I tried not going to the dentist during grad school, yes. (More out of absent-mindedness than with any definite plan.) I spent perhaps four or five years dentist-free.

My reward was a series of extremely painful toothaches followed almost immediately by a bunch of very expensive root canals and crowns.

Let me assure you: Once your toothache starts, your time as a dentist-denier is going to come to a fast end, one way or another. They hurt a lot. Not to mention the fact that if you get an abscessed tooth it can literally threaten your life.

Of course, you don't necessarily have to have the dental insurance and the well-paying job that I had when my dental emergency arrived. Instead you can elect the more traditional option: Have all the offending teeth pulled out. Then you may eventually need dentures. [1] I'm told that dentures are no fun whatsoever. I have had no reason to regret spending money on dentistry instead.

Of course, if you literally never touch soda or sugar, brush your teeth carefully, and are blessed with better genetics than mine you might get lucky...

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[1] Pulling one tooth can have a negative effect on neighboring teeth, as the bone loss under the empty space causes the neighbors to loosen and slip. That's why people who lose permanent teeth tend to get crowns or bridges.