Dentist Careers

Dentists manage the health and well-being of their patients’ oral health (i.e., teeth, gums and surrounding tissue) by checking for, treating, and fixing cavities, tooth decay, gum sensitivity and gum disease. Dentists are responsible for identifying existing dental and oral problems, figuring out a plan for reversing or fixing damage, and implementing the plan. Dentists work in hospitals, private and public dental practices/offices, colleges and universities (teaching) and health/wellness clinics.

Dentists are also cosmeticians of a sort – they can completely change a patient’s appearance. Specialisations such as: 

• • Periodontics (care of gums and the diseases that might afflict them)
  • Oral pathology (diagnosis for diseases that affect the mouth)
  • Orthodontics (straightening and aligning teeth and jaws)

Dentists have to work very closely with patients, so patience, compassion, and good bedside manners are necessary. Furthermore, removing teeth and cleaning sensitive gums involves dealing with some amount of blood. A keen eye for detail is another necessary trait for someone looking to pursue dentistry, since spotting cavities and other deformities or abnormalities early can prevent further complications. Lastly, dentistry requires the use of complicated medical/dental tools and machinery.