Duties & Responsibilities in the Daily Job of a Dentist

A dentist must wear several "hats" in his everyday job, including those of an educator, a confidant, a skilled technician, a problem solver, and most of all, a friend. A dentist must be friendly, knowledgeable and able to communicate with patients regarding their dental health.

History

• A dentist is a doctor of dental medicine (DMD) or a doctor of dental health (DDH). He has a bachelor's degree in science and has also graduated from dental school, which is an additional 4 years of college. After completing dental school, most dentists must pass a national exam in order to practice.

Identification

• An examination of the mouth is performed and all identified problems are noted on the patient's chart.

Problems and Solutions

• The examination will reveal problems such as cavities, decay, and gum disease. Once identified the dentist will set up a treatment plan in order to fix the problems.

Preventative care

• The dentist is responsible for a full, comprehensive treatment plan which will include an examination, x-rays, a cleaning by a licensed hygienist, and follow-up appointments to fix the problem areas. After the problems have been properly treated a cleaning and exam appointment is scheduled for every 6 months in order to ensure the best dental health of the patient.

Beyond the general dentist

• Some dentists choose to move into a specialty and become an orthodontist (braces and cosmetic dentistry), periodontist (gum disease specialty), endodontist (root canal specialty) or oral surgeon (extracting problem teeth). All of these dentists are general dentists, but have taken additional courses through their dental schools in order to become a specialist in their particular field.