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"Scope for dental hygienists and technicians rising"

SERVING with a smile. Or serving the smile. That's what dentists mostly do. Dr Som Banerjee, a dentist, enumerates the prospects for those who want a bite of dentistry's expanding job pie. Excerpts from an interview:

There will be plenty of work in this field owing to the rise in number of corporate hospitals and private clinics. Dental clinics have sprouted in almost every urban corner, much like STD booths. The mushrooming of dental colleges too has created a demand for postgraduate teaching staff.

Apart from the growing need for specialists, there is more and more demand for paramedical staff like dental assistants, technicians, dental hygienists, etc. And since many of these courses can be taken up after plus two, it is opening up new work opportunities for students. Dental office management is another field that will have a lot of scope though it is in a fledgling state in India yet.

Implantology, prosthetics, orthodontics, periodontics and oral pathology are some of the specialisations that are gaining more and more popularity. With the emphasis shifting from mere corrective measures to preventive and cosmetic treatment, dentists need advanced qualifications beyond a mere BDS.— CKB