It’s out! US News and World Report has suddenly caught on to our little known secret and the truth about dentistry.

In 2013, they dubbed dentist as THE best job in America. That was 2 years after I quit dentistry, and that year I questioned the validity of this crown in my blog post, The Pros and Cons of Dentistry.

Finally, someone put out an honest depiction of what it’s like to be a dentist. Okay yeah, I’m referring to myself here. (That’s a joke in case you couldn’t read my tone! We need a font for that.) You should be proud of me for objectively sharing the good parts too. And I meant what I said about the good things! In fact, those were some of the reasons that it was so hard for me to quit dentistry back in 2011.

Anyway, in 2018 dentist slipped to #2, and in 2021 it fell to #9.

That seemed like a huge fall from grace until this year’s results came out.

Can you believe that being a dentist plummeted to #70? That’s a jaw-dropping decline!

The real take-home isn’t that dentistry has suddenly changed (which it definitely has!) But it’s that those rankings never tell the whole story. They often miss the mark and overlook the the truth about dentistry. Focusing on superficial markers dismisses the everyday experiences that come with our work. And this can lead people into a life that doesn’t authentically align with who they are and what they want.

As you evaluate how you want your dental career (or, ahem, your non-dental career) to look, stop relying on what others think and begin to listen to yourself.

We’re not mere statistics or entries in a job report. We’re intricate individuals with our own passions, quirks, and values. The essence of who we are, what drives us, and the unique experiences we bring to dentistry are something that no ranking can truly capture.

Dentistry isn’t a one-size-fits-all profession. There is no single picture of what success in dentistry looks like. Instead, it’s a mosaic of experiences that we each navigate in our own way. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s great!

As you venture through the twists and turns of your dental career, remember that your journey is yours alone, and you get to decide how you want to live this life.

Give yourself permission to be you, and you’ll be surprised how much easier life gets.

By the way, curious about joining me for Safari N Side Gigs, so you can dive into YOUR truth about dentistry and finally take charge of your life?

Early bird pricing ends in just a few weeks on Feb 1. Reach out to me with questions, for a special VIP coupon code, or click here for more info.

If you are ready to stop talking and start doing, this WILL be a life-changing event for you.