during the night with a guard. Gum disease is another common problem resulting in teeth becoming loose and if left untreated you can lose your teeth. With the regular check-ups this can be detected at an earlier stage.
Other than a dentist, what roles and jobs are there in dentistry? There’s a fantastic structure in dentistry offering enormous potential for an individual who wants to pursue a career in dentistry. Every dentist needs a team, this starts with the dental receptionist, practice manager, dental nurses, an oral health educator, to mention a few. Dental nurses can specialise further to
become Dental hygienists, therapist nurses, Orthodontic technicians or nurses, and Implant or Oral surgery nurses, and lastly dental radiography so that they can take x-rays and take models for bases. The sky is the limit!
Bachelor’s Degree in Dentistry BDS, and perhaps a Master’s degree as well. Once qualified you will be able to register with the General Dental Council for a license to practice.
Dentistry offers a variety of jobs of varying levels of skills and complexity. You could be part of the support team or practice dentistry itself. Additionally there are specialisations and areas of special expertise e.g. being qualified to sedate patients before treatment.
You only have one set of teeth, they are such an important part of your personality – allowing you to eat, drink, laugh and smile!
Finally, what is the most important piece of information everyone Why should young people consider should know about how to look a career in dentistry? after their teeth?
We’ve already talked about the relationship of your teeth to sugars, cleaning your teeth to gum disease, tooth wear and long term health Since most dentists are self- of your teeth. So my top tip would employed, there is a great deal be avoid eating sugar, brush and of flexibility with the hours and floss thoroughly, see your dentist times you wish to work. Dentistry regularly. I hope you are inspired gives a good deal of scope on after reading this to look after your personal development as well as teeth better, and perhaps even professional development, e.g. become a dentist. Thank you for time management and effective featuring me and Good luck! team management. For some specialists it can become quite Dr Hitesh Batavia, Ravenscourt lucrative, so it depends on how Dental Practice hard you want to work. There’s a lot to be said for a career for dentistry, Read the full interview online at a lot of advances are taking place in www.cvms.co.uk, under ‘Latest the technology used to help deliver News’. treatments. What qualifications do you need to become a dentist?
COMPETITION TIME! I would be delighted if you want to be creative and send me posters featuring healthy foods and the sugar they contain versus various processed foods and how many teaspoons of sugar. Your entries will be featured on our website and our Facebook page, and the best three entries will receive a prize (details online at www.cvms.co.uk). Please hand in your entries to Reception, or email to: mail@cvms.co.uk Good luck! Dr Batavia
Deadline: Monday 1 February 2016 www.cvms.co.uk 13