Dentistry, that precious university career full of theoretical and clinical content but... How many of you feel when you finish that in reality you are not sufficiently prepared to go out into the professional world?
Thanks to the success of our previous blog article on the 6 truths that are not told in dental school. We have decided to do a second part with other important aspects to take into account when thestudent of dentistry leaves for the professional world and that, many times, go unnoticed during the career. We hope you like it and it will help you!
These are the 7 truths that can go unnoticed while studying dentistry but that sooner or later you will discover:
1. Dentists are true entrepreneurs
The word entrepreneurship has become very fashionable, however, it is not said enough that dentists are true entrepreneurs. That's right, you're an entrepreneur: you study a career with many hours of practice, you specialize in more and more precise techniques, you work for third parties for a while and then you become an administrator, you manage your own dental clinic, you contact suppliers, you become an administrator, community manager, you attract patients and after many hours and even days or months of savings and difficulties, PUMP! You've developed all those skills you probably won't be taught in college. They don't teach you about dentistry and how to run it as a business.
2. Not all patients will be easy to treat... You will need to develop a lot of patience and a left hand!
While in college you may have seen Child and Adolescent Psychology, you are not told that you will have to deal with uncomfortable patients, children who cry, patients who complain or do not tolerate anesthesia or pain, ladies who talk even with the ejector on! ;) There will also be the patient who drops the provisional material after 10 minutes. Those who don't go to appointments, those who cancel them, those who wait a lot of time with the provisional one and don't go to the consultation anymore when they notice improvement...
Then, you learn with experience to handle some patients or others and to develop your communication skills, to explain to the patients in simple language the treatments and the importance of them. After all, good treatment, quality treatments and communication is what will make you an outstanding and recommended professional.
3. Take care of your health from the beginning!
Many hours of work standing up or in complicated postures. To develop a healthy life, not only must you eat well and exercise (which applies to many other professions). Note that a percentage of dentists have been operated on carpal tunnel for example, this is caused by forced manual positions, the use of rotating instruments that produce vibrations and repetitive movements that compress the median nerve. Therefore, in addition to the above, we recommend stretching your hands before and after work to keep the joints and tendons in good condition. Take breaks when necessary and evaluate the number of hours you work per day.
We recommend you take a look at these 2 blog articles that may help you in your daily life:
- Ergonomics (I): physical and mental health in dental clinics
- Ergonomía (II): Ergonomics (II): Stretchings for dentists in clinics
4. As the song says: "You who deserve a prince, a dentist..."
It is always said that dentistry is a well-paid career, but it is not entirely true. As in all professions, there are dentists who know how to manage very well and others who are not so lucky. We always recommend assessing the weight of things, the choice of career should not only be based on the pay it generates, but also for passion, enjoyment, sleep. Study dentistry because it gives you happiness and satisfaction to help the patient. The money will come with the skills to manage it and if you do a good job, the money will come.
5. Have you thought about whether you would like to develop a Specialty?
Currently there are so many specialties to develop you, that there are even surgeons who specialize in extraction of 3 molars and that to date, not only is it enough to have the degree finished, a couple or many years of experience but you will have to specialize, which requires more years of study but is always worth the effort.
6. The prosthetics labs will be your great allies.
It is not enough to know how to take an impression, but you become almost a laboratory technician, emptying models after printing for example or in polishing work. This happens while you are studying, later, when you are a professional you simply send it to the laboratory and they do it without problem.
7. Getting the first patients costs A LOT. Courage! It happens to all of us.
It is important to be a sociable person and open to service, you will need it to contact the first patients when you start doing the internship while studying. Getting the first patients is usually VERY difficult. Of course, relating, having contacts, being reliable, patient-oriented, makes life a lot easier. But don't worry, they will end up arriving..
So far, the 7 things that go unnoticed when you study dentistry. Cuéntanos, Tell us, do you consider yourself an entrepreneur? What has been your most fun or difficult experience with patients? In what specialty would you like to develop? Do you work with passion for dentistry? Share your experiences with us through our social networks. We love to hear about your day-to-day work in the clinic and in contact with patients. We look forward to hearing from you!
And, if you are a student, visit our Students dsection designed especially for you. Also, if you have any questions, concerns, or if you would like us to design an individual or group budget for you, please write to estudiantes@dentaltix.com and we will be happy to answer you.