Can you imagine four years of dental school without music? I want you to picture practicing for a competency listening only to your drill, studying deprived of classical melody, falling asleep without a noise machine, or trying to hype yourself up in deafening silence before a pathology exam. Just when you thought dental school couldn’t be any worse, am I right?
Different types of music can elicit different responses in the brain. Upbeat, cheery music can cause the brain to produce dopamine and serotonin (your happy brain chemicals). That’s why you may get a little boost every time Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” comes on. Music can also make you feel deeper emotions, which is why some music can make you cry. Every time I hear “You Say” by Lauren Daigle, I can’t help but cry because it makes me feel self-worth.
Music can also help to relax your body. One research article showed that even heavy metal music can lower your blood pressure while listening. Further than this, it has been suggested that classical music can reduce cortisol levels (your stress hormone). With this being said, I decided to interview a few classmates to see what music they could recommend for others based off different scenarios.
Q: What is a good song to listen to on the way to school?
Robert Baldau, D3: “ ‘We are the Champions’ by Queen. It’s such a good motivational song with such a great tempo to get you pumped up!”
Q: What is a good song you listen to after a long day in clinic?
Judd Burns, D3: “I really like ‘The Joke’ by Brandi Carlisle and ‘Don’t Stop’ by Fleetwood Mac for a tough day. Songs about how struggling in the present will ultimately lead to triumph if we stay true to ourselves are much-needed reminders.”
Q: What song did you listen to when you passed boards?
Shivam Amin, D4: “ ‘Bricks’ by Carnage ft. Migos.” Congrats to everyone who has passed! We are so proud of you!
Q: What is a song to hype yourself up before something?
Tamara Kapetanovic, D3: “ ‘Run This Town’ by Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West. This song hypes me up and reminds me that I can do whatever I set my mind to.”
Jessica Friedman, D3: “ ‘Slow Down Love’ by Louis the Child ft. Chelsea Cutler, because it always puts me in a good mood and it reminds me to slow down and take my time while taking the exam.”
Q: What is a good song you listen to when you’re doing lab work?
Marlee McClean, D3: “ ‘So Young’ by Portugal. The Man. It’s a bop and just calming enough to divert any panic attacks.”
Q: What is a song you listen to when you find out you passed an exam?
Madeline Krafcisin, D2: “ ‘Sit Next to Me’ by Foster The People because it’s such a good vibe song.”
Q: What song to you listen to when your Friday afternoon patient cancels?
Samta Rajan, D3: “Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘Let’s Groove’ because it’s a Friday vibe!”
Q: What is a song that gets you pumped?
Austin Eyring, D1: “ ‘I Ain’t Worried’ by One Republic and “Remember the Name” by Ed Sheeran and 50 Cent.”
While doing this investigation, I also stumbled upon some good recommendations for shows and podcasts. Here they are:
Jennifer Leonhardt, D3: “ Crime Junkie – it completely lets me dissociate from school and dentistry and lets me pretend I’m in the FBI.”
Tamara Kapetanovic, D3: “After exams I like to watch a competition show like America’s Got Talent."
Jessica Friedman, D3: “New Girl because it makes me laugh, so it takes my mind off exams. Shows like this are very mindless, which is just what I need after any exam.”
Emma Choquette, D2: “I like watching a makeup video occasionally!”
Lauren Smith, D2: “I give myself time at the end of each night to watch an episode of Never Have I Ever on Netflix. It’s light and a great way to wind down at the end of the day.”
Last, but definitely not least, our very own blog master, Suz Kukec, says that her go to podcasts are Girls Gotta Eat and Off the Vine with Kaitlyn Bristowe, especially while she does her lab work. Suz also mentions watching movies during lab time, especially when setting denture teeth.
I hope you all enjoyed this piece as much as I did writing it! Please take some time for yourselves, even if it’s only two minutes and fifty-one seconds to hear “Old Town Road.” Good music is good for the body and soul!
References:
Starling, L. (2022, July 8). How does music affect your mood and reduce stress. PPL PRS.
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