Who is a Dentist / Dental Surgeon ?
A dentist is a person who is licensed by the nation or state's licensing body to practice dentistry independently. He can either run a private practice or work as a government employee or an employee in other's clinic. A dentist can examine and diagnose the disease of your oral cavity, perform restorations, rectify maloccluded teeth by the use of removable and fixed orthodontic appliances, extract your tooth, provide partial or complete / removable dental prostheses, etc. The dentist deals not only with the teeth, the rest of the soft tissues like tongue, palate, buccal and labial mucosa are also dealt by the dentist. Extra-oral lesions, swellings, and tumors of the head and neck region too come to the attention of the dentist first. Some facial reconstruction surgeries, surgical correction of cleft lips and palates, implants,etc. all come under the duties of a dentist or dental surgeon.
What is the degree required to become a Dentist ?
A dentist should have at least completed a four year bachelor course (DDS/DMD) or a five and a half year BDS course (including a year's internship) to become a general dentist. An additional three years MDS program is to be completed for being a specialist dental surgeon.
What are the fields of specialization in Dentistry ?
The dentist can either pursue a 3 year MDS program in various disciplines like Oral Medicine and Radiology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics, Pedodontics, Orthodontics, Periodontics, Conservative dentistry and Endodontics, Oral anatomy, histology and pathology and Public health dentistry. Or, they can also specialise in basic sciences subjects (MD in anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, microbiology,etc.) after a short duration bridge course.
What are the career benefits of becoming a dentist ?
i.) Dentists are self-employed.
ii.) Dentists can enjoy more time with friends and families as they rarely have emergencies.
iii.) They can easily earn the right amount of money they need to live conveniently.
iv.) Their demand is ever increasing as more and more people are becoming aware of the importance of good oral health.