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A MILLION WAYS TO SMILE
Often you hear children say “When I grow up, I want to be a pilot,” or “I want to become a dentist.” We all wish the world were that simple; you wish for something and it comes true. But everything in this life is hard-earned. What kind of dentist, exactly? There are at least 10 different specialties of dentists, and earning a degree and becoming particularly skillful in anyone one of these requires a life-long devotion to the field and, when fulfilled, is cause for celebration.
Let's take a look at some of the different dental specialties recognized in the US, Australia, and Canada.
- Endodontics – It deals with the study of the tooth pulp as well as the tissues around the root of the tooth. These pulps are susceptible to disease and injury, and when it is unable to heal itself, endodontic treatment is often required. Endodontists spend an additional 2 to 3 years studying and training after dental school, many of which publish original research and goes on to specialize in root canal surgery and therapy. The term comes from the Greek word endo for inside and odons meaning tooth.
- Prosthodontics – Prosthodontists specialize in the creation of prostheses to restore oral function, esthetic, implant and reconstructive surgery. As if it weren't complicated enough, joint problems, implants and cosmetic dentistry also fall under this field. Students take an additional 3 years of training after dental school to become a prosthodontist, with training consisting of preparation in head and neck anatomy, esthetics, materials science, and occlusion. It is definitely one of the most important fields in modern dentistry.
- Anesthesiology – Anyone who has gone to the dentist knows the feeling of helplessness while seated on the dentist chair. Maybe it has much to do with the pain induced every time the dentist looks in on your teeth. Anesthesiologists alleviate this feeling by studying and dealing with pain management through advanced use of general and local anesthesia techniques. It takes 36 months, just about, for a student to train for dental anesthesiology, a program overseen and accredited by CODA.
- Periodontics – Periodontics is the study of the supporting structures of teeth and the diseases and conditions that affect them. Everyone knows tooth loss comes with age, and this branch is often credited for reducing cases of tooth loss in adults. This branch specializes in treating severe cases of periodontitis, gingivitis, and gingival recession. After dental school, students take 3 more years of training under an accredited training program to become a periodontist.
- Pediatric Dentistry – Proper formation of baby teeth is important in helping a child learn to speak and chew properly. Pediatric Dentists are what their name says they are: they look after and treat babies' teeth and gums. Students spend an additional 2 years training to become a pediatric dentist, and this puts them at a clear advantage over general dentists when it comes to treating baby teeth.
How much does a dentist make?
Growth is one thing that hasn't changed in the dental field; more people are interested in becoming a dentist these days than there were in the 80s or 90s. And since the US Department of Labor projected the field employment to increase as much as 9% through 2016, more students are looking at the practice as a viable option for a lucrative career.
Here is a breakdown of the estimated median net income of dentists (by specialty) in 2000:
| SPECIALTY |
MEDIAN NET INCOME |
| Periodontics |
$269,770 |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery |
$183,374 |
| Prosthodontics |
$229,218 |
| Endodontics |
$199,831 |
| Pediatric Dentistry |
$182,198 |
| Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics |
$183,961 |
| General Practitioner |
$136,942 |
Dentist salary varies with years of practice, location and specialty. It should be noted that one specialty doesn't always earn more than the other, but rather the median salary of the each specialty changes every year depending on demand and availability of the dentists. So try not to look at the numbers when choosing your specialty.
Dentistry will always be a respected and honorable career. It doesn't matter if you're an anesthesiologist or an endodontist or a dentist of babies. You help people smile, and that means the world to them.
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