2. Introduction to Dentist To be able to be a dentist you have to be able to work good with patients and care about the wellbeing of others.
3. Nature of Work Dentists perform regular check-ups, diagnose and treat dental problems, and maintain and improve the appearance of patients’ teeth.
4. Working Conditions Most dentists are solo practitioners, meaning that they own their own businesses and work alone or with a small staff. Some dentists have partners, and a few work for other dentists as associate dentists. Most dentists work 4 or 5 days a week. Some work evenings and weekends to meet their patients’ needs. The number of hours worked varies greatly among dentists. Most full-time dentists work between 35 and 40 hours a week. However, others, especially those who are trying to establish a new practice, work more. Also, experienced dentists often work fewer hours. It is common for dentists to continue in part-time practice well beyond the usual retirement age.
5. Training and Qualifications To become a dentist, you need to attend dental school. Applicants to dental school must first complete either a bachelor’s degree or at least 2 years of college-level pre-dental courses. Most applicants have a bachelor’s degree. To finally become a dentist, you must graduate from an accredited dental school. Depending on the school you attend, you may graduate with either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. Dental school usually takes 4 years to complete.
6. Job Outlook/Employment You can either start your own dental business or find a practice that has a job opening. To start off you might have to start as a dental assistant until you’re an actual dentist.
7. Salary and Earnings Earnings for dentists can range from around $70,000 to upwards of $200,000 a year. Factors affecting income include the location of the practice, the experience of the dentist, and whether or not the dentist is self-employed.
8. Technology Some technology used as a dentist are computers, xrays, telephones, and other scanners of the teeth.
9. Summary Yeah I think this career is still appealing to me but I obviously don’t know my future and don’t know if it will still be appealing to me when I am in college. Its appealing because I like to Interact with other people and enjoy meeting new people and helping them out. My personality type does match with this job because I am an Artisan which means you like to interact with other people and be around people and that’s what you do as a dentist.
