Dentist
Starting a Dental Career
In dentistry, dentists careers are the top jobs available and are the ones in the position to hire other positions such as dental hygienists and dental assistants. Everyone has a general idea of what a dentist does but there are many areas to consider for anyone interested in a career as a dentist. First let’s look at what dentists actually do. Dentist work with oral health and this means dealing with simple issues such as preventive care to more complex ones like corrective surgery and disease treatment. Specialists like orthodontist have even more areas of work because these jobs focus on specific needs for oral care. The majority of work is in preventive care such as removing cavities, applying sealant, removing teeth, and other work that cannot be passed on to an assistant or hygienist. Cosmetic dentistry is becoming very popular as well with new techniques to create beautiful smiles. There are several reasons people choose to become dentists and our top 5 are listed below and further down is a breakdown of the career path to becoming a dentist.
Top Reasons to Become a Dentist
1. Flexible work hours set by individual private practice, usually with no emergency calls which when compared to medical doctors makes it easier to balance work and personal life.
2. High pay with a median income often above $140K and in the top 5% of earnings of family income
3. Job stability because people will always need to see a dentist for varying oral issues and job prospects will be very high with the aging population who often face issues which require an office visit.
4. Prestige offered because dentists are still considered one of the top professions
5. Helping people and facing different cases can provide people enjoyment. Receiving a smile from a patient whose crooked teeth were fixed and are now confident with their smile or facing many different cases everyday can be a fulfilling career.
Career Options for Dentist
Dentists have a few options for their career including specialization in one of nine recognized areas. The majority of dentists, around 80% according to the American Dental Association (ADA), are general practitioners and around 20% are specialists. The majority of dentists own their own private practice which they purchase after graduating from dental school or after working for another dentist or health care service provider for a year or two. Some work in a partnership to distribute the cost and work load. Others work in another health care setting like a hospital where they see more trauma work. Other options include teaching, research, and public health which can lead to other high level opportunities in each specific section. Dentist can continue their education in General Practice Residencies (GPR) and Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) programs or one of the nine specialty areas. The specialty areas that dentist can specialize in are listed below.
Dental Specialist
Dental Public Health, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics and Prosthodontics
The Dental Specialty National Organizations page list contact information for these specialties.
Dentist Education and Licensing
To become a dentist requires graduation from one of the 59 dental schools accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation in the US or 10 in Canada. Acceptance into dental school varies depending on the individual university but most require an 4 year undergraduate degree or have programs for those in their 3rd year to enter but the percentage of these candidates is very low, generally under 15%. Dentists who have graduated can go straight to work after acquiring a license or continue into one of the dental specialties or advanced training. After graduating from a dental school, to actually start working, dentists need to acquire a state license by passing the National Board Dental Examinations part I and II as well as a state or regional clinical exam. Each state also has other requirements that need to be met such as a jurisprudence exam or background check. Some states require a PGY-1 or one year residency in order to acquire a dental license. Continuing education is also a part of renewing dental licenses and each state has its own rules and regulations. For more detailed information see the page, Dental Schools which list specific requirements and statistics for the schools.
Dentist Salary
This section is probably the area where most people are interested but as mentioned before, dentist salaries are high compared to work/hour ratios. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics in May 2009, the mean average wage for general dentist was $156,850 and higher for the specialists. The ADA reports that in 2007 the average net income for dentist with their own private practice was $205,960 and $353,280 for specialists. These numbers can vary depending on location and services offered. See the page Dentist Salary for more detailed earnings information broken down.
