deinfluencing you from being a dentist

honest conversations to have before you choose dentistry

there is no perfect job in the world. but this is still a career i am very grateful to have.

i share this not to discourage anyone from pursuing dentistry — but because i genuinely believe that informed students make better decisions, have more resilient expectations, and ultimately become better dentists. dentistry is often packaged as a dream career without the full picture attached. so here it is.

01

it's expensive

studying in an overseas dental school? you're looking at at least half a million dollars.

and that's before dental tools, equipment, and continuing education courses — which never really stop.

local dental school costs significantly less than an overseas dental school. but it is still one of the more relatively expensive undergraduate courses locally.

02

dental school is genuinely tough

my dad's a dentist. i heard stories from seniors. but none of it fully prepared me.

and even though i share a lot about dental school on this page — there are some things that are just hard to explain until you've lived it yourself. (and not everything can be shared on social media)

03

being a dentist doesn't automatically mean work-life balance

it depends heavily on the specialty you choose and the shifts you take on.

it's not a given. it's something you have to actively design.

there are dentists that take on weekend and weekday night shifts. but there are also dentists who don’t. unless you are working in the public sector, your hours are not protected (if you choose not to protect it).

04

it takes a physical toll on your body

you're exposed to sharps, aerosols, fluids, blood, and high-frequency sounds daily.

neck and back problems are common — even when you're young.

many of us know someone who's had a slipped disc or surgery. it's more common in this profession than most people realise.

05

you can do everything right and things still won't go your way

dentistry is unpredictable because the oral cavity is unpredictable.

you have to make peace with that.

06

clinical dentistry is relentless

it's like having multiple back-to-back meetings in a day. each one has to be on time. and you have to deliver.

you need to work well under time constraints and under pressure — every single day.

still thinking about dentistry?

this isn't to say you shouldn't do it. but go in with your eyes open — the financial investment is significant, dental school will push you in ways you won't fully understand until you're in it, and the physical and mental demands are real and ongoing.

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Dr Watt Sook May 

BDS MDS (Orthodontics) (Singapore) 

Follow for bite-sized orthodontic education, patient resources and life as a dentist 

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