Dentistry – a career to smile about!

Whatever we feel, personally, about dentists, the fact is they are an essential part of our healthcare. Like other branches of medicine, there are also many specialisms within dentistry. We say ‘open wide’ to some toothsome career options.

What’s the difference between a Periodontist and an Orthodontist? What can a Cosmetic Dentist do that a Hygienist can’t? And why might you need a Maxillofacial Surgeon? It’s easy to think that we know what a Dentist does, but unless you have ever had need of their skills, you might be underestimating the entire profession.

Let’s start with becoming a Dentist. It perhaps goes without saying that, to succeed in dentistry, you need to be prepared to root around in other people’s mouths; you can’t be squeamish about the idea of giving injections or drilling out a cavity. But, beyond that, what other skills or characteristics do you need?

Perhaps most important are communication skills. You need to be able to explain to patients from all walks of life the diagnosis or treatment. An interest in people and their wellbeing is very helpful. You need to have a calm, reassuring manner. You will need to be good with your hands; you’ll often be working with very small tools in even smaller places, so good dexterity is a definite advantage. And you will need to be pretty organised when it comes to paperwork and admin; accurate and up-to-date patient records are vital to ensure correct diagnosis and treatment. As you progress in your career, you may also need management skills, to run a practice or manage a team around you. The good news is that many of these abilities you can learn and develop.

For most people working as Dentists or dental specialists, they will have started their training with a degree in dentistry. Biology, Chemistry and Maths at A Level being preferred qualifying subjects. A dental degree typically lasts five years; a few University dental schools offer a fouryear course for students with appropriate prior qualifications, such as a degree in Biomedical Science.

Once you’ve completed your degree, if you want to work as a Dentist, you need to register with the General Dental Council, the profession’s governing body who specify ethical guidelines and codes of practice that all dentists must follow in order to practice in the UK, including a requirement for Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Most UK dental graduates will then go on to complete their Dental Foundation Training (DFT), which involves a year employed in a dental practice, combining supervised experience with further studies. Dentists who want to work in the NHS must have completed this training.

Having completed the DFT, there are a number of choices a dentist can make. Most will go on to work in a dental practice offering a mix of NHS and private treatments. Some may work in a hospital or the community; there are also opportunities for dentists in the Armed Forces or a corporate organisation. Further studies are possible to specialise in a particular aspect of the profession, such as oral surgery, periodontics or sedation.

To qualify as a dentist does take time and hard work, but it can see great financial rewards. Lots of people work alongside dentists or within the profession. Here’s some of them – Cosmetic Dentist, Dental Nurse, Dental Receptionist, Dental Therapist, Endodontist, Hygienist, Maxillofacial Surgeon, Orthodontist, Periodontist. For more details on these Careers and the training required, visit the Careers section of our website, www.makethefutureyours.com