I was a dentist for 35 years, 30 of which I owned my own practice. I relate to all the challenges you talked about. Fortunately, for me I choose to work only 4 days a week, exercised regularly, and pursued a Masters Degree in History, perhaps my true love. I also had a healthy marriage and coached my two boys in baseball for years. My wife and I lived within our means and therefore I was never stressed for money and never challenged to over treat. The thing I miss most was getting to know my patients. She liked cats, he liked sports cars, she was a lawyer, he was a horse trainer, she had no kids but liked to travel. I was sincerely interested in their life experiences and loved living through their life journeys. This helped me grow spiritually as I began to genuinely love people, something that did not come naturally. Many, many of my patients cried when I retired, and when I occasionally see one of my patient's they usually say I was their all time favorite dentist. Additionally most of my staff said I was their all time favorite for any dentist they had worked for. I think part time dentistry will work well for you. It is also my hope that someday you will look back and say "I had several careers, one of which was dentistry, and it was an interesting chapter in my life." By the way i have two adopted Korean children. I live in Texas, and I could say " happy trails to you," but I prefer to say, "may the Lord bless you and keep you, and let his face shine on you."
This was a beautiful comment! As a student currently applying to dental school I loved reading a bit on your life story and perspective. God bless you and your family :)
I’m six months into ownership, and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. I treat people how I’d wanna be treated myself. No pressure from some “office manager” to make the office more money
I’m a dentist and I had the same experience. I also got very burnt out. And I had retired my license for a few years. Then I reactivated my license. Now I’m working part time in a maximum security prison. I’ve grown to love it bc the majority of inmates are extremely grateful. I’ve not had any patients with attitudes. I have a completely different side hustle unrelated to dentistry and I feel it gives me balance in my life.
It’s actually very refreshing to hear someone in such an esteemed profession discuss their struggles with their job. I have a teaching degree, but I refuse to work in a school, public or private. For many of the exact reasons you list on your dislikes of being a dentist. Physically, emotionally, and mentally draining. I genuinely believe burnout would happen a lot less if many professions were 30 hrs with 3 day weekends vs 40 hrs with 2 day weekends
@@nonparlesvouz2720and now you get no job benefits at all. also part time teaching… isn’t really a thing?? there’s subbing and tutoring i guess? but those have their issues too
@@lilacfields Part time teaching is a thing actually! And you actually do get benefits! It's very much subjective to the school you work with! Sorry! I think..?
@@nonparlesvouz2720 this is very dependent on where you live. this is not a common thing where i’m at and the only part time teaching jobs are elective teachers. and being part time a lot of the time does mean you either get no or reduced benefits. all i’m trying to say is i don’t think just going part time will fix structural issues which is what the commenter was talking about 😭
I’ve been thinking about dentistry as a profession for so long now and it’s important to have conversations like this. Thanks so much for this video, truly
I have massive admiration for dentists! Y’all are superhuman to me. I’ve had my top front teeth saved TWICE, following a bad accident and long term effects. I’ve had really great dentists but have mostly lived in much smaller places than New York. Thanks for all you do!
Maddy, my name is Stacey and I am a Korean American dentist here in America. I agree 100% with every single thing you said. Thank you for putting all this out there. It’s wild how people will never truly know the good, bad and ugly sides to things like a profession/career before entering into it. If I had known all the things I know now I would have NEVER chosen dentistry. I also actively disparage anybody from going into this highly field. It is incredibly expensive to become a dentist and I have no idea how I will ever pay off my loans, especially since I am a “low earning” dentist because I HATE the sleazy sales of so many employers I’ve worked for. And pushing unnecessary treatment. I’ve seen so much of it, and seen so much crappy work out there that I’m LESS trusting of dentists being a dentist myself. I also actively choose to not really be friends with dentists in my personal life as well. While the money even as a low earning dentist is “good”, it is crazy expensive how much it costs to maintain all my insurances and licensing fees in order to continue being a dentist. I calculated it out to be about $500+ a month. I also wholeheartedly agree that meeting and connecting with different people from all walks of life is the most rewarding part, and the prestige/respect that comes with it, especially as a petite Asian American woman in this country. I don’t know if I would have the same confidence or be able to carry myself with the self respect that I do in all the different rooms I find myself in. Thank you again!!
I am from Brazil, I am a dentist and i recently changed my carrier now I am studying law. My two colleges was totally free for charges and fees and this is the exactly why I could change my carrier. I couldn’t imagine how bad it is having a huge debt because of the education. I am really sorry for you! Because I now how sad it staying in something that it doesn’t make sense anymore. Now, in my law school it’s totally free as well and I wish this could became a reality in the US onde day.
There is a very nice institucional tool that helps people grow in life under partnership agreement. It’s very popular, works really well when people aren’t insane or damaged by social media or lack of parents. It is called marriage. You should try. It works well financially too.
Hi I am a dentist here in the philippines, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you say. I always tell non dentist friends and other people that I meet, to always be careful of opportunistic denitst that will sell you all types of treatment (more expensive). To someone aspiring to be a dentist, make sure to know all the ugly and the expenses before you enter this field
I'm a predental student having doubts and I really appreciate your honesty. I feel like what I most enjoy about shadowing is chatting with the patient and of course the prestige that I feel as I am perceived as a "somebody" that's going to have a big title some day. Even without fully entering the career, I have come across rude dentists that are sexist or fake or just feel above others. I'm am also worried that the personalities I've come across with my peers as they try to get ahead is a preview into how cut throat students will be in dental school. Of course, I understand the need to network but I would hate to enter an environment where connections are solely made as potential career stepping stones rather than something genuine.
Appreciate the honesty of this comment!! As a non-dentist but a person who is trying to get into the habit of seeing a dentist regularly, how might you advise us to seek out dentists that don't push unnecessary treatments? Are there types of offices/practices to avoid, red flag signs, etc?
This has been very revealing and clarifying for not just aspiring dentists, but everyone else. Thank you for valuable transparency, it’s very rare to see people being honest about things like this
Very well said. I’m a 29-year old Asian American dentist in my 5th year of practice in California. The first few years working full time were absolutely brutal; I was so depressed and desperately wanted a career change. I regretted not going into engineering but felt trapped because of the amount of student loans. I switched to public health in my 3rd year and it was much better than my private practice experience. All of the points you mentioned are still true, but it’s more manageable working at a community clinic and generally patients are much more grateful to just receive essential care. Anyway, I’m so glad you made this honest video about dentistry because had I known all these things beforehand, I definitely would have chosen a different field. It’s really not glamorous, especially when you have $400K in student loan debt. Thankfully I’m in a place now where I don’t dread going to work every day and I see more bright spots than darkness. But it’s a hard journey! And I’m glad there are other like-minded dentists out there like you who still care about their patients and can be vulnerable about how difficult it can be. Thank you Maddy! ❤
Hey, can you tell me which public health course you did? Like a master's in public health or dental public health? I'm confused between the two. Can you help me with this?😊
The absence of lunch breaks among health care workers in private practice is pretty common. My spouse is a clinical (not retail) pharmacist in California and she often gets little or no lunch break at all. Many times half the lunch or sometimes the whole lunch she brings doesn't get eaten. There are times she will have lunch at 2pm, 3pm, or sometimes not all between 9:30am and 7pm. Often times there are emergencies and patients have to have their meds stat so lunch goes out the window. Because she is on salary, she can work up to 11 hours a day from 9:30am to 8:30pm with an additional hour at home on the laptop finishing patient notes. Usually, it's 10 hours a day, though. Unfortunately, there is also call and there have been 2am wake up calls with urgent issues like an IV pump failure, sometimes on the weekend. It just goes with the territory, I guess. I tell my kids that tech careers are probably a better choice with a good income and less education requirements but the bottom line is that if you are doing what you enjoy, it's hard to argue with what you do. The satisfaction of helping patients really is an intangible benefit to working in health care!
California Clinical Pharmacist here. The workload is insane. I’ve worked at a government hospital and did the work of 3 people. The hours were irregular and unpredictable. It is so hard to plan anything with anyone. I did have a 1 hour lunch, but once back on the clock, it was a marathon. I took 3.5 years off from working after having my second child, and I now work per diem in a specialty pharmacy clinical role. Much more laid back. Lots of breaks and support. The moral of my story was that you need to be the leader of your own destiny and find a setting and employment situation that works best for you ❤️
I'm a part time dentist. I prefer working for a large company in community health. Less pressure to push big treatment plans. I also work with a largely very pleasant patient population and get along with the other dentist I work with. It all makes a huge difference.
I am a dentistry student, and I already agree with what you’re saying. I also have some additions about education. Professors are egotistical and don’t seem to want to teach-it’s unbelievable. They’ve been doing this for years and belittle our lack of experience, making us feel inadequate. Exams and projects are excessively demanding; there’s no such thing as ‘university life.’ School is very expensive, filled with future concerns. I want to quit some times but feels like it’s too late, but your channel gives me strength.thank u ❤
@@beyza3257 Oh that’s great! I love your country a lot since I’m learning Turkish. I don’t think it’s unfortunate because Türkiye produces some of the best dentists in the world. I didn’t know dentistry was also expensive over there. Knowing what you know now, would you study dentistry again if given the opportunity to start afresh?
This is so true, people don't believe me when I say dental school is the most scandalous education system with absurb amount of bullying from staff coated as "tough love."
Hello. I'm a dental hygienist and I can relate to some of the factors of the dental world that you've mentioned. I have lower back pain, I see roughly 10-12 patients a day, patients can sometimes be rude. With that being said, I love being in the dental field and find it truly rewarding!! I enjoyed watching this video to see it from your perspective. The honesty is welcomed. I hope you continue to find the small joys when you're on the job. I so enjoy your content 🤎
Working from home is not as glorious as some may think. I WFH in tech and I've never been more burnt out in my life mentally and physically. I was at my worst. You work harder and non-stop, I'm talking early morning to midnight meetings just to keep up with teams on the other side of the world.
As a dentist I do have a scheduled lunch break, but usually half the time gets filled with hygiene checks or an emergency. Being able to cut back my hours and take a longer weekend REALLY helped me. The day to day is just so physically and emotionally draining, my body needs the extra time to rest and reset. I am grateful that as dentists the work we do is very rewarding and purposeful. We also have the flexibility and job stability to pursue other hobbies and interests. Thank you for sharing, it was a huge encouragement to me!
I totally get this. I work in Optometry but not as an optometrist. I dispense glasses and it's exactly like this. I also think a big part is the prejudice against Asians in any front customer facing roles. I was born in NZ, dont speak any other languages and have the perfect kiwi accent. I will get hate for no reason from clients. If i make the slightest mistake, it comes down on me like a ton of bricks. If i am firm and stand up, people get aggressive. It's disgusting. There are lovely people around who appreciate your work. However, the prejudice and unruly ones just make it worse and no shame from them either.
Recently, I had to leave dental school during the end of my 2nd year due to my ongoing health issues. I still have a sense of regret about it, but after watching your video, I feel like I was idealizing becoming a dentist, and that it probably wasn’t the best fit for me. Your video gave me a really balanced perspective about dentistry and gave me hope that I’ll be able to find a different career that’s more suited towards my situation. 😊
@@DeborahNwankwo it is a very stressful job. Initially you think you do it to help people but than you become part of a system that sucks your mental and physical energy. The environment is very competitive you thrive for perfection which is unattainable. It is very expensive to run a practice and if you work for others you are used to their benefit and disposal. Other than job security and a decent income after working many years in the field I wish I would have chosen a different career. You have to be in the system to understand how detrimental can be to your life. At least this was my experience
God bless you Maddie. Dentistry is a very difficult profession. I’ve been practicing dentistry for 23 years and still have the feelings you have expressed. I pray, take it one day at a time and keep pressing forward. I feel that God calls us to our professions and when I use my job to serve Him it makes all the difference! Keep up the good work 😊
Thank you for sharing this!! I'm a recent dental graduate and it's totally not what I expected based on my experience in uni. But I'm feel relieved that it's totally normal to feel this way :")
Your honesty is so refreshing, Maddy! It's very similar in other health professions. I soooo agree about the physical and mental exhaustion. I have studied and worked part-time from 8 am- 11 pm for my entire young adulthood, but it was never exhausting in the way patient care is exhausting. Most days, I feel like a zombie😓 I think part-time dentistry / medicine / etc is really the way to go....if you can make it happen :) It's the only way to practice sustainably without sacrificing health and relationships. Glad you've found a part time position that give you balance 💜
LOOL EVERY SINGLE THING YOU MENTIONED!!!! I'm a Dentist in the UK and I could relate SO MUCH TO EVERY.SINGLE.THING. We usually get lunch breaks, 1 hr normally. HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE A LUNCH BREAK?? thank you for sharing. I think you're super creative, so full time dentistry is just A LOT! I really appreciate your honesty in this video. You mentioned, every. single. thing!🙆♀
I’m a nurse and it’s like this too. It’s physically and emotionally draining. I work at a large private hospital outpatient clinic and we are forced to take more patients everyday. They track statistics on everything. No scheduled lunch breaks. you basically find time in between patients to eat. Most of the nurses I work with don’t eat. It’s exhausting. It’s better than working as a nurse in the hospital definitely but I still hate it in the end. Nurses definitely don’t get paid enough for the amount of BS. I’m planning on switching careers now.
Wow, I can understand how demanding nursing could be. I’m a semi-retired dental hygienist and my mother was a nurse. I sometimes wonder if I would have liked nursing better as a career. But, I’m sure nursing can be difficult. I just happen to be empathetic and like helping people. How many years have you been nursing & what new career are you planning on transitioning into?
@@ShikokuFoodForest I’ve been a nurse for 7 years. I always knew I didn’t want to be one for a long time. I’m back in school to get my post bacc in computer science, which I enjoy learning about much more :)
@@CrayonHarts Hello. Wow, such a big change for you! Interesting to hear you knew you wouldn’t continue with your nursing career for a very long time. I guess 7 years was long enough for you. Nursing must be more difficult than I imagined. What was the most difficult part? I’m sure you learned and experienced a lot. It is great you found something you enjoy much more. Best wishes in your new career!
@@ShikokuFoodForest I'm an introvert so having to constantly interact with people is exhausting for me. The worst is actually management expecting you to be perfect while given the bare minimum to do your job. I think as a dental hygienists you are helping people as well!
I guess I got lucky. Right out of dental school, I had the opportunity to work with 3 wonderful mentors. I learned so much from each one: technical skills way beyond dental school, business skills (how to run an office), and how to relate and speak with patients. I saw about 5-8 patients a day, encouraged to work at my own pace. Starting my own practice with my wife who is also a dentist was the best decision ever. We practice the way we want to ;) and I think patients really appreciate that. We as dentist are over-achievers, climb-any-mountain go-getters, competitive as hell by nature.... but if you channel that into a certain mindset, that YOU could help patients waaaay better than the sleazy ones you mentioned, you would feel infinitely better about yourself. Don't measure success by the amount of money you make, measure by the number of teeth/pain you've saved. Best of luck to you!
Why am I hearing this just like what I feel right now 😅 I feel so tired doing my routinity as an oral surgeon 24/7. I keep my self still sane by playing games or watching netflix and now going to my wishlist places. But I can’t give up since my family depends on me. Pray for me to still in good health 😢
I was a dental nurse in Australia for 5 years and I had to leave and start a new career because I was having so many problems with my lower back. I worked for a private, family owned clinic, and I was so thankful for that, because our dentists weren't under pressure to up-sell treatments to the patients. I've been to these networking events a few times as well, and each time I heard too many horror stories from other dental nurses who worked at corporate dental practices, of the dentists being pressured to sell crowns or implants when a filling by itself would have been an appropriate treatment. From what I was told, the dentists would be told to up-sell these treatments wherever possible, regardless of the patient's age or income. I think in the future, at least in Australia, there is going to have to be new regulations on corporate dental practices, because if even half of the stories I heard were true, this is extremely detrimental to the dental health of our society.
As unenjoyable as it is, you are definitely providing an invaluable service to the community through dentistry. We really need to fix our healthcare system so yall arent so overworked. And, your content is also an invaluable service, im glad youve found a way to do both for the time being.
Thank you for telling the truth about being a dentist ❤. I’m a general dentist that juggled raising 2 kids & taking care of my elderly parents. There were many times when I felt like I was treading water & could barely keep my head above water. There is nothing worse than having a waiting room full of patients, a hygiene exam waiting for you, an emergency patient in another operatory, & a big restorative case that you are trying to complete. It is literally physically & mentally draining, but when things go well & you make a difference for a patient there is no better feeling. Having a lunch break is absolutely non-negotiable in my opinion. Most of the time I would end up catching up from the onslaught of the morning & endless chart notes that need to be done. But, I would always take time to leave the office to get a change of scenery & refresh my mind for the 2nd half of the day, even if this break out of the office is only for 10-15 minutes in order to clear my mind & recharge for the afternoon. The best thing about dentistry is that it is flexible & you can work part-time if you want & hopefully find the right practice philosophy & patient care environment that matches your beliefs. Don’t settle for a bad environment that stresses production & sacrifices your lunch break & mental health. You are blessed to have a wonderful creative outlet if you decide to retire from dentistry temporarily or permanently😊.
I can’t even imagine juggling all that you did…!! Thank you for sharing. This was actually so encouraging for me along with so many other healthcare workers who chimed in and shared the bright side and how they altered their work to fit their needs better without completely quitting. Dentistry really does provide a huge perk of choosing to be part time, posting this video was cathartic but reading the comment section is giving me a great perspective!
@@CafeMaddy I honestly don’t know how I did it when my kids were small. All I remember is pumping my breastmilk in a makeshift closet between patients and rushing home after work to get dinner ready, spending time with the kids & getting them ready for bed, endless chores, & then sterilizing all the bottles & pump equipment… only to do it all over again the next day. When I look back it was brutal. And then as my kids got older, the challenges changed and my parents got sicker and needed more help. It’s tough being part of the “sandwich generation” & Korean because there are so many expectations from everyone. The expectation to be successful outside of the home & take care of everyone first and yourself last. I ended up “retiring” from dentistry to take care of my parents & then the pandemic started & still has not ended. I planned to return to dentistry, but my priority now is to keep my family as healthy & safe as possible & free of Covid.
Hi Maddy! I had no idea you were a dentist when I've run across your content. As a current dental student, I am glad that none of the reasons you stated in the video were surprising to me. Despite dentistry becoming much more female-dominated recently, dentistry has always been an old boy's club and it will likely take decades to change that aspect of organized dentistry. One of the aspects of dentistry I love that I see you are utilizing in your life is how flexible dentistry can be. The fact that you can just work part-time and earn a decent living while spending the rest of your time doing something you truly enjoy is a blessing that not many other careers have. In a worst case scenario when you are no longer able to subsist on your online career, you could go back to working full-time and you would not have to worry about financial stability. Another great aspect of dentistry is the job stability. People will always have dental issues that we can work on. While we definitely cannot do dentistry remotely yet, I do think that is a not a bad thing. While some people will choose to go overseas to get dental work done, that is not something most people will do, and there is little risk of our jobs being outsourced. As you have highlighted in your video, dentistry as a field is certainly not perfect and there are many ways which dentistry can be made better for the providers and the patients. Thank you for bringing these issues to light and for sharing your perspective.
Love everything you said Rebecca! I’m also a dental student in the US and believe the pros heavily outweigh the cons in this field. No career is perfect and I think we have a lot of opportunities that others don’t. You’ll be a great dentist 😁
I am an engineer in the semiconductor industry and could relate to your “pain” in some extent. I think every career/job has many BS. Thanks for sharing.
My name Ramzi, and I'm from Jordan. I am currently studying AI and Data science, but I have always had pharmacy and/or Dentistry on my mind but just didn't know whether I should go towards the medicine and Dentistry route or just stay on my IT route and I think your video helped me understand more the reality of being a dentist and might help me deciding what to do. Thank you!
Im a dental hygienist. Everything you said is 100%. As a whole, dentistry is so physically and emotional draining. My neck hurts every day. Sales is the worst part for me. Debating a career change but..change is hard for me. Thanks for this video I love seeing other people admit the faults. People should know these things before making the decision to go into dentistry.
@@gourabsarker9552 hi, I live in the U.S so it varies state by state. In my state the range is $40-55 an hour. Some offices offer a bonus system too which could make you more money. BUT this is for dental hygiene NOT a dentist. Dentist make wayyy more.
I am an optometrist and the appointment time stress is SO real. I hate when patients overshare and talk about things unrelated to the appointment and take away from someone else's time to receive care and my sanity. I am definitely looking for ways to reduce my time in direct patient care too. Thanks for sharing your POV :)
The lunch break thing got me. I’m a dentist in London England and i also worked in Brazil before that. I always got a lunch break, I’m sorry about your experience, nobody deserves to stay without eating whilst working so hard 😊😢
This feels like what my therapist used to always assign me when I was trying to find a decent job/career: list all the likes and dislikes of your current position and work from there. Loved this video :) so sad people are still very judgy abbout being a creator but so glad you ge to hold both hats! Part denstiry and part conctent creator :)
As a german dentist I can totally agree with the things you have mentioned in your video, especially about the job being emotionally draining. I also talked about it with a patient of mine last week, and he said that whenever he gets angry or is in a bad mood, it doesnt affect anyone else, since he works from home, but people expect their dentist to be in a good mood all day long, and that is very tiring. Of I want my patients to feel comfortable at my practice, but it is very hard to maintain the cheerful atmosphere, when you had a frustrating or difficult treatment before, and like you have mentioned, because of the hourly timed scedule it is hard to find some time in between to vent or destress... On the other side there are also many beautiful aspects about this jobs, many thankful patients and being able to see the results of your work immediately. So thank you for your honest words! (also, I didnt know you were a dentist, I have been following you on Instagram and just loved the food/lifestyle content, so please keep doing what you do!)
I am in tech and trust me, it's not much better. I have contemplated getting out of tech many times, but it's just hard. Some of "tech" we all hear about are the startup phantom things - selling an idea or hope. Then there are another side of tech that actually sells tangible goods - things that make into our electronics, which is more like dentistry where you have to produce. I work 14-18 hours each day - call that the privilege of working from home. We have to deal with Asia every night and Europe every morning. I don't even remember the last time I finished work at 5pm (never). I don't have set lunch hours or dinner hour for that matter, because meetings cut through all those time slots. While we don't have deadlines by the hour, we do have deadlines by day or week but of much larger and complex tasks. In many case, we run on the mentality of "it was due yesterday", so we put in a lot of overtime. I dated someone in finance and it's the same with a different twist - they toss aside their lives when working towards putting a deal together. The real take-away is that higher paying job are higher pay for a reason - you put up with a lot even with you spent years in education.
What an interesting video Maddie! I work in mental health in the UK, and it's interesting to see the simiarities and differences in our experiences. For me, it is also the moments of connection (and making a difference) with patients that I love; it helps that I just find my field really interesting too. However, in our free healthcare system there are pressures in a slightly different way, to increase efficiencies due to big waiting lists and high need. Unfortunately that can lead to different issues in colleagues, like people becoming burned out or even cynical or guarded, which is really sad for the staff, and for the patients too! Thankfully we get a lot less people doing it for the money in a free healthcare system, but there will always be people a human propensity to like power and status (and unfortunately, people who abuse that)
I never knew that my yapping was so draining to my dentist, hygienist, and even my optometrist (from reading other comments). I’ll practice brevity. You’re such a deep soul with the most soothing voice. 너무 멋있어요 😊 Balance를 잘 하세요
My husband is a dentist and a lot of the negative things you shared are so true- how physically taxing it is, how emotionally and mentally draining too. Lots of things people don’t realize when they think about the dental profession! He also did not have lunch breaks his first 2 jobs (but he didn’t mind too much, I probably cared more haha). Overall, my husband loves being a dentist and ended up finding a job where his current bosses give him a lunch break and treat him really well, so he’s fortunate in that. He is also pretty passionate about dentistry and loves meeting new people so the profession fits him well. One thing you didn’t mention that we have found to be quite common is that many places do not provide health insurance so that’s a bit of a bummer for us since I stay home with our child, so we have to pay out of pocket and it’s quite expensive where we are (Alaska). But on the flip side I’m able to stay home in the first place because he makes a good income and is able to provide well for our family, so I’m really thankful for that.
Im a dentist going on my 26th year! Everything you said is spot on and I feel the exact same way. It's really stopped me from being active in the dental community because I feel so many of those people are not genuine. However.... I do have a good amount of friends who are dentists who are just the sweetest people in my life. We live in Hawaii however so the culture may be different here. We have a good amount of sales dentists, but the dentists I surround myself with have been the best gift I could have ever asked for. Positive, helpful, giving and true friends. So not all dentists are bad! Also, I reached burnout a couple times, but now at this point in my career, I have discovered the key to avoiding burnout is to remind myself to be greatful for everything I have and for all the wins in a day! I try to remind myself how much I wanted to graduate and get my license and never forget the goal as well as the intent to help others. With those daily reminders, I am much better able to avoid feeling like roadkill. Thanks for the honest video..loved it!
thank you. i've never seen someone speak so honestly about dentistry (i get it, appearances are highly emphasized in this field). my parents always want me to go to dental school but it's definitely not for me lol. i'm graduating hygiene school soon and plan on doing it until i get bored/find something new. meeting so many different types of people is what keeps me interested too though! my favorite patients are the super old couples that come in together:) so cute!
I’ve been a dentist in private practice for 23 years in Garden Grove, CA. Sold my office 7 years ago because of high stress. Now I work for a clinic and it’s better for me in my late years. But I do think while you’re young to have your own office so you can control your own destiny and do procedures you like to do. You could work extra hard but it’s for yourself. There is more administrative stress but do it when you’re young. You hit all the points very well . I hate when unethical doctors over treatment plan for personal financial gain. I’ve always been an honest dentist doing good work. Like honest lawyers, you may not be super rich but I like my humble lifestyle. Dentist stressful life is why I didn’t recommend my kids go into this field.
Also women have it tougher than men because it is physically demanding especially when they get pregnant. I had a few female pre-dental students shadowed me and I discouraged them going into this field.
I just discovered ur channel and can i just say how i loooove love love love how honest and transparant u are about this career path, the tratmentselling marketing, the privelege, the patients, thank u so much
I don't like dentists either... I've been in full time practice for 9 years, 10 if you factor in a GPR, and I've gotten screwed over by several owners - so much so that I dumped private practice and work in an FQHC. I'm getting paid less than I ever have but I don't have the pressure to sell dentistry or do absurd treatment to make money. I also received loan repayment assistance because I work in an underserved area and finally paid of my 213K in loans about a year ago. While I'm happy about being free from my loans, I'm embarrassed to talk about my career because [compared to a lot of my classmates who I outperformed in dental school] it has been so disjointed. Sometimes I think working for myself would be preferable - but it's so damn expensive to run a dental office and I just can't imagine going into debt again to buy a practice. So I'm essentially stuck. I'm also stuck with constant discomfort in my back and shoulders. I often can't believe I spent 213K (well, 163K if you consider the 50K i got for working in the middle of nowhere) to be as unhappy and burned out as I am. Truthfully, I didn't really want to be a dentist so most of this is my fault. I thought I could learn to like it because I "like working with my hands, science, art, etc." But it just never happened. Dentistry is primarily sales, marketing and networking - and then clinical skills. Let that be a lesson to anyone considering dentistry - if you don't think you like it, you probably won't. It's nearly impossible to find a non-clinical career in dentistry compared to other health professions, too. The worst part of it all is the isolation - both self-imposed and not - that I feel. There are plenty of organizations for dentists who love dentistry but there are none for those who don't.
I've worked in orthodontics and dentistry all my life, grew up in it. I absolutely hate it 🤣 I relate to everything you said, I'm midway into changing careers
As a working paramedic in new york city, healthcare is almost always the same in a nutshell. Overworked, underpaid with no lunch breaks but what makes it or breaks it is the trifecta of pay, work life balance and upper management. If you're confident with 2/3 most of the time people stay
Hi Maddy I agree with all your points and experienced them myself. Here in South Africa, public and private clinics all get lunch breaks as well as in the Netherlands where I also worked. Its really tough that this is not regulated by labour laws over there. I didnt like the sales aspect in some practices ( mainly in the Netherlands) where they would try and coax patients to have more expensive treatments. I was a dentist for 7 years now working in public health for 16 years and don't regret changing careers early on. The training and people skills you learn as a dentist can be transferable to other careers as well. All the best!
as a dentist myself, i completely agree with the points you made, especially about the back and neck pain & the inability to work from home. i remember telling my manager once that i wish i could wfh, and she laughed in my face. it's not an easy job, and if i could, i would love to work part time and do something else instead. however, the amount of student loan debts made it prohibited to start over in another career at this stage.
As a Dental Hygienist who practiced for 42 years I can totally relate in all ways. The best part for me was the people I met and took care of. I have a chronic neck issue.
My name is Zahraa and I’m from Iraq . I’m currently studying at dental school in third stage . I don’t enter this field with lovely, I was hate everything about it , because I have suffered from incompetent dentists during dental treatment plans, I was forced to enter this field, I had no other choice and I could not accept it, I have many thoughts about leaving this field after graduation but I have a feeling of fear of people fighting me, family and friends or even I am really afraid that I will not find my right place which I really want, and now I am suffering a lot in studying something I hate and I cannot be creative in creating cavities and practical materials related to teeth and fillings, I suffer from depression because of my study of dentistry In fact, it was my dream to enter general medicine and this dream did not leave me for a second, but it is very difficult for me to return to studying it after graduating from dentistry because it requires a very large cost and money. and I agree with you regarding the points you mentioned about dentistry, and this does not mean that it is a bad field, it has good aspects as well. Thank you for your honesty💗
It makes me sad to see that you have struggles in the dentist. however people have struggles in life like they can't afford dental care or don't know how to get help. Thank you for being brave and creative. You should have a tv talk show!
Amen to all of that. I’m a physician and worked at a job for 11 years where I didn’t have time to have lunch or even use the bathroom at least 65% of the days during that decade. Now at a different job and it’s quite a bit better in that regard, and my health is better now (lost 40 lbs), but all the other factors remain. Thank you for sharing, I know it took courage.
I am a dental student and have been watching your cooking videos from the start when i wasn't even in dental school, it was suprising and fascinating to here your side of story , i can relate to it , by the way i never comment on any videos just wanted to tell you , i like your voice a lot its sweet and so calm i feel relieved watching your videos .
I've been a dentist for about 6-7 years trust me I feel the exact same way and live the same life. In fact, I resonate with mostly everything you said including going part time after being full time. Its doable if you stay within your means and save and invest well, i'd rather do this than be full time in corporate. Now, I take my time & don't rush any procedures unless I want to and I always get a lunch no matter what or who is waiting because if I don't, I can't function the next four hours. I mean I can, but it adds to my overall stress tank which I like to keep depleted. Anyway, good luck with everything and cheers to a vacation soon. :)
Thank you so much for sharing this and being so honest! ❤ I’m a new grad dentist in Australia and it’s nice knowing we’re not alone in our struggles as a dentist!
Thanks for validating my distrust of the dental profession in general. Conversely, I do have a degree of compassion given many of the stressors you mentioned as I'm sure they apply to the majority of clinicians. How about producing some content that would enable me, as a patient/consumer to find a reputable practitioner without having to jump through so many hoops just for a consult. Thank you for sharing your experience !
I loved your video!!!! Thank you for this! I am a med student but don’t want to pursue only medicine in my life and I connect with your content and beliefs a lot 🥰
Bravo, Dear One for your honesty! We don’t often see how the enslavement paradigm energy occurs in professional aspects as it does in retail, that is, your lack of lunch (wow!) and the pressure related to the bottom line. Although, as an intuitive, I'm glad to Know this matrix is ending, still, it's challenging to navigate when you know it's engineered, manipulated, should not be, and IS ending, to be replaced with our true reality, one so much, so much better...and happening in our lifetime! We weren't designed to serve the masses, only our families and communities. It's a numbers game, indeed, and, well, too much to explain here, it's Game Over, with a new higher-vibrational, better-sustainable, more humane paradigm that is ready to replace it. Brave souls such as yourself are making this happen, changing this world energetically. Even one-by-one, this energy matters. Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming!!
I am a dentist in Belgium for 10 years now and since having twins 5 years ago I work 3 days a week. Even when my boss is asking to work more days in the week since the kids are older now, I like to maintain the healthy work life balance I have now. I agree with all of your pro’s and cons about our profession but for me the pro’s still outweigh the cons. Greetings from Belgium!
I am an orthodontist and I was previously a general dentist for a year and I really felt like I experienced but escaped many of the things you mentioned! I am very happy with my career change. I really don't feel like a dentist anymore. 1 - WAYYYYY less physically exhausting. The assistants do most of the "physical labor" of orthodontics, and in general the motions are less precise/demanding. I feel great at the end of most days. 2 - In my current FT role, I get a 1 hour lunch break. I do have a limited PT role with only a half hour lunch break built in. 3 - MOST people who come see me WANT to be there because they want straight teeth. Yes sometimes they are nervous or scared the first time, but largely they want to be there. Still occasionally the nasty rude person though. 4 - Meh about most other dentists/orthodontists. I agree many are money driven. Not something I have to deal with much now that I am practicing. I am somewhat money driven, but fortunately, most people who are coming to see me already want the one product what we're selling lol 5 - Mostly can't work from home. There is a possibility of having patients come in for records/remote consults that can be done in my own practice in the future. 6 - Time issues - yes this can sometimes be stressful. I have found that MOST of the time, since I am not always "finishing" a procedure as an orthodontist at every appointment, I have some flexibility to things next time 7 - Again, nice thing about orthodontics is that most of time, if they're coming to see you, they already want what you're selling and you don't have to sell anything, you just have to convince them that you are the right person for the job! I also love talking and meeting interesting people all day long! I love making people happy and find that giving them a smile they're proud of is very worthwhile! Best part is I get to fix their whole mouth/smile for every patient! Extremely rewarding!
I am dentist and although i agree with many of the things you say i always have lunch time.. maybe it is a new york thing. I work for a non profit which i dont need to sell anything but it is really psychically taxing. I work for over 14 years, i want to do a career change but the money is decent and need to pay for my kids education. To make lots of money in dentistry , you only need to sell expensive procedure or move to area with little competition
I'm an optometrist but your #7 hit home for me too. Where I'm from, most optometrists are self-employed and we rent the exam lane/services of a clinic. We get paid on a per act/patient basis. I get no cut from glasses or contact lens sales, but I do feel pressure sometimes. What makes me most uncomfortable though is when I try to "sell" a retinal photo or scan, even though it's for the best interest of the patient.
I had to stop my journey of being a dentist, and this video made me feel a lot better. I was in dental hygiene school (18 months fast track) and I absolutely hated the whole experience. I decide to use dental hygiene school as a way to leverage my way into dental school. I was having a hard time getting accepted into any dental school I applied to despite my best efforts. I dropped out right away from DH because 1) the instructors were terrible people 2)I started getting worried that I would be working with terrible people 3) my hands were killing me from fighting cheeks and tongues. When I dropped out, a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders, and I didn’t give dental school another shot either. From time to time, I feel like I messed up. Just this video cured that. Thank you 🥰
I have been a dentist for over 32 years and still in practice. I plan to work for another 10 years if possible. You don't have to feel and sound like a salesmen. I am in solo practice and I find I can generate a good income just by providing what the patient needs and not what I want so I never feel I am a salesperson rather I feel more esteemed as a dentist. If you are working for another dentist and he/she is putting pressure on you to generate income, then why don't you think about going solo. Being your own boss you can decide how you want to run your clinic. Let's face, it in dentistry it is highly unlikely you will be a multi-billionaire (may be exceptional cases but I don't know any) but most of us will go on to lead a very comfortable life maybe being a multi-millionaire if you work hard and work truthfully. I am over 55 and I go to work 6 days a week from 8AM to 5:30PM and this has been my routine for the last 30 years. Some may question my sanity and say this life is not for me....all these hours, but as I grow older I find work becomes more pleasurable. Mortgage done, Kids now adults. I got all the time to myself...too much sometimes. Being able to work provide a sense of purpose to my life and of course provides me with a good disposable income to pursue my hobbies. Patients will love you more when they feel you are not trying to sell them something. I put myself in the patients mind set when I see treat them.... I ask myself would I do this to myself. If you follow this rule you will almost never go wrong.....almost (as treatment outcomes can never be assured). Hope you will be able to enjoy your work more. Cheers.
As a patient who often visit dentist, I totally agree with you. “Patient will love you, when they feel you don’t try to sell them anything.” I hope i can meet dentist like you near me! Hope you can achieve your goals Cheer
Thank you for this video, it’s kinda reassuring to know that I’m not alone haha. I’m a dentist in Australia and for me I think the most exhausting part is having to reset my mental every time I see a new patient. For one patient I may be spending a lot of energy emotionally regulating them because they have dental trauma and anxiety. They usually do a lot of nervous talking so I have to sift through all the excessive information and formulate the best treatment plan for them. Then after the actual procedure itself I mentally erase what just happened, be ready to empathise and repeat that with another patient. It also hurts when I scroll through dental shorts and the comment section is filled with so much trauma dumping and stigma. I say this because everyday there is at least one patient where the first thing they say to me without prompting after sitting in the chair is a hostile “I hate dentists by the way”. I try not to take it personally bc I’m not the one who caused this opinion directly but…it hurts sometimes. I wish they could communicate their anxiety in a gentler way :(
just came from a dentist appointment and felt so bad for my dentist when i couldnt open my mouth fully; im glad youre bringing up the physical labor bc no amount of mouth guards and equipment makes the strength needed any less taxing. im also a nursing student and ik the struggle of no lunch breaks unless downtime. my gut reflex was to say "thats normal, im surprised ur shocked" but honestly, we need to have a much bigger conversation about how even though healthcare workers (and other related fields) are considered important and necessary for functioning of everyday life 24/7, most work in conditions where theyre seeing more pts than they can handle, no lunch breaks and shtty environment (including coworkers!!!). im glad u made this video!! its really cool to see someone embrace two sides of themselves and not pushing an idea that you always need to fully commit to one interest (tho no judgement if u quit dentistry, u gotta do u!). thanks maddy!!
I’m a 4th year dentistry student , although I’m not in the job field yet as a dentist But I can totally understand everything you said and I feel you. Thank you for being really honest ! I loved how your words are well put and how you’re being honest at the same time +loved ur food content so much it’s so satisfying ☹️❤️❤️ New follower
The point that you brought up of going to a coding bootcamp and exceeding the dentist salary, I agree that it’s great but I don’t think that’s the case for every bootcamp grad trying to break into tech. You will only hear the successful stories but there are many who have tried and failed. It heavily depends on the job market too! Whereas I feel like dentists are needed everywhere and anywhere and the need is timeless so patients should be nice else their teeth are gonna cause them a great deal of pain 😅
yes anything medical has wonderful job stability whereas the situation in tech, especially right now, is just very hectic. i’ve been debating what i should focus on in undergrad and whether I should switch to a CS major but i think i’ll stick it out on the pre-dental path majorly because of the stability
You are so brave for making this super honest video! I’ve had a lot of dental work done and have actually had conversations with dentists about some of these things but the sales aspect I can definitely understand and I will never forget my dentist selling me these treatments and fancy toothbrush and a bunch of other stuff. All of your frustrations are super valid. It sounds like a really hard but rewarding job. Also working with the public in general is really hard. Kudos to you!
I agree with a lot of your points but I also think you got somewhat unlucky with your experiences. I am a Korean-American female dentist on the west coast and the physicality, rude patients, and always being on a time crunch definitely apply. However, I've ALWAYS had lunch breaks with all my jobs--usually an hour, but some just 30 minutes. I guess I got lucky with all my jobs--I wasn't forced to do someone else's tx plan or forced to push unnecessary procedures. Yes, networking is annoying but luckily, I have been able to avoid the gross ones pretty easily (but also--what industry doesn't have its bad apples?). I also consider myself a creative person and find that my job requires creativity almost all the time! I am now my own boss, which comes with its own slew of responsibilities but even more freedom. I am happy that you are still able to enjoy part-time work as a dentist. I find it to be exceedingly rewarding, even if it's draining, and still well worth it (financially), but I 100% agree that I wish this job had the flexibility to be done remotely. Thank you for sharing your story!
Thank you for this interesting, informative, & honest video. As someone who has spent quite a bit of time in the dentist’s chair, these insights were interesting. I’ve been fortunate to have a great dentist as a child & also in my adult years. My current dentist is a bit full of himself which I hate, though I’m not sure why. I am a social worker who works in behavioral health & I completely agree about the mental exhaustion, particularly when issues need continued follow-up and work even when the client isn’t in front of you. Social workers are not paid well, are usually over-worked, & are often victim to working longer hours than we are paid for. I agree that the interactions can make it all worthwhile. Thanks for a great vlog!
I’m a dentist in Wisconsin and some things I agree, but some things are so different in my experience! First of all, I am so sorry you’ve had such a horrible experience with various jobs and networking events there- it does sound awful! The physical labor and not being able to ever be remote is definitely a downside to our profession, but with good work/life balance and a nontoxic work setting (supportive boss), I still really enjoy my career after 5 years. I am currently in a small private practice and I’ve always had an hour lunch blocked out every work day and never been forced to push treatment, although I do get paid on a percentage of production. I used to work 5 days for 4 years and recently cut down to 4 days 8-5 and it’s a nice balance! I go to a lot of dental networking and study groups here in my town and we have a really honest, humble, kind, and welcoming group of people! Perhaps it’s just the location you are in that the culture is different (You are welcome in WI)! All that being said, I hope you are much happier now and I support your new journey!
3:00 I think it's the cutthroat profit-oriented system in the US that causes this. In Croatia (EU), public clinics (be it dentists or family doctors or specialists) as well as private (for profit) clinics, have scheduled break times, usually an hour, but I've seen longer too. The clinic open time as well as shifts, time allocated for accepting unscheduled patients, break time, and other dedicated time slots are all printed out on a paper or similar and usually pasted on the door or on a notice board for patients to see, as well as on the website.
Thanks for your perspective, this will be a great conversation starter for my next dental appointment. Hope you find the right dental office to work at. 🙏
Thank you for this perspective! I've always wanted to be a dentist since a young age and after a couple gap years I often feel like I'm 'missing' out of this portion of my life. The part where I finally get in dent school and gain the skills I need to be a competent provider. As of rn, I'm just enjoying the journey of my gap year- working, traveling and spending time with my loved ones. Its important to have realistic expectations esp when pursuing a life long dream. Luckily, I have various experiences as a dental assistant- private, corp and public health clinics and even as a substitute teacher. Makes me realize that working full time sounds too demanding for me- again having realistic expectations prior to starting is important! I sometimes feel drained working 5 days/week vs 3days. Anywho, thank you for your transparency! :)
Never felt seen and heard in a single video. Everything you said, spot on. I’m on transition, working towards a career path i truly enjoy and can do in the comforts of my home. God bless you!
I love that you posted this video. It's hard for dentists to talk about this❤ after 6 years in dentistry I finally joined an office which actually gives me a lunch break 😅
I’m a foreign dentist, currently a dental hygienist in USA, and these are exactly the reasons why I haven’t gone to dental school here, I’m mentally and physically drained and seriously thinking about quitting dental field. It is so sad that health care providers are not receiving the value they should be getting, plus rude patients make it even worse
@@ElizabethUkeh I’m just one step away from that, passed all exams to apply, but the dental field is so toxic that I’m afraid I’ll hate it even more than I do right now, and I don’t want to get into a huge debt without being sure if that is what I really want
I'm a military dentist. I appreciate this video because it reaffirms my choice to never be a civilian dentist. No lunch breaks, heavy patient load, frequent rude patients, not enough time for procedures...yikes. I always have a lunch break, usually see 6-8 patients daily for procedures (or 14 and they're all exams), Soldiers behave well bc i can easily report them, and more often than not i finish appointments with 15-20 minutes to spare. Also, i skip all that extra chit chat because I'm an introvert anyway. I do not want to talk about your family, weekend plans, sports etc 😅 I love my career but if i had your experience, i would not. Thanks for sharing!!
Wow. You all are braves souls. I'm in pharmacy. It's hard, but I've never met a pharmacist who I wouldn't want to be my friend (well, not the young pharmacists), but the middle aged and old ones. Depending on which pharmacy you work at (1/10) or (5/10) patients can be rude. And, pharmacy isn't appointment based, so anyone can come in at any time. Thank you for your sacrifice into your profession. You are truly amazing.
I always treat dentists and other healthcare people with respect . I will be nice to them if they are nice to me . Plain and simple . I don’t hold anything against them for expected levels of discomfort during treatments , even and especially if I go in for an invasive procedure that causes pain and they help me through it . And 99% of the time because of their reassurance it turns out not as painful as I thought it would be . So thank you dentists and other health professionals for all you do .
Thank you Maddy. I love how your videos give a peek into your life without giving TMI and they truly convey your sincerity and genuineness. PS. I hate going to the dentist, but I love my dentist. I’m glad I’ve picked one who wants me to be healthy without selling me things.
Sorry Maddy, if you get this post twice, I have posted this comment under your pasta-short instead of here the first time. 😂 One of the reasons I followed you (beside your wonderful recipes and soothing voice ✨) is that you have a career path I could relate to so much. It's quite rare to find an artist who also has an scientific profession of some kind. I mean it was so normal back then and now people think it's odd? And I couldn't agree more with you about the "status-thing". Although it may seem superficial it is so easy to go into a room of mostly superficial people (like you mentioned in the video) and just say "I am a pharmacist" (In my case) and they just *shut up™*. There are no more questions, just respect and people are more willing to listen to you. Some may say "Why would you like to talk to such people?" but it's a nasty feeling if they just ignore you and you stay there in the corner of a room because no one takes you seriously. Sometimes I wish I could avoid such places but it's not always possible. And it's just easier for the soul, you know? Before my carreer as a pharmacist I wanted to go to a university for filmmakers in Germany. When I mentioned I wanted to become a director for animated films I got these ugly reactions and that's why I know this feeling and the contrast quite well. (Still pursuing my dream, do not worry haha) But yeah, I work as a pharmacist and I also enjoy the perks just like you mentioned in the video (Meeting new people, helping people, good money). And I am good at what I am doing but I don't do it whole-heartedly and it's also physically and mentally exhausting and there are days I wish I could just work on my projects full-time but I am not far enough to earn money with them, yet. Ah, and about the lunch break: in Germany it's illegal to prevent workers from taking a break of at least 30 Minutes (after a working shift of at least 6 hours/day) and we can even sue our boss for it. (Good old Rechtsschutzversicherung). I am not sure how the legal system in America works though. What you described sounds terrible! Our doctors and dentists also have lunch breaks and close their offices for an hour or two. Either that or they have coworkers with whom they can change the workshift while the other one can eat in serenity and vice versa (it's a basic need, damn it!) Also they don't take appointments at lunch breaks. People with an emergency either have to wait a little or go to the hospital (doctors there have changing workshifts, too.) Phew, that was a long post, thank you for reading and I wish you all the best! ❤️
I'm so glad you made this video!!! Speaking from a patient's perspective (in Canada and not a dentist), I've changed dentists because of some of the shitty things that they have done to me. For example, there was a time when my dentist had booked me for an appointment that I didn't need immediately even though they knew that my benefits were running low and I ended up having to pay 400 CAD (or ~300 USD) out of pocket. To be clear, I didn't realize my benefits were running low at that time and in Canada, dentists can find out how much benefits you've got left by sending in a fake claim to check (and most dentists do that if they know you've benefits and they want to milk your benefits).
It is your job to make sure how you have left on your insurance, not the dentist's. It the dentist happens to check it for you, it's a courtesy, not a duty.
![[cafemaddy podcast] ep.7 I Quit My Dentist Job](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UDUp3ytihvY/mqdefault.jpg)
I was a dentist for 35 years, 30 of which I owned my own practice. I relate to all the challenges you talked about. Fortunately, for me I choose to work only 4 days a week, exercised regularly, and pursued a Masters Degree in History, perhaps my true love. I also had a healthy marriage and coached my two boys in baseball for years. My wife and I lived within our means and therefore I was never stressed for money and never challenged to over treat. The thing I miss most was getting to know my patients. She liked cats, he liked sports cars, she was a lawyer, he was a horse trainer, she had no kids but liked to travel. I was sincerely interested in their life experiences and loved living through their life journeys. This helped me grow spiritually as I began to genuinely love people, something that did not come naturally. Many, many of my patients cried when I retired, and when I occasionally see one of my patient's they usually say I was their all time favorite dentist. Additionally most of my staff said I was their all time favorite for any dentist they had worked for.
I think part time dentistry will work well for you. It is also my hope that someday you will look back and say "I had several careers, one of which was dentistry, and it was an interesting chapter in my life." By the way i have two adopted Korean children. I live in Texas, and I could say " happy trails to you," but I prefer to say, "may the Lord bless you and keep you, and let his face shine on you."
respect to u for adoption
This was a beautiful comment! As a student currently applying to dental school I loved reading a bit on your life story and perspective. God bless you and your family :)
lord bless you!
Thank you. I'm touched.
I’m six months into ownership, and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made. I treat people how I’d wanna be treated myself. No pressure from some “office manager” to make the office more money
I’m a dentist and I had the same experience. I also got very burnt out. And I had retired my license for a few years. Then I reactivated my license. Now I’m working part time in a maximum security prison. I’ve grown to love it bc the majority of inmates are extremely grateful. I’ve not had any patients with attitudes. I have a completely different side hustle unrelated to dentistry and I feel it gives me balance in my life.
What’s your side hustle??
@@noCRAPplz in the evening I work in a warehouse for a shipping company. It gives me the daily physical workout I need.
3:12 3:13 3:15 5:34
what if your wisdom tooth affecting an extraction site?
You mean wisdom mesially drifting onto adjacent 2nd molar site or in occlusion with opposite arch? Please be specific so I may help.
It’s actually very refreshing to hear someone in such an esteemed profession discuss their struggles with their job. I have a teaching degree, but I refuse to work in a school, public or private. For many of the exact reasons you list on your dislikes of being a dentist. Physically, emotionally, and mentally draining. I genuinely believe burnout would happen a lot less if many professions were 30 hrs with 3 day weekends vs 40 hrs with 2 day weekends
then do part time..?
@@nonparlesvouz2720and now you get no job benefits at all. also part time teaching… isn’t really a thing?? there’s subbing and tutoring i guess? but those have their issues too
@@lilacfields Part time teaching is a thing actually! And you actually do get benefits! It's very much subjective to the school you work with! Sorry!
I think..?
@@nonparlesvouz2720 this is very dependent on where you live. this is not a common thing where i’m at and the only part time teaching jobs are elective teachers. and being part time a lot of the time does mean you either get no or reduced benefits. all i’m trying to say is i don’t think just going part time will fix structural issues which is what the commenter was talking about 😭
I’ve been thinking about dentistry as a profession for so long now and it’s important to have conversations like this. Thanks so much for this video, truly
Im glad it was helpful :) thanks for watching
I am a dentist from Germany and I can totally relate to a lot of things you said. Thanks for being that brave and speaking your truth :)
🥹thank you so much for watching!
Sir how much do you earn as a dentist in Germany? Plz reply. Thanks a lot.
do you by any chance know if these things are also true for Danish dentists?
@@gourabsarker9552I think between 3k-5k euros. But still is expensive go to at dentist in Germany than in Romania.
Kannst du es weiterempfehlen?
I have massive admiration for dentists! Y’all are superhuman to me. I’ve had my top front teeth saved TWICE, following a bad accident and long term effects. I’ve had really great dentists but have mostly lived in much smaller places than New York. Thanks for all you do!
Maddy, my name is Stacey and I am a Korean American dentist here in America. I agree 100% with every single thing you said. Thank you for putting all this out there. It’s wild how people will never truly know the good, bad and ugly sides to things like a profession/career before entering into it. If I had known all the things I know now I would have NEVER chosen dentistry. I also actively disparage anybody from going into this highly field. It is incredibly expensive to become a dentist and I have no idea how I will ever pay off my loans, especially since I am a “low earning” dentist because I HATE the sleazy sales of so many employers I’ve worked for. And pushing unnecessary treatment. I’ve seen so much of it, and seen so much crappy work out there that I’m LESS trusting of dentists being a dentist myself. I also actively choose to not really be friends with dentists in my personal life as well. While the money even as a low earning dentist is “good”, it is crazy expensive how much it costs to maintain all my insurances and licensing fees in order to continue being a dentist. I calculated it out to be about $500+ a month.
I also wholeheartedly agree that meeting and connecting with different people from all walks of life is the most rewarding part, and the prestige/respect that comes with it, especially as a petite Asian American woman in this country. I don’t know if I would have the same confidence or be able to carry myself with the self respect that I do in all the different rooms I find myself in.
Thank you again!!
I am from Brazil, I am a dentist and i recently changed my carrier now I am studying law.
My two colleges was totally free for charges and fees and this is the exactly why I could change my carrier.
I couldn’t imagine how bad it is having a huge debt because of the education.
I am really sorry for you! Because I now how sad it staying in something that it doesn’t make sense anymore.
Now, in my law school it’s totally free as well and I wish this could became a reality in the US onde day.
There is a very nice institucional tool that helps people grow in life under partnership agreement. It’s very popular, works really well when people aren’t insane or damaged by social media or lack of parents. It is called marriage. You should try. It works well financially too.
Hi I am a dentist here in the philippines, I wholeheartedly agree with everything you say.
I always tell non dentist friends and other people that I meet, to always be careful of opportunistic denitst that will sell you all types of treatment (more expensive).
To someone aspiring to be a dentist, make sure to know all the ugly and the expenses before you enter this field
I'm a predental student having doubts and I really appreciate your honesty. I feel like what I most enjoy about shadowing is chatting with the patient and of course the prestige that I feel as I am perceived as a "somebody" that's going to have a big title some day. Even without fully entering the career, I have come across rude dentists that are sexist or fake or just feel above others. I'm am also worried that the personalities I've come across with my peers as they try to get ahead is a preview into how cut throat students will be in dental school. Of course, I understand the need to network but I would hate to enter an environment where connections are solely made as potential career stepping stones rather than something genuine.
Appreciate the honesty of this comment!! As a non-dentist but a person who is trying to get into the habit of seeing a dentist regularly, how might you advise us to seek out dentists that don't push unnecessary treatments? Are there types of offices/practices to avoid, red flag signs, etc?
This has been very revealing and clarifying for not just aspiring dentists, but everyone else. Thank you for valuable transparency, it’s very rare to see people being honest about things like this
Oh wow. Thanks for sharing this so candidly ❤
Thank you ily 💜💜
LOOOOL I love your drawing of the remote dentistry with the VR googles 😭
LOLLL I really was desperate
It's so crazy that the health of healthcare workers isn't taken care of
Very well said. I’m a 29-year old Asian American dentist in my 5th year of practice in California. The first few years working full time were absolutely brutal; I was so depressed and desperately wanted a career change. I regretted not going into engineering but felt trapped because of the amount of student loans. I switched to public health in my 3rd year and it was much better than my private practice experience. All of the points you mentioned are still true, but it’s more manageable working at a community clinic and generally patients are much more grateful to just receive essential care.
Anyway, I’m so glad you made this honest video about dentistry because had I known all these things beforehand, I definitely would have chosen a different field. It’s really not glamorous, especially when you have $400K in student loan debt.
Thankfully I’m in a place now where I don’t dread going to work every day and I see more bright spots than darkness. But it’s a hard journey! And I’m glad there are other like-minded dentists out there like you who still care about their patients and can be vulnerable about how difficult it can be. Thank you Maddy! ❤
Hey, can you tell me which public health course you did? Like a master's in public health or dental public health? I'm confused between the two. Can you help me with this?😊
The absence of lunch breaks among health care workers in private practice is pretty common. My spouse is a clinical (not retail) pharmacist in California and she often gets little or no lunch break at all. Many times half the lunch or sometimes the whole lunch she brings doesn't get eaten. There are times she will have lunch at 2pm, 3pm, or sometimes not all between 9:30am and 7pm. Often times there are emergencies and patients have to have their meds stat so lunch goes out the window. Because she is on salary, she can work up to 11 hours a day from 9:30am to 8:30pm with an additional hour at home on the laptop finishing patient notes. Usually, it's 10 hours a day, though. Unfortunately, there is also call and there have been 2am wake up calls with urgent issues like an IV pump failure, sometimes on the weekend. It just goes with the territory, I guess. I tell my kids that tech careers are probably a better choice with a good income and less education requirements but the bottom line is that if you are doing what you enjoy, it's hard to argue with what you do. The satisfaction of helping patients really is an intangible benefit to working in health care!
California Clinical Pharmacist here. The workload is insane. I’ve worked at a government hospital and did the work of 3 people. The hours were irregular and unpredictable. It is so hard to plan anything with anyone. I did have a 1 hour lunch, but once back on the clock, it was a marathon. I took 3.5 years off from working after having my second child, and I now work per diem in a specialty pharmacy clinical role. Much more laid back. Lots of breaks and support. The moral of my story was that you need to be the leader of your own destiny and find a setting and employment situation that works best for you ❤️
I'm a part time dentist. I prefer working for a large company in community health. Less pressure to push big treatment plans. I also work with a largely very pleasant patient population and get along with the other dentist I work with. It all makes a huge difference.
Oh and I get a one hour lunch. Sometimes it's an actual break, other times I work through it.
I am a dentistry student, and I already agree with what you’re saying. I also have some additions about education. Professors are egotistical and don’t seem to want to teach-it’s unbelievable. They’ve been doing this for years and belittle our lack of experience, making us feel inadequate. Exams and projects are excessively demanding; there’s no such thing as ‘university life.’ School is very expensive, filled with future concerns. I want to quit some times but feels like it’s too late, but your channel gives me strength.thank u ❤
Are you a dental student in Türkiye? 😁🇹🇷
@@heisyahweh7148 unfortunately yes
@@beyza3257 Oh that’s great! I love your country a lot since I’m learning Turkish. I don’t think it’s unfortunate because Türkiye produces some of the best dentists in the world. I didn’t know dentistry was also expensive over there. Knowing what you know now, would you study dentistry again if given the opportunity to start afresh?
@@heisyahweh7148 def no,it’s not worth the trauma
This is so true, people don't believe me when I say dental school is the most scandalous education system with absurb amount of bullying from staff coated as "tough love."
Hello. I'm a dental hygienist and I can relate to some of the factors of the dental world that you've mentioned. I have lower back pain, I see roughly 10-12 patients a day, patients can sometimes be rude. With that being said, I love being in the dental field and find it truly rewarding!! I enjoyed watching this video to see it from your perspective. The honesty is welcomed. I hope you continue to find the small joys when you're on the job. I so enjoy your content 🤎
Working from home is not as glorious as some may think. I WFH in tech and I've never been more burnt out in my life mentally and physically. I was at my worst. You work harder and non-stop, I'm talking early morning to midnight meetings just to keep up with teams on the other side of the world.
what does your day to day schedule look like? Also do you work hybrid?
As a dentist I do have a scheduled lunch break, but usually half the time gets filled with hygiene checks or an emergency. Being able to cut back my hours and take a longer weekend REALLY helped me. The day to day is just so physically and emotionally draining, my body needs the extra time to rest and reset. I am grateful that as dentists the work we do is very rewarding and purposeful. We also have the flexibility and job stability to pursue other hobbies and interests. Thank you for sharing, it was a huge encouragement to me!
I totally get this. I work in Optometry but not as an optometrist. I dispense glasses and it's exactly like this.
I also think a big part is the prejudice against Asians in any front customer facing roles.
I was born in NZ, dont speak any other languages and have the perfect kiwi accent. I will get hate for no reason from clients. If i make the slightest mistake, it comes down on me like a ton of bricks. If i am firm and stand up, people get aggressive. It's disgusting. There are lovely people around who appreciate your work. However, the prejudice and unruly ones just make it worse and no shame from them either.
maybe try a different country? the US loves Asians, despite some rhetoric you might hear
Recently, I had to leave dental school during the end of my 2nd year due to my ongoing health issues. I still have a sense of regret about it, but after watching your video, I feel like I was idealizing becoming a dentist, and that it probably wasn’t the best fit for me. Your video gave me a really balanced perspective about dentistry and gave me hope that I’ll be able to find a different career that’s more suited towards my situation. 😊
Consider yourself blessed that you did not continue this career...
@@la7079why’d you say that
@@la7079please answer I want to know
Thank you❤
@@DeborahNwankwo it is a very stressful job. Initially you think you do it to help people but than you become part of a system that sucks your mental and physical energy. The environment is very competitive you thrive for perfection which is unattainable. It is very expensive to run a practice and if you work for others you are used to their benefit and disposal. Other than job security and a decent income after working many years in the field I wish I would have chosen a different career. You have to be in the system to understand how detrimental can be to your life. At least this was my experience
@@la7079 thank you
God bless you Maddie. Dentistry is a very difficult profession. I’ve been practicing dentistry for 23 years and still have the feelings you have expressed. I pray, take it one day at a time and keep pressing forward. I feel that God calls us to our professions and when I use my job to serve Him it makes all the difference! Keep up the good work 😊
Well said because at the end of life all we can take is the love and service we gave in this life.
Thank you for sharing this!! I'm a recent dental graduate and it's totally not what I expected based on my experience in uni. But I'm feel relieved that it's totally normal to feel this way :")
_"9 out of 10 dentists would recommend"_ I guess you're the 10th dentist
Your honesty is so refreshing, Maddy! It's very similar in other health professions. I soooo agree about the physical and mental exhaustion. I have studied and worked part-time from 8 am- 11 pm for my entire young adulthood, but it was never exhausting in the way patient care is exhausting. Most days, I feel like a zombie😓 I think part-time dentistry / medicine / etc is really the way to go....if you can make it happen :) It's the only way to practice sustainably without sacrificing health and relationships. Glad you've found a part time position that give you balance 💜
LOOL EVERY SINGLE THING YOU MENTIONED!!!! I'm a Dentist in the UK and I could relate SO MUCH TO EVERY.SINGLE.THING. We usually get lunch breaks, 1 hr normally. HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE A LUNCH BREAK?? thank you for sharing. I think you're super creative, so full time dentistry is just A LOT! I really appreciate your honesty in this video. You mentioned, every. single. thing!🙆♀
I’m a nurse and it’s like this too. It’s physically and emotionally draining. I work at a large private hospital outpatient clinic and we are forced to take more patients everyday. They track statistics on everything. No scheduled lunch breaks. you basically find time in between patients to eat. Most of the nurses I work with don’t eat. It’s exhausting. It’s better than working as a nurse in the hospital definitely but I still hate it in the end. Nurses definitely don’t get paid enough for the amount of BS. I’m planning on switching careers now.
And what would you like to do?
Wow, I can understand how demanding nursing could be. I’m a semi-retired dental hygienist and my mother was a nurse. I sometimes wonder if I would have liked nursing better as a career. But, I’m sure nursing can be difficult. I just happen to be empathetic and like helping people. How many years have you been nursing & what new career are you planning on transitioning into?
@@ShikokuFoodForest I’ve been a nurse for 7 years. I always knew I didn’t want to be one for a long time. I’m back in school to get my post bacc in computer science, which I enjoy learning about much more :)
@@CrayonHarts Hello. Wow, such a big change for you! Interesting to hear you knew you wouldn’t continue with your nursing career for a very long time. I guess 7 years was long enough for you. Nursing must be more difficult than I imagined. What was the most difficult part? I’m sure you learned and experienced a lot. It is great you found something you enjoy much more. Best wishes in your new career!
@@ShikokuFoodForest I'm an introvert so having to constantly interact with people is exhausting for me. The worst is actually management expecting you to be perfect while given the bare minimum to do your job.
I think as a dental hygienists you are helping people as well!
I guess I got lucky. Right out of dental school, I had the opportunity to work with 3 wonderful mentors. I learned so much from each one: technical skills way beyond dental school, business skills (how to run an office), and how to relate and speak with patients. I saw about 5-8 patients a day, encouraged to work at my own pace. Starting my own practice with my wife who is also a dentist was the best decision ever. We practice the way we want to ;) and I think patients really appreciate that. We as dentist are over-achievers, climb-any-mountain go-getters, competitive as hell by nature.... but if you channel that into a certain mindset, that YOU could help patients waaaay better than the sleazy ones you mentioned, you would feel infinitely better about yourself. Don't measure success by the amount of money you make, measure by the number of teeth/pain you've saved. Best of luck to you!
Why am I hearing this just like what I feel right now 😅 I feel so tired doing my routinity as an oral surgeon 24/7. I keep my self still sane by playing games or watching netflix and now going to my wishlist places. But I can’t give up since my family depends on me. Pray for me to still in good health 😢
I was a dental nurse in Australia for 5 years and I had to leave and start a new career because I was having so many problems with my lower back. I worked for a private, family owned clinic, and I was so thankful for that, because our dentists weren't under pressure to up-sell treatments to the patients. I've been to these networking events a few times as well, and each time I heard too many horror stories from other dental nurses who worked at corporate dental practices, of the dentists being pressured to sell crowns or implants when a filling by itself would have been an appropriate treatment. From what I was told, the dentists would be told to up-sell these treatments wherever possible, regardless of the patient's age or income. I think in the future, at least in Australia, there is going to have to be new regulations on corporate dental practices, because if even half of the stories I heard were true, this is extremely detrimental to the dental health of our society.
As unenjoyable as it is, you are definitely providing an invaluable service to the community through dentistry. We really need to fix our healthcare system so yall arent so overworked. And, your content is also an invaluable service, im glad youve found a way to do both for the time being.
Thank you for telling the truth about being a dentist ❤. I’m a general dentist that juggled raising 2 kids & taking care of my elderly parents. There were many times when I felt like I was treading water & could barely keep my head above water. There is nothing worse than having a waiting room full of patients, a hygiene exam waiting for you, an emergency patient in another operatory, & a big restorative case that you are trying to complete. It is literally physically & mentally draining, but when things go well & you make a difference for a patient there is no better feeling. Having a lunch break is absolutely non-negotiable in my opinion. Most of the time I would end up catching up from the onslaught of the morning & endless chart notes that need to be done. But, I would always take time to leave the office to get a change of scenery & refresh my mind for the 2nd half of the day, even if this break out of the office is only for 10-15 minutes in order to clear my mind & recharge for the afternoon. The best thing about dentistry is that it is flexible & you can work part-time if you want & hopefully find the right practice philosophy & patient care environment that matches your beliefs. Don’t settle for a bad environment that stresses production & sacrifices your lunch break & mental health. You are blessed to have a wonderful creative outlet if you decide to retire from dentistry temporarily or permanently😊.
I can’t even imagine juggling all that you did…!! Thank you for sharing. This was actually so encouraging for me along with so many other healthcare workers who chimed in and shared the bright side and how they altered their work to fit their needs better without completely quitting. Dentistry really does provide a huge perk of choosing to be part time, posting this video was cathartic but reading the comment section is giving me a great perspective!
@@CafeMaddy I honestly don’t know how I did it when my kids were small. All I remember is pumping my breastmilk in a makeshift closet between patients and rushing home after work to get dinner ready, spending time with the kids & getting them ready for bed, endless chores, & then sterilizing all the bottles & pump equipment… only to do it all over again the next day. When I look back it was brutal. And then as my kids got older, the challenges changed and my parents got sicker and needed more help. It’s tough being part of the “sandwich generation” & Korean because there are so many expectations from everyone. The expectation to be successful outside of the home & take care of everyone first and yourself last. I ended up “retiring” from dentistry to take care of my parents & then the pandemic started & still has not ended. I planned to return to dentistry, but my priority now is to keep my family as healthy & safe as possible & free of Covid.
Hi Maddy! I had no idea you were a dentist when I've run across your content. As a current dental student, I am glad that none of the reasons you stated in the video were surprising to me. Despite dentistry becoming much more female-dominated recently, dentistry has always been an old boy's club and it will likely take decades to change that aspect of organized dentistry. One of the aspects of dentistry I love that I see you are utilizing in your life is how flexible dentistry can be. The fact that you can just work part-time and earn a decent living while spending the rest of your time doing something you truly enjoy is a blessing that not many other careers have. In a worst case scenario when you are no longer able to subsist on your online career, you could go back to working full-time and you would not have to worry about financial stability. Another great aspect of dentistry is the job stability. People will always have dental issues that we can work on. While we definitely cannot do dentistry remotely yet, I do think that is a not a bad thing. While some people will choose to go overseas to get dental work done, that is not something most people will do, and there is little risk of our jobs being outsourced. As you have highlighted in your video, dentistry as a field is certainly not perfect and there are many ways which dentistry can be made better for the providers and the patients. Thank you for bringing these issues to light and for sharing your perspective.
Love everything you said Rebecca! I’m also a dental student in the US and believe the pros heavily outweigh the cons in this field. No career is perfect and I think we have a lot of opportunities that others don’t. You’ll be a great dentist 😁
I am an engineer in the semiconductor industry and could relate to your “pain” in some extent. I think every career/job has many BS.
Thanks for sharing.
My name Ramzi, and I'm from Jordan. I am currently studying AI and Data science, but I have always had pharmacy and/or Dentistry on my mind but just didn't know whether I should go towards the medicine and Dentistry route or just stay on my IT route and I think your video helped me understand more the reality of being a dentist and might help me deciding what to do. Thank you!
Im a dental hygienist. Everything you said is 100%. As a whole, dentistry is so physically and emotional draining. My neck hurts every day. Sales is the worst part for me. Debating a career change but..change is hard for me. Thanks for this video I love seeing other people admit the faults. People should know these things before making the decision to go into dentistry.
Sir how much do you earn as a dental hygienist? Plz reply. Thanks a lot.
@@gourabsarker9552 hi, I live in the U.S so it varies state by state. In my state the range is $40-55 an hour. Some offices offer a bonus system too which could make you more money. BUT this is for dental hygiene NOT a dentist. Dentist make wayyy more.
I am an optometrist and the appointment time stress is SO real. I hate when patients overshare and talk about things unrelated to the appointment and take away from someone else's time to receive care and my sanity. I am definitely looking for ways to reduce my time in direct patient care too. Thanks for sharing your POV :)
The lunch break thing got me. I’m a dentist in London England and i also worked in Brazil before that. I always got a lunch break, I’m sorry about your experience, nobody deserves to stay without eating whilst working so hard 😊😢
This feels like what my therapist used to always assign me when I was trying to find a decent job/career: list all the likes and dislikes of your current position and work from there. Loved this video :) so sad people are still very judgy abbout being a creator but so glad you ge to hold both hats! Part denstiry and part conctent creator :)
As a german dentist I can totally agree with the things you have mentioned in your video, especially about the job being emotionally draining. I also talked about it with a patient of mine last week, and he said that whenever he gets angry or is in a bad mood, it doesnt affect anyone else, since he works from home, but people expect their dentist to be in a good mood all day long, and that is very tiring. Of I want my patients to feel comfortable at my practice, but it is very hard to maintain the cheerful atmosphere, when you had a frustrating or difficult treatment before, and like you have mentioned, because of the hourly timed scedule it is hard to find some time in between to vent or destress... On the other side there are also many beautiful aspects about this jobs, many thankful patients and being able to see the results of your work immediately. So thank you for your honest words!
(also, I didnt know you were a dentist, I have been following you on Instagram and just loved the food/lifestyle content, so please keep doing what you do!)
I am in tech and trust me, it's not much better. I have contemplated getting out of tech many times, but it's just hard. Some of "tech" we all hear about are the startup phantom things - selling an idea or hope. Then there are another side of tech that actually sells tangible goods - things that make into our electronics, which is more like dentistry where you have to produce. I work 14-18 hours each day - call that the privilege of working from home. We have to deal with Asia every night and Europe every morning. I don't even remember the last time I finished work at 5pm (never). I don't have set lunch hours or dinner hour for that matter, because meetings cut through all those time slots. While we don't have deadlines by the hour, we do have deadlines by day or week but of much larger and complex tasks. In many case, we run on the mentality of "it was due yesterday", so we put in a lot of overtime. I dated someone in finance and it's the same with a different twist - they toss aside their lives when working towards putting a deal together. The real take-away is that higher paying job are higher pay for a reason - you put up with a lot even with you spent years in education.
What an interesting video Maddie! I work in mental health in the UK, and it's interesting to see the simiarities and differences in our experiences. For me, it is also the moments of connection (and making a difference) with patients that I love; it helps that I just find my field really interesting too. However, in our free healthcare system there are pressures in a slightly different way, to increase efficiencies due to big waiting lists and high need. Unfortunately that can lead to different issues in colleagues, like people becoming burned out or even cynical or guarded, which is really sad for the staff, and for the patients too! Thankfully we get a lot less people doing it for the money in a free healthcare system, but there will always be people a human propensity to like power and status (and unfortunately, people who abuse that)
I never knew that my yapping was so draining to my dentist, hygienist, and even my optometrist (from reading other comments). I’ll practice brevity. You’re such a deep soul with the most soothing voice. 너무 멋있어요 😊 Balance를 잘 하세요
My husband is a dentist and a lot of the negative things you shared are so true- how physically taxing it is, how emotionally and mentally draining too. Lots of things people don’t realize when they think about the dental profession! He also did not have lunch breaks his first 2 jobs (but he didn’t mind too much, I probably cared more haha). Overall, my husband loves being a dentist and ended up finding a job where his current bosses give him a lunch break and treat him really well, so he’s fortunate in that. He is also pretty passionate about dentistry and loves meeting new people so the profession fits him well. One thing you didn’t mention that we have found to be quite common is that many places do not provide health insurance so that’s a bit of a bummer for us since I stay home with our child, so we have to pay out of pocket and it’s quite expensive where we are (Alaska). But on the flip side I’m able to stay home in the first place because he makes a good income and is able to provide well for our family, so I’m really thankful for that.
Im a dentist going on my 26th year! Everything you said is spot on and I feel the exact same way. It's really stopped me from being active in the dental community because I feel so many of those people are not genuine. However.... I do have a good amount of friends who are dentists who are just the sweetest people in my life. We live in Hawaii however so the culture may be different here. We have a good amount of sales dentists, but the dentists I surround myself with have been the best gift I could have ever asked for. Positive, helpful, giving and true friends. So not all dentists are bad! Also, I reached burnout a couple times, but now at this point in my career, I have discovered the key to avoiding burnout is to remind myself to be greatful for everything I have and for all the wins in a day! I try to remind myself how much I wanted to graduate and get my license and never forget the goal as well as the intent to help others. With those daily reminders, I am much better able to avoid feeling like roadkill. Thanks for the honest video..loved it!
thank you. i've never seen someone speak so honestly about dentistry (i get it, appearances are highly emphasized in this field). my parents always want me to go to dental school but it's definitely not for me lol.
i'm graduating hygiene school soon and plan on doing it until i get bored/find something new. meeting so many different types of people is what keeps me interested too though! my favorite patients are the super old couples that come in together:) so cute!
I’ve been a dentist in private practice for 23 years in Garden Grove, CA. Sold my office 7 years ago because of high stress. Now I work for a clinic and it’s better for me in my late years. But I do think while you’re young to have your own office so you can control your own destiny and do procedures you like to do. You could work extra hard but it’s for yourself. There is more administrative stress but do it when you’re young. You hit all the points very well . I hate when unethical doctors over treatment plan for personal financial gain. I’ve always been an honest dentist doing good work. Like honest lawyers, you may not be super rich but I like my humble lifestyle. Dentist stressful life is why I didn’t recommend my kids go into this field.
Also women have it tougher than men because it is physically demanding especially when they get pregnant. I had a few female pre-dental students shadowed me and I discouraged them going into this field.
I bet there are only few people who can be this honest about being a dentist. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I just discovered ur channel and can i just say how i loooove love love love how honest and transparant u are about this career path, the tratmentselling marketing, the privelege, the patients, thank u so much
I don't like dentists either... I've been in full time practice for 9 years, 10 if you factor in a GPR, and I've gotten screwed over by several owners - so much so that I dumped private practice and work in an FQHC. I'm getting paid less than I ever have but I don't have the pressure to sell dentistry or do absurd treatment to make money. I also received loan repayment assistance because I work in an underserved area and finally paid of my 213K in loans about a year ago. While I'm happy about being free from my loans, I'm embarrassed to talk about my career because [compared to a lot of my classmates who I outperformed in dental school] it has been so disjointed. Sometimes I think working for myself would be preferable - but it's so damn expensive to run a dental office and I just can't imagine going into debt again to buy a practice. So I'm essentially stuck. I'm also stuck with constant discomfort in my back and shoulders. I often can't believe I spent 213K (well, 163K if you consider the 50K i got for working in the middle of nowhere) to be as unhappy and burned out as I am.
Truthfully, I didn't really want to be a dentist so most of this is my fault. I thought I could learn to like it because I "like working with my hands, science, art, etc." But it just never happened. Dentistry is primarily sales, marketing and networking - and then clinical skills. Let that be a lesson to anyone considering dentistry - if you don't think you like it, you probably won't. It's nearly impossible to find a non-clinical career in dentistry compared to other health professions, too. The worst part of it all is the isolation - both self-imposed and not - that I feel. There are plenty of organizations for dentists who love dentistry but there are none for those who don't.
I've worked in orthodontics and dentistry all my life, grew up in it. I absolutely hate it 🤣 I relate to everything you said, I'm midway into changing careers
what are your plans for the future? now I'm curious!
😮 feelikg curious too
As a working paramedic in new york city, healthcare is almost always the same in a nutshell. Overworked, underpaid with no lunch breaks but what makes it or breaks it is the trifecta of pay, work life balance and upper management. If you're confident with 2/3 most of the time people stay
I'm a dentist in South Africa! I recently started living alone and your recipes helped me learn how to cook for myself ❤
New dentist & I paused at 3:41 bc I already wanna tell you I AGREEE!!!! I miss my lunch the most 🥺
Hi Maddy I agree with all your points and experienced them myself. Here in South Africa, public and private clinics all get lunch breaks as well as in the Netherlands where I also worked. Its really tough that this is not regulated by labour laws over there. I didnt like the sales aspect in some practices ( mainly in the Netherlands) where they would try and coax patients to have more expensive treatments. I was a dentist for 7 years now working in public health for 16 years and don't regret changing careers early on. The training and people skills you learn as a dentist can be transferable to other careers as well. All the best!
as a dentist myself, i completely agree with the points you made, especially about the back and neck pain & the inability to work from home. i remember telling my manager once that i wish i could wfh, and she laughed in my face. it's not an easy job, and if i could, i would love to work part time and do something else instead. however, the amount of student loan debts made it prohibited to start over in another career at this stage.
The back pain and thigh/nerve pain really hit me recently- I can't even walk properly now. Fuck my life.
As a Dental Hygienist who practiced for 42 years I can totally relate in all ways. The best part for me was the people I met and took care of. I have a chronic neck issue.
My name is Zahraa and I’m from Iraq . I’m currently studying at dental school in third stage . I don’t enter this field with lovely, I was hate everything about it , because
I have suffered from incompetent dentists during dental treatment plans,
I was forced to enter this field, I had no other choice and I could not accept it, I have many thoughts about leaving this field after graduation but I have a feeling of fear of people fighting me, family and friends or even I am really afraid that I will not find my right place which I really want, and now I am suffering a lot in studying something I hate and I cannot be creative in creating cavities and practical materials related to teeth and fillings, I suffer from depression because of my study of dentistry
In fact, it was my dream to enter general medicine and this dream did not leave me for a second, but it is very difficult for me to return to studying it after graduating from dentistry because it requires a very large cost and money.
and I agree with you regarding the points you mentioned about dentistry, and this does not mean that it is a bad field, it has good aspects as well.
Thank you for your honesty💗
It makes me sad to see that you have struggles in the dentist. however people have struggles in life like they can't afford dental care or don't know how to get help. Thank you for being brave and creative. You should have a tv talk show!
Amen to all of that. I’m a physician and worked at a job for 11 years where I didn’t have time to have lunch or even use the bathroom at least 65% of the days during that decade. Now at a different job and it’s quite a bit better in that regard, and my health is better now (lost 40 lbs), but all the other factors remain. Thank you for sharing, I know it took courage.
I am a dental student and have been watching your cooking videos from the start when i wasn't even in dental school, it was suprising and fascinating to here your side of story , i can relate to it , by the way i never comment on any videos just wanted to tell you , i like your voice a lot its sweet and so calm i feel relieved watching your videos .
I've been a dentist for about 6-7 years trust me I feel the exact same way and live the same life. In fact, I resonate with mostly everything you said including going part time after being full time. Its doable if you stay within your means and save and invest well, i'd rather do this than be full time in corporate. Now, I take my time & don't rush any procedures unless I want to and I always get a lunch no matter what or who is waiting because if I don't, I can't function the next four hours. I mean I can, but it adds to my overall stress tank which I like to keep depleted. Anyway, good luck with everything and cheers to a vacation soon. :)
Thank you so much for sharing this and being so honest! ❤ I’m a new grad dentist in Australia and it’s nice knowing we’re not alone in our struggles as a dentist!
Thanks for validating my distrust of the dental profession in general. Conversely, I do have a degree of compassion given many of the stressors you mentioned as I'm sure they apply to the majority of clinicians. How about producing some content that would enable me, as a patient/consumer to find a reputable practitioner without having to jump through so many hoops just for a consult. Thank you for sharing your experience !
I loved your video!!!! Thank you for this! I am a med student but don’t want to pursue only medicine in my life and I connect with your content and beliefs a lot 🥰
Bravo, Dear One for your honesty! We don’t often see how the enslavement paradigm energy occurs in professional aspects as it does in retail, that is, your lack of lunch (wow!) and the pressure related to the bottom line.
Although, as an intuitive, I'm glad to Know this matrix is ending, still, it's challenging to navigate when you know it's engineered, manipulated, should not be, and IS ending, to be replaced with our true reality, one so much, so much better...and happening in our lifetime!
We weren't designed to serve the masses, only our families and communities. It's a numbers game, indeed, and, well, too much to explain here, it's Game Over, with a new higher-vibrational, better-sustainable, more humane paradigm that is ready to replace it.
Brave souls such as yourself are making this happen, changing this world energetically. Even one-by-one, this energy matters. Nothing Can Stop What Is Coming!!
Thanks for sharing. I’m in the health field and the hourly deadline analogy was very helpful to give me perspective why I feel stressed out
I am a dentist in Belgium for 10 years now and since having twins 5 years ago I work 3 days a week. Even when my boss is asking to work more days in the week since the kids are older now, I like to maintain the healthy work life balance I have now. I agree with all of your pro’s and cons about our profession but for me the pro’s still outweigh the cons. Greetings from Belgium!
I am an orthodontist and I was previously a general dentist for a year and I really felt like I experienced but escaped many of the things you mentioned! I am very happy with my career change. I really don't feel like a dentist anymore.
1 - WAYYYYY less physically exhausting. The assistants do most of the "physical labor" of orthodontics, and in general the motions are less precise/demanding. I feel great at the end of most days.
2 - In my current FT role, I get a 1 hour lunch break. I do have a limited PT role with only a half hour lunch break built in.
3 - MOST people who come see me WANT to be there because they want straight teeth. Yes sometimes they are nervous or scared the first time, but largely they want to be there. Still occasionally the nasty rude person though.
4 - Meh about most other dentists/orthodontists. I agree many are money driven. Not something I have to deal with much now that I am practicing. I am somewhat money driven, but fortunately, most people who are coming to see me already want the one product what we're selling lol
5 - Mostly can't work from home. There is a possibility of having patients come in for records/remote consults that can be done in my own practice in the future.
6 - Time issues - yes this can sometimes be stressful. I have found that MOST of the time, since I am not always "finishing" a procedure as an orthodontist at every appointment, I have some flexibility to things next time
7 - Again, nice thing about orthodontics is that most of time, if they're coming to see you, they already want what you're selling and you don't have to sell anything, you just have to convince them that you are the right person for the job!
I also love talking and meeting interesting people all day long! I love making people happy and find that giving them a smile they're proud of is very worthwhile! Best part is I get to fix their whole mouth/smile for every patient! Extremely rewarding!
I am dentist and although i agree with many of the things you say i always have lunch time.. maybe it is a new york thing. I work for a non profit which i dont need to sell anything but it is really psychically taxing. I work for over 14 years, i want to do a career change but the money is decent and need to pay for my kids education. To make lots of money in dentistry , you only need to sell expensive procedure or move to area with little competition
I'm an optometrist but your #7 hit home for me too. Where I'm from, most optometrists are self-employed and we rent the exam lane/services of a clinic. We get paid on a per act/patient basis. I get no cut from glasses or contact lens sales, but I do feel pressure sometimes. What makes me most uncomfortable though is when I try to "sell" a retinal photo or scan, even though it's for the best interest of the patient.
I had to stop my journey of being a dentist, and this video made me feel a lot better. I was in dental hygiene school (18 months fast track) and I absolutely hated the whole experience. I decide to use dental hygiene school as a way to leverage my way into dental school. I was having a hard time getting accepted into any dental school I applied to despite my best efforts. I dropped out right away from DH because 1) the instructors were terrible people 2)I started getting worried that I would be working with terrible people 3) my hands were killing me from fighting cheeks and tongues. When I dropped out, a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders, and I didn’t give dental school another shot either. From time to time, I feel like I messed up. Just this video cured that. Thank you 🥰
I have been a dentist for over 32 years and still in practice. I plan to work for another 10 years if possible.
You don't have to feel and sound like a salesmen. I am in solo practice and I find I can generate a good income just by providing what the patient needs and not what I want so I never feel I am a salesperson rather I feel more esteemed as a dentist. If you are working for another dentist and he/she is putting pressure on you to generate income, then why don't you think about going solo.
Being your own boss you can decide how you want to run your clinic. Let's face, it in dentistry it is highly unlikely you will be a multi-billionaire (may be exceptional cases but I don't know any) but most of us will go on to lead a very comfortable life maybe being a multi-millionaire if you work hard and work truthfully. I am over 55 and I go to work 6 days a week from 8AM to 5:30PM and this has been my routine for the last 30 years. Some may question my sanity and say this life is not for me....all these hours, but as I grow older I find work becomes more pleasurable. Mortgage done, Kids now adults. I got all the time to myself...too much sometimes. Being able to work provide a sense of purpose to my life and of course provides me with a good disposable income to pursue my hobbies.
Patients will love you more when they feel you are not trying to sell them something.
I put myself in the patients mind set when I see treat them.... I ask myself would I do this to myself.
If you follow this rule you will almost never go wrong.....almost (as treatment outcomes can never be assured).
Hope you will be able to enjoy your work more. Cheers.
As a patient who often visit dentist, I totally agree with you. “Patient will love you, when they feel you don’t try to sell them anything.”
I hope i can meet dentist like you near me! Hope you can achieve your goals
Cheer
Thank you for this video, it’s kinda reassuring to know that I’m not alone haha. I’m a dentist in Australia and for me I think the most exhausting part is having to reset my mental every time I see a new patient. For one patient I may be spending a lot of energy emotionally regulating them because they have dental trauma and anxiety. They usually do a lot of nervous talking so I have to sift through all the excessive information and formulate the best treatment plan for them. Then after the actual procedure itself I mentally erase what just happened, be ready to empathise and repeat that with another patient.
It also hurts when I scroll through dental shorts and the comment section is filled with so much trauma dumping and stigma. I say this because everyday there is at least one patient where the first thing they say to me without prompting after sitting in the chair is a hostile “I hate dentists by the way”. I try not to take it personally bc I’m not the one who caused this opinion directly but…it hurts sometimes. I wish they could communicate their anxiety in a gentler way :(
just came from a dentist appointment and felt so bad for my dentist when i couldnt open my mouth fully; im glad youre bringing up the physical labor bc no amount of mouth guards and equipment makes the strength needed any less taxing. im also a nursing student and ik the struggle of no lunch breaks unless downtime. my gut reflex was to say "thats normal, im surprised ur shocked" but honestly, we need to have a much bigger conversation about how even though healthcare workers (and other related fields) are considered important and necessary for functioning of everyday life 24/7, most work in conditions where theyre seeing more pts than they can handle, no lunch breaks and shtty environment (including coworkers!!!).
im glad u made this video!! its really cool to see someone embrace two sides of themselves and not pushing an idea that you always need to fully commit to one interest (tho no judgement if u quit dentistry, u gotta do u!). thanks maddy!!
I’m a 4th year dentistry student , although I’m not in the job field yet as a dentist But I can totally understand everything you said and I feel you.
Thank you for being really honest ! I loved how your words are well put and how you’re being honest at the same time
+loved ur food content so much it’s so satisfying ☹️❤️❤️
New follower
I’m not sure why but I find this video extremely calming- would defo watch if you did more content with this style!
The point that you brought up of going to a coding bootcamp and exceeding the dentist salary, I agree that it’s great but I don’t think that’s the case for every bootcamp grad trying to break into tech. You will only hear the successful stories but there are many who have tried and failed. It heavily depends on the job market too! Whereas I feel like dentists are needed everywhere and anywhere and the need is timeless so patients should be nice else their teeth are gonna cause them a great deal of pain 😅
yes anything medical has wonderful job stability whereas the situation in tech, especially right now, is just very hectic. i’ve been debating what i should focus on in undergrad and whether I should switch to a CS major but i think i’ll stick it out on the pre-dental path majorly because of the stability
the no lunch break is most definitely illegal
You are so brave for making this super honest video! I’ve had a lot of dental work done and have actually had conversations with dentists about some of these things but the sales aspect I can definitely understand and I will never forget my dentist selling me these treatments and fancy toothbrush and a bunch of other stuff. All of your frustrations are super valid. It sounds like a really hard but rewarding job. Also working with the public in general is really hard. Kudos to you!
I agree with a lot of your points but I also think you got somewhat unlucky with your experiences. I am a Korean-American female dentist on the west coast and the physicality, rude patients, and always being on a time crunch definitely apply. However, I've ALWAYS had lunch breaks with all my jobs--usually an hour, but some just 30 minutes. I guess I got lucky with all my jobs--I wasn't forced to do someone else's tx plan or forced to push unnecessary procedures. Yes, networking is annoying but luckily, I have been able to avoid the gross ones pretty easily (but also--what industry doesn't have its bad apples?). I also consider myself a creative person and find that my job requires creativity almost all the time! I am now my own boss, which comes with its own slew of responsibilities but even more freedom. I am happy that you are still able to enjoy part-time work as a dentist. I find it to be exceedingly rewarding, even if it's draining, and still well worth it (financially), but I 100% agree that I wish this job had the flexibility to be done remotely. Thank you for sharing your story!
7:34 you nailed that description of dentists!!!
Thank you for this interesting, informative, & honest video. As someone who has spent quite a bit of time in the dentist’s chair, these insights were interesting. I’ve been fortunate to have a great dentist as a child & also in my adult years. My current dentist is a bit full of himself which I hate, though I’m not sure why.
I am a social worker who works in behavioral health & I completely agree about the mental exhaustion, particularly when issues need continued follow-up and work even when the client isn’t in front of you. Social workers are not paid well, are usually over-worked, & are often victim to working longer hours than we are paid for. I agree that the interactions can make it all worthwhile. Thanks for a great vlog!
I’m a dentist in Wisconsin and some things I agree, but some things are so different in my experience!
First of all, I am so sorry you’ve had such a horrible experience with various jobs and networking events there- it does sound awful! The physical labor and not being able to ever be remote is definitely a downside to our profession, but with good work/life balance and a nontoxic work setting (supportive boss), I still really enjoy my career after 5 years. I am currently in a small private practice and I’ve always had an hour lunch blocked out every work day and never been forced to push treatment, although I do get paid on a percentage of production. I used to work 5 days for 4 years and recently cut down to 4 days 8-5 and it’s a nice balance! I go to a lot of dental networking and study groups here in my town and we have a really honest, humble, kind, and welcoming group of people! Perhaps it’s just the location you are in that the culture is different (You are welcome in WI)! All that being said, I hope you are much happier now and I support your new journey!
Also a dentist in WI and have to agree, very kind community and the patients are sweet too!
3:00 I think it's the cutthroat profit-oriented system in the US that causes this. In Croatia (EU), public clinics (be it dentists or family doctors or specialists) as well as private (for profit) clinics, have scheduled break times, usually an hour, but I've seen longer too. The clinic open time as well as shifts, time allocated for accepting unscheduled patients, break time, and other dedicated time slots are all printed out on a paper or similar and usually pasted on the door or on a notice board for patients to see, as well as on the website.
I personally love going to the dentist. My dentist always made it fun when I was a kid and didn't learn til recently ppl hated it.
Thanks for your perspective, this will be a great conversation starter for my next dental appointment. Hope you find the right dental office to work at. 🙏
Thank you for this perspective! I've always wanted to be a dentist since a young age and after a couple gap years I often feel like I'm 'missing' out of this portion of my life. The part where I finally get in dent school and gain the skills I need to be a competent provider. As of rn, I'm just enjoying the journey of my gap year- working, traveling and spending time with my loved ones.
Its important to have realistic expectations esp when pursuing a life long dream. Luckily, I have various experiences as a dental assistant- private, corp and public health clinics and even as a substitute teacher. Makes me realize that working full time sounds too demanding for me- again having realistic expectations prior to starting is important! I sometimes feel drained working 5 days/week vs 3days. Anywho, thank you for your transparency! :)
Never felt seen and heard in a single video. Everything you said, spot on. I’m on transition, working towards a career path i truly enjoy and can do in the comforts of my home. God bless you!
I love that you posted this video. It's hard for dentists to talk about this❤ after 6 years in dentistry I finally joined an office which actually gives me a lunch break 😅
I’m a foreign dentist, currently a dental hygienist in USA, and these are exactly the reasons why I haven’t gone to dental school here, I’m mentally and physically drained and seriously thinking about quitting dental field. It is so sad that health care providers are not receiving the value they should be getting, plus rude patients make it even worse
Can I ask why you didn't go the residency route or the advance training route?
@@ElizabethUkeh I’m just one step away from that, passed all exams to apply, but the dental field is so toxic that I’m afraid I’ll hate it even more than I do right now, and I don’t want to get into a huge debt without being sure if that is what I really want
@@mariamrysand don’t rush it ! Think twice , this is coming from an international dental student in the usa
You put your heart and soul into providing wonderful care for people who will drop you as soon as their insurance changes and you don't accept it.
I'm a military dentist. I appreciate this video because it reaffirms my choice to never be a civilian dentist. No lunch breaks, heavy patient load, frequent rude patients, not enough time for procedures...yikes. I always have a lunch break, usually see 6-8 patients daily for procedures (or 14 and they're all exams), Soldiers behave well bc i can easily report them, and more often than not i finish appointments with 15-20 minutes to spare. Also, i skip all that extra chit chat because I'm an introvert anyway. I do not want to talk about your family, weekend plans, sports etc 😅 I love my career but if i had your experience, i would not. Thanks for sharing!!
Wow. You all are braves souls. I'm in pharmacy. It's hard, but I've never met a pharmacist who I wouldn't want to be my friend (well, not the young pharmacists), but the middle aged and old ones. Depending on which pharmacy you work at (1/10) or (5/10) patients can be rude. And, pharmacy isn't appointment based, so anyone can come in at any time. Thank you for your sacrifice into your profession. You are truly amazing.
I always treat dentists and other healthcare people with respect . I will be nice to them if they are nice to me . Plain and simple . I don’t hold anything against them for expected levels of discomfort during treatments , even and especially if I go in for an invasive procedure that causes pain and they help me through it . And 99% of the time because of their reassurance it turns out not as painful as I thought it would be . So thank you dentists and other health professionals for all you do .
Thank you for this insightful video, I mean it's refreshingly candid I'd have to say.
your voice is so calm and soothing
Thank you Maddy. I love how your videos give a peek into your life without giving TMI and they truly convey your sincerity and genuineness.
PS. I hate going to the dentist, but I love my dentist. I’m glad I’ve picked one who wants me to be healthy without selling me things.
I HATE WORKING FROM HOME, not being to offically clock out sucks
Sorry Maddy, if you get this post twice, I have posted this comment under your pasta-short instead of here the first time. 😂 One of the reasons I followed you (beside your wonderful recipes and soothing voice ✨) is that you have a career path I could relate to so much. It's quite rare to find an artist who also has an scientific profession of some kind. I mean it was so normal back then and now people think it's odd? And I couldn't agree more with you about the "status-thing". Although it may seem superficial it is so easy to go into a room of mostly superficial people (like you mentioned in the video) and just say "I am a pharmacist" (In my case) and they just *shut up™*. There are no more questions, just respect and people are more willing to listen to you. Some may say "Why would you like to talk to such people?" but it's a nasty feeling if they just ignore you and you stay there in the corner of a room because no one takes you seriously. Sometimes I wish I could avoid such places but it's not always possible. And it's just easier for the soul, you know?
Before my carreer as a pharmacist I wanted to go to a university for filmmakers in Germany. When I mentioned I wanted to become a director for animated films I got these ugly reactions and that's why I know this feeling and the contrast quite well. (Still pursuing my dream, do not worry haha)
But yeah, I work as a pharmacist and I also enjoy the perks just like you mentioned in the video (Meeting new people, helping people, good money). And I am good at what I am doing but I don't do it whole-heartedly and it's also physically and mentally exhausting and there are days I wish I could just work on my projects full-time but I am not far enough to earn money with them, yet.
Ah, and about the lunch break: in Germany it's illegal to prevent workers from taking a break of at least 30 Minutes (after a working shift of at least 6 hours/day) and we can even sue our boss for it. (Good old Rechtsschutzversicherung).
I am not sure how the legal system in America works though. What you described sounds terrible! Our doctors and dentists also have lunch breaks and close their offices for an hour or two. Either that or they have coworkers with whom they can change the workshift while the other one can eat in serenity and vice versa (it's a basic need, damn it!) Also they don't take appointments at lunch breaks.
People with an emergency either have to wait a little or go to the hospital (doctors there have changing workshifts, too.)
Phew, that was a long post, thank you for reading and I wish you all the best! ❤️
I'm so glad you made this video!!! Speaking from a patient's perspective (in Canada and not a dentist), I've changed dentists because of some of the shitty things that they have done to me. For example, there was a time when my dentist had booked me for an appointment that I didn't need immediately even though they knew that my benefits were running low and I ended up having to pay 400 CAD (or ~300 USD) out of pocket. To be clear, I didn't realize my benefits were running low at that time and in Canada, dentists can find out how much benefits you've got left by sending in a fake claim to check (and most dentists do that if they know you've benefits and they want to milk your benefits).
It is your job to make sure how you have left on your insurance, not the dentist's. It the dentist happens to check it for you, it's a courtesy, not a duty.