POPA

I once thought about being a dentist - for about two seconds. If looking at people's dirty mouths all day is your bag, have at it. Me, I'd be dead of suicide within three months of starting.

zondaracer

Bottom line is everyone has a different experience and different advice. I have no interest in the medical profession so i am partial to flying, but if I was pretty near equal like yourself, perhaps i would think about combining the two.....
http://www.flyingdentists.org/
http://www.flyingdoctors.org.au/Dental.html
http://www.amref.org/index.asp?PageID=36
http://www.flyingdoctor.co.nz/news.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_F...e_of_Australia
http://www.8staraviation.com/
http://www.providence.org/alaska/lifeguard/02team.htm

Just a thought

SkyHigh

Chicks dig a guy in a new Hummer even more. However I also don't think that they really like pilots all that much either.

SkyHigh

N0315

"However I also don't think that they really like pilots all that much either"

I agree

TurboFan

I really like this view. If you love aviation and dentistry and can find a way to combine the two, how much better could it get?

You are in a unique position. You have a passion for two totally separate careers. As with any decision there are pro's and con's. Most of which have already been touched on by other posters, but keep this in mind; if you think you might look out of your dentistry practice window every day to see what airplane is flying over head and do so with a sense of regret, become a pilot.

whythereis

You hit the nail on the head. That is my biggest fear.

This is really bothering me... I really can't make up my mind. You would think it would be easy with the two having huge lifestyle differences, but it isn't.

I'm wondering as well if I'm getting a lot of replies from unhappy pilots instead of happy ones. I'd like to know what some of the happy pilots think.

I'm also not sure a Cessna is going to give me the level of satisfaction that I'd get by being an airline pilot. I seem to swoon at the sight of a widebody, or even a narrowbody.

BankAngle09

Simple answer.

zondaracer

Maybe this will help you decide. According to this article on aol.com, pilots rank 10th happiest career field, and I can't recall seeing medical profession on there.

http://jobs.aol.com/article/_a/where...831x1080113486

Pretty good percentage considering the turbulent industry.

FlyJSH

Are you a sadist or masochist? That is, would you rather drill a stranger or be screwed by scheduling?


The real question is what are your goals?
Money?
Lifestyle?
Cute hygienists or Sexy flight attendants?
Weekends off or A few days away from the spouse and kids?
Sticky saliva or Puffy clouds?
A house on the 18th green or Sharing a four bedroom house with seven coworkers?

If you want cash, weekends and every holiday off, dentistry is the probably the way to go.
But if you get a thrill out watching the sun break through the clouds and lightning strikes BELOW you, flying may better suit you.

pilot125

Dentist. Plain and simple.

I think about this all the time. I've finally made it to a company where I am very happy at and that I can lead a very successful career and retire from, but I still would do it differently if I could turn back the hands of time.

I'm 34, an FO at a top fractional, have a ton of school loans STILL, ton of credit card debt (that I had to live off of so I wouldn't starve those first 5-6 years out of college), drive a piece of crap car, have very little savings, and dream of the day 15 years from now when I'm debt-free!!!!!!

A high school buddy of mine is a dentist. Has his own practice that is growing at a fantastic pace. He works 32 hours each week, has a ton of free time, has plenty of hobbies, drives a new Land Rover, has a nice house, a boat, and lives a GREAT LIFE! Makes about $250,000 now, more as practice grows...........

Is there really a choice here?