Having trouble with deciding uni courses

I just did my A levels and am waiting for results. I was sick for more than a year and the doctors didn't diagnose me correctly and my parents didn't let me go when my health was deteriorating. I wanted to do dentistry but didn't get the grades in the first year so I applied for pharmacy and got offers for that instead. I feel unhappy, like my potential is being wasted and I think I'll be overworked in Pharmacy compared to its salary after hearing first-hand accounts from family members. I also feel as if I've let down friends and family who all hyped me for being intelligent. In sixth form I was judged by other students, and teachers for not performing as well, and I think going into dentistry would prove them all wrong as well as fulfilling my personal preferences. My mom said if I don't get grades for dentistry I should just accept the Pharmacy offer and not throw it away as offers are hard to get and the offer I have is conditional with a lower grade (BBB when it wouldv'e been ABB). What should I do?

I think you should consider why you want to do dentistry. Studying it to prove you’re smart enough i completely understand but these people won’t matter to you when you’re working this job every day for the rest of your life. you really have to be sure that you’re going into it because you’re fascinated with it and can really see yourself happy working there - it doesn’t matter what other people think. Also pharmacy is completely respectable and takes a lot of work and intelligence, no less than dentistry, or medicine even. However, I would personally recommend just taking a year out, find a temporary job that pays reasonably and spend some time exploring careers, getting volunteering and experience and really figuring out what you want, especially if you know that pharmacy isn’t your dream - it’s a long time to spend doing something you don’t really want to do, it’s better to take a year now than try get into something else 4 years and thousands of £s later! in my opinion at least.