Career Prospects for a Dental Graduate

The period of internship in a dental school is a fun time-you deal with patients, and practically learn things, you are the ultimate seniors in the hostel, you enjoy parties, plan and go for tours, have a lot of time for yourselves. Most dental interns enjoy this period of time. But then, as it is about to get finished, things take a drastic turn-people freak out about what to do next! Buddies suddenly become rivals and all of a sudden you feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t have everything sorted. Dental schools, like medical schools, do not have campus placements.
It is during the same time of the internship when the then would be dental graduates start preparing for the conventional routes of career choices, which I often refer to as the “rat race”- they would try to manage part-time jobs in clinics, they would enrol into coaching centres to prepare for MDS, they would be contacting here and there for vacancies as house-staffs, and so on, something which drags for years. Believe me, friends, I don’t hold any grudge for my equals who do so, nor am I jealous of them. “No work is ever small” is what I believe in and in the end, it is all about personal choices. With that being said, today, let us discuss some of the career alternatives after getting a BDS degree. We will be broadly dividing the options as clinical and non-clinical options and we will be discussing them with their pros and cons.

Clinical options

The all-time conventional option 1- MDS for specialised practice

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Specialisation in dentistry has gradually become equally prevalent to specialisation in medicine. The magic mantra for this option is “forget everything and study hard’. The NEET-MDS can be considered as one of the tough competitive exams. A dedicated and sincere preparation makes one land with a good rank to pursue in a subject of choice among the specialities of dentistry namely endodontics and operative dentistry (restoration and conservation of teeth),  prosthodontics (dentures, crowns, bridges and implants), oral surgery (dental extraction, trauma, surgeries), paediatric dentistry (children), periodontology (gums), oral medicine and radiology, oral pathology, community dentistry, and orthodontics (teeth setting in the jaws). Well, make sure you are not exhausted by merely the preparation, because the coming three years demand equal effort to groom yourself into specialised dentists, with additional clinical knowledge.

Pros: a specialised dentist is always preferred. Franchise hospitals with separate dental departments have consultants from all fields. Good contact in your area with other colleagues helps find more visiting hours and referrals. And MDS can also find a non-teaching job as faculty staff in dental colleges.
Cons: specialised practice is still underdeveloped in India, with more dental graduates opting for this conventional career path, there is saturation leading to hospitals and colleges flooded with MDS staff.

Conventional option 2- jump-starting with clinical practice
 

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There is nothing better in a job than being your own boss, and having a good work-life balance. Clinical practice is a great option for those who own most of the soft skills required to be a good practitioner, while on one hand, you get better every day with dental procedures, you gradually evolve into a great entrepreneur at the comfort of your own place. It is recommended to polish both the dental skills and soft skills in a private clinic or as house staff in a hospital and do ample homework regarding the area you want to set up in terms of demands, people flow and competition.

Pros: independence and autonomy, good work-life balance, gradually with a decent income
Cons: bulky initial investments, long latent periods with a nearly negative balance, huge competition

Government jobs
 

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Even now in our country, people react very differently, on a positive note, when the word “sarkari naukri” rings in their years. Various central and state government opportunities open with permanent as well as contractual vacancies for dentists. Notable ones include the State Service Commissions, Indian Railways, agriculture sector, government subsidised companies like Indian Oil, Bharat Coking Coal Limited, paramilitary forces BSF (Border Security Forces), CRPF (Central Reserve Police Forces), Ex-servicemen health scheme and the Indian Navy and Air-force.

Pros: security, decent salary, other perks like bonus, leaves, pension plans, etc
Cons: limited seats, reservations, infrequent updates, inside quotas

Let’s move abroad

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Who doesn’t have the dream to go abroad! The glory of foreign countries with the standard of life and easy availability of all amenities is always fascinating. Even if one has no intention of settling there, working in foreign nations for a period of time and moving back is a good enough plan to settle down with one’s own practice, considering the capital earned there. Moreover, patients patronise the foreign return doctors.

Each country has its eligibility criteria by which they assess the graduate coming from another country. The common and trending ones are as follows:-

• USA: A dentist must clear the NBDE (National Board Dental Examination) Part 1 and 2 exams first. After clearing, he/she must join a dental college and complete the DDS program which is the accepted dental degree in the United States.
• New Zealand: In order to register with the Dental Council of New Zealand, one needs to clear their qualifying exam – New Zealand Dentist Registration Exam (NZDREX).
• Canada: an overseas dentist must go through a series of steps/exams, like the NBDE, and qualify in them to get officially certified as a dentist to practice in Canada.
• Australia: working as a licensed dentist in Australia, requires clearing an assessment process that officially checks and reviews for eligibility, subject knowledge and clinical proficiency. This evaluation is undertaken by the ADC (Australian Dental Council) in three stages, all of which needs to be qualified. After qualifying, one can apply for a license with DBA (Dental Board of Australia). The DBA will review and make a concluding decision on the application.
• Singapore: a dental degree that is approved by Singapore Dental Council is required to be eligible to practice as a dentist in Singapore.
• UAE: To work in Dubai, you must have a DOH permit offered by the Dubai Health Authority, UAE’s Health Ministry. You can also appear for a Dental GP exam if you have completed BDS with a one-year internship in a college/hospital set up, otherwise, a minimum of 2 years of clinical experience.
• Gulf countries: the aspirant must clear the MOH (Ministry of Health) exam which is comparatively easy to qualify. You can then get started with government or private jobs in Gulf countries.
• UK: Indian dentists can practice in the UK after clearing the equivalency exam ORE (Overseas Registration Examinations) conducted by General Dental Council. The exam is conducted in two parts-theory and practical.
  

One can also evade these exams and still work in the field as a dental hygienist, or other auxiliaries which offer quite decent pay too. Here two things should be kept in mind. Firstly, BDS done in /India is not applicable overseas. Secondly, one should be clear about his/her priorities- respect or money and time. Additionally, unlike our country, no job is ever looked down upon.

Pros: high earnings, better lifestyle, foreign accreditation
Cons: huge capital and a lot of time involved

 The Armed Forces
 

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We are all aware of how much our armed forces are respected in the country. Indian Army has a division called Army Dental Corps which active recruits dentists to work in the army. While on clearing the written examination and the interview, one can get commissioned as a lieutenant; one can grow to the ranks of lieutenant colonel or colonel, or even brigadier. Dentists can thus get the dual respect of a doctor as well as an officer of the armed forces. One also enjoys all the facilities that can be availed by an army officer. For the last few years, the army dental corps is directly calling for an interview if one has cleared the NEET-MDS exam and secured a rank. Though MDS is preferred, one can qualify through the interview and physical tests and start serving in the army and then later complete the post-graduation from the dental division of the Armed forces medical college.

If someone is looking for all the honours and less of the responsibilities, then the Territorial Army is the option of choice. One can clear the PIB (preliminary interview board) exams (general studies and aptitude of school class 10 levels) followed by the interview, and physical test. One can continue with his/her present job and work part-time for mandatory 2 months annually for the army, during which he/she is entitled to remuneration and facilities as that of a regular army officer. A medical division is also available in the Territorial Army.

Pros: respect, facilities, government job perks,
Cons: difficult recruitment process, limited seats

Non-clinical options

The options that are now to be discussed are some of the most unconventional options. However, given the current market trend, with time they can develop into good sustaining options that can even be preferred over conventional career options.

There are people with different innate characteristics, and dentists are no different. There are academicians; there are creative individuals, some may have great business skills, some are lab-rats, and some that great personalities. And still, there are some with no such distinguishing qualities but are great work-horses. Well, the world has something for everyone to offer.

 For the extroverts with role model attitudes:-

Public health: With the relationship between good oral health and overall wellbeing now accepted across the world, dental public health is a growing field that is working to prevent and lessen the blow of oral health disease at a population level.

This career concentrates on community settings rather than private practice, opening openings to work in oral health promotion, research, policy-making and education for universities, local health districts, governments and international health agencies. One can also educate and encourage a way of life that is healthy to motivate people towards healthy practices. The general job description grossly sums up the prevention of diseases in a community

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One can pursue this field as an epidemiologist, a public health inspector, a qualified health educator, or even an administrator or manager of intricate health establishments and service programs such as community water fluoridation, school-based dental screenings, oral cancer screenings, and educational efforts to promote good oral hygiene. Many corporate companies and government sectors are looking for a master’s in public health.

Pros: currently in trend
Cons: gradual saturation

Civil services: In relation to other graduates, courses like BDS, MBBS, make one more mature, and a mature mind can fit in decision making, commanding, problem-solving and people dealing jobs with ease. One such job opportunity which is mostly unseen by the BDS Graduates is the civil services. UPSC offers a broad scope of openings for the BDS Graduates. The career option comes with lucrative perks, High Prestige and Power to bring about reforms in the general public. You can join Indian Civil Services as Indian Administrative Services, Indian Police Services, Indian Foreign Services or Indian Revenue Services.

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Pros: government job, respectable, prestigious
Cons: difficult to qualify

Accreditation boards: Accreditation organisations employ field surveyors who are experienced in a specific healthcare speciality to provide an external review of the quality and safety of care being provided. Clinical investigators and quality assurance specialists represent other research-related positions appropriate for licensed dentists.

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Pros: regulatory job, highly respectable

Cons: high liability, minimum experience required for recruitment

For the scrupulous hard-workers 

Pharmacovigilance: Pharmacovigilance deals with the study and the prevention of adverse effects of pharmaceutical products. The specialist in this field is the guardian angel of medical science and its quality, often responsible for barring common drugs from the market which are known to have a huge number of adverse effects.

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Recognition given to drug safety all over the world ensures a promising future in this sector. You can pursue both certificate and diploma courses in Pharmacovigilance. You can opt for a regular Masters program or Certificate program in Pharmacovigilance.

Pros: good no. of job opportunities
Cons: high work pressure, requires meticulous study

Clinical research: India is the second-largest pharmaceutical market in Asia. As a result, a wide range of pharmaceutical research services are outsourced to premiere institutes, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies keep having vacancies in clinical research. Before a drug is launched in the market, it has to go through a no. of studies regarding formulation, safety, efficacy and comparison to other drugs of similar class. Also, bioavailability and bioequivalence studies are conducted to understand the body metabolism of a drug in a controlled laboratory setup. This job comes with much responsibility as you will have to be committed.

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A BDS graduate can have various job roles available in this sector: Principal Investigator, Co-investigator, Medical Advisor, Drug Developer, Regulatory Affairs Manager or even a Clinical Research Physician.

Pros: highly paid, one gets to travel a lot
Cons: poor work-life balance

Insurance sector: the health insurance industry is one that is always in profit. A graduate in dentistry can get an opportunity to brush up general pathology, medicine and surgery while getting to work as a medical officer who scrutinises medical insurance claims in terms of documentation, hospital and doctor’s background, nature of illness, indications, treatment provided, its justification, etc. all in terms of genuinity and insurance policy terms and conditions. Insurance companies collaborate with other companies called third-party administrators (TPAs) for the administrative works including claim processing, for which they are in need of doctors. Further studies to understand the insurance operations can lead to working in administrative areas of government public sector units or as policymakers.

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Pros: good work-life balance
Cons: slow growth

The dentists with creative minds also have tailor-made options, too.

Dental blogging: Creativity, when mixed with reading and writing, becomes a perfect mixture for dentists to go digital. Dentists can and ensure their online presence by publishing their articles, blogs, and videos. Reviewing dental products on YouTube and social media is also a new trend that you can go about.

If creativity is always on your mind if you’re a person who always thinks out of the box and loves writing and reading this is the perfect career option. With the world getting digitalized Dental articles and blog writing is the new trendy profession. This is what I am doing right now!

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All that you have to do is- do your homework, create a blog and share articles, videos, news, etc. about topics that are searched by a lot of people on Google. You can get paid by Google, sponsors, affiliates, etc. If you have patience and are ready to work hard then dental blogging will make a super career for you.

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Vlogging or video blogging is a very deep subject. But long story short, it is “blogging + confidence”. All you write, you need to speak. You might have seen dentists broadcasting their clinical work, or talking about various topics on YouTube videos? Have you heard about “the singing dentist”? Dr Milad Shadrooh is a dentist by profession and one of the top YouTubers in the world. He makes parodies of famous songs while generating awareness about various dental problems and their treatments, and uploads the videos to his YouTube channel. He has around 151000 subscribers and earns about 250-5600 USDs annually through YouTube.

Pros: No time schedule, the potential for huge earnings, work remotely, fame.
Cons: Takes time and effort, income is irregular

Dental photography: A common and very likeable hobby of photography can bring forth a new career to dentists. The importance of online promotion on social media platforms as well as offline advertising for banners and posters applies to dentists as well, which requires fine quality and artistic. Many dentists hire a personal dental photographer to click pictures since detailed photography of an area as restricted as the oral cavity calls for professional hands. The photographs also help to monitor the progress of their treatments and motivate patients to see theirs before and after pictures. One can also work closely with other departments like dental labs, forensics, product manufacturers, etc. Hence one can opt for dental photography as a hobby as well as a profession after BDS.

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Pros: high demand, no time schedule
Cons: takes time to generate regular income

Scientific writing: Have you thought of pursuing a science writing career, but are not sure where to start? Do you enjoy writing and reviewing papers more than practising? Well, this kind of job with adequate competent education and training can be very exciting. One can work for companies, magazines, newspapers, publication houses, websites or even freelance to write clinical research protocols, standard operating procedures, website contents, articles, etc. or work as an editor.

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Pros: great work-life balance, can work remotely
Cons: takes time to generate regular income

An entrepreneur mind is just an idea away from success. And the job of a manager is never easy. Here are some such ideas for those dentists with good management skills and business skills

Dental tourism: Dental tourism is a branch of medical tourism. This is also one of the options after BDS. If you work hard and market it wisely you can easily earn a lump sum treating a single patient. In the US, the UK, Canada, and European countries, dental plans or treatments are very expensive.  

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Your role will be to arrange treatment, travel, accommodation and food for such patients. Once you can manage to create a clientele, income becomes manifold and no tourist comes to India alone thus bringing potential earnings with them. It completely depends on you and you alone. You should make a perfect plan for starting a dental tourism company and I think you will love the options after BDS here.

Pros: autonomy, more income in relatively fewer patients
Cons: initial capital investment

Dental/medical product development: You can also apply for job openings in Industries under the Government Sector which manufacture oral care products and medicines.

Dentists need to work with sophisticated dental products and equipment for dental procedures. Now, when it comes to designing those products, BDS graduates, with ergonomic experience can use their expertise and work with the product development team.

Even practising dentists interested in working on the cutting edge of medical technology should consider a career in medical device engineering. This is a branch of biomedical engineering that is dedicated to research and designing medical equipment and machinery. The increasing demand for Biomedical Engineers is linked to society’s general shift towards everyday utilization of machinery and technology in all aspects of life.

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Dental Patient Chairs, Operation Cabinetry, Delivery Systems, Dental Operatory Lights and items like the famous “clear aligners” are a few of the dental equipment that you can expect to design. There are many universities abroad offering courses in instrument designing and who other than a dentist could come up with new quality precision instruments.

Manufacturers of all types of dental products and equipment have a preference for professionals with expertise. The knowledge that you already hold as a dentistry graduate may enhance your break in this arena.

Pros: patents to your name
Cons: slow growth

Hospital management and administration: This is a brilliant choice for students looking to branch out from the conventional paths. Obtaining an MBA in Hospital Management after your degree in Dental Science, one can work as an administrator or manager in larger health care service enterprises, securing job opportunities in medical institutes, hospitals, nursing homes and NGOs operating in the health sector.

It is no secret that overseeing a hospital or any other health care unit is not a child’s play. Thus, a career in hospital administration can be both promising and fruitful.

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An efficient running of hospitals ensures that the medical staffs are able to offer class health care services to the patients. Policy-making and execution fall under the job description in this sector.

Pros: a lot of opportunities
Cons: increasing saturation

Dental laboratory: Many people develop a keen interest in laboratory work rather than working on patients. There are very few lab technicians whose work is absolutely good. But the majority of the lab technicians lack dental knowledge in spite of the training they receive. Dentists can take full advantage of this scenario and provide the other dental experts with good lab work.

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Pros: high demand
Cons: huge initial investment

 Science always has a circle of discovery and preaching. As such someone has to do the job of research and education:-

Research and advisory departments: Reputed National Research Institutes such as ICMR, AIIMS, National Institute of Epidemiology, Dental and Medical Institutes with Research wings call for dentists to participate in research projects as research assistants or associates. This provides them with the experience needed to venture into research positions abroad in International Institutes. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, an arm of the National Institutes of Health, needs dentists to conduct oral health research.

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You have the choice of working with a range of product manufacturers, government organisations and educational institutions to contribute to advancing the field of dentistry and educating the future generations of dental professionals.

Pros: great experience
Cons: temporary employments as per project duration

Academics: in the age-old conservative school of thought, the job of a teacher and doctor was considered noble. Well, it never gets old. Teaching is a common profession, even in dentists. It is an unending cycle that to have newer dentists you always need teachers. Dentists with an MDS degree or even other post-graduation degrees can find jobs in institutions as lecturers and go on to become professors. With the advent of online learning, now, many dentists with a flair for teaching can become educators and earn a decent living. They can become mentors or trainers for young aspirants to help them qualify or make others enthusiasts aware of their specialities.

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Pros: can also be used as a secondary income
Cons: saturation

It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. But at the same time, we have to agree that discovery in science often involves risk-taking. Here are some such off-beat risks that a dentist may consider taking as career options

Cosmetology: who doesn’t want a set of beautiful teeth that add to a lovely smile! In today's world, where looks sell, people are progressively more mindful and do not mind spending a considerable sum on their looks.

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This has led to an increased demand for clinical cosmetologists. Professional training of cosmetology can help dental graduates gain a broad understanding and skill to become experts in cosmetology treatments like Micro-dermal abrasion/ Skin Polishing, Fillers, Laser Basics, Phototherapy, Anti-Ageing and Skin Tightening, Fat cell grafting for Skin, Derma Rollers / Derma Pens, Botox, etc. in this field.

Forensic odontology: being educated in forensic odontology; I can tell how interesting this branch of dentistry is. While one is exposed to various aspects like disaster victim identification; age, sex, stature and ancestry determination; analysis of bite-marks, dental record keeping; lip-prints; palatal rugae analysis; legal aspects of dentistry, forensic facial approximation and so on; a core area as per one’s expertise and comfort can always be developed. Government, private, as well as a consultant like jobs, are available, as well as there is good demand in foreign nations with proper certification. 

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Moreover, a stream like forensic odontology also enhances the skills a dentist already owns, like attention to detail. This gives a dental graduate an added edge while pursuing other fields like insurance investigation. One can also pursue a career in forensic research, report writing, a forensic expert in the biology/anthropology division of forensic laboratories or as an academician.

Pros: opportunities in various fields,
Cons: no trickle down from top-level hierarchy, no well-defined jobs with regular pay

Medical law: With the increasing cases of medical negligence, indemnities, unlawful termination of pregnancies, sexual assaults etc, law and medical science keep intermingling at every step. Having a basic knowledge of medical science, a dental graduate can pursue a career in law after completing an LLB course at the minimum. Becoming a medical lawyer, often with a post-graduation in medical law or working as a legal advisor in medical or law firms are excellent career choices for young dentists.

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Pros: lucrative branch

Cons: uncertainty- still not much known

Dietician: the fitness industry is moving forward on a different track altogether. Everybody yearns for a toned physique with a flat belly. Nowadays a nutritionist or a dietician is just a call away, to cope with lifestyle diseases. A dentist, who is well-versed with clinical perceptive, can definitely pursue nutrition and dietetics for a career.

Many critically ill patients are dependent on an optimal diet for their recovery. With this career, you can also have the option of working as a dietician with good hospitals. 

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Ok, time to give something to the tech-savvy dentists

Medical data entry: Most of the AI (artificial intelligence) dental firms require dentists to feed in their dental knowledge on various software programs and apps they are working on. Some companies would either require dentists for image annotations or even exchange medical information and specifically deal with dental data entries. You could either join these firms as a freelancer, part-time job or even full-time remote work. A dentist with a knack for computer software and language can really flourish in such fields.

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Big data and health informatics: The term ‘Big Data’ refers to all the health data that is being generated across the globe at an unprecedented rate. This health data could be either structured or unstructured. Health informatics has gained significant attention in recent years due to the increased adoption of healthcare technology and electronic health records (EHRs) among healthcare providers, the advent and advancement of the Internet, which allows smart devices to collect and transmit data, the evolution of telemedicine, which enables doctors and other healthcare workers to treat patients remotely, and the pandemic. There is a huge potential as a career in big data and health informatics, which can be pursued after BDS. 

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Further study in data analytics and the use of basic medical knowledge may be helpful. One can be employed by healthcare providers such as hospitals and clinics, medical device manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, commercial insurance companies, and governmental or other policy-focused institutions, finding him/herself in positions like a Health Informatics Specialist, Clinical Informatics Analyst, Health Informatics Consultant, Health Information Technology Project Manager or a Chief Medical Information Officer with lucrative salaries.

I once heard and later learned that a professional degree not only teaches you something in detail but also makes you more mature as a person to understand and explore what one can do with his/her qualification and expertise. Well, it is indeed true. If we can, in the five years of BDS, develop an optimistic approach and an open mind to consider options and take brave steps we can make a difference by achieving feats that others thought to be impossible.

 After all we dentists learn a total of around 19 subjects in total with numerous subheadings. And, in my opinion, there is no harm in choosing one of those many for specialisation or further career. That way we can always give justice to our learning and our field. For every struggle and failure that we face, there is always another route of action; we just have to be patient enough with ample self-belief to find it. We, dentists, work hard to earn our degree, which becomes an achievement for life. However, it is high time now that we figure out our ways and do what we can do best.

 The prefix of doctors before our names, make people raise us up to a pedestal, where everyone forgets that we are after all humans free to make our choices. When people have accepted the generations of engineering graduates who become successful in many other fields other than engineering- banking, business, writing, sports, acting, music and whatnot, don’t you think they should accept us in other fields as well? And here I have talked about related alternative fields. I would finally like to conclude by requesting to my fellow young colleagues of mine that be practical, think logical listen to your guts, and trust your skills, expertise and individual characteristics before starting your career and be open to the various opportunities that you have.

 

There is always an alternative, that’s what makes life interesting...

Alexandra (The Defenders, 2017)