According to this article from CNBC, being a dentist is the fourth-best job you can have in the United States. If you are still wondering why become a dentist, then you have come to the right place! Here are a few prominent reasons why you should become a dentist.
The first reason is the most obvious one- you want to help people. This is the main reason why most doctors choose medicine as their profession. Dentists help their patients achieve oral hygiene and improve self-confidence by performing a variety of cosmetic dental procedures. These procedures may include teeth whitening, trauma surgery, tissue grafts, laser surgery, or dental implants. Dentists can also be the first ones to identify various diseases, including hypertension and oral cancer.
Most importantly, dentists help people feel better. Whether this is through a successful root treatment that helps remove the pain or a denture that allows people to eat their favorite food without pain once again. Dentists help people maintain their oral health by treating gum disease dental carries and other related diseases.
This is an inherent reason why you should become a dentist. We all have various interests, and if you are someone who loves science and likes to work with their hands, then you might find dental sciences very interesting. And if you do, you should make it your career.
Dental sciences also have about eight different areas you can specialize in. Therefore by becoming a dentist, you can further explore the profession to find out which aspect of it really resonates with you and choose your specialization accordingly. The profession offers you space to continue growing and learning.
Most dentists in the United States are self-employed. Most dentists in the United States have their own practicing chambers where they treat their patients. This means that dentists can maintain an excellent work-life balance. This is something that is usually not possible in other areas of the medical field.
Moreover, once you become a dentist and earn your dental practicing license, you are a dentist for life. The demands for dentists will never diminish; therefore, you don't need to retire because of age or specific rules and regulations that force you to retire at certain ages.
Humans, in general, need incentives to perform any kind of work. Usually, these incentives are things such as monetary rewards or respect or power. Dentistry is one such profession where you both receive prestige and are rewarded financially. The financial compensation in this medical field is a substantial one. to help you get an idea of what the earnings of a dentist and the United States looks like for the year 2019 here is a breakdown-
The average income of a dentist is in the top 8% of the average US family income. The national average annual wage of a dentist is $175,840, over three times the annual average wage for all occupations, $51,960. Plus, the average dentist salary has grown by 6.8% over the last five years, from $164,570 in 2013 to where it stands now.
A dentist is regarded as a highly respected person in the society. Dentists who work in private practice can undertake key leadership roles upon establishing themselves in their local communities, such as leading charitable efforts that benefit the community. Dentists who engage in research can make essential treatment breakthroughs, enabling them to earn the respect of their colleagues and simultaneously help save lives.
If you still want to know more about why you should become a dentist, here are a few stories from practicing dentists themselves.
Becoming a dentist and being a dentist is a very long, trying process. You have to put in years of work and countless hours of studying to become a successful practicing dentist. But the benefits you can reap are well worth it. That should answer your question- why become a dentist?