Dentistry is a discipline within the study of Medicine that is perhaps the most hands-on subject. If you like to be the one doing all the talking while your clients keeps quiet, Dentistry is what you need to study.

Dentistry programs are generally very rigorous, providing students with a thorough introduction to the fundamentals of health sciences and lab work, extensive clinical training, and coursework in critical thinking, problem solving, and ethical issues.

While your studies will cover the entire human health system, they will focus on the teeth, gums, mouth, and related bone and tissues. In the final years of study, students will spend the majority of their time in clinical rotations, learning to care for oral health in a variety of environments.

Alongside clinical training, students take electives in areas such as endodontic (treatment of disease and injury in the root canal), oral and maxillofacial surgery (the upper and lower jaw and surrounding anatomy), pediatric surgery and pedodontics, orthodontics (corrections of bite abnormalities and facial irregularities), periodontics (treatment of the gums) and prosthodontics (oral implants, bridgework, dentures).

In addition to a high level of dental competency, you should also be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of ethical practice and good communication skills – You will probably need this to put your patients at ease and explain their dental prognosis to justify your high hourly rates.

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