How I Did It: Dentistry

Dr. Owusu is an American trained dentist practicing in Ghana, West Africa

1) How and why did you choose this career? 

I’ve always wanted to be a doctor since I was a young boy but had no idea what kind I wanted to be. I recall the days when my mom used to take me to see my cousin who was a medical doctor and I found myself so intrigued by seeing him in his white lab coat and assured myself that I would wear one of those white coats someday. 

I had no clue I was going to be a Dental Surgeon until my third year in undergrad at William Paterson University of New Jersey. It was during this time that I had a one on one chat with my school counselor regarding all the various health professions. Upon going through the dental profession discussion, I became very much enlightened about the field and immediately enthralled with it. However I decided not to put all my eggs in one basket so I made up my mind to apply to different professions as well.  I took the DAT, the entrance exam for dental school, applied to a few dental schools, as well as applied to the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. I was accepted into podiatry school while waiting for dental school interviews. I had my first two interviews with University of Louisville and Howard University, got an acceptance email from Howard University within days, immediately followed by an acceptance letter from Louisville. I decided to cancel my remaining interviews and prayed to God to lead me into choosing a school. After careful contemplation, I decided to decline podiatry school since my heart was not into it. I finally decided on Howard Dental School because it was close to home and also wanted to attend a historical black college.

 So many things led me into choosing this profession including the fact that I would be able to put smiles on people’s faces and restore their self-esteem. Secondly, it’s a profession where you can pick and choose your own desire working hours and have good quality time for family. Lastly, it gives me the opportunity to educate and assist in oral health awareness to underprivileged communities in sub-Saharan Africa where I’m originally from.

2) What is a typical work day?

My day starts from 9:00am and ends at 5:30pm with 45 minutes lunch break or sometimes no break at all depending on the schedule. I work in a private setting and schedule appointments for all my own patients. I also welcome walk-ins and emergency cases during the day. My work load includes anything in the general dentistry field except orthodontic cases. I do fillings, veneers, extractions, crowns and bridges, child fluoride treatment, scaling and polishing, deep cleaning, laser teeth whitening, exams and consult, root canals, pulpotomies, pulpectomies, complete and partial dentures etc. Cases that need referrals are always taken care of by specialists around me.

3) What is the most and least rewarding aspect of your profession? 

The most rewarding aspect which I cherish is the fact that I am providing care which leads to putting smiles on my patient’s faces and restoring their self-esteem. It’s always a pleasure to see my patients feeling good and having a good smile. Also, I am able to relieve my patients from extreme pain. I am yet to encounter the least rewarding aspect of my profession.

4) What educational requirements are necessary for dentistry?

First and foremost, to be able to get admission into dental school one needs to complete the necessary basic science and math requirements. You can actually take the necessary science and apply without completing undergrad or getting an undergrad degree so long as you have the required science classes and get a good score on the dental admission test (DAT), you are good to go. Most students always prefer to complete their first degree in the sciences and then apply. It doesn’t matter which science major you do in undergrad as long as the admission requirements are met. As for myself is completed a Bachelor of Science in Biology. 
The DAT is a major part of the admission requirements. Getting a good score is ideal for optimizing your chances of getting admission. 

5) Would you choose this care if you could make the decision again?

Without a heartbeat I would say yes. There is a great feeling associated with this profession when you are able to restore an individuals smile, self-esteem and give them their life back.

6) What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were contemplating your career? 

I would have take a  few business classes to broaden and sharpen my business knowledge since running a private dental clinic is a business on its own.

7) Are there any trends in your profession that concern you? What is the future for this field? 

Absolutely. More science students are now moving towards dentistry because of its prospective future outlook and the flexibility that comes with the career. As a result, admission is now more competitive compared to some years back when people looked down on the profession. The future for the field is bright as technology is playing a big part in many treatment advances.

8) Career and life balance- is it possible?

The main reason many people choose dentistry is because of its flexibility in maintaing a working and private life balance.  As a private practice dentist you have the opportunity to pick and choose your desired working days and hours resulting in making time for family life and other personal things.

9) Average Salary

The average net income for an independent private general  practitioner in 2009 was $192,680 for and $305,820 for a specialist as stated on the ADA website. The bureau of labor statistics states that the general dentists on salaried income earned up to an average of $101,000 a year, as of June 2nd, 2012. The earning power of dentist varies on a number of variables like experience, location, the amount of hours worked and their specialization.

10) Any websites you would recommend?

American Dental Association
American Student Dental Association
National Dental Association