Law, Dentistry or Business

[Guest osindy]

If you had to choose one of law, dentistry or business (Investment Banking, Consulting etc) as a career, what would be the pros and cons of each. I know most people on this board would naturally pick dentistry as their number one, but what about the other two. This is considering you had the finances or ability to finance and education in all three, you had limited connections which would be important mostly for the business jobs, and you had the prerequisite education required for all three. So please discuss. I am at a crossroads in terms of life. I seem to be drawn to all three.

[Guest predent2003]

Well, I still believe in "learn what you want to learn". You can excel in anyone of them if you work hard. It is also hard to differentiate them in terms of income because what you earn depends on how hard you work.

 

If you have past work/volunteer experience in all 3 of them, then that would definitely help you make your decision because you want to go into the field that really appeals to you.

 

Plus, no one says that you can't do all of two of them. My dentist is applying to MBA program right now, so you can always upgrade and improve yourself along the way!

[Guest Guyver03]

All 3 careers are different from each other, but like predent2003 said, no one is preventing you to take 2 of them. In fact, it might be benefitial because they're all interrelated. Although they are all professional degree, if you're concerning with your future earnings and looking to take one, I'd suggest you to do dentistry. It might seem glamarous when you see lawyers and business execs on TV wearing Armani, but in real life, it's a sucker's game. Not everyone is going to be like Donald Trump, and the chance is heavily against you. So I'd go for dent if you're concern with future earning.

[Guest sweetyork]

I agree with predent2003 and guyver03. You can always do dent and one of your other interests. Lots of dentists are sued every year (most dentists are sued more than once) - it`s a big bussiness. As a lawyer with a DDS degree, you can even handle medical malpractice cases. In contrast, with an MBA (which is not a professional degree, by the way) and a DDS, you can go into the manufacturing/equipment/product/what-ever-is-the-term side of dentistry. It`s a billions-of-dollar industry (just count the # of tooth paste or tooth whitening commercial in an hour on any TV channel). So don`t just limit yourself now. Finally, if you have to pick one, pick dentistry b/c it is a more financially secure carrier than the other two.

[Guest tm]

I was in the exact same situation as you about a year ago before I wrote my DAT. I did my undergrads in commerce and life science and wasn't sure for a long time what to go into.

 

It came down to what really was most important to me- I decided that being a dentist would be the most personally satisfying profession, and it would allow the most flexibility. However, there are also many advantages to working for large firms.

 

The only thing I can say is that pursuing further education is never limiting and keep in mind that business and dentistry can combine and lead to a very successful career! Also keep in mind that you could do a masters (after dentistry) in Public Health or an MBA. The opportunities are endless!