Is it too late for me?

[Whatthefut]

I'm a third year dental student and we've started treating patients in clinicals this year. It's going great, and I really love communicating with patients, listening to their concerns, and making a change in their oral health. I perform okay in clinic - I'm definitely not the top of the class, but I can definitely say I do a decent job. I started dental school with the attitude that I want to be a GP with no intention of specializing. I'm from another city and it's already been a big burden moving away from my home town to study. I'm also married which adds more reason to want to finish school sooner. I had no intention on specializing when I first started and therefore studied just enough to pass my exams. The rest of my time is allocated towards my wife, my home and my other interests. I was happy with my performance up until third year when we got a clearer exposure to specialties, and in particular oral surgery. I realized that I am really fascinated by oral surgery and that it gives me a feeling of challenge and excitement that dentistry does not give me. Not to say that dentistry is too easy for me - dentistry is really hard, and I am probably ranked in the lower third of my class. But it doesn't fascinate me the way oral surgery does. I can see myself performing complicated extractions and surgeries and actually enjoying it more than I can see myself doing basic dentistry for the rest of my life. Dentistry is definitely challenging and very comprehensive, but it doesn't give me the mental stimulation that oral surgery does. However I just feel like it might be too late to even consider it anymore, mainly due to my low grades. I also haven't done any research on the side. Should I completely disregard my consideration for oral surgery at this point? Is there still a bit of hope for me left? If so, what should I do to increase my odds at this point?

If anyone has some input on this I would really appreciate it.

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[BlackThought]

I had no intention on specializing when I first started and therefore studied just enough to pass my exams.

Burns people all the time.

What is your dental school GPA?

Regardless, you still need to:
- Take CBSE and crush (70+)
- Do externships (~5 weeks)
- Get to know OMFS attendings to get letters

Not having done research is not a big deal. Don't dwell on that.

I can see myself performing complicated extractions and surgeries

Keep in mind that what you see in the OMFS clinic at the dental school is just the tip of the iceberg for OMFS. You'll need to shadow and really get an understanding what residency and the scope is like before you commit to preparing for it. If you think surgical extractions are that parts of OMFS you like the most, then do not waste time with OMFS residency, becasue you'll be miserable.

 

[321931]

I'm a third year dental student and we've started treating patients in clinicals this year. It's going great, and I really love communicating with patients, listening to their concerns, and making a change in their oral health. I perform okay in clinic - I'm definitely not the top of the class, but I can definitely say I do a decent job. I started dental school with the attitude that I want to be a GP with no intention of specializing. I'm from another city and it's already been a big burden moving away from my home town to study. I'm also married which adds more reason to want to finish school sooner. I had no intention on specializing when I first started and therefore studied just enough to pass my exams. The rest of my time is allocated towards my wife, my home and my other interests. I was happy with my performance up until third year when we got a clearer exposure to specialties, and in particular oral surgery. I realized that I am really fascinated by oral surgery and that it gives me a feeling of challenge and excitement that dentistry does not give me. Not to say that dentistry is too easy for me - dentistry is really hard, and I am probably ranked in the lower third of my class. But it doesn't fascinate me the way oral surgery does. I can see myself performing complicated extractions and surgeries and actually enjoying it more than I can see myself doing basic dentistry for the rest of my life. Dentistry is definitely challenging and very comprehensive, but it doesn't give me the mental stimulation that oral surgery does. However I just feel like it might be too late to even consider it anymore, mainly due to my low grades. I also haven't done any research on the side. Should I completely disregard my consideration for oral surgery at this point? Is there still a bit of hope for me left? If so, what should I do to increase my odds at this point?

If anyone has some input on this I would really appreciate it.

You will realize that everything becomes routine after a while. You and I chose really the most "mundane" job in the world. Filling and drilling- it's all the same. There's no mental stimulation in that. You think oral surgeons have it any better? They get the same routine wizzie extractions day in day outa nd do implant placements. Very rarely do OMFS stay in academics/hospitals and do huge reconstructions because 1) liability, 2) pay is crap 3) not worth your effort or time when popping out 4 wizzies in 10 minutes = same compensation as a 8 hour 3 month planned jaw reconstruction.

If you really wanted to stimulate your mind, then something like computer science and or medicine (to a degree) would of been a better choice.

Alas not all hope is lost because as a GP- you can do EVERYTHING which will stimulate your mind then just focusing on endo/omfs/perio/ortho. If anything being a GP is more stimulating because you are always doing something more and can do more...as an OMFS you will only be doing wizzies/surgicals/implants which gets repetitive and mundane real quick.

 

[luisfigo]

There is an office in Dallas that i saw sometime back that said General Dentist practicing Oral Surgery, it's really up to you. Do you really want to do facial reconstructive surgery or just the common oral surgery procedures?

 

[Greyangel6]

Similarly to you, drill and fill doesn't excite me like it once did. Personally, I like extractions and I like endo more than the rest. But OMFS is not for me (grades is a factor, also other various reasons). However, I could see myself doing emergent care like emergency extractions, pulpectomy, pulpotomy, etc. if I decide to stay GP. There are a number of job positions at emergent care clinics, and also prisons. Or I could do endo and once in a while do an apico to quell my thirst for surgical experience lol.

 

[setdoc7]

Oral surgery satisfies the mind in that it is often comprised of instant gratification procedures. You luxate out a tooth, hold it up, and go "look what I can do!'. Unfortunately OMFS is far more than that, and general dentistry is often step wise procedures that build upon eachother and take multiple visits. The plain truth is that Gen Dent becomes easier over time, and that is when you can devote the time to become really good at these procedures. It is easy to do Gen Dent averagely, but very difficult to do it both superiorly and elegantly. Don't look at what you are doing in dental school as the end game, but just the beginning. You will learn many more procedures once you get out that will keep you interested, and if you work with a really good OMFS, will be involved in the planning of some very complex reconstructions. Having been on both ends of this profession, I will take the high road and say that each offers a career worth of challenges.

 

[DentalABCs]

It's important to be realistic. A lot of dental students want to do OMFS, but I'll go out on a limb and say less than 1/2 of them even make it to the application process (at least at my Dschool). Like mentioned before, a desire is not the only pre-requisite. From my experience, sacrifice is what stops students in their tracks. For the next 2-3 years, you will be studying. Very little social life, very little time for family, no holidays. This is especially true since you are starting late and need to make up ground. I've even seen people to get divorced during this time, so make sure to have clear communication with your wife.

If you are serious, study for the CBSE (70+ at a MINIMUM w/ your rank), extern, and do your best to get as high as possible rank as you can. You will most likely need to do a non-cat internship year. Good luck.

 

[lemoncurry]

Just bear in mind that just because you are a General Dentist doesn't mean you can't be trained in and perform complicated procedures. I absolutely love doing extractions, but I have no desire to put myself through 4-6 years of OMFS so I can do a few more procedures than I already do.

I guess you could say that I drill and fill to support my extraction habit.