Dentists head up a team of healthcare professionals that include dental nurses and hygienists. They provide oral and dental healthcare to people of all ages throughout their lifespan including those with special needs. Dentists diagnose and treat problems in the mouth, teeth and gums including filling cavities, fitting crowns and bridges. They perform surgical procedures such as dental implants and tooth extraction. As dental science has advanced there is greater emphasis on disease prevention so they have an important role in educating their patients on good dental hygiene.
Training to be a dentist is very practical with lots of hands-on detailed work calling for good manual dexterity. Ensuring that your patients are relaxed and confident during their treatment requires empathy, good communication skills and a reassuring presence. It is a very satisfying career where through your expertise you can really help improve a patient’s oral health.
There is a worldwide demand for dentists and good career prospects. Dentists work in public and private dental services providing healthcare to the community. There are many areas where with postgraduate training you can specialise. These include oral surgery, paediatric dentistry working with children in a variety of clinical settings and orthodontics treating misalignments of the teeth and jaw. Some dentists chose to pursue a career in education or academic research.
It takes five years to qualify as a dentist and on completion you are eligible to register with the Dental Council of Ireland. Further information is available from Careers in Dentistry
Two colleges in Ireland offer undergraduate programmes
Dental Nurses
Dental nurses are an integral part of the dentist’s healthcare team and work in partnership with the dentist to provide patient care in General Dental Surgeries, Dental Hospitals, HSE Dental Clinics or Specialist surgeries. They are responsible for ensuring the Dentist or Oral Surgeon’s operating list runs smoothly during the course of a clinical session.
This includes ensuring that all the instrumentation is correct and has been thoroughly sterilised, all radiographs and case notes are prepared for the clinical session, necessary lab work/results are available, the dental surgery/operating room is clean and equipment is in good working order and all general administrative and office work is up to date. Dental nurses are also involved in assisting with suction during dental procedures.e.g. cleaning, scaling and polishing of teeth and offering emotional support to patients who are anxious about their dental treatment. They need to have good organisational skills and the ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
It takes two years to train as a dental nurse. A list of dental nursing courses is available here. If you are already working in a dental practice the National Dental Nurse training programme of Ireland offers a sixteen month part-time programme for trainee dental nurses The course starts in september. Further information is available here. Further information from the Irish Dental Nurses Association is available here
Dental Hygienist
Dental hygienists are concerned with the general health of people's teeth and gums. The dentist sees the patient first and then, if it is appropriate, passes them on to the hygienist to carry out treatment. Hygienists scale, clean and polish teeth as well as apply substances such as fluorides and fissure sealant to prevent decay.
Hygienists also advise patients on how to take care of their teeth. They tell them about suitable diets and show them how to brush their teeth properly and how to use dental floss and mouth rinses. Sometimes hygienists visit schools or clinics to talk to groups of people about oral health. For this part of the work, hygienists need to be clear in their explanations and able to convince different audiences about the importance of dental care. A dental hygienist working in a hospital would do all of the above types of work as well as working with patients undergoing surgery or having corrective dental treatment. With this group of patients, the dental hygienist aims to keep the mouth in a healthy condition.
It takes two years to train as a dental hygienist and entry is competitive. Applications are considered from Leaving Certificate students or mature applicants with appropriate experience. A qualification as a dental nurse can be an advantage.
Two colleges in Ireland offer undergraduate courses in Dental Hygiene
Trinity College DublinApplications are via the Central Applications Office
University College Cork Apply direct to the college not via the CAO
Further information on a career as a Dental Hygienist is available here