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What related fields do you think I should consider looking into, and why are they good second choices, instead of a dentist?
My second choice if dentistry doesn't end up working well for me in the end is medical assistant.
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4 answers
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Pauline’s Answer
If you desire not to become a Dentist but stay in the Dental field, you can be a Hygienist(cleans teeth only) a Dental Laboratory Tech (makes crowns and dentures) or an Expanded Functions Dental Assistant who has the benefits of being chairside assisting the Dentist and can finish a filling or crown for the Dentist. Good luck
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Faisal’s Answer
Hey there! Medical assistant is good but think long term! If you want a strategic career that can move you around, make you good money, and provide you great job stability, a nursing degree will take you very far. If you're looking for something outside of the medical realm, the tech world is HUGE and full of fun opportunities that can help you with career growth and sustainability.
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Melanie’s Answer
For any career these days, technology is important. That could be knowing how to work the latest devices to do the job or understanding how to use social media to educate customers or patients or understanding what software programs are available for your industry. I recommend ensuring that your training program includes classes related to technology. You could go from being a dental assistant to working for a company that provides dental offices software to manage their business. Or you could become a dental assistant then a dentist and then a dentist who helps develop better technology for dental repairs and exams. I work for Microsoft. We actually have a team with a doctor and a nurse that ensures our Healthcare solutions are addressing real world needs. We have partners who create, sell and install solutions for dental and medical offices/hospitals. Just remember, you don't always have to have 1 career. You can have many!
Write down your top 3 first career choices.
Research those careers and see what follow-on careers or related careers in that area.
Look at training programs or colleges that have programs for your career paths.
Review and read about the courses that are offered in the program. Be sure at least one or two are technology related.
Melanie recommends the following next steps:
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Maria Sue’s Answer
Hello , why not consider becoming a clinical laboratory scientist. We may not be visible as the doctors or nurses, but we are the behind the scenes heroes who perform testing on all kinds of body fluids to assist the doctor to diagnose and treat a patient’s illness or disease. Example, COVID PCR is a test that helped monitor the pandemic ; detecting new strains of the virus so a drug or a vaccine can be made to fight it. The pay and benefits are very competitive as CLS are in shortage right now.