People who are into science fiction and futurists' theory believe that one day robots will replace most human roles in society. I doubt this will ever occur but it's fun to think about. Robotics slugs behind most other technological fields because it's hard (read: limited practical potential) and generally ineffective compared to more economic alternatives.
I'm joking guys.
Look, innovations will incur, everything I've read and everyone I've spoken to says so. From adcom to retiring oral surgeons. Dentistry is not like how it was in the 70s and 80s(shocker of the year, someone call the Higgs-Boson guys, this is the discovery of the century.) We'll all have to change at some point. It's part of life. I can't understand why pre-dents and pre-meds try to look at their profession with rose colored goggles.
I know some of you special little flowers will think I'm being 100% serious, so I'll annotate things for you. The following paragraph is a
hyperbole:
Yeah, maybe there will be some magic pill that automatically fixes everything - even orthodontic work. Maybe there will be a pill that induces bone regeneration - no more implants. Maybe we can invent a cavity eliminating once a week pill.
Who knows? Maybe?
hyperbole
Maybe we'll all just genetically engineer humans to not even have flaws and look like Kim Kardashian. The fact is, we're forgetting what we are before "healthcare professionals" - we're scientist too, or at least we should be. Use your dental education and be creative. For being some of the most educated and intelligent people in society, healthcare professionals make quite a cluster fest when little changes happen.
Has the blush gone off dentistry? Are we to be put on the shelf with pharmacy and optometry(which btw is an inaccurate and very uninformed statement)? Well, no, but let's assume it has.
So you lost your practice right? Because everyone is able to afford a 1000 dollar a pop magic pill to protect all your teeth. Your practice will close because people trust a pill and pharma companies over a dentist. All the elderly people just love change anyways. Why visit a dentist? We have pills!
Well, want to eat and have a home? Best to get a job I'd say. Go research dentin properties,
salivary gland research, oral oncology, sublingual drug treatment research, oral biology, go study to become something else! Go utilize your hand skills in another form of surgery. Evolve with dentistry. Yeah, it won't be as hands on and there won't be as much patient contact. And worst of all we'll be poor! You will still be employed.
An education really is priceless. I know most people don't understand what I'm getting at here. 300k+ debt yes, I know. You'll never pay it off unless you have your dentist salary, yup you bet. Healthcare professionals are all about money, most of them, yes.
We'll simply have to evolve with the field.
Even in the worse case scenario, I don't think we're in much trouble. Too bad I'm an optimist.
