Sunday, June 2, 2013

Attributes of a Dentist

http://www.drueckert.com/meet-our-dentists/
Attributes of a Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a health care practitioner that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services. The dental team includes dental assistants, dental hygienists, and dental technicians.

A dentist is an accredited medical professional who specializes in the care of teeth, gums, and mouths. As with most medical professions, a keen eye for detail, comprehensive medical understanding, manual dexterity, and strong interpersonal skills are important. Dentists deal with procedures that involve actual manipulation of the teeth or gums. Dentists have also evolved to provide cosmetic care that addresses society’s perception of hygiene and health, as with the burgeoning business in whitening teeth. Problems dealing with the jaw or any invasive oral procedure are usually undertaken by an oral surgeon, and dental hygienists and dental assistants do much of the routine dental cleanings, maintenance, and X-rays. A significant part of a dentist’s job involves educating patients about ways to preserve a healthy mouth, and the best dentists are skillful communicators. (Gum disease, for example , ultimately attacks more than 87 percent of the population. ) Cavities can develop and worsen for a long time undetected by a patient, and sometimes the only remedy is root canal therapy (less painful than in the early days but still expensive) or extraction of the tooth.

A Dentist is the preventative doctors par excellence, ever alert for early signs of swollen or bleeding gums, tooth decay, etc ., but often they simply step in and correct the results of their patients’ less-than-stellar personal hygiene. While dentists encourage frequent visits to maintain good health, the reduced likelihood that patients have comprehensive health insurance coverage for dental work as compared to other forms of health care has been known to strain that effort. Dentists work 7–10 hour days, except when emergencies arise, which can occasionally lengthen the workday. The life of a dentist is very similar to that of any other doctor, except that dentists keep regular office hours—one notable attraction of the profession. Many of the dentists we surveyed responded that although the hours are long, one is able to lead a fairly predictable life, take standard vacations around major holidays, and enjoy weekends with family.



The Prospective dentist must complete a set of rigorous academic and professional requirements. Academic course work on the undergraduate level should include anatomy, chemistry, physics, and biology. All prospective dentists must complete four years at an American Dental Association-accredited school and pass the individual exams administered by each state. Passage of the National Dental Board Exam, however , can exempt the candidate from the written portion of the state exams. If you wish to teach, do dental research, or engage in a dental specialty, an additional two to five years of study is required. After passing the exams and receiving a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM) degree, a new dentist may choose to apprentice under an established practitioner for several years, after which time junior associates may either buy a larger share of the partnership or leave to start their own practices. Nearly a quarter of all graduates buy into or purchase outright an existing practice after graduation. Financing is rarely a problem, as most dental practices are considered good investments by banks, as long as the internal cash flow of the practice is properly managed.

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