What are the different types of dentists? Which type gets paid the most?

Dentistry jobs in India have lots of scope in private practice for general and specialised treatment. Salaries in the public sector and government hospitals are governed by scales available to all Class I officers, the payments from private practice are quite high.

Dentistry is the general term used to explain services for the wellbeing of your teeth. There are different streams of specialisations and hence diverse type of dentists for various issues. Most people are not conscious of this and thus when trouble associated with the mouth crops up, they visit the first dentist they can find. 

This practice may not essentially yield the most excellent results. Finding the correct dentist is the correct thing to do. To understand which dentist you should go for which problem, you should know about the different types of dentists:

• General Dentists

You can visit these dentists for dental treatment, maintenance, and care service. These dentists will assist you in root canal treatments or filling cavities, tooth extraction, etc. They will also offer an oral recommendation to you.

• Periodontists

For issues associated with gums, consult periodontists. They can also be consulted for problems associated with the jaw bones and other supporting tissues. A periodontist can carry out a gum correction procedure if required.

• Oral Pathologists

They deal with problems of the mouth. So if you have problems in your lips, teeth, cheeks or the mouth in general, oral pathologists are the people you should consult with. 

• Endodontists

For pulp and root canal treatments you will have to consult an endodontist. They focus on surgically removing the flawed pulp from the bottom of the tooth and refilling it.

• Orthodontists

They are associated with jaw and teeth alignment. If you are searching for corrective measures for deformities or imperfections in your teeth or jaw, you should check with an orthodontist. Typically, orthodontists work on children’s teeth.

Dentistry Courses in India

Dental Courses have gained a noteworthy significance and popularity in India considering the number of students pursuing these and dental clinics. Dentistry is a field that deals with the diagnosis, evaluation, treatment, and prevention of diseases, conditions, and disorders of the hard and soft tissues of the mouth. Professionals employed in dentistry practice are referred to as dentists. Dental surgeons or dentists offer medical, surgical and other types of treatment for dental and oral disorders and diseases. They use a range of procedures and techniques while treating patients, which comprise scaling, filling, and the crowning of teeth, fitting artificial replacements, extracting teeth, treating gum diseases, etc.

Subjects taught during the Dentistry course:

The following topics constitute an integral part of the four-year dentistry course in India:

General Anatomy	General Physiology and Biochemistry	Oral Pathology and Microbiology
General Pathology and Microbiology	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	Pedodontics
General Pharmacology	Prosthodontics, crown and bridge	Public Health Dentistry
General Medicine	Endodontics	Oral Diagnosis, Medicine and Radiology
General Surgery	Periodontics	Orthodontics

Dentistry Courses - Basic Requirements 

Students who have completed 10+2 with Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, with no less than 50% marks are eligible for admission to the Bachelor of Dental Science course. To seek admission, a candidate must, however, appear for NEET and clear the same. To practice as a dentist one must complete a Bachelor's degree in Dental Science (BDS). At the bachelor degree level, there is no specialisation as such. If you want your profession to mature then you will have to be an expert with a Masters degree in dentistry.            

Admission

Admission to graduate courses in dentistry is through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET). The allotment of the institute is done based on merit. Apart from the centrally managed medical institutions, there is a minimum one dental college in almost all states, where admission is managed by a domiciliary position. But to be entitled to practice, one must make sure that the course selected is approved by the Dental Council of India.

Dental Schools/Colleges in India

• Dr B.R. Ambedkar Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital
• Army College of Dental Sciences
• Bangalore Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital
• Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences

Job Opportunities after Dentistry Courses

Dentistry is a rewarding profession as there is no shortage of people having dental issues. Busy schedules and sedentary lifestyle have their effect on teeth too. As such a visit to a Dentist becomes a requirement. Dentistry is a changing rapidly, growing profession, creating numerous opportunities and challenges. Growing awareness of oral health and appearance of new fields such as periodontics, oral pathology, and orthodontics have all improved the scope of this field. Film artists and models also necessitate cosmetic dentistry to improve their looks. Dental Surgeons are employed by the Central Government and state governments in hospitals, dispensaries and medical colleges (teaching) under their aegis. The defence sector, railways, banks, and private/public sector units also recruit dentists in the medical centres/hospitals unit by them for their employees. Dentistry jobs in India have lots of scope in private practice for general and specialised treatment. Salaries in the public sector and government hospitals are governed by scales available to all Class I officers, the payments from private practice are quite high.

Earning

As an Intern, a dentists in government hospitals can get a stipend of Rs 6,000 a month (plus allowance), whilst in private hospitals, it can be from Rs 3,500 - Rs 4,000. Candidates after completing a postgraduate degree can start earning Rs 7,000 to Rs 12,000. Dental surgeons can get an excellent package through their practice. The consultation charges can be INR 500 for cosmetic filling and can be as costly as Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 based on the nature of the dental issue the patient is going through. A reputed dentist can make approximately Rs 20,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per month.