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What is a Dentist?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered March 01 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
A Dentist is a trained healthcare practitioner specializing in treating and preventing oral diseases and maintaining and improving patients' dental health. Most dentists work in private practices, typically referred to as "General Practice Dentists". They can specialize in orthodontics, periodontics, and even maxillofacial surgery, either operating in the private or public dentistry sphere.   
  
As a General Dentist, you are responsible for diagnosing, treating, and maintaining your patients' general oral health. Oral health encompasses the teeth, gums, veneers, crowns, fillings, and bridges. Additionally, Dentists can gain additional graduate training to become specialists in more specific areas. For example, Orthodontics is a specialization of dentistry focusing on the correction of the teeth and jaws. People working in this field must obtain further education to practice as an Orthodontist.  
  
Dentists are highly educated individuals who work closely with Dental Hygienists and their patients. Patients commonly will be screened by a Dental Hygienist before the Dentist. Together with the oral health team, a Dentist ensures that their patients' oral health is up to par and will find solutions if they require more work than average. 
 
Personality of a Dentist 
  • Attention to Detail  
Dentists need to pay close attention to every detail of their patient's oral health and teeth. Due to the nature of their work, they must stay focused on the details. Dentists work with the relatively small surface area of the mouth, which means that any minor mistake could have serious consequences. Additionally, Dentists have access to tools such as x-rays to ensure that everything is in place. However, they must remain extremely detail-oriented.   
  • Team Player  
Since Dentists work directly with hygienists and their patients, they must have a positive attitude and have the ability to work as a team player.  A dentist's reliance on support staff is essential for providing the best maintenance possible.  
  • Trustworthy 
Considering the nature of this position, a Dentist needs to maintain a trustworthy demeanor. The regular use of machinery and tools in patients' mouths, not to mention advising them on their oral health and billing status, is just an example of why someone in this profession needs to exhibit these qualities.
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