Bite-Sized Dreams: How I Chewed My Way into Dentistry
Ever wondered if your third-grade self was secretly a career guidance counselor? Well, for Dr. McVey, that pint-sized prophet admiring the dentist's toys might have been onto something! Welcome to the whimsical tale of how our very own Dr. McVey found himself chewing his way into dentistry instead of, say, painting or cooking it up. It's a journey that starts with a childhood fascination (spoiler alert: it wasn't with tooth fairies), meanders through the hallways of high school and college, and involves a very grown-up checklist that would make even the most organized planner proud.
So, grab your metaphorical toothbrush and prepare for a cavity-free adventure into the life of a dentist who discovered that sometimes, the perfect career has been smiling at you all along. Trust us, by the end of this story, you'll be grinning from ear to ear – and not just because you remembered to floss!
Table of Contents
The Toys of Dentistry
I remember going to the dentist as a child and thinking it was a pretty great place. I liked our family dentist. I thought he was really nice. And the toys! To my eyes as a little boy it looked like he got to play with all these great toys all day every day! My parents and friends all talked very positively about their dental experiences, so as a third grader I decided that would be the life for me.
A Career Checklist
When I got to high school and college, though, I began to think about all the career opportunities that lay before me, and I began to wonder just how smart that third grade version of myself was. I liked science. I liked people and wanted to help people. I wanted a career that would open up opportunities to do foreign missions. I wanted to care for people and make a difference in their lives. I considered medicine, but I wanted to be able to have a family and not live my life on call.
The more I thought about my choices, the more dentistry felt like a fit. I liked science-check. I liked people and wanted to help people-check. I wanted a career that would open up opportunities to do foreign missions-check. I wanted to care for people and make a difference in their lives-check. I wanted to have a family and not live my life on call-check. And I still like toys-check.
*You might also like to read “Rediscovering Dr. McVey’s Key to Smile Transformations.”
Dentistry it is!
That third grader was pretty smart, as it turned out! So, by the end of my sophomore year in college, I settled on dentistry as my career path and began meeting the pre-dental course requirements. I had to extend my undergraduate training by one semester in order to fulfill the dental school admission requirements, but I was happy to do so.
*Want to become a dentist yourself? Check out this article to learn more about the career.
The information available on the Website is for general health information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. You should not rely exclusively on information provided on the Website for your health needs. All specific medical questions should be presented to your own health care provider and you should seek medical advice regarding and before making any changes related to your health.
If you choose to use the information available on the Website without prior consultation with and consent of your physician, you are agreeing to accept full responsibility for your decisions and agreeing to hold harmless Randall K. McVey, DMD PA, its agents, employees, contractors, and any affiliated companies from any liability with respect to injury or illness to you or your property arising out of or connected with your use of this information.