The Military is the best way to go!

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

SWIMnPOLO

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
22
Reaction score
0
I don't think many pre-dental kids understand the reality of debt, and what it means in the long run.

A 250k loan turns into 350k by the time you pay it off, then you wanna buy a practice? MORE DEBT. Wanna start a family and live in a nice neighborhood? Good luck.

For those of you in the know, tell me if I got this right.

The Military pays for my Dental school, AND gives me a monthly stipend for living expenses while in school. Then, upon graduation, I work my debt off by serving 4 years, and during those 4 years I'll recieve a decent salary & housing allowance, and since i'm in the military, i'll have health insurance covered. Once the military get's whats owed to them, i'm free to go...

If all of that is true... then, wow. I guess since I've grown up in a very pro-military household, the whole thing sounds like a steal to me.

Members don't see this ad.
 
I don't think many pre-dental kids understand the reality of debt, and what it means in the long run.

A 250k loan turns into 350k by the time you pay it off, then you wanna buy a practice? MORE DEBT. Wanna start a family and live in a nice neighborhood? Good luck.

For those of you in the know, tell me if I got this right.

The Military pays for my Dental school, AND gives me a monthly stipend for living expenses while in school. Then, upon graduation, I work my debt off by serving 4 years, and during those 4 years I'll recieve a decent salary & housing allowance, and since i'm in the military, i'll have health insurance covered. Once the military get's whats owed to them, i'm free to go...

If all of that is true... then, wow. I guess since I've grown up in a very pro-military household, the whole thing sounds like a steal to me.

The only thing is - military will also deploy you. So you might get stuck somewhere far far away from your family for 6-12 months, seeing your family in email pictures and hearing them for couple minutes on the phone.

Military will also move you every 2-4 years, so your kids will have to adapt to changing schools, leaving friends behind. Your wife most likely will have to forget good career.

Also in the military you are on duty so called 24/7, and you might be stuck on work after working hours or during weekends. And your pay will not go up because of this.

And the last but not least, after practicing for 4 years in one place (even like associate or for a company) you might create kind of big pool of patients and that will ease start of practice. In military you will be working with other members, who will move in next 2-3 years, and no patient base can be created.

In my opinion - if you single, don't mind working overtime (for that you wont be paid) and being deployed, military is all the way to go. But if you have family, if you are thinking about private practice and want to be paid fairly for your work and overtime, you will really need to think if you ready to commit 4 years of your life.

Some interesting posts: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=546724&page=6 post #269 and post #273.

P.S. I am currently working towards HPSP, and just want to encourage discussion about both sides of military
 
Last edited:
Thansk for the reply, it's great to gather all the facts. I knew the military life wouldn't be a breeze, but from a financial standpoint - it sounds like a helluva deal.



When you sign up, can you you pick the base you want to be stationed at? Or atleast pick the state? Like if I went with the Airforce, could they gaurantee me Travis AFB?
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Thansk for the reply, it's great to gather all the facts. I knew the military life wouldn't be a breeze, but from a financial standpoint - it sounds like a helluva deal.



When you sign up, can you you pick the base you want to be stationed at? Or atleast pick the state? Like if I went with the Airforce, could they gaurantee me Travis AFB?
You can put in requests. Remember, where ever the AF needs you, you will go. No questions asked.
 
The only thing is - military will also deploy you. So you might get stuck somewhere far far away from your family for 6-12 months, seeing your family in email pictures and hearing them for couple minutes on the phone.

Military will also move you every 2-4 years, so your kids will have to adapt to changing schools, leaving friends behind. Your wife most likely will have to forget good career.

Also in the military you are on duty so called 24/7, and you might be stuck on work after working hours or during weekends. And your pay will not go up because of this.

And the last but not least, after practicing for 4 years in one place (even like associate or for a company) you might create kind of big pool of patients and that will ease start of practice. In military you will be working with other members, who will move in next 2-3 years, and no patient base can be created.

In my opinion - if you single, don't mind working overtime (for that you wont be paid) and being deployed, military is all the way to go. But if you have family, if you are thinking about private practice and want to be paid fairly for your work and overtime, you will really need to think if you ready to commit 4 years of your life.

Some interesting posts: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=546724&page=6 post #269 and post #273.

P.S. I am currently working towards HPSP, and just want to encourage discussion about both sides of military
I can't speak for the other services but the Navy is not on duty 24/7. I share the duty between 8 other providers and stand duty for 1 week at a time. Knock on wood, but I have been called in once or twice in my 2 years here.

What makes you think in private practice that you don't handle emergencies? So technically you are on duty more than being in the military.

Your other points are valid, but this one I had to laugh at.
 
Assignments work like this: the military will ask you to rank your top choices, and from those choices they see where there needs are. Sometimes you get your top choice, sometimes not, but usually you can work something out.
 
Its awesome to see someone else so excited about the military. I'm stoked as well.
 
What makes you think in private practice that you don't handle emergencies? So technically you are on duty more than being in the military.

Your other points are valid, but this one I had to laugh at.


I would be paid for emergencies in private practice and I would be working on my patients, who would appreciate this help. In military there is no extra pay or incentives for staying late or being recalled. On duty week you are on duty 24/7, and that means you can be recalled any time, you cannot leave area, or have a drink after work.

I am not sure about dental/medical officers, but for most members - officers, enlisted- (at least in the Navy) if there is "a mission commitment" you might be stuck on job for extra hours, or come to work on weekends (I am not even talking about deployment). And no, you won't be paid extra, or in most cases even recognized for that. And if you don't like that - "Suck it up, you are in the military". But as I said, I am not sure if this applies to MC or DC officers.

I am not against military. I just want people to see both sides of a topic.
 
Last edited:
The only thing is - military will also deploy you. So you might get stuck somewhere far far away from your family for 6-12 months, seeing your family in email pictures and hearing them for couple minutes on the phone.

Military will also move you every 2-4 years, so your kids will have to adapt to changing schools, leaving friends behind. Your wife most likely will have to forget good career.

Also in the military you are on duty so called 24/7, and you might be stuck on work after working hours or during weekends. And your pay will not go up because of this.

And the last but not least, after practicing for 4 years in one place (even like associate or for a company) you might create kind of big pool of patients and that will ease start of practice. In military you will be working with other members, who will move in next 2-3 years, and no patient base can be created.

In my opinion - if you single, don’t mind working overtime (for that you wont be paid) and being deployed, military is all the way to go. But if you have family, if you are thinking about private practice and want to be paid fairly for your work and overtime, you will really need to think if you ready to commit 4 years of your life.

Some interesting posts: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=546724&page=6 post #269 and post #273.

P.S. I am currently working towards HPSP, and just want to encourage discussion about both sides of military

You need to look at post #274 to see that most if not all of #273 isn't true. Also, the military is not for everyone.
 
I would be paid for emergencies in private practice and I would be working on my patients, who would appreciate this help. In military there is no extra pay or incentives for staying late or being recalled. On duty week you are on duty 24/7, and that means you can be recalled any time, you cannot leave area, or have a drink after work.

You just received your dental school education that will provide for your and your family the rest of your life. A few weeks per year where you are on call is a minor inconvienence.

I am not sure about dental/medical officers, but for most members - officers, enlisted- (at least in the Navy) if there is "a mission commitment" you might be stuck on job for extra hours, or come to work on weekends (I am not even talking about deployment). And no, you won't be paid extra, or in most cases even recognized for that. And if you don't like that - "Suck it up, you are in the military". But as I said, I am not sure if this applies to MC or DC officers.

Can't speak for all the services, but not in the AF. It's rare that we have to work weekends.

I am not against military. I just want people to see both sides of a topic.

As I said earlier, the military isn't for everyone. If you see these things as a major problem, don't join. If you see them as a minor issue when you have no (or very little) dental school debt while being paid and having the opportunity to specialize for free (and being the highest paid resident in the nation), then go for it.

I've been in private practice and the AF. Each has it's good and it's bad. Serving 4 years in the military is a minor blip on the screen that is the rest of your dental career. You'll gain some good training and experience. I see it as a deal that is impossible to beat.
 
I would be paid for emergencies in private practice and I would be working on my patients, who would appreciate this help. In military there is no extra pay or incentives for staying late or being recalled. On duty week you are on duty 24/7, and that means you can be recalled any time, you cannot leave area, or have a drink after work.

I am not sure about dental/medical officers, but for most members - officers, enlisted- (at least in the Navy) if there is "a mission commitment" you might be stuck on job for extra hours, or come to work on weekends (I am not even talking about deployment). And no, you won't be paid extra, or in most cases even recognized for that. And if you don't like that - "Suck it up, you are in the military". But as I said, I am not sure if this applies to MC or DC officers.

I am not against military. I just want people to see both sides of a topic.

You are talking more about the Navy in general not the dental corps.

If you can't stay in the area or not have a drink for a 1 week stint then there may be a problem.

Who says your active duty patients don't appreciate what you do for them?

Anyways...your side is becoming more flawed. Hopefully those people interested in the military sign up for reasons other than monetary compensation.

Good Luck.
 
As I said earlier, the military isn't for everyone. If you see these things as a major problem, don't join. If you see them as a minor issue when you have no (or very little) dental school debt while being paid and having the opportunity to specialize for free (and being the highest paid resident in the nation), then go for it.

I've been in private practice and the AF. Each has it's good and it's bad. Serving 4 years in the military is a minor blip on the screen that is the rest of your dental career. You'll gain some good training and experience. I see it as a deal that is impossible to beat.

I agree. If you don't have any hangups over the military, it's tough to beat what they offer. I graduated HS from a strict military-esque boarding school, and the structure it provided in my life was great for character development, and comforting at the same time.

What really made me lean towards the military was a Dentist I just recently talked to. He graduated DS in the 70's and has a successful private practice. He's a left-winger hippie type, but told me if he were applying to dental school right now with the high costs and everything, he'd absolutely go into the military. When you have atronomical amounts of debt, and your starting a new practice, your focus will shift to "making as much money as I can" & the business part of it. Rather than enjoying your work the way you imagined it, and forging friendships with your patients...
 
you do get the added incentive of a tax-free income if you are deployed so that might be the incentive of deployment.
 
you do get the added incentive of a tax-free income if you are deployed so that might be the incentive of deployment.

The tax free income is nice but it doesn't really make up for the time away from friends and family.
 
I loved the military. I wish that I had it to do all over again. I think playing all the war games is fun and seeing the world is great.

Not everyone can actually say that they were a part of the military. Having military experience will open alot of doors and help make friends for decades after you leave the service.
 
you owe 6, years after d school not 4. i spoke to army and navy recruiters. that i think also starts counting after basic training so in reality its even more.
 
you owe 6, years after d school not 4. i spoke to army and navy recruiters. that i think also starts counting after basic training so in reality its even more.

Any post with "I think" is not credible. You owe 4 years active, 4 years reserve. 1-2 years extra is for residency training only.
 
Top