Adult braces and professional life

[TheProfessor]

For all the newbies and people considering adult braces, I just wanted to say that, at least in my experience, being a metal mouth has had no negative impacts on my professional life. I'm a professor and I routinely speak in front of people in lectures and I also give presentations at large scientific meetings. I recently had a job interview at a prestigious university. In my field, interviews are really intense 2-day affairs with constant meetings from breakfast through dinner plus 2 presentations in front of large groups of people. I met around 30 new people in 2 days and no one mentioned my braces or even looked at me weird, and 10 days later I was offered the job! I've had braces long enough not to be self-conscious (22 months and on the countdown to finishing) and I think that plays a big role in how other people react to me and my metal. If it is no big deal to you, it is also no big deal to everyone else!

[metalliKa]

Congratulations on the new job! And I wholeheartedly agree that if you don't make your metal mouth a big deal, no one will.

[ChewyBacca]

Thanks for posting this Prof. As a patent attorney just about to get braces fitted, and concerned about what clients might think, this has helped to reassure me!

[NeilH]

Congratulations on the new job, it sounded like a very comprehensive selection process so well done you! I completely agree with everything you have said. I have the words 'senior manager' in my job title and hold regular meetings throughout the UK and overseas, give presentations and interact with staff and members of the public regularly and at no time have my braces caused any issue at all. It takes a fair amount of confidence to face the world with braces but in so far as my professional life, it's had no negative impact at all.

[djspeece]

Congratulations, and well said!

[Prometheus]

Wonderful story Professor, congrats on the job offer. I gave a 90 min talk at a certain ivy league university in NJ in December, full metal mouth and all, and no one said anything about them. Having braces, even at my age really is a non-issue. May all your R01's get funded

[TheProfessor]

Wonderful story Professor, congrats on the job offer. I gave a 90 min talk at a certain ivy league university in NJ in December, full metal mouth and all, and no one said anything about them. Having braces, even at my age really is a non-issue. May all your R01's get funded

Thanks! I wish I could get an R01! I'm more of an NSF gal since my research is difficult to link to human health...

[poetgirl115]

I love this! I'm a doctoral hopeful (hoping to enter a program in 2017, around when I get these off). I currently work as a grants writer for a city government, and aside from good-natured ribbing from two colleagues in my office when I got them on, I've had no issues. Learning how to smile...now that's a whole different challenge!

[Oversmite]

This makes me feel so much better!! I'm an academic myself (and being a short 29 year old, am often mistaken as a student) and tomorrow is my first class with having my braces on. You've made me feel a lot better about it! I also have a job interview with a different faculty in a few weeks which I was also concerned about.

Congratulations on the new job!!

-MM

[TheProfessor]

This makes me feel so much better!! I'm an academic myself (and being a short 29 year old, am often mistaken as a student) and tomorrow is my first class with having my braces on. You've made me feel a lot better about it! I also have a job interview with a different faculty in a few weeks which I was also concerned about.

Congratulations on the new job!!

-MM

Thanks! Good luck on your first day of class as a brace face! Your students will probably think "that's weird" for about 2 seconds and then won't give your braces another thought!

[Chippy3000]

Thanks for sharing! It's made me feel a bit better! I work in pensions and already have people stare at me because I'm 'relatively' young. It's nice to know if you have a bit of confidence it can go along way.

Congratulations on the new job! Very exciting!

[angelina]

I've had mine for 6 months and nobody has mentioned them in a negative way, my colleagues certainly asked about them and noticed when I first had them put on but it was all just curiosity and they were very positive.

The only issues I have at work is with how many morning/afternoon tea breaks and lunches we have together and I have to either not eat or am constantly brushing my teeth, as well as having to dash to the bathroom after lunch to brush them. I forgot I had a meeting and was eating salad and the people I was due to meet with walked in I was a mute the whole meeting because I just knew I'd have green all through my teeth!

[fantod]

I'm a doctor and have to talk to patients all day but other than sounding weird to myself for a few days none of my patients have made a comment about it! I'm anticipating more "wait, you're my doctor? How old are you????" questions though... -_-

[TheProfessor]

I've had mine for 6 months and nobody has mentioned them in a negative way, my colleagues certainly asked about them and noticed when I first had them put on but it was all just curiosity and they were very positive.

The only issues I have at work is with how many morning/afternoon tea breaks and lunches we have together and I have to either not eat or am constantly brushing my teeth, as well as having to dash to the bathroom after lunch to brush them. I forgot I had a meeting and was eating salad and the people I was due to meet with walked in I was a mute the whole meeting because I just knew I'd have green all through my teeth!

Eating in professional situations is definitely the worst part of adult braces for me. Sit-down dinners are fine since you can choose a "safe" meal, but sandwiches and pizza lunches are challenging! At my job interview there was a reception/dinner with sushi and other messy finger foods--a brace face nightmare when you have to be the center of attention and talk to a lot of people! I ended up eating one thing (so I could hold an empty plate) and waiting until I got back to the hotel to scrounge up some food.

[awkwardbraceface8]

I was worried before getting braces, but it's never impacted my professional life. I'm in a front facing job role and deal with hundreds of different customers and work colleagues (big company) and no-one has ever said anything except to ask for advice or say my teeth are looking good!