Is Dentistry a Good Career?
Undoubtedly dentistry is a good career! It is one of the most prestigious and noble careers one can have. The degree is worth the value.
Dentistry is a very bright career to choose from a vast career scope open to you. The respect and money you can earn from it is a dream to others.
The annual earnings from dentistry are among the top paid professionals listed in the USA, the UK, and Canada. So you will not regret it if you choose this over other careers.
Who is a Dentist?
Dentists are medical professionals who are specialized in the health care of the mouth and its associated parts. They perform surgery on the mouth and the other aspects of the craniofacial complex.
The truth about being a dentist is they are oral health care professionals who serve us to maintain our gum, teeth, and related tissues. A dental team is made up of dental assistants, dental technicians, and dental therapists.
After completing DDS or DMD, they can practice and serve the people. Dentists consult people on how to brush, floss, whiten teeth, take preventive measures, and medication for oral health.
Is Dentistry a good career?
Dentistry is one of the most desirable and highest-paid career options in the world. As long as people have teeth, the importance of a dentist will never be denied.
The growth rate of this job is around 9% in the US. So, it is clear that the future of dentistry is very bright and not going to collapse all of a sudden. They earn around $208,000 per year according to the report of Money US News.
Though some believe it is not the career people should be passionate about. The main reason behind this is the COVID-19 pandemic situation.
During the pandemic like other European countries, the UK also suspended dental practice electively. It was considered non-essential during those shutdowns. But the situation has changed now.
The rising demand for dentists can not be suppressed by any means and the bright future of this career is very already clear.
The career of a dentist in different countries
Dentistry is a good career choice in every developed country. They are in great demand and also earn above-average salaries.
Dentistry Career in the US:
The dentistry career in the US is very demanding. The earnings of Orthodontists and Oral and Maxillofacial experts are ranked 4th and 5th according to MoneyUsNews as best paying jobs.
Dentistry Career in the UK:
The career of a dentist in the UK is also a cherished one. According to FuturefitUK, in the ranking of highest paid jobs, Orthodontists and dentists are ranked 7th and 14th. Their average salaries are £77,757 and £50,941 respectively.
Dentistry Career in Canada:
Dentistry is a good career in Canada. It is one of the highest-paid jobs in Canada. Orthodontists are ranked 6th according to Indeed. Orthodontists earn around $209,373 per year.
So, it is apparent that dentistry is a good career in the UK, the US, and Canada. They are one of the highest-paid professionals.
Pediatric Dentist
Pediatric dentists are specialized in the oral health of infants to teenagers. As children are not always as cooperative as adults, a pediatric dentist should know how to calm them and treat them properly.
They advise children on how to maintain their oral health and its importance. A pediatric dentist can play an important role in building up good oral habits in children and teach them about brushing, and flossing techniques also.
So, a pediatric dentist plays a heavy role to build up the oral health of the nation of the future.
Career as a Pediatric Dentist
Pediatric dentistry is a good career as they spend their time with children and try to learn the psychology of children to treat them properly.
Pediatric dentists also earn around $92,270 to $171,040. The job growth rate is also good around 9%.
So, pediatric dentistry is a good career to choose.
Worth of Degree of a dentist
A dentist’s degree is very much worthy in this fast-growing world. The dentist generally goes through the same path as a doctor.
They complete their undergraduate degree in science and go for the admission test in dental schools. They earn DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) degrees and earn a professional license.
Some complete postgraduate residency programs of about 1 to 3 years to become specialists in a particular field of dentistry. Dentists become specialists in –
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Geriatric Dentistry
- Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthodontics
- Periodontics
- Endodontics
- Prosthodontics
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
- Cosmetic Dentistry
- Implant Dentistry
- Oral Microbiology
After completing DDS or DMD these specializations are done which take around 1-3 years to complete. Many of them again go for higher education to enhance their knowledge of their respective specialization.
Responsibilities of a Dentist
- Examining oral health of patients
- Checking gum, teeth, and related tissues in the mouth
- Identifying tooth cavity and filling it
- Identifying tooth decay
- Removing plaque
- Performing dental surgeries
- Counseling patients on oral health
- Counseling on brushing techniques and flossing
- Designing and fitting dental prosthetics
- Instructing patients about good oral health and preventive dental care knowledge
Pros & cons of being a dentist
Pros:
- Dentists have working flexibility. A dentist does not have to do a 9 to 5 job. So, he has flexibility in his work time and can share his time with his family.
- Dentists earn a handsome amount of money. They are not so expensive in a general sense but they have a lot of patients. So, income is good here.
- There are no emergency situations in the dental profession.
- It is not a monotonous job as there are many other tasks performed other than only checking people’s mouths. Dentists also do surgery on associated parts of the mouth.
- The schooling is not as tough as medical students.
- Dentists have respect in society.
Cons:
- The duration of the study is so long. Takes almost 7-8 years to complete their degree.
- The profession could be monotonous if the dentist only visits patients in the clinic
- The primary investment is huge to establish a personal clinic.
- Sometimes peculiar patients may be faced.
Final Words
Dentistry has the flexibility of work along with good earnings. They are not bound to work 24/7 to serve people. So, it is very relaxing while earning a good amount of money.
But dentists are not always admired by society because of their lack of knowledge. One of the main reasons for these thoughts is the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period practice of dentists was held up for a limited time. But again the suspension was uplifted.
Whatever happened in the past, the current growth of this job is very high and the economic condition of dentists is also good. So, of course, it is a good career choice for the upcoming generation.
