What Should You Know Before Choosing Dentistry As A Career?
Being a dentist is a difficult but ultimately rewarding profession. Throughout their professional lives, dentists spend countless hours performing physically demanding and exhausting work on their patients. Most dentists work full-time, but some work evenings and weekends.
Dentistry can be just as interesting as any other profession. Being accepted into dental school and adjusting to the rigours of managing staff and patients, and competing with other dentists requires skill. Hence it would help if you weighed the pros and cons of the profession before pursuing a career in dentistry. The top dentists of a dental clinic in Gowrivakkam provide an insight into how you can make a career in dentistry. Learn more here.
Is Dentistry A Right Career Choice For You?
A dentist is a healthcare professional who holds a doctorate in dental surgery or dental medicine. They can pursue advanced training in general dentistry or one of the nine dental specialities available. Dentists spend four years in dental school focused on dentistry and four years focused on business management. They are put in charge of running a dental practice with no prior knowledge of operating a business.
A dentist can alter the dynamics of oral health maintenance by raising awareness of the importance of oral health through appropriate advertising, social media, and your investment of time and effort. More students are applying to dental school every year because it gives them greater freedom and flexibility to pursue their professional goals as dentists.
However, most often, most of the money that comes into a dentist’s office never makes it into the dentist’s hands. The dentist must pay for supplies, employee salaries, taxes, maintenance, insurance coverage, continuing education courses, new equipment, and other expenses.
So, if you want to become a dentist, you should know that dentists are among the most expensive doctors in the world. You will also have to be creative in your work, as you will have to deal with difficult cases daily. Here are a few pros and cons of choosing dentistry as a profession shared by the best dentist in Gowrivakkam.
Advantages of becoming a dentist
Dentists:
- Can be completely self-sufficient and start their businesses as soon as they complete their formal education requirements.
- Require only a minimal amount of education to begin their careers, while other doctors require thousands of dollars and years of training.
- Earn a respectable salary and can become millionaires in a matter of years. The average annual salary for a general practitioner is $344,750.
- Manages multiple responsibilities, including hiring and firing employees, providing benefits, and dealing with negative attitudes.
- Can work a set number of hours while maintaining a flexible schedule, and they can change their work hours to accommodate their schedules.
- They are always well-liked and well-respected in their communities, and their efforts are applauded. They command enormous respect in the public sector and can build a solid reputation in the private sector.
Disadvantages:
- As a dentist, you are exposed to illnesses and infectious diseases daily. You may also contract a blood-borne disease if you get a needlestick or poke yourself with a sharp instrument by accident.
- A dentist will bear the brunt of the consequences when something goes wrong, which can be stressful and challenging.
- Dentists cannot take long vacations because they must continue to pay daily expenses even when they are not present.
- Dentists consistently have one of the highest suicide rates out of any profession due to stress, physical and emotional demands, and financial obligations.
Areas Of Specialisation In Dentistry
Here are the various specialisations available in dentistry:
Periodontist- Diagnoses and treats diseases of the gums and supporting structures of teeth, regardless of whether the teeth are natural or manmade.
Endodontists- Treats infections of the tooth’s pulp and performs other root procedures.
Orthodontists- Straighten teeth by using specialised bands and wires and other fixed or removable orthodontic appliances.
Prosthodontist- Replaces missing teeth with dentures or crowns.
Pediatric dentists- Diagnoses and treats dental problems in children, including tooth decay, crowding and improper tooth alignment, and other dental problems.
Dental hygienists check the mouth for signs of oral diseases and provide other preventative services.
Here are the key steps to becoming a dentist
Dental school is a seven- to eight-year endeavour, requiring a bachelor’s degree and two to three years of undergraduate study. After completing dental school, you can pursue post-graduate training to improve your skills or gain more experience. But to gain admission to a dental school may involve various processes. Following is a brief insight into it.
Recommendation letters are required for dental school admissions. Allow your recommenders at least eight weeks to complete your letter of recommendation. Some dental schools require a personal statement, and it is important to highlight at least two or three experiences that are relevant to dental school. Personal statements for the dental school must be written in the same format as an academic essay.
The interview comes next. The admissions committee will decide whether to advance you to the interview stage based on your online application. Dental school interview questions include common questions like “tell me about yourself” and “what is your greatest weakness?”
Admission- Those accepted into dental schools will be notified of their admission status. In dental school, you will learn the fundamentals of dentistry, diagnostics, and the necessary anatomy and physiology to become a dentist. After graduating from dental school, you will need to complete a few years of additional education or residency to become certified to practise dentistry.
Advanced specialisation-You can further specialise in one of the dental fields by enrolling in a post-graduate programme.
