If you decide that you want to be a general dentist, there is a bit more to it than that. A general dentist isn’t a job, but it is an umbrella of fields that you can choose to work under. For example, if you want to work as a dental assistant, a pediatric dentist, or as a dentist for pets, you need to study specific fields.
So here’s what you need to know about each of the common fields in dentistry. It isn’t just about general dentistry anymore, because you need to go deeper.
Pediatric Dentistry
If you want to work with young children and help them develop those healthy habits at a very early age, you need to become a pediatric dentist. Any time spent with a young child will very quickly let you know that they and their mouths are very different from an adult’s mouth. In order to make sure that you have the right grasp on how to treat a child’s mouth you will need to be educated.
This education will help you recognize signs of cavities and other issues, as well as give you the tools needed to protect a developing mouth from threats.
A Dental Assistant
If you want to work in the field of dentistry but you also don’t want to run a full time dentist’s office, then you might decide that being a dental assistant works the best for you. A dental assistant works very closely with the head dentist. They often do the tasks that the dentist is too busy to do, including meeting with patients and cleaning their teeth.
They also take X-rays and examine the patient’s teeth, before stepping aside to allow the dentist to use their expertise in order to provide pointers on how the care could be better. Additionally, they can also pinpoint things like gum disease, cavities, and more. Dentists will outline a treatment plan to make sure that the patient will get better.
So if you like doing the smaller tasks around the office, or want to get some experience before you decide to become a dentist all your own, the job of becoming a dental assistant will be perfect for you and your needs!
Pick Your Field And Learn
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to become a dentist, which is why having some idea of the field you want to start in can be very helpful. If you know the path you are going to get on, you can devote all of your time and energy to it. Plus, you will be able to meet mentors and friends along the way who will help you reach your goal!