Becoming A Dentist
Dentists and other oral health professionals enjoy career stability and a choice of many career opportunities
. All oral health professionals work together to provide oral care and dental health maintenance services from cleanings to more specialized procedures and surgeries.There are several doctoral careers in dentistry that vary in specialty. Some areas include general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, periodontics, and oral surgery.
A general dentist, or a DDS, is similar to the primary care doctor of medicine. A DDS provides cleanings and general dental health care prevention and maintenance such as teeth cleaning, fluoride treatments, cavity fillings, root canals, and wisdom tooth extraction.
A cosmetic dentist specializes in aesthetic dentistry. This is intended to improve the appearance of the teeth rather than improving the patient's health.
Cosmetic dentists may also practice general or primary dentistry in addition to cosmetic dentistry. Some of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures are teeth whitening, veneers, and bonding of teeth.
An orthodontist specializes in the jaw alignment and positioning of the teeth. Orthodontists utilize a variety of methods and oral appliances to help straighten and realign crooked or misaligned teeth.
They use things like braces, retainers, and other devices help correct and straighten patients' teeth. Orthodontists primarily treat younger patients, while they are growing and the teeth are easier to move, but patients of all ages may consult an orthodontist as well.
A periodontist specializes in care of the gums and tissue surrounding the teeth. They are consulted when patients have bacterial infections in their teeth or have gum disease.
The periodontist ensures that the gums are healthy so that the teeth can be happy. Since teeth grow out of the gums, if there is a problem in the gums or surrounding tissue, it can cause teeth to fall out, die, or become discolored.
An oral surgeon provides surgical care for the teeth, jaws, and facial bones. Patients are typically referred to an oral surgeon by a general dentist or other healthcare professional that may identify the need for oral surgery.
There are also allied and mid-level careers in the oral health field that do not require a doctoral degree. These positions include dental assistants, hygienists, and lab technicians.
Dental assistants help dentists with a variety of tasks but are not qualified to do full cleanings and identify cavities. Assistants can obtain training at a technical school with a brief diploma program, or on-the-job training.
Because of they don't have as much educational background and are not qualified to perform certain responsibilities in a dental office, their pay grade is lower. Hygienists, on the other hand, can take on more tasks and can earn double the salary of an assistant.
Dental hygienists can provide some basic dental care under the supervision of a licensed dentist. More education is required to become a hygienist than an assistant, and therefore hygienists earn more than twice as much money as dental assistants.
Dental lab technicians play a non-clinical role in the oral health field. This means they do not work directly with patients, but work behind the scenes, manufacturing crowns and other prostheses for the teeth that require custom specifications that are specified by a DDS.
There are also administrative careers in the oral health field. These include receptionists, appointment schedulers, accounting and billing professionals.
There are many opportunities for people to work in the oral healthcare field. Most doctors own their own practice or open a practice with another doctor so they can share the space.
Dentists do not have a need to be affiliated with hospitals, but there are a variety of employers who need dental professionals. These include military bases and organizations both nationally and internationally at military bases around the world.
Dentist with a doctoral degree can also become professors to teach others the skills necessary to get into the field. They can work at universities or trade colleges to teach all levels of the field.
There are also a lot of dental corporations and franchises that provide a variety of types of dentistry including cosmetic and orthodontic. These are typically national brands and vary from children's care to specialty oral treatments.
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