Dental Procedures

Started by Dr 14220
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Dr 14220

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This is kind of a random question that basically I'm just wondering about, but....

Overall, how interesting is the actual work/procedures/practice of dentistry??

I know of all the perks, etc....and i obviously understand why people would be interested in dentistry.....

But as far as the actual bread and butter procedures that would be performed by a general dentist....are they boring, super exciting, just tolerable, tedious????

Thanks
 
Well, I haven't yet started seeing patients, but I would guess that after you've done 1000 MODs they would start to be pretty boring.
 
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Dr 14220 said:
This is kind of a random question that basically I'm just wondering about, but....

Overall, how interesting is the actual work/procedures/practice of dentistry??

I know of all the perks, etc....and i obviously understand why people would be interested in dentistry.....

But as far as the actual bread and butter procedures that would be performed by a general dentist....are they boring, super exciting, just tolerable, tedious????

Thanks
Click to expand...

Bread and butter of a general dentist is cleanings, fillings, and crowns. Obviously there's a lot more a general dentist can do, but I think the majority of their income is derived from those procedures.

Strongly recommend shadowing a dentist. See if you can actually envision yourself cleaning, filling, and prepping teeth for the rest of your life. Is this exciting? I dunno. Depends on what your hobbies are...

Best of luck.
 
briansle said:
Bread and butter of a general dentist is cleanings, fillings, and crowns. Obviously there's a lot more a general dentist can do, but I think the majority of their income is derived from those procedures.

Strongly recommend shadowing a dentist. See if you can actually envision yourself cleaning, filling, and prepping teeth for the rest of your life. Is this exciting? I dunno. Depends on what your hobbies are...

Best of luck.
Click to expand...

It might look interesting the first time you OBSERVE but simply watching will get boring after a little.

On the other hand, I have yet to get tired of any procedure beyond the prophy (which I can't stand doing anymore haha). I'll let you know in 1, 5, 10 years if that changes.

I would think the treatment plan as a whole, rather than one individual part, would be what interests a dentist who has been in practice for several years. That's not to say I won't enjoy doing one crown or one restoration. But the entire thing from start to finish will probably always keep me interested in what I'm doing.
 
sorry about my previous reply; i was a little out of it last night 🙂

for a more constructive answer:

yes dentistry can get a little repatitive; however, no two procedures are the same. your dealing with a different person, different med hx, etc. extraction of #14 is not always going to go the same way. you may section, you can extract without sectioning, you may go fisihing for root tips, etc. i've only been in private practice a few months, and i'm always hoping for everything to go the same way (good), so repitition is not always a bad thing 🙂

for me, this is the perfect job, because like you i hate boring, mundane repitition. i worked at the post office and hated that job. everyday i meet new people, do interesting things and make a hell of a living doing it (sometimes you cant help but feel a little bad for making this amount of money for this little work in this economy). you have chosen a good profession; trust me
 
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