TheStakesareHigh

Oh good grief is right! I completely agree, be as pragmatic about finances as possible, especially about the career you're choosing for the rest of your life or I hope so. It is good to know what to expect. I was in a position where I was offered a seat in the US with the costs being 400,000 USD for all 4 years. Turned it down without another offer elsewhere. Anyone borrowing more than 250,000$ CAD for dental school should stop and think about it. Yeah the realities are that the profession is on a decline and it is getting tough out there but when I see Dental students and Dentist lamenting on this forum about not having a 6 figure salary or the prospect of such, it angers me. Get real with your comparisons. Instead of looking up to professions all the time: medicine...etc. Take a look down (financially). Yeah we may have to go through 4 more years of school and take on more liability but that doesn't seem like much with what you're getting in return (low unemployment, work availability until your 60, and financially rewarding-anything over 75K doesn't increase happiness apparently). That to me is greedy. I appreciate posts like Cleanup with all the billing costs and intangibles because that's what people should know going in.

When it comes to debt repayment, I think most health care professions have reasonable ways out in terms of paying back. Might take half a decade but Dentist have very low-unemployment rates under 1%! That's amazing! And you're working in setting of your choice. I was reading stories about debt and how people attending universities/colleges have to work multiple jobs and it's not even in their desired fields of study because no work is available to pay it back. I'm starting dental school in September and yeah I'm worried about the burden of debt but let's be realistic and not so greedy.