Becoming a dentist is not a single-step process and then you’re done. There are plenty of opportunities for future education, extra training, and more to grow further.

Here are 5 steps to greater career growth once you’ve started working as a dentist.

1.      Further Education for Advancement

Once you’ve qualified as a dentist, there are orthodontic courses that are available to you. Some are studied in person whereas others are conveniently set up to be taught online with a limited number of in-person class sessions.

Post-graduate orthodontic courses typically cover both dentofacial orthopaedics and orthodontics. The London Dental Institute offers multiple courses to suit different student levels and requirements. Take a look at their website – linked above – to learn more.

2.      Solid Career Track

People who started as either a dental hygienist or a dental assistant could have moved up to become a trained dentist. If that’s you, then understand that with the aforementioned education and additional training, you can extend your career potential considerably.  

For example, providing orthodontics (braces) for patients is an in-demand service that provides a good income for people who have this additional skill set. Other services like restorative dentistry or periodontology are all possible to develop further when working in a dental practice.

3.      Opportunity to Start Your Own Practice

As well as working in an existing dental practice which is successful, like Briargate Dental, it’s possible to work towards starting a practice of your own. This can require good planning and setting aside the financial resources necessary to do it successfully.

It’s often a goal of many new dentists to eventually reach this level. The ability to offer the services you choose, create systems that you believe in, procure new customers, and directly benefit from the rapid growth of your dental practice are just some of the potential upsides.

4.      Develop a Strong Reputation in the Industry

Dental practices are always looking for dentists who have an excellent reputation for both skills and professional conduct with patients.

There’s considerable competition between practices to find the best people in this line of work. As a result, dentists are often in high demand. By developing a strong reputation for your work ethic, getting proven results, and customer satisfaction, a dentist can command a higher salary and improved range of benefits compared to one who’s merely going through the motions.

5.      Brainstorm Ideas to Help the Owner Secure More Business

When the owner of a dental practice is struggling for ideas to bring in more customers, then they may be more of an operator and less of a marketer.

However, if you’re good with marketing and the online world, then maybe you can provide some pointers to help secure more people through the door? The owner will surely welcome your participation and it will serve to keep the practice busier too. A win-win for everyone involved.

With a new dental career, many approaches can prove useful to develop it over the years. Not all require opening a practice of your own but being proactive and great at the job both go a long way.