[Jcoronado]

I am facing a hard timre right now. I am a college freshman and going through the dillema of deciding who I really want to be. I have always had an interest in dentistry. I'm fascinated by the oral structure of the mouth. I have read and learned how it's divided into four quadrants (8 teeth in each, for a total of 32), I know the names and the structure of the teeth.

So far I have taken some pre-req classes for dental school, and have realized that I do not really have a passion for science. I am having a hard time surviving through biology. I know how competitive dental school can get. (High cumulative and science GPA are a must!)

I am concerned that I will not be a competitive candidate for dental school!. first of all I am a minority (hispanic), so I have this conception that I am not smart enough compared to other races... second I don't have a real passion for science, but am fascinated with dentistry, and third of all it seems like a lot of work!

I have actually considered the option of becoming a dental hygienist first and then working my way up, but then again, I feel like I'm letting myself and other people down especially when I have all these scholarships that will not transfer to a community college in order to get my associates in dental hygienE. ALSO I DON'T WANT TO CONSIDER THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THAT I WILL PROBABLY SETTLE FOR THIS CAREER, WHEN I KNOW CAN DO MUCH MORE!

What can you recommend?? I've decided to major in elementary education, this way I will have time to focus on my pre-dent courses and possibly take more to strengthen my dental school application... If it comes to the point where I don't get accepted to dental school I could always work as a teacher and then at the same time work to get my associates as a dental hygienist... Should I go ahead, not give up and give it a try?

[wildandblue]

I think your prospective dental schools will look at your major when they decide whether to accept you, and that major seems to have nothing to do with dentistry. You will need a good science background to succeed, even though you don't like it too much. A good dentist is either extremely good with teeth, extremely good with people, or an extremely good businessman and money manager. And you are young enough to try hard, possibly fail, then go on with your life. If you have scholarships available you really ought to take advantage of them. If you go with a dental hygenist education after working for awhile, you have the car, the children's bills, the house to pay for, all that makes it harder to concentrate on bettering yourself and your family's future.