourself these questions. There are a lot of differences between the two jobs.

Relating to salary I am getting starting dental associate offers for $200k for 4 days a week. You have to search for good offers and know what you are looking for, but to say you are going to be making $120k as a dentist for many years is setting the bar very low.

What

Do you like being more hands on (dentistry) or hands off (nursing)? Do you like being the doctor in charge (dentistry) or following the orders of the MD (nursing). Ask yourself these questions. There are a lot of differences between the two jobs.

Relating to salary I am getting starting dental associate offers for $200k for 4 days a week. You have to search for good offers and know what you are looking for, but to say you are going to be making $120k as a dentist for many years is setting the bar very low.

What areas are you seeing these high salaries?

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

What

What areas are you seeing these high salaries?

Rural Northeast. 2+ hours from the nearest major city.

 

[Flashes23]

250k for dentistry is a no brainer, you will not work in the ICU for 1 year and get into CRNA. Most programs take nurses with 3+ years of ICU and critical care experience. CRNA is prob a lot more stressful with less upside. Not to mention nurses are way over worked and under paid, and you will be doing that likely 2-3 years at least!

 

[luisfigo]

Go to dental school, 250k is a STEAL, you're the doc, you can always join a partnership like me. I'm about to make a killing 7 months out of school by buying into an existing practice that's a partnership and from what ive seen its much less stressful as an owner if you like your partner and yall work well

 

[LFA20]

Pick dentistry 👌🏽

 

[cmsmith85]

I agree with what everyone here has pretty already said. Dental school for 250k is a good deal these days! Yeah, dentistry can be rough some days, but the income potential is still much better than nursing. I think your estimates are too low for dentistry. At worst you'll make 120k right out of school, but you can easily make more if you look for the right thing and work hard. And you'll make way more than 150k later on in your career. I had double the loans that you're looking at and would still do it all over again if I had to.

 

[nobeldds]

If you have an offer for a dental school for $250k and you are in your 20s and you think you might like dentistry then it is a no brainer. 100% choose dentistry, it will be far better than being a CRNA. Your income numbers are also way off for dentistry. No dentist in the USA makes only $120k a year working 5 days a week. I was offered jobs in socal of all places when I first graduated at 135-175k base pay working 5 days a week and 3 years out $200k+ base pay (the minimum).

 

[ShortShortsDad]

Life’s too short to make the choice between two great jobs at your age based only on money, honestly just do what you’ll be happier doing. Nursing during the pandemic is likely as lucrative as its going to be during your lifetime so I wouldn’t switch now. Looking on whitecoatinvestor I see some traveling nurses getting offered $10k/wk. That’s not normal but not worth walking away from now if your primary consideration is miney

 

[Splenda88]

It's weird that many people here are saying that 250k debt is a steal for dentistry...

I could have been out of med school with 260-270k student debt (out with 330k because I borrowed more than I should), which I think is a lot of debt.

Will probably make 400k+ (base is 330k) this year as a hospitalist and I feel like the loan is a HUGE burden. Maybe I should start putting things into perspective.

 

[cmsmith85]

It's weird that many people here are saying that 250k debt is a steal for dentistry...

I could have been out of med school with 260-270k student debt (out with 330k because I borrowed more than I should), which I think is a lot of debt.

Will probably make 400k+ (base is 330k) this year as a hospitalist and I feel like the loan is a HUGE burden. Maybe I should start putting things into perspective.

330k in student loans with an income over 400k is a pretty good deal if you ask me. I wouldn't consider that loan amount a burden for what it has allowed you to be able to take home. If you're worried about that amount, you could knock that out in a couple of years and live a very good life afterwards.

 

[schmoob]

the curriculum is easier (except for those with a medical school curriculum like Columbia). My DS friends and I compared our material and theirs is vastly easier. They also have way more free time to go on multiple vacations each year. You can't put a price on that

I don’t know what dental school your friends went to but the comparison is apples and oranges. Of course the medical didactics like systems and pathologies are not as in depth, but the dental specific classes are not easy. Also factor in the countless hours in the lab practicing and doing lab work for patients. Clinical requirements are very stressful too, and that needs to be balanced with classes as well. I did not have as much free time as the people I knew in med school. I did when they went into residency though.

 

[Splenda88]

I don't think CRNA will be a bad choice if OP will be able to tolerate the day-to-day job.

By the way, I was a RN for 7 years before going to med school and 2 friends of mine in nursing school who did CRNA are doing extremely well. Based on my conversation with them, both of them could retire right now in their late 30s or probably early 40s.

 

[yappy]

I think MD, CRNA, or dentist are all solid career choices. Most people could be happy in any one of them, but it's important to figure out what is right for you. Make sure you have an accurate view of what the actual career looks like, and that your interests align with the day-to-day of the job, not just the education.

Sometimes people say things very flippantly without really thinking things through, or they may have completely different values than you, which makes their advice not applicable to your life. It's worth listening to what others with more experience have to say, but always take it with a grain of salt and think for yourself.

 

[somefuturedoc]

and the curriculum is easier (except for those with a medical school curriculum like Columbia). My DS friends and I compared our material and theirs is vastly easier. They also have way more free time to go on multiple vacations each year. You can't put a price on that

exact opposite of my experience

 

[schmoob]

We can agree to disagree but it's the reason everyone compares their profession to Medical School (and allopathic at that). Admissions stats don't like, board exams don't lie. Even when it comes to MD Vs DO, the MD boards (USMLE) are vastly more difficult. A 490 COMLEX for DOs (passing is 400) just barely translates (predicts) passing USMLE (MD). Podiatry students are always using the label "medical school" but their APMLE is a walk in the park.

It's like how every basketball player is compared to the GOAT.

Please continue to offer your insight based on your vast experience as a med student who just finished his 3rd semester at school. Continue to enlighten us why allopathic medical school is just the best in a thread comparing dental vs. CRNA.

I have no doubt that you are incredibly intelligent. But that means nothing if you can’t read the room. And FYI, I chose dentistry despite acceptance to an allopathic program.

 

[yappy]

exact opposite of my experience

Same. Medical school is cush.

 

[Dochopeful13]

I don't think CRNA will be a bad choice if OP will be able to tolerate the day-to-day job.

By the way, I was a RN for 7 years before going to med school and 2 friends of mine in nursing school who did CRNA are doing extremely well. Based on my conversation with them, both of them could retire right now in their late 30s or probably early 40s.

Is the day to day job of a crna poor?

 

[Splenda88]

I’m sure this may be your perception (and maybe it makes you feel better/superior to think this way), but it’s simply not true. In Texas for example the year I was accepted, the dental school acceptance rate was *lower* than the medical school acceptance rate. Lower. There are also countless testimonials of OMFS residents (who are maybe the only ones that can actually speak on difficulty having gone through both) that say their dental school experience was far more stressful and difficult than their medical school experience. I’ve had family members who go to Ivy med schools (& matched to top residencies, think orthopedic surgeon, derm) say their experience was easier than my other family members who went to regular state dental schools. The creation of countless osteopathic schools opening up & their generally much lower acceptance criteria has made med school a lot more attainable to gain acceptance into.

Med school as a whole attract higher caliber students than DS...

I dont know if DS curriculum is more difficult than med school. But I can tell that you that the MCAT (old version) is a heck of a lot more difficult than the DAT (I took both).

I am not a DO but if someone can get 24/25 on the MCAT, they sure can get 20+ on the DAT given the level of difficulty of both exam.

The people going to OMFS (the best of DS) take the equivalent of step1 exam. A competitive score for them is akin to barely passing step1 for MD/DO.

That does not mean that DS students are not good students. You are just dealing with different caliber of students OVERALL

 

[Splenda88]

Is the day to day job of a crna poor?

I dont know but my friends like what they do. Anesthesiologists/CRNA/AA at both the place I trained and where I am now like their jobs. They dont have to deal that much with patients

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

The people going to OMFS (the best of DS) take the equivalent of step1 exam. A competitive score for them is akin to barely passing step1 for MD/DO.

Let's not take away from the original point of this thread. This student isn't considering getting an MD and this was posted on a dental forum.

I do just want to point out that this argument about OMFS and the CBSE doesn't really hold because the students taking the CBSE are taking the Step 1 exam having not received a medical school education, and having no allotted time off to study. I would argue that the fact that people who haven't gone through medical school and don't have weeks off to study, like many medical students do, are able to take and pass Step 1 is embarrassing for the med school folks.

 

[Splenda88]

Let's not take away from the original point of this thread. This student isn't considering getting an MD and this was posted on a dental forum.

I do just want to point out that this argument about OMFS and the CBSE doesn't really hold because the students taking the CBSE are taking the Step 1 exam having not received a medical school education, and having no allotted time off to study. I would argue that the fact that people who haven't gone through medical school and don't have weeks off to study, like many medical students do, are able to take and pass Step 1 is embarrassing for the med school folks.

Most schools give b/t 2-5 wks off to study for step1. I really dont care which is more challenging. The fact of the matter is med school (MD/DO) attract higher caliber students that care more about prestige than anything else whether they want to admit it or not.

Are you telling me that people who want to get into OMFS take the CBSE cold? Yea, you are right.

It would be interesting to make the top 10-15% of med students take the basic science DS exam equivalent to step 1.

 

[Life of Pablo]

Why are we arguing about this? Who cares? At the end of the day, when you choose your profession, nobody, and I mean nobody, will care which profession is “smarter” or “more prestigious.” Choose the one that best suits your future goals and the lifestyle you want to live. I’m finishing up my 4th year of dental school right now, and I know a vast majority of my classmates chose dentistry because they didn’t want to pursue residency and wanted to get to work sooner. Could a lot of us have gotten into med school? Probably. In fact, at one OMFS program I interviewed at, average Step 1/CBSE score was 230 with 7 applicants breaking 250 which I would argue is on par with med residency. Is it possible that some of us maybe would not have gotten into med school? Probably too, but who cares?! Down the road none of it will matter.

 

[Splenda88]

Why are we arguing about this? Who cares? At the end of the day, when you choose your profession, nobody, and I mean nobody, will care which profession is “smarter” or “more prestigious.” Choose the one that best suits your future goals and the lifestyle you want to live. I’m finishing up my 4th year of dental school right now, and I know a vast majority of my classmates chose dentistry because they didn’t want to pursue residency and wanted to get to work sooner. Could a lot of us have gotten into med school? Probably. Could some of us maybe not have gotten into med school? Probably too, but who cares?! Down the road none of it will matter.

I dont think anyone cares TBH. But the overall body of evidence shows there is a higher barrier of entry to med school than d school. Just like the overall body of evidence shows is more difficult to get into Harvard than U of N. Carolina.

Let me put that in simple term. Almost every single person who got into US med school (MD/DO) have the brain power to get into a d. school. I dont think the reverse is true.

I can use myself as an example. Got a 30+ percentile on MCAT practice right after getting a 80+ percentile on the DAT, and had to study more for a few weeks to bring my MCAT percentile to a 60+.

The same way I was top 10% in my nursing class and then relegated to the 3rd quartile in my med school class despite spending a lot more time studying. It is just different body of students.

 

[yappy]

Most schools give b/t 2-5 wks off to study for step1. I really dont care which is more challenging. The fact of the matter is med school (MD/DO) attract higher caliber students that care more about prestige than anything else whether they want to admit it or not.

Are you telling me that people who want to get into OMFS take the CBSE cold? Yea, you are right.

It would be interesting to make the top 10-15% of med students take the basic science DS exam equivalent to step 1.

Isnt the usmle p/f now and pretty much everyone passes it? I think the medical students would do well on the ds exam. But that’s because I don’t think there is a big distinction between the abilities of ds and md students.

 

[Life of Pablo]

I dont think anyone cares TBH. But the overall body of evidence shows there is a higher barrier of entry to med school than d school. Just like the overall body of evidence shows is more difficult to get into Harvard than U of N. Carolina.

Let me put that in simple term. Almost every single person who got into US med school (MD/DO) have the brain power to get into a d. school. I dont think the reverse is true.

I can use myself as an example. Got a 30+ percentile on MCAT practice right after getting a 80+ percentile on the DAT, and had to study more for a few weeks to bring my MCAT percentile to a 60+.

The same way I was top 10% in my nursing class and then relegated to the 3rd quartile in my med school class despite spending a lot more time studying. It is just different body of students.

All you can do is compare apples to apples. In that case, all we have to compare is GPA. MD applicants have the highest accepted GPA followed by dental students and then DO is last.

 

[Splenda88]

Isnt the usmle p/f now and pretty much everyone passes it?

Might be p/f now. But there was a passing score when I took them in 2016-2017.

 

[Splenda88]

All you can do is compare apples to apples. In that case, all we have to compare is GPA. MD applicants have the highest accepted GPA followed by dental students and then DO is last.

GPA is not standardized. I would not compare using GPAs

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

Most schools give b/t 2-5 wks off to study for step1. I really dont care which is more challenging. The fact of the matter is med school (MD/DO) attract higher caliber students that care more about prestige than anything else whether they want to admit it or not.

Are you telling me that people who want to get into OMFS take the CBSE cold? Yea, you are right.

It would be interesting to make the top 10-15% of med students take the basic science DS exam equivalent to step 1.

The people who take the CBSE study a completely different set of material than what they are learning at school on their own and get 0 weeks off to prepare for the exam.

I just dont see why you are on a dental forum debating this. A lot of people go into dentistry because the career offers them things that a career in medicine cannot. I graduated at the top of my class at a very large and respected university and chose to go into dentistry. I would have easily gotten accepted to med school, but I chose dentistry. They are two different careers. I agree that MDs are generally higher up on the social scale of respected careers. Nobody is debating that, but to make the argument that MDs and DOs are smarter than DMDs on a dental forum is ignorant, tasteless, and a completely inaccurate generalization. It's like saying engineers are of higher caliber than financial analysts.

Read the room. I'm not about to go on the medical forum and argue on a thread completely unrelated to dentistry that MDs are worse than DMDs because you guys work worse hours and lose out on the millions of dollars of investment potential that dentists have while you guys are in your residencies.

Let's get the thread back on track. Stop posting unless you're focused on providing the OP advice on CRNA vs Dentistry.

 

[schmoob]

I guess some folks aren’t getting the picture.

The next person to continue derailing the thread by discussing how awesome MD students are compared to the rest of us idiots will be kicked out of this thread and receive a formal warning.

Moving forward, we will get back on topic with providing our thoughts to dentistry vs CRNA.

 

[Splenda88]

The people who take the CBSE study a completely different set of material than what they are learning at school on their own and get 0 weeks off to prepare for the exam.

I just dont see why you are on a dental forum debating this. A lot of people go into dentistry because the career offers them things that a career in medicine cannot. I graduated at the top of my class at a very large and respected university and chose to go into dentistry. I would have easily gotten accepted to med school, but I chose dentistry. They are two different careers. I agree that MDs are generally higher up on the social scale of respected careers. Nobody is debating that, but to make the argument that MDs and DOs are smarter than DMDs on a dental forum is ignorant, tasteless, and a completely inaccurate generalization. It's like saying engineers are of higher caliber than financial analysts.

Read the room. I'm not about to go on the medical forum and argue on a thread completely unrelated to dentistry that MDs are worse than DMDs because you guys work worse hours and lose out on the millions of dollars of investment potential that dentists have while you guys are in your residencies.

Let's get the thread back on track. Stop posting unless you're focused on providing the OP advice on CRNA vs Dentistry.

I never made that generalization. I said OVERALL that the caliber of med student is higher than d. students. Just like the caliber of med students is higher than podiatry students or nursing students. It's a true statement.

I am sure that there are some d. students that are smarter than 99% of med students. But on average, med students are smarter.

 

[Splenda88]

Ok, I might agree with you regarding MD schools. But not so much about the DO’s. I personally know quite a few students that would have not gotten into dental schools with their low undergrad GPAs, but surprisingly they got into DO schools.

My uGPA (3.5) was probably low for D school, but with 80+ percentile DAT score, I probably would have gotten in a few d schools.

it's not a judgment of character. The DAT is a simpler test than the MCAT, just like the GRE is a simpler test than the DAT.

To be honest, I dont really care about these things. I am already a physician making a good living and that is the last thing I should be spending time in a forum arguing about.

 

[schmoob]

I guess Splenda isn’t as smart as he thinks he is. Maybe he didn’t learn how to follow simple instructions despite being a self-proclaimed high caliber scholar.

After not following simple instructions, he has been banned from this thread and put on a probationary status.

All conversations here moving forward will be about dentistry vs. CRNA.

 

[Gustavo dos Santos]

Back to CRNA v Dent. As people have said, it’s very rare to get into a program after 1 year of ICU experience and it is rare to be able to get ICU experience right after graduation from nursing school, a lot of critical care floors want at least 12 months of nursing experience. Obviously it varies by location, but most work med/surg or something else before transferring to an ICU floor. From there CRNA programs generally look for 2-5 years ICU experience, or hours that equate to that amount of time. I wouldn’t anticipate getting accepted to a CRNA program until 3-5 years after graduation and that’s if I’m being proactive and really trying to land on an ICU floor. It also may be that no ICU floors are hiring in your area.

Something to account for in your decision.

 

[PerioDont]

I am in a tough position. I currently have offers to start dental school this fall. The one I’m looking at going to is gonna cost me a total of about $250K in loans. For 3 years now I’ve envisioned myself as a dentist and figured it was the best thing for me, but after shadowing some more, I’ve been advised by dentist’s themselves to move another direction. I don’t know if they were having a bad day, but the dentists I’ve shadowed have told me to look for another career. One even told me to pursue the nursing route and become a CRNA instead. I’ve looked into it more and did some shadowing and it definitely seems like something I would love to do. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think the finances may be better as well…

4 years of dental school = -$250K to start off making $120K as an associate working 5 days a week (I don’t plan to open a practice) with a potential to make $150K later on in your career

1 year BSN accelerated track = -30K to start off making $60K. Work for 1-2 years in the ICU. Then apply to CRNA school = -$100K (in my case the schools in my area cost roughly this amount or less). After 3 years start off making $150K with a potential to reach $200K later on in your career. This is working three 12 hour shifts or four 10 hour shifts or even one 24 hour shift with a 16 hour shift.

I like both careers because they are pretty hands on and they have a significant impact on someone’s life. The one thing that worries me about dentistry though is that I would prefer being an associate vs a business owner.

Is my thinking right here? What would you guys do if you were me? Go to dental school or switch to the nursing route? Is there anything I am getting wrong here or is there anything I should know about these careers. I appreciate any information/opinion!

being a CRNA you will not own a private practice. You will likely work in a hospital or perhaps outpatient surgical centers doing mobile anesthesia.

The day to day is completely different in what you do.

 

[Screwtape]

being a CRNA you will never be a business owner. You will likely work in a hospital or perhaps outpatient surgical centers doing mobile anesthesia.

The day to day is completely different in what you do. There is a chance that your patients can die (fairly unlikely for most dentists.)

The majority of states allow CRNAs to practice independently (why in a comment above I urged OP to consider locale where they wish to live/practice). There are solo CRNAs who technically own their own business and even CRNA-owned groups with partners. It would be plausible for them to even be part owners of ambulatory surgical centers. So pretty much what anesthesiologists have been doing for decades (obviously CRNAs have catching up to do, but the momentum is there). I would talk to CRNA’s and do more shadowing/whatever exposure you can get. This forum is full of dentists with little knowledge of CRNA’s.

 

[K...]

Adding 2 cents from an anesthesiologist. Is incredibly rewarding to manage one's patients and full practice independence (DDS). However if the financial reality is adverse the Anesthesia Assistant programs are a much better bargain. 2 years Masters programs no BSN needed, same scope of practice as CRNAs without the political talk of independent practice.

 

[PerioDont]

The majority of states allow CRNAs to practice independently (why in a comment above I urged OP to consider locale where they wish to live/practice). There are solo CRNAs who technically own their own business and even CRNA-owned groups with partners. It would be plausible for them to even be part owners of ambulatory surgical centers. So pretty much what anesthesiologists have been doing for decades (obviously CRNAs have catching up to do, but the momentum is there). I would talk to CRNA’s and do more shadowing/whatever exposure you can get. This forum is full of dentists with little knowledge of CRNA’s.

Right I should say they do own a business. but it is much different than owning a dental practice, more locums type of a thing as far as I understand.

But agreed, talk to CRNAs who are in the field more than us

 

[drornot]

Dentistry at $250k is a freaking bargain. Dentistry <$350k is a BARGAIN IMO and if you're willing to live in states that pay closer to $180-$200k for fresh grads then even ~450k is a deal

Anyways, both are good careers that make LOTS of money. You should pick the one you like best. It would be foolish for me to pick psychiatry over family medicine because it pays more and not because I like it. After 10-15 years you'll have everything paid off, a house, fancy BMW, and whatever else you desire. An extra $50k in salary or $100k debt won't matter

But can this be done as a dental associate with this loan amount? I am very afraid of taking the risk of opening my own practice

 

[drornot]

Go to dental school, 250k is a STEAL, you're the doc, you can always join a partnership like me. I'm about to make a killing 7 months out of school by buying into an existing practice that's a partnership and from what ive seen its much less stressful as an owner if you like your partner and yall work well

How do you buy into a practice? Is this expensive like opening your own practice? And what can you expect to make relative to your debt?

 

[drornot]

Adding 2 cents from an anesthesiologist. Is incredibly rewarding to manage one's patients and full practice independence (DDS). However if the financial reality is adverse the Anesthesia Assistant programs are a much better bargain. 2 years Masters programs no BSN needed, same scope of practice as CRNAs without the political talk of independent practice.

With the current conditions of both careers, which one would you choose today? Just curious to see your opinion. (Imagine that you like both equally)

 

[K...]

With the current conditions of both careers, which one would you choose today? Just curious to see your opinion. (Imagine that you like both equally)

AA makes more sense financially. I have worked with both, supervised both and trained both. I prefer the AA model practice at present. They have the backing of the ASA and there is no independent practice talk.

 

[schmoob]

But can this be done as a dental associate with this loan amount? I am very afraid of taking the risk of opening my own practice

If you have no desire to have your own practice then CRNA/AA is what I would suggest. Both great jobs, less debt, financially rewarding.