Envisaging a good career

WITH THE premium given to good looks in today's world, imperfections have become unacceptable. From beauty contestants sporting the perfect smile, to ordinary folks needing corrective surgery, dentists show a way to grin and `bare' it all.

For those who want to help fight orthodontic abnormalities `tooth and nail', dentistry is the answer. Dentistry deals with the care of gums and teeth. Enhancing the appearance of the teeth, taking care of adjustment, alignment and correction through surgery or treatment and other dental care requires the expertise of:

Orthodontists

Who deal with teeth correction and adjustment of teeth and facial bones. This is done through the use of braces or surgery.

Periodontists

Who take care of diagnoses, prevention and treatment of diseases related to the gums and tissues surrounding the teeth.

Pedodontists

Who administer dental treatment for children.

Endodontists

Who deal with morphology, physiology, and pathology of the human dental pulp. They help in the prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries related to the pulp.

Restorative dentists

Who provide dentures and conduct operations in the case of loss of teeth due to accidents or decay.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons

Who provide surgical treatment of deformities of teeth, jaws or conditions caused through disease and injury.

Facing up to it

To enter the field, you need to have a bachelor's degree in Dental Science (BDS). To be eligible for the common entrance exam, your subjects in the Intermediate (10+2) level should be Biology, Physics and Chemistry.

The BDS degree is a four-year course, with one-year subsequent internship. The last two semesters of the course let you decide your specialisation. Orthodontics, Oral pathology, Oral surgery, Periodontics, Operative dentistry and Prosthodontics are the options you can choose from. Specialisations in the master's degree include Orthodontics, Oral Maxillofacial, Oral surgery etc.

Other positions

Dental assistants

Dental assistants work for dentists. Their job is to take dental x-rays, arrange and maintain related instruments and equipment.

Dental hygienists

Dental hygienists work for private clinics. They take radiographs and remove tartar and plaque from teeth. They also prepare the patients for the dentists' supervision. A dental hygienist does oral scaling, polishing of teeth and gum massaging.

Laboratory technicians

Laboratory technicians do repair work for dentures, inlays, bridges and braces. They also mount replacement teeth and make and fix braces, take dental moulds and impressions. Dental lab technicians recreate natural teeth and restore crowns.

Soft skills

One needs to be resilient, with high energy levels, and a great deal of patience. Dexterity coupled with efficiency is a must.

Most dentists make their debut as assistants to experienced practitioners who help them learn the ropes of the work. Once they have the required experience, dentists can set up their own private practice or seek employment in government and private hospitals. Teaching and research are other options.

An insightful career

With the advent of laser treatment and contact lenses, eye care has become more sophisticated than ever before. Optometry and Ophthalmology have come to the aid of many who've grappled with poor vision and other related eye problems.

Optometry

Optometry as a science developed over a century ago. An optometrist tests the vision of a person, prepares and provides the right optical aids to correct the impairment and other related conditions and suggests the appropriate vision therapy.

Optometrists can work in government and private hospitals, eye and polyclinics, and optician's shops. A bachelor's degree in Optometry or a diploma course is the required. Some of the institutes that offer a degree course in Optometry are the Elite School of Optometry- Chennai, Bharati Vidyapeeth-Pune, Hiralal Baliwala School of Optometry- Mumbai, Bausch and Lomb School of Optometry- Hyderabad. Diploma courses can be pursued from School of Optometry (Hyderabad, Chennai, Aligarh, Pune).

Opticians prepare lenses as per the prescription of an Ophthalmologist. An optician should be acquainted with grinding procedures and techniques to prepare lenses.

Ophthalmology

An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who evaluates, tests and treats all eye diseases and ailments. He also performs operations and surgeries. Prevention and rehabilitation of visual disability or impairment through medicine and surgery and cataract removal are some of the conditions dealt by an ophthalmologist. Other common conditions like red eyes, dry eyes, excess tearing, loss of vision, glaucoma, diabetic retinal disease, neurologic disorders, myopia, hypermetropia, macular degeneration, ocular trauma, conjunctivitis are also treated by him.

To be an ophthalmologist you need to have an MBBS degree after which you need an MS (Ophthalmology) degree. Alternately, you require a DOMS (Diploma in Ophthalmic Medicine & Surgery) and should have completed your internship. Specialisations include cornea and external disease, strabismology, ophthalmic pathology, ophthalmoplasty, glaucoma, suint and orthoptics, retina and vitreous, neuroophthalmology and pediatric ophthalmology.

Soft Skills

An ophthalmologist is required to have good reflexes, adeptness and dexterity.

Modern methods in dentistry and ophthalmology have contributed immensely in enhancing appearances and correcting disabilities. These fields have ensured that impairment and abnormality are rectified, helping individuals having such shortcomings to lead a life as normal as possible.

ARCHANA JAYAKAR

archana.hyd@careercommunity.co.in