This post may not be helpful for everyone, but those entering or in dental school may be wondering how on earth can I afford $75,000 in tuition and live off of student loans? I work very hard to take out as little money as possible and have sort of worked a system and found little ways to save big money.
1. I have a monthly budget. Every dollar has a place. Whether that be rent, groceries, or extra spending money, every penny is given a name at the beginning of the month. If I over spend in one area, the money comes out of another category to make sure I stay within my monthly allotment.
2. I shop in bulk. It seems like you are spending a lot more money, but in the long run (as long as you actually use everything), you can save big bucks. I have a costco membership and buy nearly all my groceries there and shop once or twice a month. The biggest catch is buying things I know I can't finish on my own. I cannot personally eat 25 oranges in one week, so I would end up losing money because I'm not eating all of it. Another way to maneuver bulk shopping is to split big items with other people. Toilet paper for instance comes in a pack of 48. If you don't have storage for all those rolls split it with someone else, so you only have 24 rolls and you both end up saving money!
3. I don't waste anything. Whether it be food or toothpaste, I make sure to get my money's worth of everything. If I have a bag of carrots I haven't touched and they are about to go bad, I put them through my juicer. I also plan out my meals so I don't buy anything extra.
4. I meal prep. I cook every Sunday night for 4 hours to prepare all my meals for the upcoming week. This allows me to save money throughout the week by being prepared. I pack my lunch everyday and already have multiple meals cooked for easy access. If I didn't cook once a week for the whole week, I would be prone to stop by a restaurant for a quick meal, but having food completely ready to eat stops me.
5. I reduce waste. I cut dryer sheets in half, use tide laundry pods, use finish dishwasher tablets, and buy pump shampoo, conditioner, and face wash. All of these things help me not to use too much. I found myself using a handful of shampoo when I only needed tablespoon. I use the same amount of pumps everyday now and my shampoo and conditioner lasts months! (I buy the giant bottles at Costco). My washing machine and dryer are smaller than normal in my city apartment, so there is no need for a full dryer sheet, half does just as good.
6. I don't have pets. I know a lot of people are huge animal people, and there is nothing wrong with that, but I do not have any extra expenses that come along with being a pet owner.
7. I drive an older car. No car payment, great gas mileage. I don't have cruise control, and my FM radio just recently went out, but it gets me from point A to point B and all it costs me each month is gas and a few oil changes a year.
8. My beauty salon expenses are at a minimum. I only get my hair cut 3 times a year. I also don't dye or highlight it. I paint my own nails with essie gel setter top coat and it lasts almost just as long as the salon. I also don't wear makeup everyday. I wear mascara and call it good.
9. I don't pay for things I don't need. I found an apartment with a gym in it. Is the gym perfect? Does it have everything I'm used to using? No, but it has enough and I can still get a great workout in without paying a monthly gym fee. I don't pay for subscriptions on spotify or XM radio. My apartment includes cable, otherwise I wouldn't have that either. Netflix is so cheap compared to cable and honestly I prefer it.
10. I look for sales and coupons. If I know I need new clothes or shoes, I never pay full price. A few months ago I knew I needed new workout shoes and was looking online for the best price. Well, it turned out that my favorite shoes came out with a new model that was $120. However, I went through different websites and found the older model on clearance and got two pairs of the older model for $110. Now I have two brand new pairs of shoes just waiting until I need them. I also buy simple clothes that are versatile. Tank tops for the summer can easily be worn in the winter with a cardigan or jacket. Skinny jeans can be worn as pants or capris, dressy or casual. Never buy an outfit that can't be mixed and matched with other clothes in your closet.
11. I use my skills. I know how to sew, and I learned how to refurbish furniture. Instead of buying throw pillows, I made new covers for old ones. Instead of buying new furniture I found some items at garage sales and sanded them down, stained, and finished them to be what I wanted. My apartment looks like I bought it all new, but I just made old into new!
12. I make money wherever I can. The first few years of dental school I babysat two kids 10-12 hours a week. Throughout school I've made t-shirt quilts for people. I am not above mowing grass or raking leaves for a few extra dollars. Work study is also a great opportunity to make a little extra money. Even though it may seem like nothing, little jobs add up. Even if you can make $200 a month working in the library for work study, that makes a difference. ($2,400 a year!)
13. I stay healthy. 8 hours of sleep a night, vitamins, working out, and healthy foods. I work to prevent illness and high medical bills by staying healthy.
I promise living on a tight budget is doable without feeling like you are dirt poor. I am allergic to gluten and dairy, so I can't buy cheap food like PB&Js, and I make it work! The fewer loans you take out, the less interest is accruing, and the less you'll be in debt in the future. I know everyone's situation is different, but don't be discouraged! Dental school is definitely rough on the piggy bank, but it will be so worth it after graduation. Personally I will be much happier knowing that I struggled through dental school to keep my debt down, and have fewer years paying off my debt, than if I would have taken out as much as possible to live on a huge budget during dental school. You are so busy with school, you don't need to live the high life. I hope this helps someone, because I know looking at dental school tuition and knowing you can't fit a job in is stressful.
"For where your treasure is, your heart will be also" - Matthew 6:21
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you." - Hebrews 13:5
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
Two Months of Patients.
Time seriously has FLOWN by since I've started seeing patients in clinic. I cannot believe it is almost September already. I have definitely learned something new every single day since seeing my first patient and improving my skills immensely. It's so funny when you think you know so much when it's all book knowledge, but to put all that studying into motion really shows how much you don't actually know. I definitely have a lot to learn and am the first to admit that I don't know what I'm doing most the time.
It's crazy how much progress I've made since being thrown into seeing patients. It's scary to do each procedure on a patient for the first time, but we are pretty much thrown into it. I guess it's not too bad since we have faculty there to bail us out if we royally screw up. My first extraction I thought I was going to pass out because I was so nervous, but now that I have over 40 under my belt, I am feeling much more confident. Extractions are probably my favorite thing to do at this point!
I have not performed too many procedures like fillings or crowns, because each of my patients has to go through a specific treatment plan with phases of dentistry. This has lead to many cleanings working to get patients' gums healthy to improve the longevity of the other needed treatments. I have been on oral surgery rotation and will be on endodontic rotation (root canal) next week. It is beneficial that my school doesn't have any specialty programs at this time, because I get to see a lot of difficult procedures and don't have to give away a patient because the specialty needs it.
I have a pool of patients now that are in the system and see me as their provider. Some of my patients are of crazy sorts, but most of them need extensive work. This is really good for me and for them because it exposes me to lots of procedures, and gets them to a healthy mouth. Many of my patients are receiving Medicaid, and because of the program expansion, receiving most of their care for free. After seeing certain patients, I understand the statistic that dentists have a high rate of depression. When I've spent 3 hours working on someone, doing my best work, and the patient leaves the appointment saying, "man, I can finally have a cigarette." It makes me feel very unappreciated and almost a slap in the face. I understand that I cannot change someone's behaviors or attitudes about dental health, but it's frustrating to work so long and so hard just for someone to go ruin it.
Something kind of funny I've ran into with treating patients is they are surprised when I tell them I will be their student dentist. They say, "What? Doctor? You're a child." Some people don't want me to work on them at first, but after working with them doing comprehensive exams (x-rays, exam), I guess I prove myself because I have yet to have a patient request to switch providers. I joke that I need to grow some wrinkles or something so people think I'm not in high school. I guess it's a good problem to have, but I feel like I have to prove myself even more.
Overall, I'm exhausted at the end of each day, but I'm getting exposed to a ton of dentistry. Dentistry is definitely challenging at times and problem-solving is used everyday. It is also very rewarding and interesting. I love what I'm doing on a daily basis and really excited to see what the future holds for me in this great career!
It's crazy how much progress I've made since being thrown into seeing patients. It's scary to do each procedure on a patient for the first time, but we are pretty much thrown into it. I guess it's not too bad since we have faculty there to bail us out if we royally screw up. My first extraction I thought I was going to pass out because I was so nervous, but now that I have over 40 under my belt, I am feeling much more confident. Extractions are probably my favorite thing to do at this point!
I have not performed too many procedures like fillings or crowns, because each of my patients has to go through a specific treatment plan with phases of dentistry. This has lead to many cleanings working to get patients' gums healthy to improve the longevity of the other needed treatments. I have been on oral surgery rotation and will be on endodontic rotation (root canal) next week. It is beneficial that my school doesn't have any specialty programs at this time, because I get to see a lot of difficult procedures and don't have to give away a patient because the specialty needs it.
I have a pool of patients now that are in the system and see me as their provider. Some of my patients are of crazy sorts, but most of them need extensive work. This is really good for me and for them because it exposes me to lots of procedures, and gets them to a healthy mouth. Many of my patients are receiving Medicaid, and because of the program expansion, receiving most of their care for free. After seeing certain patients, I understand the statistic that dentists have a high rate of depression. When I've spent 3 hours working on someone, doing my best work, and the patient leaves the appointment saying, "man, I can finally have a cigarette." It makes me feel very unappreciated and almost a slap in the face. I understand that I cannot change someone's behaviors or attitudes about dental health, but it's frustrating to work so long and so hard just for someone to go ruin it.
Something kind of funny I've ran into with treating patients is they are surprised when I tell them I will be their student dentist. They say, "What? Doctor? You're a child." Some people don't want me to work on them at first, but after working with them doing comprehensive exams (x-rays, exam), I guess I prove myself because I have yet to have a patient request to switch providers. I joke that I need to grow some wrinkles or something so people think I'm not in high school. I guess it's a good problem to have, but I feel like I have to prove myself even more.
Overall, I'm exhausted at the end of each day, but I'm getting exposed to a ton of dentistry. Dentistry is definitely challenging at times and problem-solving is used everyday. It is also very rewarding and interesting. I love what I'm doing on a daily basis and really excited to see what the future holds for me in this great career!
Friday, July 8, 2016
First Week on the Clinic Floor
WHAT A WEEK! I was able to see 4 patients this week for my first comprehensive exams. I never knew how time consuming each appointment would be, but I've spent around 10 hours each day at school. By the time I get everything set up, see and treat my patient, get checked by teacher, and pour up study models, I barely have time for lunch between patients. I know I will get faster, but sharing a teacher with my classmates is time consuming. I've taken close to 100 x-rays, taken multiple impressions, and probed lots of periodontal pockets. It's so fun to be on the clinic floor, but very stressful to say the least. I've been so exhausted each night, but I love taking care of people and I've finally been able to do that. Each of my patients has thanked me for taking such great care of them and listening to their concerns. I'm learning a lot about patient care, a major component of dentistry.
We are still being tested on our hand skills and have multiple tests a week on different cavity preps and fillings. Like any profession, practice makes perfect. I am working on continually improving my hand skills to make sure I can give the best care possible to my patients. Through my education, I have come to realize that while all the book smarts are important, taking care of people is greater. If a patient doesn't feel taken care of or listened to, they don't care how good their filling or crown is.
I love this profession I've finally got a sweet taste of and know I still have A LOT to learn.
We are still being tested on our hand skills and have multiple tests a week on different cavity preps and fillings. Like any profession, practice makes perfect. I am working on continually improving my hand skills to make sure I can give the best care possible to my patients. Through my education, I have come to realize that while all the book smarts are important, taking care of people is greater. If a patient doesn't feel taken care of or listened to, they don't care how good their filling or crown is.
I love this profession I've finally got a sweet taste of and know I still have A LOT to learn.
Sunday, May 22, 2016
End of D2 Year
Wow! This year truly flew by. I have been waiting for the moment I finally get to leave Kirksville since I moved here five years ago. I am definitely a city girl at heart, and Kirksville has taught me a few good things these past years.
These past few months of school have been a whirlwind of craziness. I decided to double up on online public health courses in order to finish my certificate of public health early. That may have not been the best decision for my sanity, but I survived! These classes require about 5-10 hours a week so taking two took a good chunk of my time each week, on top of my regularly scheduled classes in school. I now only have one online class left and I'll be finished with my certificate that is required for my school. In the classroom I've learned how to make dentures from start to finish, fix broken dentures, and clean and polish them. I learned how to put braces on, work on baby teeth and kids, treat medically complex patients, and the elderly population. I learned how to give injections, so my work isn't painful. I also learned what it feels like to get injections and to be numb, so I can understand what my patients are feeling. I learned how to clean teeth and use an ultrasonic cleaner. I also learned about oral pathologies and how to treat varying levels of normal and abnormal. These past few months have really tied everything I've learned in the past two years together, and helped me understand how to apply the information in a clinical way.
To finish up our second year of school, we all move to St. Louis, and then have clinical orientation through the end of June. We will learn all the ins and outs of the clinic in order to be prepared to see our VERY FIRST PATIENT on July 5th! The beginning of July we officially become D3s and will spend a year seeing patients in St. Louis. To finish our education, our fourth year we will spend half the time in St. Louis, and half the time at external rotation sites in community health centers. This will give us the opportunity to see more patients and to gain more experience, than only seeing two patients a day.
Until our orientation starts, we have two and a half weeks to finish moving and to take a little break from school before we are back at full speed. I'm ready for a couple weeks to relax and wedding plan, since I've been so busy with school, little planning has occurred. I'm excited to be finished with book work and tests, and ready to test out my skills in clinic!
- Any old town can feel like home when you are surrounded by a great community. KLife, church, the kids I nanny, and classmates have made my stay much more bearable, and I have definitely felt connected and loved by many.
- Small towns don't have any traffic.
- You can get anywhere within city limits in 5 minutes.
- When there isn't much to do, you count on friends to make things interesting.
These past few months of school have been a whirlwind of craziness. I decided to double up on online public health courses in order to finish my certificate of public health early. That may have not been the best decision for my sanity, but I survived! These classes require about 5-10 hours a week so taking two took a good chunk of my time each week, on top of my regularly scheduled classes in school. I now only have one online class left and I'll be finished with my certificate that is required for my school. In the classroom I've learned how to make dentures from start to finish, fix broken dentures, and clean and polish them. I learned how to put braces on, work on baby teeth and kids, treat medically complex patients, and the elderly population. I learned how to give injections, so my work isn't painful. I also learned what it feels like to get injections and to be numb, so I can understand what my patients are feeling. I learned how to clean teeth and use an ultrasonic cleaner. I also learned about oral pathologies and how to treat varying levels of normal and abnormal. These past few months have really tied everything I've learned in the past two years together, and helped me understand how to apply the information in a clinical way.
To finish up our second year of school, we all move to St. Louis, and then have clinical orientation through the end of June. We will learn all the ins and outs of the clinic in order to be prepared to see our VERY FIRST PATIENT on July 5th! The beginning of July we officially become D3s and will spend a year seeing patients in St. Louis. To finish our education, our fourth year we will spend half the time in St. Louis, and half the time at external rotation sites in community health centers. This will give us the opportunity to see more patients and to gain more experience, than only seeing two patients a day.
Until our orientation starts, we have two and a half weeks to finish moving and to take a little break from school before we are back at full speed. I'm ready for a couple weeks to relax and wedding plan, since I've been so busy with school, little planning has occurred. I'm excited to be finished with book work and tests, and ready to test out my skills in clinic!
Saturday, March 5, 2016
The End is Near!
I am so incredibly excited to announce that I have officially accepted an apartment in St. Louis! I have lived in the same little town for nearly five years, and have come to the every so realization that little town life is NOT for me. While it has been nice to have little to no distractions from school, I am ready to get back to city living.
We are finishing up our classwork and I have successfully passed all the classes and requirements to work on REAL patients in just a few short months. I will start working in the clinic July and will have two years of clinical experience by the time I graduate in June 2018. If you need any dental work just call the clinic and ask for me :)
On the personal side of things, I got engaged to my boyfriend of over seven years on December 20th 2015 and we have started our wedding planning for March of 2017! It's pretty exciting that I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel after living apart for over five years. While the details are stressful, we are really enjoying the planning process and getting excited to finally be married! Some people may ask, "Why March?" Well, dental school kind of dictates my life, so this is the only time I have a break that we can go on our honeymoon right after we get married. Ideal? no, but I'm still excited as can be!
According to my schedule, I will be learning how to administer anesthesia (numbing shots) in the next couple of weeks and learning different specialties that I'll encounter in clinic. After that I'm on to bigger and better things putting all my learning into practice! I am really excited to be able to put to practice all the things I've learned over the many years of my education and excited to be out of the classroom and into the clinic. Thankfully, I still love dentistry, and am so excited for the changes coming in the next few months!
"Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
- Galatians 6:9
We are finishing up our classwork and I have successfully passed all the classes and requirements to work on REAL patients in just a few short months. I will start working in the clinic July and will have two years of clinical experience by the time I graduate in June 2018. If you need any dental work just call the clinic and ask for me :)
On the personal side of things, I got engaged to my boyfriend of over seven years on December 20th 2015 and we have started our wedding planning for March of 2017! It's pretty exciting that I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel after living apart for over five years. While the details are stressful, we are really enjoying the planning process and getting excited to finally be married! Some people may ask, "Why March?" Well, dental school kind of dictates my life, so this is the only time I have a break that we can go on our honeymoon right after we get married. Ideal? no, but I'm still excited as can be!
According to my schedule, I will be learning how to administer anesthesia (numbing shots) in the next couple of weeks and learning different specialties that I'll encounter in clinic. After that I'm on to bigger and better things putting all my learning into practice! I am really excited to be able to put to practice all the things I've learned over the many years of my education and excited to be out of the classroom and into the clinic. Thankfully, I still love dentistry, and am so excited for the changes coming in the next few months!
"Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
- Galatians 6:9
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