Dentistry as a Career

The demands for dental care by the public have increased annually. The three factors responsible for this situation are greater affluence, better education, and increased population growth. (Nevertheless, only about 50% of the general population sees a dentist with any regularity.) The response to the demand for increased dental care has been an increase in the number of patients handled by dentists. Nevertheless, it should be realized that the demand for dental services tends to fluctuate with changes in economic conditions. In any case, the national need for dental care will not only be maintained, but will probably be increased, thus suggesting an attractive future for most prospective members of the dental profession.

A note of caution is necessary, for in a recent report on employment prospects for dentists, the U.S. Department of Labor has said: “employment prospects to grow about as fast as average.… Increasingly abundant supply of practitioners will make it more difficult to start a practice. Competition for patients is likely to be intense in some localities, which could adversely affect earnings.”