[cptKernow]

(Original post by rowdy-rathore)
Why are the hours awful?

On call, night shifts etc. Same deal as junior docs to start with. I was talking to some SH1 dentists in a hospital and one had been up for 20 hours. Also, they are expected to stitch up the heads / faces of the drunks on Fri/Sat night as hospital dentistry covers this.

The other drawback to hospital is the surgical work is mostly extractions, particularly wisdom teeth and kids. This will limit your ability to get back into general practice after a while.
On the plus side, there is a lot of variety in the clinics, including beyond the mouth

[rowdy-rathore]

(Original post by cptKernow)
On call, night shifts etc. Same deal as junior docs to start with. I was talking to some SH1 dentists in a hospital and one had been up for 20 hours. Also, they are expected to stitch up the heads / faces of the drunks on Fri/Sat night as hospital dentistry covers this.

The other drawback to hospital is the surgical work is mostly extractions, particularly wisdom teeth and kids. This will limit your ability to get back into general practice after a while.
On the plus side, there is a lot of variety in the clinics, including beyond the mouth

I've done some shadowing in a hospital, but I only got to shadow dental students. I didn't get to see the ''real'' hospital side to dentistry.

[zippyRN]

(Original post by rowdy-rathore)
Why are the hours awful?

because they won't be 9-5 ? as you'll have lates , weekends and on-calls as an OMF Dentalist/Doctorist ...

[zippyRN]

(Original post by Vian)
Isn't it almost exactly the same with medicine? As in staying in the same hospital/surgery once you get comfortable and perhaps having to move to other parts of the country if you're unlucky? If you get bored of the same surgery you could always apply somewhere else. Most of the dentists I know work in two practices anyway.

hardly , the way most training is structured will see you move between F1 and F2,(one 'big' hospital, one 'small' hospital) you may have move again for core training, and have three or four different hospitals during core training) and as a 'proper' registrar will move around the region you are doing your higher training in ...

[Vian]

(Original post by zippyRN)
hardly , the way most training is structured will see you move between F1 and F2,(one 'big' hospital, one 'small' hospital) you may have move again for core training, and have three or four different hospitals during core training) and as a 'proper' registrar will move around the region you are doing your higher training in ...

I meant when you've finished training and you have greater choice on where you can work.

[anthonyfl]

I'm actually considering medicine now. Just because there's so many specialties and so many paths to go through. I really like the appeal of A&E too as it's fast-paced and diverse (except on Friday and Saturday nights of course!)


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[Vian]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
I'm actually considering medicine now. Just because there's so many specialties and so many paths to go through. I really like the appeal of A&E too as it's fast-paced and diverse (except on Friday and Saturday nights of course!)

NO!! Don't go over to the dark side, the cake is a lie!

Anyway, medicine is definitely an interesting choice so I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Better get cracking on that work experience then!

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by Vian)
NO!! Don't go over to the dark side, the cake is a lie!

Anyway, medicine is definitely an interesting choice so I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Better get cracking on that work experience then!

Don't say that haha! My opinion changes too quickly. It actually worries me! It's like medicine and dentistry alternate weeks in my mind!

Anyway, I'm going to do work experience for both as I'm sure it will help me come to a sensible, well thought decision. (and a lot of work experience I'm planning to do - volunteering, St Andrew's ambulance [same as St John's ambulance except for Scotland] etc. is applicable to both, so it's not wasted)







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[zippyRN]

(Original post by anthonyfl)
Don't say that haha! My opinion changes too quickly. It actually worries me! It's like medicine and dentistry alternate weeks in my mind!

Anyway, I'm going to do work experience for both as I'm sure it will help me come to a sensible, well thought decision. (and a lot of work experience I'm planning to do - volunteering, St Andrew's ambulance [same as St John's ambulance except for Scotland] etc. is applicable to both, so it's not wasted)

i'd suggest you check out what your local Red Cross offers as 'St Andrew's First Aid' as they now brand themselves is a pale imitation of SJA and what the better BRC localities offer, have StAFA started doing moving and handling and gasses courses yet ? disregarding the fact StAFA don't operate ambulances or as far as i am aware have Cycle responders ...

[Melo -]

My opinion (which is probably warped by the fact whenever I go to a dentist it seems to be a quick look in the mouth and out the door again and have never actually seen what they 'do')

Being a doctor is more exciting than being a dentist simply because there is more variety. Also you don't see many different and unusual things as a dentist, and if it does it's usually referred to a hospital for a doctor to look at.

[Tensei]

Become a Dentist in my opinion, better hours cosmetic work sounds fun too.

Become a Doctor of Teeth

[cptKernow]

(Original post by Melo -)
My opinion (which is probably warped by the fact whenever I go to a dentist it seems to be a quick look in the mouth and out the door again and have never actually seen what they 'do')

Being a doctor is more exciting than being a dentist simply because there is more variety. Also you don't see many different and unusual things as a dentist, and if it does it's usually referred to a hospital for a doctor to look at.

People really need to think what a doctor actually is. Most people seem to think GP - this is a specialisation and does not by any stretch of the imagination account for the majority of jobs.

To progress you need to specialise - i.e. reduce the variety. Unless you want to work harder for less money for the rest of your career that is. I suppose the advantage over dentistry is you have more specialities to choose from.
However, do not imagine that you can get into any speciality you fancy. The competition on some can be intense and may involve having to up sticks and move frequently.

[Melo -]

(Original post by cptKernow)
People really need to think what a doctor actually is. Most people seem to think GP - this is a specialisation and does not by any stretch of the imagination account for the majority of jobs.

To progress you need to specialise - i.e. reduce the variety. Unless you want to work harder for less money for the rest of your career that is. I suppose the advantage over dentistry is you have more specialities to choose from.
However, do not imagine that you can get into any speciality you fancy. The competition on some can be intense and may involve having to up sticks and move frequently.

I know doctors specialise, but there are fields they can specialise into which still have much more variety than dentistry. Emergency medicine for example

[Vian]

(Original post by Melo -)
Being a doctor is more exciting than being a dentist simply because there is more variety. Also you don't see many different and unusual things as a dentist, and if it does it's usually referred to a hospital for a doctor to look at.

If its complicated, they'd usually be referred to a hospital for further dental treatment or Oral Surgery. If it's a uniquely medical problem patients would be advised to see a doctor, though I don't think they'd be referred.

I know a dentist who thought her patient may have cancer (not oral) and advised them to see a GP, though that was the extent of it.

[cptKernow]

There is a fair bit of variety. Consider what is included in terms of physiology covered and treatment; soft tissue, muscle, bone / joints, teeth, microbiology, materials science, x-rays, oral and systemic disease and on top of that you have a diverse selection of patients who aren't all in because they looked it up on the internet and think they have cancer!

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by cptKernow)
There is a fair bit of variety. Consider what is included in terms of physiology covered and treatment; soft tissue, muscle, bone / joints, teeth, microbiology, materials science, x-rays, oral and systemic disease and on top of that you have a diverse selection of patients who aren't all in because they looked it up on the internet and think they have cancer!

Exactly! And I think a hospital would be the type of working environment I would prefer.


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[Soft Cat]

(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!

So you'll be ok if the Government decides not to pay you and instead put your wages towards easing the NHS's debts?

If only all clinicians thought that way.

LOL

[cgraham15]

medicine would be far more interesting and a more fun career (although I think it'll be more difficult and intense studying load).

[anthonyfl]

(Original post by Soft Cat)
So you'll be ok if the Government decides not to pay you and instead put your wages towards easing the NHS's debts?

If only all clinicians thought that way.

LOL

There's no need for that. I intended to imply that money does not bother me, as both dentists and doctors can and do lead very comfortable lifestyles. Never did I suggest I would plan on working for free!


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[anthonyfl]

(Original post by cgraham15)
medicine would be far more interesting and a more fun career (although I think it'll be more difficult and intense studying load).

That's wrong, dental and medical degrees are both of equal difficulty. Intact I here first and second year of both are very similar.

Although I agree it would be more interesting

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