Career Advice for a Dentist

Dentists meet with patients and assess their oral health. They perform a variety of treatments, including teeth cleaning, root canals, and extractions. Dentists also provide advice on general oral healthcare and work with other professionals, including dental assistants and hygienists.

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How to Become a Dentist

Choosing your career path and learning how to become the person you aspire to be is not always straight forward; getting a job in your chosen industry will take dedication, focus and the right qualifications.

When you have chosen the career path you wish to follow, you will need to learn how to become a Dentist

Should you wish to work as a Dentist you will need to evaluate what courses are required, their cost and what qualifications you need. It is important that you also assess whether you have the right credentials from a personality point of view, what the demands of the job are and whether they complement the lifestyle that you desire.

Another factor to consider, should you wish to fulfil your career aspirations, is the number of jobs you will need to have to reach your ultimate job, and the length of time it will take to reach this goal.

Common Qualifications for a Dentist

  • 3 A levels
  • 5-year degree in dentistry
  • 1 or 2 years of postgraduate training in a dental practice
  • Science degree to qualify for a Medicine degree

Key Responsibilities for a Dentist

  • Consulting with patients on dental issues
  • Performing examinations to identify problems with oral health
  • Carrying out extractions, root canals and preparing to install fillings
  • Advising patients on oral healthcare and dental hygiene
  • Taking X-rays and administering local anaesthetics
  • Correcting issues with the bite or overcrowding of teeth
  • Prescribing medications such as antibiotics or pain relief
  • Using dental tools including drills, brushes, and probes
  • Maintaining patient records
  • Referring patients to other professionals as required

What to expect as a Dentist

Dentists provide a variety of treatments to patients to help maintain their oral health. They assess dental health and schedule required treatments. Dentists carry out complex procedures such as root canals and oral surgery. They also carry our regular treatments such as cleanings and tooth extractions.

Recommended Dentist Jobs

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How to get Dentist Jobs

Our advice on how to get a Dentist job is to focus on preparation and personalisation.

Preparation

This occurs before you write a CV cover letter or complete a Dentist application. If you have not held a Dentist position before, it will help to research the industry and review what a typical career path might look like. If you have held a Dentist role, focus your research on the company where you are seeking employment.

Valuable resources that will help you learn about the employer include the company’s career page, social media page, blog, job ad, and job description. Helpful information will consist of the company’s mission statement, values, and vision. You could also use an employer review site to gain insights on average salaries, what current employees say about the company culture, and what it is like to work for the organisation.

Personalisation

You are now in a position to use what you have learned in your Dentist CV, cover letter, and application. You should personalise each Dentist application, cover letter, and CV; prioritising job skills and relevant experience and providing examples that show you have similar values and goals.

This pre-application stage is a crucial step in how to become a Dentist in the UK. It puts you in a superbly informed state, ready for forthcoming telephone, video, or in-person interviews.

Students: How to Become a Dentist 

As with all professions, choose your study topics carefully. Review the qualifications needed to be a Dentist and the subjects you will need to enrol in certification courses, higher education, or online courses. 

Aligning your study subjects

The more closely you align your study subjects with your career path, the more likely you will be to have projects and modules that you can refer to and show a prospective employer that you have practical or theoretical Dentist experience.

How to get Dentist Experience

What does it take to be a Dentist? The best way to find out is to get work experience, which will be invaluable when applying for Dentist jobs. You can learn how to be a successful Dentist through internships, apprenticeships, or volunteering for a local business.

How to be a Dentist Part-Time 

If you are wondering how to get into Dentist part-time, there are several possibilities. You might find a new employer looking for a part-time Dentist or find your existing employer is amenable. Often companies recognise the value of flexible hours and having more staff at work during busy times of the day. 

Dentist freelance work

If you have impressive Dentist qualifications and experience, you could take on the challenges of working freelance with control over your schedule.

Making a Career Change

How to start a career in this profession if you work in another industry may require studying for qualifications online and focusing on transferable skills when writing your CV and attending job interviews.