Being a doctor is one of the most labor-intensive professions in the world. However, people who have worked in healthcare for many years understand its importance and value. Dentistry is one of the areas that is growing dynamically due to the development of such a trend as caring for oral health. But once you've decided to become a dentist, there are a few things you should know before enrolling in dental school.
Dentistry is a fascinating profession, but there is always an ugly side to any field. In this article, we will tell you nine things you should know before becoming a dentist.
Characteristics of the profession - what it does, functions and responsibilities
Let's see what specializations dentists have:
- The therapist is the doctor to whom you turn first. The general practitioner analyzes the general condition of the teeth. Finds problem areas, treats caries, removes nerves, puts fillings and restorations, and prepares teeth for prosthetics.
- The surgeon performs operations in the oral cavity: removes teeth, restores the jaw after injuries, prepares the oral cavity for implantation, prosthetics, orthodontic and orthopedic treatment. Deals with problems related to inflammatory processes, cysts and tumors.
- An orthodontist corrects malocclusion – a situation where the jaws do not close straight, but deviate to the right or left; corrects the curvature of the teeth - increased crowding, in which the teeth have “not enough space” and they run into each other or vice versa. The result of his work carries an important aesthetic point for the patient.
- Orthopedist – comes to the rescue when teeth are missing. Restores them with the help of dentures, removable or permanent, and fully reproduces the important chewing function. If it was possible to save a small part of the tooth, then it uses restoration technology using a crown. This doctor works in tandem with a dental technician - a specialist in the manufacture of dentures and prosthetic elements for a specific case.
- Hygienist is a relatively new field. Monitors the cleanliness of the oral cavity, carries out preventive and hygienic procedures to maintain oral health. Removes plaque, tartar, polishes enamel. Provides consultations regarding the prevention of dental diseases.
- Implantologist – specializes in restoring lost teeth using implants. Innovative technology allows you to install tooth analogues that are no different from real ones. Conducts a full examination, preparation in several stages and the implantation itself. Observes the patient throughout the entire period of rehabilitation after the intervention.
- A pediatric dentist is a doctor who deals with children's dental problems. Removes and treats baby teeth so that the molars develop healthy; puts fillings; fights oral diseases that children are prone to at an early age. A pediatric dentist should not be a doctor, but a kind wizard who will convince the child to treat his teeth and be able to perform all the manipulations without tears.
Stages of training
The initial stage of training to become a dentist is admission. The second stage is that a dental student must successfully complete 5 courses. It would seem that he studied for 5 years, received a diploma from a university in the specialty “dentistry”, celebrated graduation and for a dental unit, however, the path to perfection does not end there. In order for a young specialist to take up his post and begin his good work of saving himself from toothache, he must enroll and successfully study in residency for 2 years and receive a specialist certificate. Residency for a dentist includes the following specialties:
- "therapeutic dentistry"
- "orthopedic dentistry"
- "surgical dentistry"
- "orthodontics",
- "Maxillofacial Surgery".
A dentist therapist deals with the treatment of diseases such as caries, pulpitis, periodontitis, etc. (we recommend reading: what responsibilities does a dentist therapist have in dentistry?). To install a filling and treat the nerve of a tooth, you must contact this specialist. Orthopedics includes procedures for replacing defects in the dentition, i.e. An orthopedist installs crowns, veneers, and removable dentures for elderly patients. It takes 7 years to study to become an orthopedist and therapist (more details in the article: orthopedic dentist - who is he and what does he treat?).
An orthodontist also works to restore the function and aesthetics of the dentofacial system, and he achieves high results with the help of devices such as braces, plates, and transparent aligners. It should also be noted that training to become an orthodontist follows the same scheme as for dentists of other specialties: 5 courses at a medical university, plus two years of residency in the specialty “Orthodontics”.
What a dentist should know and be able to do - personal qualities and skills
First of all, have a great desire to help people. There is no person who has never had a dental problem.
The doctor must find an approach to everyone, convey the need for the procedures performed and set them up for a positive outcome. Calm and support.
The profession is associated with the ability to work with a large amount of information at the initial stage; in the future, it is important to be able to successfully combine knowledge with practice. This is the basis for making a diagnosis - a decisive role in dental treatment.
A lot of daily work awaits the future specialist. The profession implies constant improvement and training, because modern dentistry does not stand still, new types of treatment appear every year.
What do you need to remember before enrolling?
Before entering, everyone is overcome by questions: “is it difficult,” but studying is not so difficult if there is a higher goal - to become a high-level specialist. Before entering, you need to throw all illusions aside, approach the issue responsibly, weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of the profession and remember that there are no unattainable heights, and also, although studying at a medical university is a very labor-intensive and difficult task, the result is undoubtedly worth the effort efforts and years of youth. Because dentistry is not just a branch of medicine, dentistry is a lifestyle.
What subjects need to be taken
To enter the Department of Dentistry, students must pass mandatory exams in the subjects of biology and chemistry. An additional subject from the university and one of the applicant’s choice are also taken.
It is advisable to have at least a basic knowledge of Latin, which is the basis in medical terms. After 9th grade, you can go to college, where the requirements for OGE scores are much lower.
Which universities offer training in this specialty?
According to statistics, medical education in Russia is of the highest quality, and this is the key to a healthy nation. There are no special dental universities in our country.
Almost every medical school is recruiting for the Faculty of Dentistry. Depending on the chosen educational institution, different forms of education will be offered: full-time, part-time, evening.
You can enroll after 11th grade. This specialty is also offered by medical technical schools and colleges, which can be entered after completing 9 grades.
As a rule, all educational institutions have budget places. To take them, you need to have a high score on the Unified State Examination, otherwise the cost of training will fluctuate up to 400 thousand for leading universities in Moscow and St. Petersburg and on average up to 250 thousand in the regions. Education in technical schools and colleges costs an order of magnitude lower.
How many years does it take to study to become a dentist?
The duration of study is 5 years to obtain theoretical knowledge; after the second or third year, students will have their first internship and a year of full-fledged internship in their future profession.
After receiving basic knowledge, applicants each go in their own direction.
Is it difficult to study? - applicants ask. As elsewhere, it all depends on interest, abilities and desires.
Specialist salary
Obtaining an education requires large investments, but after successfully completing all its stages, a specialist will easily achieve a high level of income.
The salary depends on the place of work . In government institutions this is a flat rate, and in private clinics it is about 25-35% of the cost of services provided to the patient. In the second case, in order to earn decent money, you need to have more clients and an excellent reputation with positive reviews.
Specialization also affects your salary. A pediatric orthodontist is paid from 35 thousand rubles. and more, and for an adult – from 68 thousand rubles.
Reference . The highest demand for orthodontic services is in the Moscow Region, Krasnodar Territory and St. Petersburg. Beginning specialists are paid from 24 thousand rubles, and experienced specialists – from 50 thousand rubles. At the same time, the average salary in the Russian Federation is 90-100 thousand rubles, and if we are talking about a private clinic, the amount increases to 300-400 rubles.
Where can a dentist work?
Commercial dentistry is now leading the way in providing jobs. The state is pursuing a policy that supports medical workers, providing decent wages, high pensions and the opportunity to purchase subsidized housing.
This profession will always be popular and relevant, because every person has been a patient of a dentist for almost his entire life.
Career growth of a dentist
Dentists are divided into categories: first, second and highest. To confirm the first category, you need experience (three years), protection of the following categories after seven and ten years, respectively.
Confirmation is carried out before the commission with a report on the work done. To advance up the career ladder, you need to be a talented and hardworking doctor; your merits will not go unnoticed.
Is it worth studying to become a dentist - the pros and cons of the profession
The main thing is to have a great desire to treat patients’ teeth. Working with people is psychologically difficult, and the profession also involves enormous physical labor: working with your hands, in one position, under tension.
But it's worth it - nothing compares to the happy and grateful faces of patients.
Going to study based on the mere demand for a profession and fairly high wages is not entirely correct. It’s like an artist’s calling to become a musician, because they get paid more, even though he is only talented in drawing. It is better to find a profession you like and achieve success there.
Being a doctor is not only a calling; doctors take the Hippocratic oath, which says “do no harm.” This should be the basis when choosing the profession of a doctor, and a dentist - in the first place!
The dentist profession is quite in demand and is considered very prestigious. Dentists specialize in all problems related to the maxillofacial area; they are competent in modern diagnosis and treatment of teeth. The dentist often acts as a competent consultant in matters of disease prevention and proper oral care in general.
Who is a dentist: what do you need to know about the profession?
A dentist is a doctor who treats the teeth, jaw, soft tissues, or other organs of the oral cavity. The dental profession is a fairly broad concept, so specialists with a narrower profile are distinguished:
- The dentist treats caries, puts fillings, and restores teeth;
- dental surgeon – this focus involves diagnosing dental diseases using x-rays;
- orthopedist-dentist – a prosthetist who restores teeth and prevents the further development of various oral diseases;
- pediatric dentist.
In addition to dentists, dental technicians, orthodontists and medical assistants often work in clinics and dental offices. The duties of such an assistant include sterilizing dental instruments, conducting physical therapy procedures, preparing the office, and assisting the doctor in maintaining documentation.
Tasks and Responsibilities
Dentists have a wide field of activity, since the very concept of this specialty is quite capacious and is divided into several areas. Depending on them, the tasks and responsibilities of the doctor will vary. In a broader sense, the dentist's primary goal is to treat the patient's oral health.
Dentistry is a high-tech branch of medicine, so the doctor must be a master of various special equipment and instruments.
Work and salary
The dentist profession is prestigious, so the earnings of these specialists are quite high. Dentists can work in public clinics or in private offices.
The peculiarity of this profession is that there are several options for career growth. In the first case, the doctor can remain in the same position, constantly improving his qualifications and gaining experience. In addition, a dentist always has the opportunity to move up the administrative ladder and reach the position of chief physician. Also, a specialist can choose a scientific career and defend a doctoral dissertation, if desired, at the same time working for himself and improving his financial condition.
The average salary of a beginning specialist is about 30-40,000 rubles, while doctors with experience can receive from 100,000 rubles.
Disciplines studied
In the process of receiving education, the student will study the following subjects:
- social hygiene and public health;
- organization of medical orthodontic care for the population;
- normal and pathological anatomy of the head;
- diagnostic methods in orthodontics;
- technologies for treating patients with diseases and deformities of the dentofacial area;
- orthodontic instruments and equipment;
- development and prevention of dental anomalies and deformations;
- anomalies and deformations of teeth and jaws;
- occlusion abnormalities;
- defects of the jaws, dentition and marginal periodontal disease;
- injuries of the maxillofacial area, pathologies in the development of the face and jaw.
Some specialties for elective study of ordinates can be chosen at will.
