Serve the smile
Amrit

THE dental profession has come a long way since its origin, somewhere around 2000 BC in Egypt. One of the most sought-after fields of expertise, dentistry presents vast scope for clinical and research-based work. With the growing stress on oral hygiene and cosmetic tooth treatments, the dental profession has got a further thrust.

A dentist can specialise in any of the following fields:

Orthodontics: A specialised branch of dentistry that corrects malocclusion and restores to the teeth their proper alignment and function. There are several types of appliances used in orthodontics, the most common being braces.

Periodontics: This branch of dentistry that deals with diseases of the supporting structures of the teeth, including the gums, tissues and bones.

Paediatric dentists or pedodontists: They are concerned with dentistry related to children. Preventive measures for dental anomalies, diseases and prevention and intervention and correction of various problems of children.

Prosthodontics: It involves diagnosis, treatment planning and fabrication of artificial parts to replace missing teeth and their associated structures.

Endodontics: This dental speciality deals with injuries or diseases of the pulp, or nerve of the tooth.

Oral and maxillofacial surgery: They are concerned with surgery of the oral cavity and associated structures. They also treat diseases, injuries and deformities of the teeth, jaws and associated structures with the help of surgery.

Cosmetic dentists: They are involved with the cosmetic aspects of the teeth and gums. They work to enhance the beauty of these by correcting anomalies, if any.

Oral pathologists: They are involved with pathology of the oral cavity. They analyse the oral tissue samples, gum secretions and other related materials to identify causes of oral diseases.

Forensic odontologists: They work with the forensic department of an investigating agency or in a university department. They analyse samples of teeth in cases of mysterious death or homicide.

To become a dentist, the first thing you need to have is average scientific and logical reasoning skills. The ability to memorise and recall scientific facts, a questioning attitude coupled with loads of patience and a cool temperament are also needed for this profession.

In the entrance examination for the BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) course, knowledge of four subjects—-physics, chemistry, botany and zoology—-is tested. After clearing the test, you’ll undergo four years of pre-clinical (theoretical) and practical (working in clinics) training followed by one year of rotating internship. After getting a BDS degree from a college recognized by the DCI (Dental Council of India), you can either start working or go in for a Master’s degree ( MDS). There are about 350 PG seats in India for the three-year MDS course.

After acquiring a BDS/ MDS degree, you can set up private practice, work in a government hospital or private institute, and take up full-time or part-time teaching in any reputed dental college. Other options include entering the realm of forensic dentistry, working as a dental consultant to models, film stars, carry out research on subjects like oral cancer or work in the research and advisory departments of pharmaceutical companies.

A beginner in this profession can earn anything between Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 a month. Those opting for private practice first work as trainees under an experienced dentist. After gaining experience and putting in some years in this field, a dentist can hope to earn anything between Rs 20,000 and Rs 1,00,000 per month.

Dentistry is a highly paying profession.. In some places, patients wait up to 2-3 months for a dental appointment and pay as much as 10 times the cost of the same treatment in India. However, most western nations do not recognise the Indian degree. To practice in these countries one has to pass a few exams and do another two years’ of an undergraduate course.