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I shudder at the thought of being a dentist. Imagine your first day on the job, looking into people's mouths all day... then going home and thinking that this i

by D_Alex 10y ago

I shudder at the thought of being a dentist. Imagine your first day on the job, looking into people's mouths all day... then going home and thinking that this is what you will do every working day for the next 40 years. Dentists, I heard, have high rates of substance abuse, depression and suicide. These are very talented people (they have to be to gain admission to dentistry), who have to spend their life... doing dentistry.

blazespin 10y ago
I doubt looking into mouths is a big deal. I don't see how that's any worse or better than being a surgeon. The problem is so much of dentistry is cosmetics which is a horribly shallow thing to be dedicating your life to.
- peferron 10y ago
  What's so shallow about giving back self-confidence to kids and adults who didn't win perfect teeth at the genetic lottery?
  - _nalply 10y ago
    It's a cultural perception. Japanese girls are happy with snaggle-teeth because in Japanese culture these are cute. Some even want fake crooked teeth. https://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/why-japanese-women-go-for-fake-crooked-teeth https://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/why-japan... So don't get too hung up about perfect teeth.
vacri 10y ago
Not just looking into people's mouths, but half of your clients are terrified of you (far more than any other profession) and you have to cajole them. You will also be causing pain to people in the course of your job (can get minimal, but there will always be some), which some clients really can't handle. I imagine you get used to the smell of drill-burnt rotten teeth eventually, but the terrified people... I don't know how they do it.
ktRolster 10y ago
The way it is now, I mostly write code that will be ripped out in a few years, if not months. At least being a dentist I could be sure that every day, I would go to work, and help someone. In the computer industry you have to screen out companies that don't help people.

by D_Alex 10y ago

blazespin 10y ago

I doubt looking into mouths is a big deal. I don't see how that's any worse or better than being a surgeon. The problem is so much of dentistry is cosmetics which is a horribly shallow thing to be dedicating your life to.

peferron 10y ago
What's so shallow about giving back self-confidence to kids and adults who didn't win perfect teeth at the genetic lottery?
- _nalply 10y ago
  It's a cultural perception. Japanese girls are happy with snaggle-teeth because in Japanese culture these are cute. Some even want fake crooked teeth. https://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/why-japanese-women-go-for-fake-crooked-teeth https://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/why-japan... So don't get too hung up about perfect teeth.

vacri 10y ago

Not just looking into people's mouths, but half of your clients are terrified of you (far more than any other profession) and you have to cajole them. You will also be causing pain to people in the course of your job (can get minimal, but there will always be some), which some clients really can't handle. I imagine you get used to the smell of drill-burnt rotten teeth eventually, but the terrified people... I don't know how they do it.

ktRolster 10y ago

The way it is now, I mostly write code that will be ripped out in a few years, if not months. At least being a dentist I could be sure that every day, I would go to work, and help someone. In the computer industry you have to screen out companies that don't help people.