Have you always had an interest in dentistry?

Do you fancy a career that involves helping people to feel good and to solve their dental problems? If so, becoming a dentist in Australia could be an excellent option for you.

First of all, it’s important to really find out what’s involved and the best steps to take in order to become a dentist.

What Does A Dentist Do?

Dentists perform a wide range of roles centred around treating and helping to prevent oral problems and disorders.

We’ve asked this plympton dental clinic what they have to say about what a dentist actually does.

There are many different areas of dentistry which you could choose to specialise in however all dentists must begin with the initial basic training and attain the correct qualifications.

Qualifications To Become a Dentist

To become a qualified dentist, you will first need to obtain the University Admissions Index Mark required in order to gain entry into a degree level course in dentistry.

Depending on the university, there are a number of different degrees on offer including:

• Bachelor of Dental Surgery
• Bachelor of Dentistry
• Bachelor of Dental Science

Gaining Entry

Places are highly sought after on dentistry degree courses and it is highly competitive. You will have to complete a UMAT (Undergraduate Medicine and Health Sciences Admission Test) and undergo an in depth interview process.

It’s important to realise that there are less than 10 universities within Australia that offer dentistry courses therefore you will need to carefully consider the locations and accessibility for each one.

Some applicants choose to apply for a postgraduate qualification in dental medicine after they have completed a degree in another field.

The Degree

The Bachelor of Dental Surgery is a five year course. You will be required to get involved with clinical procedures from the start and your course is likely to include a combination of hands on experience alongside academic study and essays.

As a qualified dentist, you will also be required to register with the Dental Board of Australia before you are able to practice in any surgery. Always ensure you renew your registration annually and keep all of your documents up to date.

For more information about the dentistry degree, check out mariondental.com.au who are a training organisation specialising in dentistry.

Are you considering dentistry as a career option? Or perhaps you’re simply interested in the salaries that a dentist can expect to earn?

It’s important to realise that earnings will depend on a variety of factors however rest assured, dentistry is a well paid career that is highly respected and always in demand.

Becoming a Dentist

Before you start to think that dentists earn a good salary and have a great quality of life, bear in mind that any qualified dentist will have studied for at least five years. Anyone considering a career in dentistry should understand that due to the limited number of universities in Australia which offer dentistry degree courses, there may be additional relocation and living costs to consider.

Average Salary for a dentist

It’s hard to estimate exactly how much dentists earn as an average salary due to the differences in location, type of surgery and level of experience. Each situation will be different and wages vary from city to city and state to state.

According to the Dental Board, rough figures predict that a dentist earn an average salary of just under $100,000 per year. Pay increases depending on experience however there is a level (around 20 years) when salary levels may plateau and many dentists choose to specialise in a particular field.

Comparative Salaries

Compared to GPs and other medical practitioners, dentists generally earn slightly more per year. However, dentists often see fewer patients and may have higher operating costs such as machinery and dental assistants.

Dentists are often able to operate on flexi time or part time contracts, with many choosing to specialise in particular fields. There has been an increase in the number of female dentists in recent decades however the majority of Australian dentists are still male.

Find Out More

If you’d like more information about dentistry and how much dentists can earn, check out here: http://www.ada.org.au/Home