There are as many reasons to be a dentist as there are dentists. It is a career that provides plenty of rewards and challenges as well as an opportunity to help people and make communities healthier places. 

Dentists play a key role in the early detection of oral cancer and other systemic conditions of the body that manifest themselves in the mouth. They often identify other health conditions, illnesses, and other problems that sometimes show up in the oral cavity before they are identified in other parts of the body.

What does a Dentist do?

•  Evaluates the overall health of their patients while advising them about oral health and disease prevention.
•  Performs clinical procedures, such as exams, fillings, crowns, implants, extractions and corrective surgeries.
•  Identifies, diagnoses and treats oral conditions.
•  Performs general dentistry or practices in one of nine dental specialties.

Advances in dental research, including genetic engineering, the discovery of links between oral and systemic diseases, the development of salivary diagnostics and the continued development of new materials and techniques, make dentistry an exciting, challenging and rewarding profession.