DESPITE WHAT YOU MAY THINK, DENTISTRY ISN’T JUST ABOUT TEETH.
Most of the time, it’s about people. No dentist works in isolation. There’s usually at least one or two other members on even the smallest team. And of course, there’s the patients. Because dentists are still, and to be honest probably will always be, on the top of everyone’s fear list, a dentist needs to have great interpersonal skills and like working with people, putting them at ease and lessening their fears. It’s one of the reasons I became a dentist. It makes my day when a patient who arrived nervous or even scared, leaves saying, “I don’t know what I was so worried about!”
Although people may be afraid to visit the dentist, they also don’t want to live with the often excruciating pain that teeth in disrepair can cause. That’s the other reason I became a dentist. I wanted to help people in that position. It’s a real privilege to alleviate that pain for them.
Oral health is often neglected by the average person. Dentists provide a unique service and I wanted to be a part of that. Bringing an understanding to patients about the importance of caring for their teeth is, I feel, an honour as it improves not only the health of their mouths but also their confidence and appearance.
It’s not just check-ups and fillings every day. Yes, patients and their fears can be tricky to deal with sometimes. But what job, especially one worth doing, doesn’t throw you a curve ball every now and then? We face new problems and challenges all the time. It makes my job more exciting as we problem solve, meet the challenge and restore a patient’s oral health and beautiful smile. The dentist’s consulting room is where Art and Science meet. I enjoy working with the dental technicians to create lifelike artificial teeth for our patients who need them.
As I said, it’s not just check-ups and fillings. It’s a science and we rely heavily on technology. As you can imagine, with technology changing as rapidly as it does, the field of dentistry grows, changes and improves in leaps and bounds all the time. It isn’t hard to stay enthusiastic about my profession. As with medicine, there are a number of specialisations that a dentist can choose to pursue, so there’s constantly room for personal growth and challenge.
One of the most rewarding aspects of dentistry by far, is the part we play in a person’s makeover. The confidence they walk out with, especially if they’ve been hiding their teeth for years, is a fantastic feeling.
People love to quote stats about how dentists hate their jobs, but it’s not true. We have a great reputation for being able to work as your own boss, even in a multi-dentist practice. Achieving a work/home life balance that suits you is easy. And career opportunities are amazing. A dentist can find work with relative ease in New Zealand, as well as abroad.
But you don’t need to become a dentist to have great teeth. You just need to visit Team Dental and let us take care of you, that’s what we love to. That’s why we are dentists, because you are important. Give us a call and make a booking today, you won’t be disappointed.
Sanika Rangnekar is one of our dentists.
