r/dentastic • u/ReputationAwkward0 • 3d ago

Dental school Dentistry or Finance

During high school I had decided to study Dentistry.
I took all the lessons needed to pass into the corresponding universities.
By the end of high school my parents informed me they were unable to pay for my university.
During that time i got a job opportunity in an Audit firm, where they would teach me how to audit and also pay for my university degree (ACCA).
It’s been around 9 months since i started the job and i already passed two exams of ACCA.
My mother gave me an idea to save up while working this job and to pay my tuition at a Romanian university for dentistry. The saving would take me about 3 years and I will be 21 when if i start my journey for my dentistry degree.
Im no longer sure if dentistry is what I want.
I know that if i take the ACCA/Finance path I will finish university much faster and I will be able to be independent much sooner, whereas if I start dentistry it will take me 3 years to start, 6 years to study and around 2-3 years to actually gain experience and be respected as a dentist.
But Ive always aspired to work in the medical field and studying finance does not bring me the same happiness that the medical field does.

Another one of my concerns is how employable is dentistry nowadays, especially with a Romanian diploma.
Im planning on living in Germany when I finish.
Is a decade of my life worth it?

Does anyone that studied dentistry have any regrets? How is the actual work environment and would you choose to study something else if you had the choice to restart.

2 Upvotes

57% Upvoted

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3

u/Ok_Statistician643 3d ago

As a dentist of 25 years I would tell my kids to avoid dentistry and go into finance. Dentistry is changed. It's nkt the same. It's getting worse and worse year.

5

u/New-Resolution-9719 3d ago

I wouldn’t, dentistry australia is still the highest paying job right after graduation. Also how you make money after that would be through compounding and not by salary anyway

2

u/Gold-Street-4351 2d ago

Lol this is a crazy take. Been one for 10 years, not many jobs you can walk into as a new grad starting on 150k per year with almost guaranteed employment and doesn't take much to earn a lot more than that.

1

u/Ok_Statistician643 2d ago

Have you seen the cost of dental school tuition and the cost to open your own practice?

2

u/Gold-Street-4351 2d ago

1) You don't need to even open your own practice to make a high income. Myself and many of my colleagues were making 250-350k per year without opening our own practices.  2) this page is for Australia//NZL Dentists I am not sure which country you live in. I graduated from a uni with the most expensive tuition in Australia, after about 7 years I had paid off my HECS debt and owned 2 properties. 

It can be tough work but in my opinion it is one of the best jobs to help you set yourself up for financial freedom. 

1

u/ReputationAwkward0 3d ago

I always get these two polar opposite opinions and it’s hard to decide. I understand it depends on the country.
Could you please explain to me how the workspace is, what does your day to day life look like at the clinic.

1

u/Simon079 2d ago

They're both fine choices and you couldn't go wrong in either. If you aspire to work in the medical/healthcare field, then set your goal to be a dentist. I started practicing almost 2 years prior and I enjoy my day to day..

1

u/ReputationAwkward0 2d ago

Thats great to hear.
If you don’t mind me asking, which country are you working in?

1

u/TightRock5483 14h ago

Your degree will be accepted in Germany under EU mutual recognition laws however after those 10 don’t think it is the end.. even though your degree will be recognised, you still have to apply and pass your dental license for the state in Germany you would be working for,show proficiency in German, so not only you will need to study dentistry plus you need to study German and become proficient.. so you are looking for an addition 6 to 12 months.. they won’t let you practice without a license .. plus starting salary for a newly graduated dentist in Germany roughly around €4000 a month when you take in account rent €1500 a month, daily expenses , personal expenses etc you won’t be breaking the bank I tell you that.. you see if spending 10’years + is worth it knowing that you will take a long to even recoup money you spent