An insight into dental profession as a career in India.

Introduction

You happily pay a visit to this professional to get a million dollar smile. Yes, we are taking about dentists and dentistry. This profession deals with the inspection and treatment of teeth, gums and other parts of the oral cavity. A dentist especially takes care of problems affecting the teeth. Common procedures are removal, correction and replacement of decayed, damaged or lost teeth.

However, this career profile is changing rapidly, creating many opportunities and challenges for job seekers. With an increasing awareness of oral health and the introduction of new fields like oral pathology (diagnosis for diseases that affect the mouth), periodontics (care of gums and the diseases that might afflict them) and orthodontics (straightening and aligning teeth and jaws) have all enhanced the scope in this field. 

Why be a dentist?

There are as many reasons to be a dentist as there are dentists. It is a career that provides plenty of rewards and challenges as well as an opportunity to help people and make communities healthier places. 

People choose to become dentists because they can...

·         Restore the oral health and transform the lives of their patients.

·         Be independent in their careers.

·         Earn a good salary.

·         Choose from a number of career options.

·         Maintain a flexible lifestyle.

·         Shape the future of oral health care.

·         Be respected members of their communities.

·         Exercise creativity in their daily work.

·         Work as part of a team.

·         Provide benevolent care to their communities.

 

Job Prospects

Excellent employment opportunities are available for dentists in dental departments in hospitals, nursing homes, dental clinics and health departments. You can also seek a teaching job in any of the dental colleges spread across the country.

Apart from this, as a dentist you can seek work in the research and advisory departments of pharmaceuticals. Opportunities are there in companies producing oral care products like toothpaste, mouth wash, and gum care products.

Self-employment is also a promising avenue. With experience, you can start your own individual clinic. Many dentists prefer private practice as it provides the best financial prospects along with a greater level of independence.

 

Pay Packet

In government hospitals, a newly trained dentist could begin around Rs. 6,000 a month (including allowances), while in private hospitals it could be slightly less. Post-graduate degree holders can expect to start on from Rs. 7,000 upwards.

Dental surgeons can earn a good amount through their own practice. The consultation charges could start from Rs. 250 upwards for cosmetic filling or routine check-up. These can be as high as Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 50,000 depending upon the nature of the dental problem. A well-established dentist can make around Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 1, 00,000 or more per month.

 

Positives/Negatives

Positives

• A career in dentistry is personally fulfilling since you will be performing an important community service to help people uphold their health and appearance.
• To serve the present and future oral health needs of patients, as a dentist you will enjoy the challenge of a lifetime of learning.

Negatives

• The profession used to be a 'standing' profession and dentists would stand while treating their patients. Later, it became a combination of sitting and standing, depending on the procedure involved. Now, it is largely a sedentary one and dentists are prone to back and neck problems.
• You will have to deal with biological waste and radioactivity as X-Rays are taken within the clinic setup in most settings, thus exposing you to harmful elements and disease.
• In the initial years of your career, you will have to put in a lot of hard work before you can establish your name in this industry.

Different Roles, Different Names

Post BDS you get the opportunity to work towards specialisation in the field of dentistry. This can be achieved by doing MDS. The different areas of specialisation are as follows: Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Pedodontics, Periodontics and Prosthodontics. The advantages of pursuing one of these areas of specialisation are generally higher salaries and a more academic bent to the work.
Every specialisation plays a different role:

• Endodontics: Practice of basic clinical science including the biology of the normal pulp, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the pulp and root canal procedures.
• Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: Research and diagnosis of diseases using clinical, radiographic, microscopic, biochemical or other examinations.
• Oral Surgery: Diagnosis and treatment of oral disease, in particular benign and malignant tumours of the jaws, head and neck. They also perform surgeries for sleep disorder.
• Orthodontics: Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities.
• Pedodontics: Dental stream dealing with the care for teeth, gums and mouth of children.
• Periodontics: Dealing with diseases of the gums.

• Prosthodontics: Science that deals with the general working of the mouth, teeth and face. 

Tips for Getting Hired

1. A bachelor’s or a master’s degree from an educational institution recognized by the Dental Council of India is essential.
2. BDS followed by a specialization in a particular area during your MDS study gives you better prospects in this field.
3. You need to find the right balance between clinical studies, continue education in basic and advanced dental sciences throughout your professional life and have a strong sense of ethics too.
4. You must always be aware of the latest developments in the world of dentistry.