Getting Into Dentistry

Becoming a dentist in Nigeria is not a process that happens suddenly.

Basically, a degree from a recognised dental school is required to practice dentistry. Depending on which dental school they attend, general dentists often earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery(DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine(DMD) degree. The degrees are essentially the same, with the exception of the nomenclature.

Both receive nearly identical training and schooling. Typically, dental school is a four-year graduate degree.

Dental school acceptance requires a bachelor’s degree, and passage of the DAT (Dental Admissions Test). Other requirements differ, but in general, dental schools, like medical schools, assess a variety of variables when selecting applicants, including grades, coursework, extracurricular activities, essays, admissions test scores, references, and personal interviews.

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Skill Required

You must first determine whether you have a passion for dentistry and whether it is the proper career route for you before applying to become a dentist in Nigeria.

As a result, you will need to show that you’re a skilled communicator because you’ll be interacting with patients and their families. You will also need some artistic abilities to succeed in this field.

Market Demand

Dentists have always been in high demand in Nigeria. The demand for these specialists is likely to rise as the population expands. The field is predicted to increase at a rate of 16 per cent, which is deemed ‘faster than usual.’  Three out of every four dentists work alone.

In addition, technological advancements in this industry may necessitate the hiring of more professionals to run some equipment and perform challenging dental procedures.

Furthermore, because the majority of the population lives in cities, more hands may be necessary in these locations.

Profitability

Dentistry is a very lucrative profession in Nigeria if approached correctly and with foresight. They are paid the same as medical physicians and can make a lot of money in their own practice. Dentists are wealthy, and one of Nigeria’s wealthiest doctors is a practising dental surgeon.

A Dentist with 0-2 years of experience in Nigeria earns around N292,000 per month. A dentist with 2-5 years of experience earns around N392,000 per month. When compared to someone with less than two years of experience, there is a 34 per cent increase.

A dentist with 5-10 years of experience could be paid N510,000 per month. Also, keep in mind that dentists in private practice often make more than dentists who works for the government.

Licensing and Certification for Dentists

In Nigeria, a dentist must be licensed to practice in all 36 states of the federation. In some cases, graduates may be required to take the MDCN’s Assessment Examination.

SOURCE: CampusTimesNG