Different Roles, Different Names:
Post DDS you get the opportunity to work towards specialisation in the field of dentistry. The different areas of specialisation are as follows: Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Pedodontics, Periodontics and Prosthodontics. The advantages of pursuing one of these areas of specialisation are generally higher salaries and a more academic bent to the work.
Every specialisation plays a different role:
Endodontics: Practice of basic clinical science including the biology of the normal pulp, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries of the pulp and root canal procedures.
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: Research and diagnosis of diseases using clinical, radiographic, microscopic, biochemical or other examinations.
Oral Surgery: Diagnosis and treatment of oral disease, in particular benign and malignant tumours of the jaws, head and neck. They also
perform surgeries for sleep disorder.
Orthodontics: Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities.
Pedodontics: Dental stream dealing with the care for teeth, gums and mouth of children.
Periodontics: Dealing with diseases of the gums.
Prosthodontics: Science that deals with the general working of the mouth, teeth and face.
Positives/Negatives
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A career in dentistry is personally fulfilling since you will be performing an important community service to help people uphold their health and appearance.
To serve the present and future oral health needs of patients, as a dentist you will enjoy the challenge of a lifetime of learning.
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The profession used to be a 'standing' profession and dentists would stand while treating their patients. Later, it became a combination of sitting and standing, depending on the procedure involved. Now, it is largely a sedentary one and dentists are prone to back and neck problems.
You will have to deal with biological waste and radioactivity as X-Rays are taken within the clinic setup in most settings, thus exposing you to harmful elements and disease.
In the initial years of your career, you will have to put in a lot of hard work before you can establish your name in this industry.