Visiting a Dentist for your teeth is important for the health, and regular visits should start from the time that you are a young child. These visits often occur at a pediatric dentist, who specializes in the oral health of children.
The reason why a pediatric dentist is important is because most baby teeth start popping through the gums around six months of age. It is recommended that he or she start seeing one early so that early decay can be prevented before they start falling out around age six.
If you would like to pursue a career as a pediatric dentist the first things you need to do is graduate from high school and get your diploma. Then, you will need to earn your undergraduate degree from an accredited college, followed by four years of dental school. During this time, you will gain experience working with children, infants, teenagers, and children with special needs.
As a pediatric dentist you will be specialized to work with children and perform several services, including health examinations, preventive care, fluoride treatments, and counseling for bad habits, such as thumb and pacifier sucking. Your job will also include working with an orthodontist to correct improper bites with orthodontic treatments in older children, diagnose possible diabetes, repair cavities, warn of and manage gum disease, and properly care for injured teeth.
One of the benefits of this career is that you can choose to work anywhere in the country and often work with pediatricians to help care for the health of young children. If you desire a career as a pediatric dentist, and you live in the United States, you should expect to earn between $90,000 and $300,000 a year. How much you make is affected by several factors, including where in the country you work, what type of office you work in, how much experience and training you have, and how specialized you are in your field.
If you have a desire to work with children and care about their tooth and gum health, then becoming a pediatric dentist may be just the career you are looking for.