Dentists can work in a number of areas: general or community practice, hospital services and public health, the armed forces or in industry. Dentists work on prevention and treatment of dental disease, correct irregularities of teeth and treat dental and facial injuries. Work includes check-ups, x-rays, fillings, extractions and fitting caps to teeth. General practice dentists provide this type of dental support to the general public. Community dentists look after young children who need special help, the elderly, people with mental or physical disabilities and similar groups. Hospital dentists are consultants, they work in a highly specialised branch of the area which covers oral surgery, restorative dentistry, orthodontics and paediatric work. Public health dentists are advisers, they work with strategic health authorities and government offices to improve public health. Dentists in the armed forces carry out the same general dental work as those in civilian life. Dentists have good people skills, manual dexterity and good eyesight
What It Takes:
knowledge of medicine and dentistry
customer service skills
physical skills like movement, coordination and dexterity
thinking and reasoning skills
to be thorough and pay attention to detail
excellent verbal communication skills
the ability to work well with your hands
the ability to read English
sensitivity and understanding
patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
the ability to learn through your work
the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
leadership skills
complex problem-solving skills
knowledge of English language
concentration skills
knowledge of psychology
knowledge of biology
to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
You will
lead a dental team to diagnose and treat dental problems
see patients for routine check ups
perform treatments like fillings, extractions and fitting dentures and bridges
whiten teeth
take X-rays and give local anaesthetics
refer patients to a dental hygienist or dental therapist
You could work at a dental practice, at a health centre or in an NHS or private hospital.
IB Requirements:
top grade IB Diploma in one sitting
an IB diploma including chemistry
an IB diploma including biology
Other Requirements:
Work experience at a Dental Practice.
Dentists must be registered with the General Dental Council to work in the UK, to do this you study an approved degree; the British Dental Association has a list of these. Some universities require you to sit a clinical aptitude test (usually UCAT) as part of their application process.
After graduating, there is a period of postgraduate dental education, which consists of Dental Foundation Training/Vocational Training (DFT/VT); this lasts at least one year, but can form part of a two year training to allow for experience in a broader range of dentistry. Specialist training is then undertaken by those dentists who want to work in hospitals.
Interview Process?
Every Dental school will call you to an interview. This could either be in the form of a traditional panel interview or an MMI. The traditional panel is more intimate and gives you the opportunity to build a rapport with the interviewer. The questions will be similar to those addressed in the MMIs. MMIs are short 5-10 min long interviews in about 7-10 stations. You will be given a scenario/question before you enter each interview station and will have the allocated time to answer the interview question.
Dental Schools:
Dental Schools have different teaching styles that might impact which Dental School you choose. The types of teaching are:
First take some time to research how the different course structures vary, then decide which match your learning style best.
Useful Resources:
https://www.themedicportal.com/application-guide/dentistry/