This Is Why Dental School Is So Hard | How To Survive Dental School Lab Courses

🦷🧠 The common consensus about dental school is that it is a 4 year challenge. I can tell you that is true, but today, I want to dive more into WHY dental school is so tough. I also want to offer you 4 actionable solutions to make the experience much easier on you! You will get through dental school just like we all do! Hopefully this makes it a bit easier!
-CONTENTS-
00:00 - Dentistry for Dummies
01:03 - Why Dental School Labs Are Tough
03:32 - Getting Organized
05:08 - Trust In Repetition
06:50 - Avoid Unnecessary Comparisons
09:29 - Specific Tips for Operative Lab
12:12 - My Final Thoughts About Lab
Thanks for watching the video! If you enjoyed it, please consider liking and subscribing to my channel for more content about how you can turn your dreams of a dental future into reality.
📸 INSTAGRAM: @stephen.p.ray.dentistry
🎙 PODCAST: www.buzzsprout...
-MY GEAR-
Camera: Sony A6500
Lens: Sigma 16mm f 1.4
Microphone: Rode VideoMic Pro
Lights: MOUNTDOG Softbox Lighting Kit
Stabilizer: DJI Ronin SC

[@AnthonyJude-qy5cl]

I finally passed my DAT exam after all the stress.I thank God for the great opportunity and my tutor Thomas 🎊🎊🎉🎉 All my prayers to those struggling to pass through DAT cause it hasn't been easy.I hope y'all make it some day too Amen🙏

[@ScarletScarlet-er2zj]

I failed 3 times, i lost money to reviews that never helped but the major thing is that I've not lost hope

[@AnnabelAnnabel-pp8ew]

Passing the DAT is when you study hard,if you can't study or you don't have time for your studies I'd advise you get yourself help like Mr Thomas

[@ScarletScarlet-er2zj]

I had interest in working with him but I was discouraged by my friends out of ignorance 😔

[@BenptBenpt]

I have a cousin who never studied much,we studied together but she gives most of her time to her phone than studies after writing DAT last month, she passed and I failed😣, I asked her how she did it, just found out she got her help from Mr Thomas ..

[@AnnabelAnnabel-pp8ew]

Sometimes hard work doesn’t pay you have to back it up with smartness🤓, I think your cousin understood that perfectly

[@radrose8673]

As a dental assistant of 5 years, these videos are very entertaining. I’m a predental student now but I’m so afraid of dental school and flunking out.

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment!! Do not be fearful! As much as dental school is a constant challenge, it is extremely do-able! It just takes hard work and dedication! Thank you so much for your comment, and I wish you the very best of luck in your continued dental journey!

[@2012farfar]

you can do it!

[@jamshidforugh5553]

@@billygrass8742 level up your game, can tell from the hate 😂

[@mofofish_]

This was honestly the first video I watched that I got actual value from. So grateful for you taking the time to complete this. I am still near the beginning of my journey as I’m a non traditional student who’s going back to school a little later, but I cannot tell you how many videos I’ve watched and it was all just complaining about work versus actually describing what the experience is. So thank you , and good luck in all your future endeavors!

[@stephenraydentist]

I really appreciate this comment thank you so much for this! It made my day! I’m actually about to sit down and do an interview with a classmate of mine who’s older so that’ll go on the channel soon and it should help you out even more!

[@mofofish_]

@@stephenraydentist Oh it’s my pleasure. And I would love that! I feel a lot of people would get a lot out of that! Thank you so much , can’t wait

[@jackhansmiles]

Advice, quality, personality, all top notch. Learned lots my man

[@samstlaurent9239]

Dang we got all the dental channels in the comments section! Right on

[@stephenraydentist]

Coming from the GOAT himself this means the world!! Thanks, Jack! Happy to get back to the dentistry specific content on my channel!

[@stephenraydentist]

We roll together like a family!

[@noahfawbush1558]

I've been stressing about starting this new journey but your video eased a lot of that stress!

[@stephenraydentist]

Don’t be stressed, Noah!! I know how it feels to be facing such a big change but if you take the task a day at a time you will succeed! You have already done the hard parts of the process just getting into dental school. You can make it!!

[@23SED233]

I studied Dentistry in Mexico, I am a “Dental Surgeon Physician” “Médico Cirujano Dentista” what is the same as a Bachelor in Dentistry. After that I studied a Master in Public Health in Epidemiology and now I am a 3year Medical student. I can totally agree with u, I studied Dentistry and it was the toughest thing I have ever doing in my entire life. In the Medical field physician use to diminish dentists (quite a lot, I have had lots of experiences), but doing Dentistry require for the dental student a big effort. Firstly you have studied the basic medical sciences, then at the same time you have to become in a dental and oral surgeon, (because dentists in comparisson with physician have to do a lot of surgery), so you have to gain skills handling surgical and dental instruments, manupulating tissues of patient, learning pharma, prosthetics, oral surgery, etc at the same time. Moreover you have to attend clasess, clinical rotations, study for exams and planning treatments of your patients. All materials are awful expansive… the life in dentistry is so hard… I just remember myself suffering with my classmates… now I can say that those 6years worth it. Dentistry is a fantastic career..

[@sebp9882]

and yet you changed career to medicine…

[@tichtran664]

Maybe he want to be a oral surgeon. In some states you have to have BOTH a dental AND medical degrees to be a oral surgeon.

[@vlogwithNei]

Thanks for the advice! I should be finishing my chemistry class this semester and next semester I'm taking dental materials and tooth morphology.

[@stephenraydentist]

That is awesome to hear! Best of luck with your studies!

[@harpreetrandhawa8958]

Very informative video esp for beginners!!! Yeah we hv to keep balance bw theory and hands on skill Time management is the most important and challenging part of dental school Keep on working hard Stephan!!!!

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment, Harpreet! I agree with you completely, and I hope to continue offering my findings about this dilemma on the channel moving forward! I swear I'm constantly looking out for new things that I'm learning and asking if the KZbin audience would be interested in learning it too!

[@despinap.5643]

I’m a 3rd year dental student in Greece. So thankful for your videos. Can you recommend activities to help me improve my dental lab skills? Thank you 😊

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment!! There is no better way to improve than practice in the lab! Head into lab when you don't even have to be there and cut some crown preps, take an impression on yourself and pour up a cast, mount an extracted tooth and do some endo. If you really want to get better in lab, you just have to put in that extra time! Thanks for the comment and best of luck!

[@Sameranth]

Thanks for the advice! Just started operative with class 1 preps! Definitely the most fun class yet, though no doubt it'll get tough quick. Doing preps on the benchtop right now, and it's hard to find a comfortable working position since we don't have loupes yet. Looking forward to moving the the mannequin and getting loupes.

[@darkki94]

You don't 100% need loupes if your eyes are fine , they just help . I got mine the last year if university and only me and maybe 1-2 other ppl even got loupes , the other 70-80 students didn't.

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment my friend!! I remember those bench top days! Enjoy them! You have a long but fun journey ahead of you and I wish you the best!

[@stephenraydentist]

I appreciate your opinion my friend! Unfortunately, I respectively disagree! I would consider loupes a standard of care especially in certain procedures. You can definitely get away without them in a lot of procedures, but when you get to endo, you simply have to have loupes on. What truly matters is providing our patients with a very high level of care and this is why loupes are so important! With a good pair of loupes, we can see canal orifices in maxillary posterior teeth and that is essential. I appreciate your comment and your perspective!!

[@darkki94]

@@stephenraydentist you can see them without loupes , with them you can see inside if the canal .

[@maria45afrah8]

Great content! Keep going, and remember; The journey itself is part of the goal and should be enjoyed too!

[@KcgHerbo]

i start dental school Tuesday this video helped out alot ,Thank u bro

[@stephenraydentist]

I hope it it going well already!

[@caracolcaracolito6279]

You have a kind class that seems supportive. 😊 😊

[@caracolcaracolito6279]

@@billygrass8742 oh true s#it? 🤔 Pity people just use KZbin to make sure they are fronting a fake image. :( 😒😟🙁☹️

[@PrincePalmUwU]

I think what I will fail on are classes like science and math, college level stuff basically and I suffer from Dyslexic. 😅 I really!!! want to pursue Dental Hygienist but I have to take Pre-Med and the TEAs test and I honestly don't know where to look.

[@mdkb]

Great video sir!! In dentistry any tip from anyone like classmates,teachers or KZbinrs have the potential to make a day or even change the career😂. As always love the cinematic take.

[@stephenraydentist]

Thank you so much for this comment!! That means the world for me to hear because I have always hoped to have that effect on people! Keep up your hard work!

[@jocelineangela1246]

hi greetings from Indonesia!! At first I wanted to see dental loupe review video because I was planning to buy it, but looking at the title of this video was interesting and it turned out to be very useful (even after I graduated and practiced at my clinic). I will definitely share it with my dentist friends, thanks!

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks again for the comment!! I truly have tried to convey a realistic view of the dental school experience! I don’t want to sell students on the idea that it is impossible (because it is by no means not) and I also don’t want to put forth the idea that it is a magical place and time (because it is more of life). But these videos are important to me, and I’m glad to hear they are connecting with a wonderful audience!

[@yasmine9046]

You seem to be such a lovely human being, amazing video, keeping the advice in the back of my mind for my dental journey ;) Love from France!

[@stephenraydentist]

Thank you so much for this comment and the kind support!! My hopes for my channel are to always be as genuine and open as possible. I hope that those efforts are able to help students like you in your journeys!!

[@rockymobley5616]

Thanks so much for this Stephen!

[@colinamison1691]

Just watched this and yesterday I literally got an impression for a dental implant. Literally the reason I looked this up😂

[@gurudentalsurgeon]

Subscribed !!! Very informative stuff !

[@stephenraydentist]

Thank you my friend!

[@Mystika_Legends]

Tedious and time consuming, with the art in dentistry and many other reasons have me thinking of going into dentistry. The things that sound difficult to you seem very up my ally. Im a hands on and visual learner and my love for learning and achieving my goals and what is to my liking of perfection. The things you have explained actually have me excited and ready to already be doing it. I just feel very confident that now I have finally made a decision on what I want to do. Im a Jake of all trades type of person, for wanting to be knowledgeable and growing up being a go getter and self dependant.

[@mingleii]

Don’t talk about it be about it.

[@mouamloday1359]

Keep going DR 👏

[@stephenraydentist]

Thank you so much for your comment and for watching!! I hope you enjoyed the video!

[@Treeshaka]

I really needed to hear this today, thanks Stephen. ☺️ - D1 MOSDOH

[@stephenraydentist]

Awesome, Kourtney! Thank you so much for the support, and I’m so happy to help!

[@hospitalmike1723]

Great video! Are there people in your school that do very well with the lab/indirect vision of dental school since they’ve had experiences as dental assistants? Do you think they have an easier time in school to focus on the didactic portion of school due to the past experience?

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment! There certainly are! In fact, today we were working on finishing and polishing our processed dentures and one of my classmates used to be a lab tech. He was helping everyone with the polishing lathe and it made the process smoother for everyone. We have a few that were hygienists in the past and they immediately picked up on waxing and cutting preps because they had spent years doing things that were very similar. That being said, I had extremely little hands on experience before dental school, and I have picked it all up wonderfully with time. Everyone does and will! I hope this video encourages people despite the seemingly negative title!

[@hospitalmike1723]

@@stephenraydentist Good to know! I'm hopeful my past experiences will help out not only myself but my classmates if needed! Only 40 more days till decision day! But sounds like you are doing well regardless of experience though; it's cool to see/watch the different viewpoints of where everyone is coming from (that would be a cool video). I'm sure you will become a great dentist! Thank you for all the great content :)

[@sama6901]

I'm a medical student, so I don't really know much about dental. How would you describe the non-lab portion of dental medicine in comparison to medicine?

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment! Naturally, I don't know exactly what the didactic portion of med school is like, but, from everything I've hear, the first two years of dental school and medical school are largely the same. The first year is in depth courses covering the basic sciences again with plenty of nods to clinical application. The second year is application of basic science knowledge to the human body. We are now learning pathologies of the entire body's systems along with who to treat various illnesses with medication and other therapies. The difference lies in the hands-on portion of dental school which is it's own challenge.

[@maxm4681]

Honestly great advice, thanks!

[@stephenraydentist]

Wonderful thank you so much for the support!! I truly appreciate this!!

[@hankmoody1744]

how do i train if my school doesnt allow free access to lab ? we only have the hours on the planning which is 20hours of practice for crown prep in the semester for example

[@siabhatia9003]

I just realised that my country's pre dental or bds is basically dental school for western countries and our dental school or MDS is specialization and honing our skills damn am I happy to be here

[@anshkalavadia]

It’s hard but it would be all good once you go through the phase I wish you luck

[@stephenraydentist]

Thank you so much my friend and I completely agree! Once I'm through this semester, things should free up a good bit! After that it is just managing life in the clinic and then the INBDE and I'll be home free!

[@jonathant.sizemore1843]

Can you go to LAB after hours?? Or can you only go to lab when you have a lab class?

[@stephenraydentist]

Your school should allow you to spend after hours time in the lab! Often, however, it is limited time because they have to pay people to be lab monitors to oversee things after hours

[@rosejonson3853]

This was such a great video Thank you, it was very informative! If there were oscars for dental content on youtube You'd be the one who'd win it...! I could bet!

[@stephenraydentist]

Thank you so much for this comment, Rose!! I truly appreciate the support and I'm so happy to hear that my videos are received so well! I hope they help you greatly in your dental journey!

[@subhicshas7553]

Just started class 2 ok n phantom head . It's fing harddddddddd and they wouldn't even teach us chair positions (this happens in a lot of dental schools!!!!) I'm dyingggggg

[@stephenraydentist]

Class IIs are the first major physical challenge of dental school. They take a lot of practice!! The upside? Suddenly in your D2 year, you will randomly be really good at them and very efficient. Once you learn how to prep a crown in your pros. classes, going back to prepping class IIs in operative becomes much easier. Always a challenge, but you definitely will improve massively from where you are right now!

[@mingleii]

Thanks! Go dental 😊!

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment!!

[@pillowz6604]

Great video!

[@stephenraydentist]

Thank you so much for the comment!!

[@amirhosseinzare8224]

hi my Physics , Chemistry and Math is not good at all . i want know it whould be hard for me if i go in Dental School can pass them or pass the dental school lessons ? i love to be dentist but first i want your recommend or anothers.thanks for answer.

[@heraexp3]

i want this.. idk what to do anymore. 10th grade is killing me already lmao i used to be a top student and now im getting low grades and even failing maths..? 😃

[@stephenraydentist]

Hang in there my friend. Step aside and try and re-center. Set dental school as your ultimate goal and make sure you stop at nothing to make it happen. You need to spend the late nights working and putting in that extra effort. You are more than capable of doing this! I wish you the very best of luck!!

[@agentj890]

Hey Stephen my name is jarred alley and I'm in my second year of pre dental in Tennessee and plan to go to UT. Do you have any advice that you could give to better prepare me?

[@stephenraydentist]

Hey Jarred thanks for the comment! I would check out some of the early episodes of my podcast, The Teeth Time Podcast! Also I have a pre-dental playlist on my channel that includes some videos about UT specifically and my process of being accepted!

[@agentj890]

@@stephenraydentist thank you I'll be sure to check them out!!!

[@CD4HelperTCell]

About how many lab courses did you take on your first semester? Do you have to do lengthy lab reports or some sort of lab related work at home? Or can you just focus on your didactic courses when you get home?

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment! First semester of D1 year was only two labs so we had tons of time! This semester has been 4 labs which has really made things challenging. But no! We don’t have outside work for labs like lab reports thankfully. This means that when we’re home we can focus on didactics!

[@daudi613]

Very interesting video...... reason I wana to join dental technology.

[@dishaverma2409]

Helpful 🕊️

[@Hannah-do9jl]

I love your videos lmao

[@stephenraydentist]

This makes me incredibly happy 🙏

[@survival6614]

Stephen, you are so HANDSOME, you are in the wrong profession. You should major in acting and be a movie star in Hollywood. You are more handsome than all of the movie stars in Hollywood

[@stephenraydentist]

HAHAHAHA! Thank you so much but I think I'm much better suited to work with a mask over my face day in and day out! I appreciate the comment and support!

[@GretzkySanders]

Quit while you can....you are leading towards a career in one of the hardest professions period. If you are looking forward to never ending stress, constant worry, aggravation, annoyance, massive frustration and constant lack of control. ......THEN DENTISTRY IS GONNA BE PERFECT FOR YOU!! Get out while you can and do something else!!!

[@sebp9882]

what do you do?

[@rotiv8r]

Liker 775. What uni did u go to?????

[@evolvedentaltechgmailcom]

Dental school = 4 short years.... made up of a lot of very long days

[@stephenraydentist]

Wow what a way to put it!! Even more real to me now than it was when I filmed this video!

[@barbitorello]

👏🏻👏🏻

[@stephenraydentist]

Thanks for the comment!!

[@nicfeen7789]

❤❤

[@chaimaayoko820]

Oh you are going to suffer h hhh my second year was the hardest

[@stephenraydentist]

I already have and am continuing to suffer! Especially running this KZbin channel and working for Bootcamp.com on the side, I am incredibly busy! But time is flying by and I only have a few more exams in the semester before I finish. We all make it by with a lot of hard work and perseverance!

[@chaimaayoko820]

@@stephenraydentist you should ...nothing is easy ...I mean after 6 years in dentistry I am Still going after residency , I just love it even more in the hard way😍😍😍😍

[@sebp9882]

misery. made me wish I was never born. Still does

[@jacobfoncea9714]

😂😂😂

[@stephenraydentist]

Yah made the video kid