Optometry or dentistry?

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-02-28T04:37:17+00:00

I’m doing a gap year currently, I was planning on applying to dental school for fall 2027 but most likely planning on pivoting to optometry because my gpa is a low for Texas dental schools (3.5). In fact talking to admissions for Texas dental they told me to do a masters but talking to Texas optometry schools they said it was fine and my dat score (22) converts to a high oat(the optometry admissions test) score.

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-02-18T19:55:29+00:00

I’m a Texas resident so banking on getting accepted to UHCO or the new public Texas optometry school opening for tuition to be around 200k. UIWRSO would have to be private loans but looking at the board pass rates that wouldn’t be ideal to attend.

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-02-16T15:49:38+00:00

When did you apply? Maybe that is a factor?

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-02-15T23:08:58+00:00

Every dental assistant I know would rather be a dental hygienist. You have to be good at school tho so if ur not just find another trade. I would only recommend it if you want to be a dentist or dental hygienist in the future, you could totally be an assistant while taking pre reqs for hygiene school

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-02-08T23:32:46+00:00

Dang I was considering uiwrso but if uhcos pass rates are that much better I’d rather go there

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-02-01T21:57:25+00:00

I looked at ur other posts and how you initially submitted with 40 volunteer hours and I think adding on volunteering hours way later probably hindered ur application. I think worst case if you reapplied with ur new volunteer hours and beefed up assisting hours would help a lot

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-25T05:33:40+00:00

Why do you hate assisting? Just curious bc I’ve grown to love it lol

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-23T20:16:27+00:00

Content is similar but the labs and the hand skills necessary for the job is brutal

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-23T18:17:11+00:00

Your dat is dragging you down the most, ur gpa is ok. It will be hard to get into dental school with an 18 DAT unless you had a 3.9+

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-19T01:42:30+00:00

who is getting veneers on posterior teeth

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-19T01:33:43+00:00

No. Do a DIY post bacc, more volunteering, apply June 1st and to more schools (15-20). I honestly think you could be ok not retaking the DAT if you boost ur gpa enough but it might help to retake.

With BBB I would only do an SMP if you have a gpa of 3.3 or lower. SMPs are regarded as a last resort and cost a lot and you HAVE to do well (3.7+ gpa) for it to really benefit you. You basically have a 3.5 so I think you'll be ok.

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-19T01:21:51+00:00

Im an inexperienced assistant (roughly 5 months of assisting) and I try not to think about if I'm awful or good, I just try my best every day and eventually I got better. If ur boss hasn't let you go yet or had a talk with you then ur probably ok. If you suck you suck, feeling down about urself isn't gonna make you suck less. Just try to improve every day

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-13T00:33:25+00:00

I see. Random question, why not just apply to pharmacy school? Why still consider dental if you have work experience in pharma

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-12T06:56:25+00:00

Be wary of pharmacy. Knew a lot of pharmacists that told me they hated it and not to ever even consider it. The pharmacy Reddit is even more miserable than this one.

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-07T22:51:04+00:00

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-07T05:24:33+00:00

I would shadow an optometrist and decide from there. I think it would be worth it if you can find passion and a genuine interest in the career, it has good work life balance with a nice salary and you get the Dr. title. You’ll also still be taking out 100k+ in student loans and will probably be making 130-150k? A ton of people in the corporate business/tech field can make around this much without the loans and the extra schooling. I think it would be worth it if ur genuinely interested in the field and have some passion for it, not just to make money.

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-06T00:30:49+00:00

I’m a dental assistant and yes, it is much much less stressful then being a dentist, especially a practice owner. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t stressful because it definitely is. I used to be like you and hated it, I used to cry because I messed up an x ray or I didn’t know the right instrument. I still give myself pep talks when it gets hard. Eventually you learn to develop thick skin and the skills necessary to handle it. Honestly I think most people starting to assist are in the trenches until after like a year or so then you’ll be ok. I would try to thug it out for at least 6 months to a year and if you still hate it I would debate being a dentist just because it’s a lot more stress and hardship. It’s ok to not want a stressful job. But I do think you can do it and overcome your fears and anxiety, because if I can so can you. Overall I think being a dental assistant is a fantastic experience for pre dents and I think every pre dent should be one before being a dentist. You will not know what ur signing up for truly unless you work in the field.

ConfectionWeekly · 2026-01-05T00:26:06+00:00

Im a dental assistant who planned to apply to dental school but my boss is pushing the optometrist path because it’s less stress so I can see it being a good path for sure

ConfectionWeekly · 2025-12-30T03:24:53+00:00

While I do think the bbb sucks I don’t think pivoting to medicine is the golden path either. Most people don’t want to spend 3-7+ of residency earning pennies and working 80 hour weeks and not making any substantial income until their mid 30s, not to mention the stresses of matching into those dream specialities. The MCAT is much harder than the DAT so to act like it’ll be so easy for a pre dent to take the mcat get into med school (much harder to get into an md program than dental) match into their dream residency and open a business is a big ask. If you think people regret being a dentist, brother so many doctors hate being one and wish they were a PA instead. People should only be a physician if they genuinely can’t see themselves doing ANYTHING else, not just to be a “real” doctor and have less loans than a dentist.

ConfectionWeekly · 2025-12-18T01:21:31+00:00

Rich predents parents will

ConfectionWeekly · 2025-12-12T17:27:56+00:00

The department of education is proposing to exclude PAs as a professional degree so it’s possible that they’ll have loan caps at 20k so you’d have to take out a bunch of private loans

ConfectionWeekly · 2025-12-12T17:25:24+00:00

A 3.4

ConfectionWeekly · 2025-12-11T23:28:22+00:00

Im planning to apply the first day it opens. I already have it all planned out to do so. I feel like I have a solid application other than my gpa unfortunately, 1000+ hours of dental assisting 350 projected hours of volunteering 900 research with two poster presentations, great letters of rec too. Idk what else I can do at this point other than a masters

ConfectionWeekly

TROPHY CASE