2 answers
lola
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
2
Questions
Updated
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Dentist: How long are your hours? Do you get paid internships in college What are your daily tasks? Are there any colleges you recommend? How many years of schooling did it take you?
I am a sophomore girl in high school, and I love to be social. What can I do now to prepare myself for this career better? Are there any specific classes I should take? Is this career very social?
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2 answers
James Constantine Frangos
Consultant Dietitian & Software Developer since 1972 => Nutrition Education => Health & Longevity.
3778
Answers
Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
Updated
James Constantine’s Answer
Dear Lola,
You asked about the working hours, internships, daily tasks, recommended colleges, and the educational journey of a dentist. As a dental professional, the standard working hours are typically 38 hours per week. This can be distributed across a regular five-day week, a 19-day month, or a nine-day fortnight. If you exceed these hours, you'll be compensated with overtime pay.
In terms of internships, the average hourly pay for an intern at a dentist's office in the United States is around $10.50. However, it's important to note that this figure is approximately 41% lower than the national average.
The educational journey to become a dentist usually spans between 8 and 11 years. This includes four years of undergraduate studies followed by four years in dental school. While you can start practicing dentistry after dental school, many students opt for a two to three-year residency to specialize in a particular field.
As for the social aspect of the profession, it largely depends on the dentist's personality. For example, pediatric dentists often create a kid-friendly environment with toys in their offices. A good sound system can also enhance the ambiance, providing a distraction from procedures like tooth extraction, drilling, or anesthetic injections. Keeping a collection of engaging magazines can also be a good idea.
As a high school sophomore with a social inclination, you can start preparing for this career by focusing on science classes, particularly biology and chemistry. These will provide a solid foundation for your future studies in dentistry.
Here's a helpful link for more information: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/dental-jobs/
Google Books
Dentistry
A Study in Social Organization
By Richard Thomas Smith · 1957
The Pre-Dental Guide
By Joseph S. Kim · 2001
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/UCSF_School_of_Dentistry_Bulletin/Z_Y2AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
UCSF School of Dentistry Bulletin
By University of California, San Francisco. School of Dentistry · 1979
Best Wishes,
Jim.
You asked about the working hours, internships, daily tasks, recommended colleges, and the educational journey of a dentist. As a dental professional, the standard working hours are typically 38 hours per week. This can be distributed across a regular five-day week, a 19-day month, or a nine-day fortnight. If you exceed these hours, you'll be compensated with overtime pay.
In terms of internships, the average hourly pay for an intern at a dentist's office in the United States is around $10.50. However, it's important to note that this figure is approximately 41% lower than the national average.
The educational journey to become a dentist usually spans between 8 and 11 years. This includes four years of undergraduate studies followed by four years in dental school. While you can start practicing dentistry after dental school, many students opt for a two to three-year residency to specialize in a particular field.
As for the social aspect of the profession, it largely depends on the dentist's personality. For example, pediatric dentists often create a kid-friendly environment with toys in their offices. A good sound system can also enhance the ambiance, providing a distraction from procedures like tooth extraction, drilling, or anesthetic injections. Keeping a collection of engaging magazines can also be a good idea.
As a high school sophomore with a social inclination, you can start preparing for this career by focusing on science classes, particularly biology and chemistry. These will provide a solid foundation for your future studies in dentistry.
Here's a helpful link for more information: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/education/dental-jobs/
Google Books
Dentistry
A Study in Social Organization
By Richard Thomas Smith · 1957
The Pre-Dental Guide
By Joseph S. Kim · 2001
https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/UCSF_School_of_Dentistry_Bulletin/Z_Y2AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
UCSF School of Dentistry Bulletin
By University of California, San Francisco. School of Dentistry · 1979
Best Wishes,
Jim.
Scott Herman
Dentist
4
Answers
DeKalb, Illinois
Updated
Scott’s Answer
Hello Lola-
You ask some very good questions and as a 30 year veteran of being a Dentist, I will try to answer. I see you are in the United States as am I and so these answers only apply to the United States.
The hours you practice depend a lot on the environment you are practicing. If you are a solo practitioner, you set your own hours, as was I and when I was young I practiced 5 1/2 days/week. As the years went on I went down to 4 days (Mon-Thurs) and enjoyed 3 day weekends with my family as the children grew and I was able to attend their functions. Great Benefit!!! If you are in a group practice, DSO, or institution, your hours may be more dictated by the facility needs and requirements.
Internships and Residencies are usually paid after graduating dental school and wishing to continue education into more of a specialty arena.
Daily Tasks depend on your practice, your expertise, your specialty, and your desires. Overall, as a general dentist, I would start with a morning huddle with my staff, begin with more intensive procedures in the beginning of the day, take breaks to do hygiene exams, and continue with restorative procedures. I usually took a 1 1/2 hour mid-day break as I went home for lunch, and then would begin the second part of the day with less time consuming procedures and seeing more patients in the afternoon/evening.
The acceptance ratio to dental school is getting tougher and tougher, with less schools, and increased tuition as time goes on. My school Northwestern University no longer has a dental school. So my answer is to first and foremost make sure you are committed to becoming whatever you choose to be. That is a very difficult decision, and can and should be adjusted during undergraduate studies. Try to attain the highest scholastic university ranking and GPA that your situation allows. Extracurricular activities are also taken into consideration to make sure you are a well rounded person, if case your GPA could use a little help!!
The dental degree requires 4 years of undergraduate degree and 4 years of dentistry. All told 20 years of schooling and probably 20 years to pay off your schooling, depending on your situation of course, so make sure that this is your calling as it is a labor of love that allows you to enjoy the rewards overcoming the demands!
Sincerely,
Dr Scott Herman
You ask some very good questions and as a 30 year veteran of being a Dentist, I will try to answer. I see you are in the United States as am I and so these answers only apply to the United States.
The hours you practice depend a lot on the environment you are practicing. If you are a solo practitioner, you set your own hours, as was I and when I was young I practiced 5 1/2 days/week. As the years went on I went down to 4 days (Mon-Thurs) and enjoyed 3 day weekends with my family as the children grew and I was able to attend their functions. Great Benefit!!! If you are in a group practice, DSO, or institution, your hours may be more dictated by the facility needs and requirements.
Internships and Residencies are usually paid after graduating dental school and wishing to continue education into more of a specialty arena.
Daily Tasks depend on your practice, your expertise, your specialty, and your desires. Overall, as a general dentist, I would start with a morning huddle with my staff, begin with more intensive procedures in the beginning of the day, take breaks to do hygiene exams, and continue with restorative procedures. I usually took a 1 1/2 hour mid-day break as I went home for lunch, and then would begin the second part of the day with less time consuming procedures and seeing more patients in the afternoon/evening.
The acceptance ratio to dental school is getting tougher and tougher, with less schools, and increased tuition as time goes on. My school Northwestern University no longer has a dental school. So my answer is to first and foremost make sure you are committed to becoming whatever you choose to be. That is a very difficult decision, and can and should be adjusted during undergraduate studies. Try to attain the highest scholastic university ranking and GPA that your situation allows. Extracurricular activities are also taken into consideration to make sure you are a well rounded person, if case your GPA could use a little help!!
The dental degree requires 4 years of undergraduate degree and 4 years of dentistry. All told 20 years of schooling and probably 20 years to pay off your schooling, depending on your situation of course, so make sure that this is your calling as it is a labor of love that allows you to enjoy the rewards overcoming the demands!
Sincerely,
Dr Scott Herman