Reasons to Choose Dentistry as a Career

Dentistry is a challenging career that requires extensive training and preparation. Aspiring dentists must meet stringent educational requirements, including eight or more years of study after high school, and fulfil the licensing requirements of the state in which they wish to practice. However, a career in dentistry offers a number of professional and personal benefits.

There are as many reasons to be a dentist as there are dentists. It is a career that provides plenty of rewards and challenges as well as an opportunity to help people to maintain a better oral health.

Dentistry is a prestigious profession, and dentists are held in high esteem by friends, family members and the communities in which they live and work. Dentists who work in private practice can assume key leadership roles upon establishing themselves in their local communities. A dentist who engages in research has the opportunity to make important treatment breakthroughs, enabling them to earn the respect of their colleagues.

While 80% of dental school graduates go into private practice in general dentistry, the profession offers a wide range of clinical, research and academic opportunities to both new graduates and dentists at any stage of their careers. Dentistry offers nine different specialities from which to choose. Examples include pediatric dentistry, endodontic and dental public health.

Dentists have the opportunity to own their own businesses right after dental school. This gives them a lot of independence and allows them to set their own business and career goals. So they can be independent in their careers.

Dentists assist patients in maintaining their oral health. They diagnose and treat common conditions such as cavities as well as potentially serious medical conditions such as gum disease and oral cancer. Dentists educate patients in disease prevention and oral care techniques they can perform on their own. Some dentists also perform cosmetic procedures to straighten or repair crooked or damaged teeth, which can provide patients with greater confidence in their physical appearance.

In addition to clinical practice, the dentist can also contribute significantly to the future direction of oral health care by engaging in dental education and research. Dental educators have the ability to shape the dental school curriculum and the professional role of the dentist by establishing themselves as faculty members in dental education. As a dental researcher, the dentist uses the most advanced techniques and technologies and applies cutting-edge scientific findings to advance the profession forward by discovering new oral health phenomenon or seeking a resolution to a myriad of oral health issues.

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