Dentistry is quite a common medical field to go into and we’ve got quite a number of dentistry students here in Malaysia. Unfortunately, the dentists are often overshadowed by general practitioners (GP) for many reasons.
Due to this unfortunate comparison between GPs and dentists, the latter would often receive a lot of flak for absolutely no reason.
Here are some of the annoying things that actual dentistry students are tired of hearing. They’re so irritating that even a non-dental student will be rolling their eyes!
1. “I’ll get free treatment from you, right?”
Ah, yes, the typical cheapskate Malaysian where we tend to ask for free things. Even if we have mentioned this as a joke to a dentistry student, they hear it way too often for anyone’s liking.
2. “Can I get a discount?”
When the ‘free’ coupon doesn’t work, of course the next best step is to ask for a discount, right? Well, that doesn’t mean the dentistry students can actually give us any discounts so it’s best to stop asking.
3. “You’re not really a doctor.”
Dentists are doctors too, ok. They’ve studied the human’s anatomy as well but their main focus is on oral health. Just because they didn’t study medicine per se, doesn’t mean they aren’t worthy of being called a doctor.
Show some respect, ok. Smh.
4. “You only choose dentistry because you want to make money.”
It is undeniable that dental healthcare is rather costly since fixing braces itself can cost up to RM20,000 for one person. However, a large portion of that money we are paying actually helps cover the materials and tools used.
These things are very costly. We also need to take into account the rental of the clinic and the payroll of the staff too. So, they aren’t just blindly charging to suck your money out.
But yes, they do make more money ultimately, though that isn’t the only reason.
5. “Can you see what’s wrong with my teeth right now?”
Some people think that just because the person is a dentist or dentistry student, they can have a free check-up anywhere and anytime. Just, no… please close your mouth.
6. “Dentistry isn’t as difficult as medicine.”
Excuse me, anything related to health is definitely much more difficult than the average course. Just because one is different from the other, it doesn’t mean that it’s easier.
7. “So, you’re going to open a clinic right?”
Not all dentistry students plan on opening a clinic after they’ve graduated. Many dentists actually prefer working with hospitals, other clinics and even with charities.
8. “Dentistry? You could have just said you’re studying medicine.”
Well, dentistry and medicine are two completely different fields. Though they’re both in the health sector, they are not the same, ok?
9. “I don’t think I can trust you with my teeth. It must be done by a professional.”
Most universities require dentistry students to have practical experience. To do so, the institutes allow the public to attend the dental clinics for very low costs. Some places even give free treatment!
However, many people tend to look down on the students as they technically aren’t graduates yet. Unfortunately, many of those students have been victims of such hurtful words.
10. “Eh, why did you study in Malaysia and not overseas?”
This phrase is unfortunately more common than it should be. The people who ask this question to local dentistry students tend to think that those who studied overseas would be better.
This isn’t always the truth and Malaysia is capable of producing quality talents too. #StopLookingDownOnMalaysia
11. “Do you think I need braces?”
Dentistry students cannot confirm for sure if someone needs braces or not. In fact, not even graduates can say for sure because only orthodontists can properly diagnose someone as they specialise in that field.
So the answer is literally “I don’t know”.
12. “Recently, I’ve been feeling pain in my tooth here…”
Woah, woah, woah! Let me stop you right there, bro. They may be dental students but they can’t really be bothered outside of the clinic.
If you want it to be treated, just go visit the dental clinic lah.
13. “I wanted to ask you something about my health, I forgot you’re just doing dentistry…”
Dentists may specialise in oral healthcare but they’ve also learnt a bunch of things about the human anatomy too. So, yes, you can always ask them about other parts of your body as well.
14. “You’re only doing dentistry because you’re not smart enough for medicine.”
Well, here’s the reply of an actual dental student:
“I am smart, and I have a pair of skillful hands; and I sure made a smart decision to earn more with a flexible working hour.” – Nur’Alia Asri, 5th Year Dentistry Student at SEGi University.
So, the next time you visit your dentist or talk to your dental-student friends, try to hold your tongue a bit because they hear these aggravating words way too often, and it does hurt their fillings feelings too.
Also read: 10 Things Malaysians Who Went Through Arts Stream Will Understand
