I’m a 27, BDS graduate from INDIA,and I feel like I’m constantly running in circles trying to secure my future.
My core reality:
I know I want to specialize — specifically OMFS.
This isn’t just about prestige.
For me, MDS feels like:
- Completing my education properly
- Becoming more clinically competent
- Building confidence
- Having stronger standing in India
- Potentially opening my own clinic one day if international plans fail
As a first-generation dentist :
- No strong professional network
- No family-established practice
- Opening a clinic as just BDS feels extremely hard
- Private practice jobs often mean:
- 10 AM–10 PM
- Low pay
- Minimal learning
- Burnout
- Feeling professionally stagnant
That life honestly makes me feel like I’m wasting my prime years.
My long-term dream:
I also want to move abroad.
The problem:
I’ve been trying for ORE slots for 2 years and still haven’t secured one.
So I feel trapped:
- I don’t want to keep waiting endlessly
- But I also don’t want to end up with “nothing”
- I fear becoming someone who neither got MDS nor successfully moved abroad
My dilemma:
Option A: MDS in OMFS
Pros:
- Structured specialization
- Better standing in India
- Backup security
- Surgical fulfillment
- Potential for clinic ownership
- Stronger identity as a specialist
Cons:
- Expensive
- Time-intensive
- OMFS may not translate internationally
- UK may still only recognize me largely as a general dentist
- Risk that after 3 years, I may still struggle abroad in general dental work
Option B: Fellowship + Keep Trying ORE
Pros:
- Build implant/surgical skills
- Stay active clinically
- Continue UK pursuit
- Less commitment than MDS
Cons:
- Fellowship may lack full value
- Still uncertain
- May continue feeling underqualified
- Could remain stuck in low-paying clinics
- No major credential upgrade
My biggest internal struggle:
I constantly feel like:
“My education isn’t complete yet.”
Even when I try working,
I feel:
- I don’t know enough
- I need stronger training
- I need more structure
- I’m surviving, not building
My fear:
Spending years:
- Overworking
- Under-earning
- Under-learning
- Without building a future I actually want
## My question:
If you were a first-generation dentist with:
- No network
- Desire to specialize
- Desire to move abroad
- Financial limitations
- Frustration with Indian private practice
- ORE uncertainty
Would you:
A) Do OMFS MDS for long-term security + keep international options open
B) Focus only on ORE + fellowships
C) Another route entirely?
I genuinely want to stop running in circles and make one strategic move that protects both my ambition and my future.
For dentists who’ve pursued OMFS, ORE, UK dentistry, or fellowships:
What would you realistically do in my situation?