Level Up Your Dental Career: Strategies for Growth and Advancement

As many of you already reading this will already know, you will have spent the best part of seven to eight years of study in order to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. This is no mean feat, and for those who have spent all that time studying, stressing, and, of course, paying for the privilege of being able to earn the coveted title you have so diligently worked for, it's highly likely that you are interested in scaling up your career in order not just to earn the big bucks, but also perhaps to get to the stage where you can open your own dentistry practice and add the title of businesses owner to your already glowing list of accomplishments. While there are tumor options on hand to level up, this post is going to look at those that will most likely result in the sort of advancement that most are seeking so that you can gain a deeper understanding of what's involved and, therefore, how to get there.

Engage In Courses To Enhance Your Skills And Knowledge In Dentistry

The key to continuing growth is to add new skills to your repertoire regularly. Fortunately, when it comes to dentistry, you have an innumerable number of options to pursue based on your prior experience or desire to learn more. These can range from advanced sinus lift courses that utilize sophisticated technology that will raise your dentistry skills as well as your overall technical aptitude regarding advanced tools and systems to the highly lucrative (as long you can make a name for yourself) cosmetic surgery aimed at those seeking cosmetic and life-altering surgeries that boost their self-esteem. Moreover, this isn't an either-or sort of decision. The more you can add to your reserve of knowledge, the more prepared you will be when it comes time to niche down and really move outside of your usual circle of competence.

Define Clear Objectives For Your Dental Career

You can never truly advance until you know where you want to advance. Without having a clear objective or direction of travel, you run the risk of fumbling about in the dark and never reaching your true potential. It's ok to make mistakes along the way, but to go through your life only focusing on the latest and greatest shiny object will cause you to expend energy and money while ending up in the same position as when you started. Instead, it makes sense to take a step back and discuss with friends, family, and professional acquaintances what options are on your doorstep. After gaining some advice, you can begin to set up objectives and milestones to aim for, enabling you to move much quicker in your chosen direction. It's worth noting that you can still change lanes if new opportunities arise, but getting focused and having a fundamental understanding of what you want will help you to enroll in relevant courses and mingle with the right people.

Build Relationships With Colleagues To Open New Opportunities

Networking has always been a part of professional life as it allows you to meet other like-minded people who can open doors and provide highly relevant advice on various topics. You will have already developed a decently sized network throughout your time in school and university (and possibly during your current career), but joining any of the myriads of dentistry events will open new avenues that you might not have considered. Moreover, if you have the ambition to start your own practice, networking could help you meet potential future patterns, allowing you to spread the cost of opening a business and lead you to things far more significant than you might have ever been able to achieve by yourself. 

Regularly Research The Latest Advancements And Technologies

Medicine has always been based on the most cutting-edge technological breakthroughs, and dentistry is no different. By keeping yourself updated with the latest tech, you will give yourself a headstart for pretty much any option you want to choose. For instance, if you are looking to upgrade your career by joining a highly prestigious dentist practice, having an in-depth understanding of how the latest machines and techniques work will endear you to them far more than others who pay less attention. Conversely, if you want to set up your own business, it pays to know which machines and devices are worth investing in that can future-proof your practice and ensure that you receive the highest-paying clients who want the very best treatments.

Develop Strong Communication Abilities To Improve Patient Interactions

Just as with all medical disciplines, you exist to provide your patients with a medical procedure that they need or want. As such, anyone believing that they can walk around acting like Dr. House is in for a pretty immense shock that can even lead to severe disciplinary action that will set your career back for years, if not indefinitely. While that might be an extreme example, the point is that the more you are able to develop your interpersonal skills, the better off you will be in the long run. This also extends to your colleagues and potential staff members if you go down the self-employed route. Although this is typically something that you will learn along the way, there are management and interpersonal skill courses that could prove valuable if you have the time and predilection to take them. Nevertheless, in most cases, it tends only to involve being personable and open to hearing what others have to say, and even if you disagree, knowing how to relay your thoughts in a way that doesn't seem crass and abrasive. 

Take Out A Loan To Set Up Your Own Practice

If you have already earned your wings and gone through the rigors of dentistry trench warfare in local hospitals and private clinics, it might be time to open your very own business. This can be a terrifying prospect to most people, particularly those who have spent so long studying a trade that is entirely focused on people over business methodology. Nevertheless, this is, in many ways, the holy grail of career advancement and, when done well, can set you up for life. However, getting started is the challenging part, and in most situations, you will need initial capital to rent premises and invest in equipment. Nevertheless, once you've taken out your loan and started starting the patients coming through the door (and becoming regulars), it is ultimately worth the stress of going down this path.

Advancing one's career, regardless of industry, is something that most folks want to pursue. When it comes to dentistry, the suggestions in this post are merely the start, and you will need to choose your direction of travel to ensure you end up in the position that you deserve based on the effort you put in.