[anthonyfl]

Hi everyone

I have a genuine like for teeth and have wanted to become a dentist for a while. I would love to give people great smiles, I especially like the cosmetic aspect.

However, I also have a strong interest in medicine. I have watched junior doctors on the BBC and a documentary on the sick kids in Great Ormond Street Hospital and I'd love to work in an environment like that.

I don't fancy being stuck in the same room with someone all week though, I prefer the hospital working environment. Managing my own practice for dentistry also appeals to me though.

I'm going for 10 months work experience, four hours a week at a private cosmetic dentist and one week in a hospital. Hopefully this will help me decide as I feel the time has come where I need to Persue one of these careers with 100% enthusiasm.

I'm not in it for the money either!

[nerd434]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Hi everyone

I have a genuine like for teeth and have wanted to become a dentist for a while. I would love to give people great smiles, I especially like the cosmetic aspect.

However, I also have a strong interest in medicine. I have watched junior doctors on the BBC and a documentary on the sick kids in Great Ormond Street Hospital and I'd love to work in an environment like that.

I don't fancy being stuck in the same room with someone all week though, I prefer the hospital working environment. Managing my own practice for dentistry also appeals to me though.

I'm going for 10 months work experience, four hours a week at a private cosmetic dentist and one week in a hospital. Hopefully this will help me decide as I feel the time has come where I need to Persue one of these careers with 100% enthusiasm.

I'm not in it for the money either!

4 hours a week for 10 months? All dentistry?

How did you manage to get that set up?

[roh]

Max fac?

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by nerd434)
4 hours a week for 10 months? All dentistry?

How did you manage to get that set up?

Lucky, isn't it? Well because I have two years for highers we have more time to do other things, so every Wednesday afternoon we do work experience for three periods (the dentist says I can stay until 7 considering it's late nights!)

Don't get me wrong, I've phoned every dentist in north Lanarkshire (literarally went through a list on the Internet) and none would take me. Tried nearby places in south Lanarkshire. None again. Tried loads of Glasgow places. Tried the dental hospital. None again.

Eventually a really nice cosmetic dentist said she'd take me! It's in the city centre of Glasgow, and really top class. The woman is so friendly! She does smile make overs and stuff like that.

I start in August. Cannot wait!

And I also have a week in a hospital which will be interesting!

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by roh)
Max fac?

It's a good happy-medium but I find it's more the saving lies aspect to medicine that fascinates me and doing smile makeovers etc for dentistry thanks for the suggestion!!

[That Bearded Man]

If you're 50/50, dentistry. It has better hours and better pay, if you like teeth as much as anything else then why not? If you develop an interest in paediatrics say then why not shoot for medicine. Why not apply for a mix of both?

[BackDoorEntry]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Hi everyone

I have a genuine like for teeth and have wanted to become a dentist for a while. I would love to give people great smiles, I especially like the cosmetic aspect.

However, I also have a strong interest in medicine. I have watched junior doctors on the BBC and a documentary on the sick kids in Great Ormond Street Hospital and I'd love to work in an environment like that.

I don't fancy being stuck in the same room with someone all week though, I prefer the hospital working environment. Managing my own practice for dentistry also appeals to me though.

I'm going for 10 months work experience, four hours a week at a private cosmetic dentist and one week in a hospital. Hopefully this will help me decide as I feel the time has come where I need to Persue one of these careers with 100% enthusiasm.

I'm not in it for the money either!

There are hospital dentists too, you aren't just limited to dental practices!
If you want the blend of cosmetic surgery with working in a hospital environment and 'enriching' lives (medicine is rarely about saving lives), then maxfax is an option.

I'd say go for medicine if you have an interest in the whole body, an interest in whole body/complex diseases, biology and engaging problem solving in relation to the whole human anatomy (dentistry is more focused on the mouth, but problems anywhere in the body can affect the mouth and you have to know about it).

For everything else, consider dentistry.

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by That Bearded Man)
If you're 50/50, dentistry. It has better hours and better pay, if you like teeth as much as anything else then why not? If you develop an interest in paediatrics say then why not shoot for medicine. Why not apply for a mix of both?

I would apply for both but then my personal statement needs to be the same for all applications, so it's pretty hard to make a really good one which would suit both

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by BackDoorEntry)
There are hospital dentists too, you aren't just limited to dental practices!
If you want the blend of cosmetic surgery with working in a hospital environment and 'enriching' lives (medicine is rarely about saving lives), then maxfax is an option.

I'd say go for medicine if you have an interest in the whole body, an interest in whole body/complex diseases, biology and engaging problem solving in relation to the whole human anatomy (dentistry is more focused on the mouth, but problems anywhere in the body can affect the mouth and you have to know about it).

For everything else, consider dentistry.

See if I do max fax, then should I do a medical or dental degree and what after either one of them?

[BackDoorEntry]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
See if I do max fax, then should I do a medical or dental degree and what after either one of them?

Traditionally its dentistry first then a short medicine course afterward I think. Then I believe you go off to do further education and training.

This is a very long process.

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by BackDoorEntry)
Traditionally its dentistry first then a short medicine course afterward I think. Then I believe you go off to do further education and training.

This is a very long process.

It does look like a good job but I think the training might be too long for me. It looks really interesting too. However, I'd rather do a five year medicine or dentistry course. Still think I need to decide

I think working in a hospital is definitely something I want to do, whichever career path I take.

Money doesn't concern me, since both doctors and dentists have a good wage.

And working hours aren't much of a concern for me either.

It really comes down to the actual job itself I suppose! I definitely don't want to be stuck with the same dental assistant all day!

[InvisibleFootprint]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsqS__jMF6w

[cptKernow]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
I think working in a hospital is definitely something I want to do, whichever career path I take.

Money doesn't concern me, since both doctors and dentists have a good wage.

And working hours aren't much of a concern for me either.

Hospital dentist? I spent a week in the oral surgery dept and there are resident dentists. On the plus side there is a lot of variety in the clinics, including more facial stuff. On the negative side, the pay is nowhere near that of a GDP and much of the surgery is extractions under general.

[BackDoorEntry]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Money doesn't concern me, since both doctors and dentists have a good wage.

And working hours aren't much of a concern for me either.

It really comes down to the actual job itself I suppose! I definitely don't want to be stuck with the same dental assistant all day!

Money will concern you in the long term.
Working hours will also concern you in the long term.

More importantly the ratio between the two will matter to you the most when the excitement about being a doctor/dentist in real life wears off and you need to pay bills and look after a family!

Just saying do whats best for not only job satisfaction, but all the other factors too

[Wltsm]

Do both, I believe you need medicine to be a consultant, whatever field you specialise in.

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by InvisibleFootprint)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsqS__jMF6w

Btw I didn't mean to thumb you down, I was in stitches at that video xD

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by BackDoorEntry)
Money will concern you in the long term.
Working hours will also concern you in the long term.

More importantly the ratio between the two will matter to you the most when the excitement about being a doctor/dentist in real life wears off and you need to pay bills and look after a family!

Just saying do whats best for not only job satisfaction, but all the other factors too

Do you know what the pay is for max fax?

[roh]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Do you know what the pay is for max fax?

Good article: http://careers.bmj.com/careers/advic...e.html?id=1445

Doctors pay for pure NHS: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details...lt.aspx?Id=553

I imagine maxfax are just paid the same as normal consultants, but happy to be corrected.

[BackDoorEntry]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Do you know what the pay is for max fax?

According to google, about 200k ish?

I spoke to an orofacial surgeon though and he earns 260k privately

[InvisibleFootprint]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Btw I didn't mean to thumb you down, I was in stitches at that video xD

Hi there,
That's fine As long as you were laughing. But I think that Medicine gives you a larger area to specialize rather than dentistry. But dentistry pays more.