Dentistry is a rewarding career that involves maintaining oral health through medical advice, cleaning teeth, filling cavities, and performing oral surgery. Dental training includes a four-year undergraduate course followed by a two- to three-year course in orthodontics. Undergraduate dental internships can be local or international and involve preparing equipment and supplies, interacting with patients, and performing basic medical procedures. Office jobs and residency programs are also available for those who want to gain more experience. International internships are generally unpaid, and participants may incur travel costs.
Many people find dentistry to be a rewarding career. Dentists serve to maintain the oral health of their patients, which includes medical advice, cleaning teeth, filling cavities and performing oral surgery. Dental training consists of a four-year undergraduate course, followed by a two- to three-year course in orthodontics. Some undergraduate students participate in dental internships to gain work experience and improve their dental school applications.
Undergraduate dental internships can be local or international. To apply for these programs, students must have very good grades in a pre-dental college track. Duties of students participating in dental internships include preparing equipment and supplies, mixing materials, interacting with patients, performing basic medical procedures, and assisting physicians with more complex procedures. Local internships can be paid or unpaid, and paid positions are generally aimed at students with more experience or who can dedicate more time. Local dental internships usually require participants to work at least eight hours a week.
Office jobs are also a common option for graduate interns. While these positions offer less medical interaction with patients, they help interns understand the business side of running a dental office while also exposing various orthodontic procedures. Typical responsibilities of in-office dental internships include data entry, billing, customer service, scheduling appointments, and resolving patient insurance issues.
Another option for undergraduate students in dentistry is to participate in international internships in dentistry. These programs take place largely in rural areas of countries that lack advanced medical systems. International participants will have a much more involved role in patient care than students participating in local internships, due to the limited number of dentists in the locations they serve. Students planning to live abroad after graduation often find this type of internship to be a particularly helpful experience.
International internships are generally unpaid and participants may incur part or all of the travel costs. Most organizers and participants see these programs as a combination of volunteer work and education. Programs can last from one to three months. Some programs offer additional benefits such as language training or cultural experiences.
Residency programs may be an option for those who have already completed dental school but want additional experience to enhance their resumes. Residents are expected to work full-time and often move between several specialist facilities or through a variety of practices. Residency programs are offered by hospitals and large private practices, help dentists gain the hands-on experience needed to practice themselves, and are required for professional licensure in some areas.
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