Regardless of what career in the dental field you desire you will need schooling. Learn more about the most common dental careers and what it takes to set foot in them.
Dentist
Dentistry is among the best paying healthcare jobs and there are plenty of opportunities for employment. Unlike doctors, dentists reap the benefits of regular office hours and typically have their weekends off. General dentist fill cavities take care of false teeth and do other basic dental tasks.
To be a dentist you should be good with your hands, have a good memory and be physically capable of bending over all day to see in patient’s mouths. Dentists take an average of 3-4 years of regular college and then they must attend 4 years of dental school.
Orthodontist
If you want to be an orthodontist you will need to participate in 2 to 3 years of additional training. Orthodontist straighten teeth with braces, rubber bands, retainers and headgear. Orthodontists make more money than general dentists do. This makes the extra schooling well-worth the time. However, orthodontist general have to have a liking for children because most of their patients are adolescents.
Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists are like the nurses of the dental world. They help comfort and assist patients through their dental procedures and perform a variety of other tasks. Dental hygienist take and develop x-rays, get an oral history, prepare charts, clean teeth, teach oral hygiene practices to patients, make impressions for false teeth and perform office tasks. To become a dental hygienist a person must attend school for two years and take a licensing exam.
Dental Lab Technician
Dental lab technicians perform a variety of tasks based each individual patients needs. Typically, they work directly with dentists and follow detailed written instructions and or using molds to create a variety of dental fixes. They make dentures, removable partials, fixed bridges, crowns, veneers and orthodontics. They work with waxes, plastics, alloys, stainless steel, polymer, porcelain, and composites.
Dental lab technicians must attend a two year program in which they earn an Associate’s Degree or certificate. They can also attend a four year program to earn a Bachelors Degree in dental technology.
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