today IDEM Singapore April 8, 2016

science & practice 8 IDEM Singapore 2016—8 April nDentistry is not just one of the most rewarding professions, but also one with a much broader scope of practice than ever before. Young dental professionals who have finished their studies and re- ceived their diplomas will have to individually decide which career pathway to choose. This choice is exciting,andalsodifficult,asthere are numerous options and oppor- tunities to consider. The transition from dental stu- dent to a young working dental professional requires extensive adjustment. During university, students are told how to work, what to learn and what goals they need to fulfill. During practical work on a patient they are super- vised by experienced dentists. As a working professional, it is now up to each individual to assess pa- tients on their own and to judge their needs and treat them accordingly. It is not just dental skills that are put to the test, however, as there are also other important skills that a working professional will need to have. These may be skills that are not taught at dental school, like how to communicate with the patient, co-workers and assistants, as well as financial as- pectsandlegalissuesinthedental clinic. It is a huge challenge to act correctlyandappropriatelywhich can be overwhelming for some in- dividuals. To be aware of those re- quirementsisthefirststeptoasuc- cessful transition. Everygraduateddentalstudent hastodecidewhereandhowtoem- bark on their professional career. The majority of young dental pro- fessionals lay the foundation of their careers in private or public dental clinics, but some also stay at the university to engage in research or teaching careers. Whichever way is chosen at this stage, it does not need to be the fi- nal decision. Pathways can be changed and new roads can be ex- plored but the decision should be thought through, as the first year(s)inanyprofessionformsand influences the future career path. Working in a dental office out- side the university provides multi- pleoptionsandopportunities.Den- talpracticescomeineverysizeand shape. There are small clinics and very large practices. Some have a specialisation or orientation, oth- ers are general dentistry practices. Each model has, for every individual, certain advantages and disadvantages, depending on one’sexpectationsandgoals.Abig- ger clinic, with more dentists, usu- ally gives everyone more flexibil- ityinrelationtoworkinghours,va- cationplanning,andincaseofsick- ness. Smaller teams can have the advantage of being forced to step up and take more responsibility, from which great knowledge can be gained in living the motto: “learning by doing”. Working in a clinic that has a certain specializa- tion will help a young graduate, if they wish to specialize in the same field, as knowledge can be gained during the daily workflow and, in combination with a postgraduate course, it can make the perfect choice. To choose the right clinic can be challenging and sometimes the best choice is to go with one’s ‘gut-feeling’. Your purpose of specialisation A lot of young dentists want to specializeinoneofthemanyfields of dentistry. After the decision is made on the area in which to spe- cialize, they should take their time toworkoutwhatistherightpathof specialization for them. What is their goal after specialization? What is the specialization to be usedfor;toworkinaprivatedental clinicorestablishone’sownclinic? Gointoresearchandeducationata university?Andwhatisthegoalfor the practice? There are so many programmes on the market and it is not always the best decision to go for the most expansive, most time consumingorfortheonethatisthe furthest away from home. Even though there are courses and postgraduate education pro- grammesallaroundtheworld,alot of young dentists leave their home country to gain experience and specialisation abroad. That can be an amazing experience and much canbegainedfromit.However,itis nottherightchoiceforeveryoneas it can hold more challenges and risks than might be first expected. Studying or working abroad needs to be thought through and well planned, otherwise it can very eas- ily end in a major disappointment. At first, working abroad seems to be a great opportunity and just as exciting and it sure can be this but it does not have to be that way. An accurate assessment, of the goals and the desired outcome of a life in adifferentcountry,needstobecon- ducted. Othersmaydecidetoopentheir own dental clinic or take over an existing one. Running one’s own business is a great opportunity to work in a comfortable work envi- ronment because it is self-created. Aligning a dental office to individ- ual expectation, and having a fi- nancially successful and well-run clinic,canbechallenging.Likeany otherbusiness,strategiesandstan- dard operating procedures in vari- ous fields need to be established. It is not only the clinical abilities of the dentist that are important. Equally important are economic factors like analysis of the local conditions, human resource man- agement, marketing strategies and legal guidelines. With so many exciting opportu- nities in the dental field, and so many different options of how and where to work, it is easy to lose trackaboutotherimportantthings in life. Time with family and friendsortimeforleisureactivities isveryimportant.Inordertofinda healthy balance between fulfilling careergoalsandhavingrewarding down-time is the key to a happy and healthy life. It makes sense to take the time to reflect on the past and think about future expecta- tions of life and, perhaps, write those down to keep them in mind. During these decision-making processes, of all the possible choices that have to be made the most important factor that should be considered is one’s private life, and what one wants in life.7 Career opportunities and work-life balance in dentistry By Dr Christine Bellmann ©Andrey_Popov/Shutterstock.com 5 Dr Christine Bellmann is director of Dental Gateway, a global dental consulting agency. OnSaturday,shewillbepresentingapaperat the New Dentist Forum as part of the IDEM 2016 congress programme. Booth 4M-22 Interdental Brushes Explore the range at www.tepe.com AD TDI0616_08_Science 01.04.16 11:36 Seite 8 TDI0616_08_Science 01.04.1611:36 Seite 8

today IDEM Singapore April 8, 2016

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