Oct 19, 2023 7 min read

Anatomy of a Decision: Doctor or Dentist?

Walk the path with conviction.

Should I be a dentist or a doctor? Which is actually better?

This article will focus on why I chose medicine over dentsitry as well as factors like work-life balance, pay, flexibility and fulfilment from either career.

Before we get stuck in, you’ve probably done this before:

When you’re faced with a important decision, you end up drawing a list of pros and cons of the options.

The trouble with these lists are that they are prone to cognitive biases and the points are usually not weighed equally in terms of impact or importance. Which can lead you to focusing solely on the number of pro’s and cons.

So for that reason I don’t really like using pro’s and con’s lists. They can be helpful for simple decisions but if you’re deciding a career option. Then it’s important to think about things in more depth.

Remember, the points I discuss herein are not absolutes - just because something is more common in medicine does not mean that the same thing doesn’t apply in dentistry, and vice versa.

So why did I choose medicine?

I won’t go into depth here as the video is about choosing medicine over dentistry so that can be an article for another time.

What I will tell you is this:

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1. I have a passion for helping others and making a positive impact on people’s lives.

2. Medicine is an incredibly fulfilling and purposeful career path.

3. I also wanted a discipline that aligned with my interests, has lot of variety and one that can open doors for me.

The pros of medicine:

You actually get to save lives.

You will be put in scenarios where someone’s life is threatened because of an traumatic injury, infection or disease and you will be part of the team trying to help them.

That’s not to say you don’t do this in dentistry, but it generally won’t be a part of your day to day work. I think as a result of this the medical profession is well respected. You also don’t have to charge your patients money in the hospital which is a plus.

The impact you make.

As a medic, you have the opportunity to make a significant impact on people's lives. Whether it's helping someone recover from an illness, easing their pain at the end of their life, or improving their quality of life, the work you do as a doctor can be incredibly meaningful and rewarding.

It's a sociable job.

It’s such a unique job. There are so many people you work and interact with on a day to day basis from different medical disciplines to nurses, pharmacists, cleaners, pa’s, clerical staff, healthcare assistants and of course, patients. This can be particularly appealing for individuals who enjoy working with people in a team and like building relationships.

Variety.

You can safely say that no two days are the same in medicine. One day I’ll be on my home ward treating patients with illnesses and coming up with management plans for them.

And the next day I’ll be seeing acutely unwell patients in the emergency department. The variety makes it really interesting and keeps you on your toes.

Broader career scope.

There’s around 70 specialties in medicine which leads to a wide range of career paths to choose from, allowing you to tailor your career to suit your interests and strengths.

Whether you're interested in surgery, paediatrics, general practice, psychiatry, or any other area of medicine, there are so many options to explore and opportunities for growth and development.

Also medicine is a broad field that encompasses many different areas of healthcare including hospital medicine and primary care, to research and public health.

There are many opportunities to advance your career and take on new challenges, whether that's by pursuing further education, moving into a leadership role, or transitioning to a different area of medicine altogether.

The cons of medicine:

Training length.

Becoming a doctor, just like dentistry, requires a significant investment of time and resources, with most medical and dental programs lasting at least five years.

But after you qualify, the length of time it can take to specialise is staggering.

After your 2 foundation years, let’s say you wan’t to become a surgeon, you have to do 2 further years of core surgical training.

Then apply for specialty training which can then take another 6-8 years, before you can apply to be a consultant. I haven’t even mentioned the exams you have to take which can cost thousands and you have to pay out of your own pocket.

Many also take years out between the different stages either to develop their portfolio or because of the lack of training positions and jobs available.

This can be a deterrent for some, particularly those who are eager to start their careers or have other commitments that make a long training period difficult.

Hours and pay.

As a doctor you will be at the mercy of your rota, which consists of on calls - where you’re working 12.5hr shifts for days at a time, night shifts and weekends.

Dentists on the other hand have much more control over their hours and the work is typically 9-5. Your starting salary as a doctor is around £28k in the U.K (2023).

Frustration.

The NHS has so many merits.

You get to provide free healthcare at the point of use. There are many world class hospitals, clinics and research institutions here in the UK. There’s generally high standards for healthcare.

The NHS is the 5th biggest employer in the world, and it serves a diverse population with varying health needs.

But large and typically slower moving organisations tend to have more problems.

We deal with a high volume of patients, have long working hours, and limited resources. This can lead to burnout and job dissatisfaction, as doctors may feel that they are not able to provide the level of care that they would like to.

Secondly, the NHS is a publicly funded healthcare system, which means that it is subject to budgetary constraints and political pressures.

This can sometimes lead to funding cuts, which can impact patient care and put strain on healthcare professionals.

Doctors may also feel frustrated by admin tasks and bureaucracy, which can take up valuable time that could be spent on patient care.

I still document in the hospital by pen and paper...

Emotionally draining.

This is the nature of the job.

Doctors are often faced with difficult and emotionally charged situations, such as dealing with patients who are seriously ill, in pain, or dying.

This can take a toll on their mental and emotional well-being, leading to burnout and stress. Dentists can also be emotionally drained.

The pros of dentistry:

Money.

Dentists earn more than doctors during their training once they qualify. Especially in the earlier parts of their careers. After they graduate and they want to work in the NHS, they have to undertake dental foundation training for 1 year and their salary is around £36,000. Which is more than the equivalent in medicine.

However, if you go into private work after 1-2 years you can be earning around £60,000.

It’s difficult to say exactly how much doctors or dentists earn because they can both do a diverse number of things such as locuming and doing extra hours or doing private work.

Private work.

After graduating, they can choose to go straight into private work rather than do the 1 year of dental foundation training. This is probably due to the way dental students are trained. They are ready made for work once they finish university. Some people I know went straight into private practice.

Hours and lifestyle.

This is a huge bonus. Dentists often work in private practice, which means they can choose their working hours and schedule appointments accordingly. This flexibility can be particularly beneficial for those with family or other personal commitments.

There is the option to do emergency dentistry, max fax and out of hours work as well.

Most dentists choose to work 9-5, so they have their evenings and weekends free. As a result they get a much better control over lifestyle. There isn’t really much scope to have this control in medicine unless you’re a general practitioner or GP.

Practice ownership.

Dentistry allows you to have the opportunity to own your own practice. Dental practices can be owned by individual dentists, groups of dentists, or dental corporations.

There are several benefits to owning one.

Owning a practice allows dentists to have more autonomy and control over their work. It also enables you to be more creative in running your own practice.

Dentists who own their own practice can also set their own fees and earn a percentage of the profits. This can lead to higher earning potential than working as an employed dentist. The closest parallel to this in medicine is being a GP. When you’re working as a hospital doctor, there’s little scope for this.

The cons of dentistry:

Lack of fulfilment.

The job can get quite repetitive, boring and isolating at times.Some dentists may find that their work lacks fulfilment, particularly if they are primarily focused on routine dental procedures such as fillings, extractions, and cleanings.

This can lead to a sense of professional dissatisfaction and burnout over time.

Lack of variety.

There’s around 5-10 specialties whereas in medicine there are over 70. Dentistry can be a highly competitive field, particularly in urban areas where there may be many dentists competing for the same patient base.

This can make it challenging for dentists to build and maintain a successful practice, especially in the early years of their career.

Emotionally draining.

I’ve mentioned this about medicine but dentistry can also be emotionally demanding, particularly when dealing with patients who are anxious, fearful, or in pain. Dentists may also be required to deliver bad news or manage patients who are dissatisfied with their treatment.

This can be emotionally taxing and can contribute to burnout over time.

As with any medical profession, dentistry can take a toll on the body, particularly on the hands, back, and neck. Dentists often work in awkward and uncomfortable positions, which can cause repetitive strain injuries and back pain.

Heavily procedural.

It will require you to develop surgical skills. If your manual dexterity is not so good and you don’t like the idea of doing procedures then you might not like it.

Now that we’ve covered some advantages and disadvantages of both careers, I think it’s important to ask yourself a few questions - how important are these things to you: