CONGRATS You Graduated ! Now what? - PART I
The past few months we have have been constantly flooded with queries from a particular group- fresh dental graduates about job openings. We get questions about what they can do next following their BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) degree. Bangalore is filling ( or already filled ?) to the brim with its share of dental professionals and people are more confused than ever about the next step.
Now speaking to the graduates directly- You have spent the last 5 years of your life studying day and night, learning, taking countless exams and exposing yourself to all kinds of environments and people. Now what? Are you happy with just this undergraduate degree? Do you want to specialise? Do you want to work out of the country or closer home in a different state? Or you realised clinical dentistry is not for you and want to pursue something else? We were in this exact position a few years ago and we found our calling- maybe some things we learnt along the way will help you.
The process of figuring out your next move after BDS starts before you finish BDS- you should likely start thinking about this in your fourth year since you have been exposed to clinical dentistry in your third. At this time talk to your teachers and if you’re one of the lucky few who have family members in the field- they are the best people to get advice from. One thing that no one told us when we were studying and honestly if its one piece of advice we want you to take away from this article is that- start making connections while you’re in dental school! Knowing people will make your life easier and get more patients into your practice.
Now you have decided to pursue clinical dentistry- start shadowing experienced dentists in their clinics! This should ideally start immediately after you finish your fourth year exams. If you are not sure about which area you want to specialise in- visit many clinics and talk to the specialists. Most dentists are always willing to meet with dental students. Look professional and treat it like a job interview - you never know. If you make a good impression this may be the clinic you end up spending a good amount of time in.
At this point- please do not care about the pay. You are there to LEARN! We cannot tell you how many people have not got a call back after their interview with us because their first question to us is about their salary. It shows the employer that you do not care about the work. Before you enter any clinic/ send your resume- do your research about the clinic and the doctors. See what their specialisation is and if it is what you’re interested in.
If you can (and you’re lucky) try and find a mentor. Someone who can tell you the good, bad and the ugly side of dentistry. This person should be seasoned in their field and you should be patient and willing to learn everything. However do not put all your eggs in one basket- work in many clinics as you can while justifying the work done in each. We have worked in all sorts of clinics and with people who have very different ideas on how to run a dental practice. Take what you like from each and form you style - it has helped us immensely in the operations of Summit Dental Clinic.
This is just Part I of the Graduation series- stay tuned for what you should be focusing on if if you don’t want to pursue clinical practice or if you want to study more/ work out of the country.