To become a dentist, you will need to complete various tasks. Therefore, one of the first things you should do before ever considering becoming a dentist is to determine if dentistry is really what you want to do. Everyone has their image of what an ideal career is, and you want to make sure you’re going into one that’s as close to that ideal as possible. Unfortunately, finding your ideal job isn’t always easy; no job is perfect, and it’s all too tempting to focus on the positive aspects of a job rather than the negative aspects.
Disadvantages of being a dentist
Costs
Dental school is not cheap. Expect to walk into the real world with a student loan balance of $500k to $600k. It doesn’t have to stop you, though; your salary will eventually help you pay it off. It is possible to pay off this debt, but you must first do your homework. This is on top of your large student loans if you want to own your practice. It’s costly to open your practice’s doors. Patients may not realise that dental expenses are set at a high level for a reason. You’ll also need to take continuing education every year to keep on top of your game. Although this is an excellent component of the job, it still costs money.
High-level of accountability
You have control over someone’s health. Administering anaesthesia, giving medications, and, in essence, performing dental surgery are all major tasks that must be addressed carefully. It’s your duty if things go wrong, which they will even if you do everything correctly.
Stress
With an excellent level of responsibility comes a high level of stress. This is a customer service job, so not only is someone’s health in your hands. In addition, you must maintain the customer’s satisfaction. This will usually work out if you do the right thing, but specific customers will never be satisfied no matter what you do. So the pressure is on to produce your finest work in a short amount of time while still managing your business and keeping your customers pleased.
Patients that are difficult to treat
You are not the only determining element here, no matter how wonderful you want your work to be. For example, if a problematic patient makes it difficult for you to do your best work, the results are likely to fall short of your expectations.
Unpredictability
There’s never a dull moment in this house. Whether you have a strange patient, an assistant who calls in sick, or an emergency root canal, the day will fly by. While it keeps you on your toes, these unpredictable events can make a day extremely tough, tedious, and exhausting.
High-intensity training
Throughout the day, expect to be near many people. Working with people is a “Pro,” but spending so much time 6 inches away from another person’s face may be tiresome.
Surprises
Although textbooks appear to be written in absolutes, some natural phenomena are beyond our control. Therefore, even if you follow the instructions to the letter, the outcomes aren’t always satisfactory. Fortunately, there are some pleasant surprises as well.
Dental Coverage
At best, insurance coverage is inadequate, and as a result, both patients and dentists are dissatisfied. When their insurance doesn’t cover a procedure, patients feel angry at dentists, and professionals struggle to get reimbursed for their labour. Even as prices and overhead rise, insurance companies limit the amounts a dentist can charge.
Physical Risks and Stress
Dental work can be very taxing on your body. You’re attempting to see and work in a minimal space, and you’re frequently required to bend your body for extended periods. The dental drill’s persistent high-pitched buzz may cause hearing loss. And there’s a good possibility you’ll poke yourself with a needle or a dental device, exposing yourself to a blood-borne illness. Daily exercise and splurges like massages might help to alleviate physical discomfort. Hearing loss can be avoided with the use of earplugs. Although the chances of contracting HIV or Hepatitis are incredibly minimal, an unintentional puncture can cause some unsettling emotions.
High-intensity training
Throughout the day, expect to be near many people. Working with people is a “Pro,” but spending so much time 6 inches away from another person’s face may be tiresome.
Surprises
Although textbooks appear to be written in absolutes, some natural phenomena are beyond our control. Therefore, even if you follow the instructions to the letter, the outcomes aren’t always satisfactory. Fortunately, there are some pleasant surprises as well.
Dental Coverage
At best, insurance coverage is inadequate, and as a result, both patients and dentists are dissatisfied. When their insurance doesn’t cover a procedure, patients feel angry at dentists, and professionals struggle to get reimbursed for their labour. Even as prices and overhead rise, insurance companies limit the amounts a dentist can charge.
Physical Risks and Stress
Dental work can be very taxing on your body. You’re attempting to see and work in a minimal space, and you’re frequently required to bend your body for extended periods. The dental drill’s persistent high-pitched buzz may cause hearing loss. And there’s a good possibility you’ll poke yourself with a needle or a dental device, exposing yourself to a blood-borne illness. Daily exercise and splurges like massages might help to alleviate physical discomfort. Hearing loss can be avoided with the use of earplugs. Although the chances of contracting HIV or Hepatitis are incredibly minimal, an unintentional puncture can cause some unsettling emotions.
