Career in Dental Science

Gone are the days when Indian dentistry was thought to be mere pulling out of troubled teeth & placement of removable prosthesis in the edentulous areas that too in rare cases. As compared to the dentistry of yesteryears, modern dentistry is totally different.It has now been changed tremendously specially in the last twenty five years. Today, with the advent of novel equipments & technologies like computers, lasers & MRI, Indian dentistry is galloping and getting a new edge with state-of-the art equipments & multi-specialist centers.It presents a vast scope for clinical and research based experience. The very fact that it is a specialization right from the very beginning makes it a good carrier option for young generations

Career Overview

The dentist assumes an important position in the health-care system because he alone can diagnose, intercept, treat, cure or prevent any disease or abnormality of the oral cavity. The primary job of dentist is to educate and motivate the patients to maintain oral hygiene because most of the dental & periodontal diseases are caused by poor oral hygiene.There are various branches of dentistry in developed nations. The prominent ones are - Orthodontics, Periodontics, Pedodontics, Prosthodontics, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Cosmetic & Esthetic Dentistry, Oral Pathology, Forensic Dentistry, Oral Medicine, Crown & Bridge Dentistry, Preventive Dentistry, Operative Dentistry, Implant Dentistry, Community Dentistry.But in India one may specialize only in the following branches by doing MDS after BDS.

Orthodontics:
A specialized branch of dentistry that corrects malocclusion and restores the teeth to proper alignment and function with the help of different types of appliances which may be removable or fixed. The correction enhances the beauty of face.

Periodontics:
The branch of dentistry that deals with diseases of supporting structures of the teeth, including the gums, and bones.

Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry:
It is concerned with dentistry related to dental problems in children with their prevention. It involves application of all measures which can effectively be used to prevent, intercept, control the progressive advance of already existing dental abnormalities, and to promote optimum oral & general health through education.

Prosthodontics:
A specialty of dentistry that involves diagnosis, treatment planning, and fabrication of artificial parts to replace missing teeth and their associated structures.

Operative Dentistry and Endodontics:
Operative Dentistry deals with the defects of teeth such as abrasion, erosion, attrition, dental caries, hypoplasia, and discoloration. It is estimated that today’s general dentist spends 60-80% of his time dealing with such defects. Endodontics deals with injuries or diseases of the pulp or nerves of the tooth by treating them with Root Canal Therapy (RCT).

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery:
It is concerned with the extraction of the teeth, surgery of the oral structures, injuries, deformities of the teeth, jaws, and associated structures.

Oral Pathology:
This speciality deals with the pathology of the oral cavity. It analyzes the oral tissue samples, salivary secretions, and other related structures to identify causes of oral diseases.

Oral medicine:
This speciality deals with the medicines used in dental practice.

Community Dentistry:
The science & art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community effects. It is concerned with dental health education of public with the help of dental health programs & researches.Dentist can also be involved in researches like finding out the correlation between oral diseases and heart problems, diabetes, and respiratory ailments, causes of oral cancer, etc. Another area of research could be the synthesis and analysis of new dental materials for oral applications or electrical stimulation of the muscles of mastication.One of the most important requirements of the dental profession is that as a dentist, you keep yourself constantly updated with the latest technologies, treatment methods and materials. It will be must for you to read the latest journals, books, scientific updates etc. and attend CDE (Continuing Dental Education) programme, seminars, workshops and conferences through out your life.