Why do i Want to Become a Pediatric Dentist

Ever since I could remember I have always been very interested in careers revolving around math and science, and always succeeded in those subjects. Based off my results from the Washington Career Bridge Quiz, I scored the highest in health science. So, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in health science, which is where I became vastly interested in becoming a pediatric dentist.

A pediatric dentist specializes in children to treat the diseases and conditions that affect the teeth and gums, especially the repair and extraction of the teeth.

I have always been a very curious child and loved going to the dentist at a young age. I loved watching how they would apply their examinations from x-rays to my teeth using all kinds of different tools in order to repair them. I also have a very outgoing personality and work very well with children, which is exceptionally important, when becoming a pediatric dentist.

A very important quality of being a pediatric dentist is to pay very close attention to detail because being a pediatric dentist requires to make models and measurements for dental equipment, much like a crown, fitted to cover a damaged tooth and a bridge to replace the gap between two healthy teeth in a patient's mouth. My results for the Learning Styles Quiz revealed that I am a visual learner, which would make it uncomplicated to regard to models and x-rays when creating a diagnosis for patients' teeth and figuring out what size of crown or bridge to apply to the patient's teeth.

Aside from fixing patients' teeth, a pediatric dentist also educates patients about flossing, the use of fluoride, diets, and other ways to improve dental care. Also, dentists keep track of records, buy materials that are needed and supervise their staff. In comparison, my results for the Sixteen Personalities Quiz determined that I am a protagonist which means that I am a natural born leader in any kind of situation. These are the reasons why I believe this job is suited for me.

Moreover, there are many interesting facts about how dentistry came to be. The oldest medical procedure was done back in 7000 B.C, introduced by the Indus Valley Civilization. (American Dental Education Association) But descriptions were not released until 5000 B.C, which talked all about why teeth rot. The Indus Valley Civilization was located in India and well known for their religious practices.(Ancient History Encyclopedia) The very first book that talked all about dentistry was called, “The Little Medical Book for all Kinds of Diseases and Infirmities of the Teeth,' published in 1530, which I believe ameliorated the education and assumptions of dentistry.

Furthermore, in 1723 a man named Pierre Fau, issued a book explaining ways to surgically fix teeth. This was the very first published book to elaborate about different ways to fix and take care of your teeth. I assume that at the time, this book was very influential to people wanting to take care/fix their teeth and helped the growth of this profession.

Another essential point is that the first dental college, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, opened in 1840, which changed the practice of dentistry immensely because now many people interested in dentistry could learn all about it and presented a whole other level of education to people at the time. However, because of the era where women were not allowed a fair amount of rights, was about the same time people were interested in dentistry, it was uncommon to see a woman employed as a dentist. Until, the first female dental assistant was employed in New Orleans, this changed and influenced many women across the United States to strive to become a dentist or specialize in any other profession. This inspires me because there was a time in our history where women were not allowed to pursue a career they enjoyed, and it makes me feel extremely grateful to be able to work towards becoming a pediatric dentist.

Additionally, there is a vast amount of education needed to become a pediatric dentist. To start my postsecondary plan, I want to attend the University of Oregon where I will be receiving my bachelor's degree majoring in healthcare or physics. In order to apply to a pediatric dentist program, I must have at least a bachelor's degree and complete several tests. One test for an example is called the Dental Admission Test (DAT), that decides whether you get accepted to a program. (Bureau of Labor Statistics) Once I complete and pass the test, I will be attending the University of Washington Pediatric Dentistry Program.

There I will be taking a wide variety of courses teaching me to apply anesthesia, study oral disease and radiology. There I will also be applying my knowledge to people under the supervision of a licensed dentist. After I complete the Pediatric Dentistry Program, I will be training for a couple more years where I plan to be a licensed pediatric dentist. In order to be a licensed pediatric dentist, I must complete all tests of the National Board Dental Examinations which include a clinical exam, education exam and a written exam and any other requirements from the state you will be licensed in. Once I have completed all exams to be licensed in Washington, Oregon, and California I will begin to look for job openings in those specific states.

Additionally, it is predicted that employment for a pediatric dentist will be up to about 7,300 by 2026, growing about 13%. (Bureau of Labor Statistics) As generations go on it is predicted for more dental work to be needed for children. I believe that this because people from all around the world are noticing how simple little things like brushing your teeth, could improve your overall health.

In conclusion, I will work as hard as I can to take in an immense amount of education needed to put a smile on many children’s faces. 

Did you like this example?

317

13