A Career In Dentistry Essay, Research Paper

A Career in Dentistry I chose dentistry for my career choice for many reasons. This field has a lot to offer. Dentistry, like any other chosen career, has ups and downs. Overall, I would enjoy this career mostly because of the convenience. The work hours, once you own your own office, are very favorable. The work, however, could be extremely ghastly at times. This field pays very well for what you would be doing in a day s work. A career in dentistry requires a lot of education, prefers many skills, has a low demand for jobs in the future; but has a very good salary range with any degree in the field. Dentistry is a very well paid profession. The Economic Research Institute, in 1996, reported that the average starting salary for a dentist was $46, 000 per year. $141, 000 was the average for those with experience (Discover). According to the American Dental Association, $85, 000 per year was the net median annual income of dentists in general practice, $90, 000 in private practice, and $130, 000 in specialty practice in 1994 (Discover). According to Dr. Michelle Bedell, the typical salary range for a dentist in this area of the country is $75,000 to $250,000 per year (Bedell). The higher the degree obtained in training of dentistry, the more income per year a dentist receives (Kesel 120a). A dentist has a very good salary range with a small or large degree. Pursuing a career in dentistry requires a lot of education. State requirements are for dentists to be licensed before practicing (Discover). Applicants must be graduates of a school approved by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association (Kesel 120b). They must pass written and practical examinations. Most licenses allow dentists to practice as either general practitioners or specialists (Discover). Students are required to have obtained at least two years of college education, including pre-dentistry and biology, before entering a dental school (Kesel 120b). It is preferred that students attend a four-year college or university. To become professional, students must also complete four years at an accredited dental school. The students in a dental school concentrate on three main areas of study: (1) academic, (2) dental sciences, and (3) professional matters. Academic work emphasizes the basic sciences. Dental sciences allow each student to learn and develop actual skills needed to practice dentistry. Professional matters include courses in the history of dentistry, management of a practice, professional ethics, and the legal aspects of dentistry (Kesel 120a). Students who successfully complete all these courses are awarded a degree of D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery), or D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental Medicine). Postgraduate courses are offered for dentists who want to specialize, teach, or enter research. They are also for those who want to keep up with advances in dentistry (Discover). The training required for a dentist takes a lot of hard work and dedication.

The demand for jobs in dentistry in the future is very low. Dentistry has a predicted growth rate of 5% by the year 2005. It is a large category, with a number of different types of workers. The field is expected to keep pace with the demand for preventive and restorative dentistry. Private practice dentistry is expected to remain competitive, although less so than in recent years. The demand for new workers is expected to grow slowly. The number of workers in 1992 was 164, 452. The number of new job openings from 1992 to 2005, due to growth, is predicted to be 8,566 (Discover). The average growth from 1992 to 2005 in all jobs in the USA is expected to be 25%. The projected growth for dentistry will be about 5% (Discover). The need for dentists is not as high as many other career options in the United States. Dentistry is an extremely strenuous job. There are several types of dentists. An oral surgeon is a type of dentist that diagnoses and treats problems of teeth and tissues of the mouth by surgery. On orthodontist is a dentist who is concerned with the deformities that develop during the growth of teeth and jaws. Prosthodontists specialize in replacing lost teeth. A periodontist treats the gums and the parts of the jaws that support the teeth. Pedodontists concentrate on the prevention and treatment of dental disease in children. Other fields of dentistry are public health dentistry, which promotes dental health, and oral pathology, which deals with tumors and injuries of the mouth (Kesel 120b). Most dentists are in private practice. Some opportunities are also available in teaching research, the military, and administration. Military jobs in dentistry are offered in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and in the Coast Guard (Discover). Dentists work with x-rays, dental instruments and equipment, filling materials and various composites for repairing teeth, artificial teeth, crowns, dentures and bridgework, braces and other corrective appliances, plastic materials to make impressions, anesthesia, and surgical equipment (Massad 38). Dentistry is a very widespread field as far as diverse types of jobs. The field of dentistry is a good field to enter. There are more up sides to dentistry than there are down sides. The world is in constant need of dentists because people cannot live without them. Although dentistry takes a lot of hard work and skills, it is very rewarding. Dentistry will be the best field for me.

331