Dentistry A Dying Profession?

Dentistry A Dying Profession? (Must Read)

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Are you considering pursuing a career in Dentistry and wanting to know if it is a Dying profession?

It’s a worthwhile question to ask before you sink a lot of time, effort and cost into studying.

So is Dentistry A Dying Career?

Dentistry is not a dying profession; there will always be a demand for dentists as long as people exist. Dentistry is a technical talent that cannot be automated, and clinical judgement nuances cannot be replaced. Dentists’ overall employment is expected to expand at a rate of 8% from 2020 to 2030, which is roughly the same as the average for all occupations.

According to a recent joint Oxford University and Deloitte study, computerisation has only a 2% probability of replacing dentistry over the next 20 years.

So there is a need for Dentists in the future. Increase as the number of persons over the age of 65 who require dental care grows.

Because each generation is more likely than the preceding to keep their teeth, more dental care will be required in the coming years. In addition, sophisticated dental work, such as dental implants and bridges, will see an increase in demand.

Oral cancer risks rise dramatically as people become older, and problems can necessitate both cosmetic and functional dental reconstruction.

Demand for Dentists will also be driven by the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

You make a comfortable living, with Dentistry still being a lucrative career, with the median annual wage for dentists being $164,010 in May 2020.

Will Dentists be replaced by Robots or A.I ? (Explained)

Robots have been playing a part in medicine and Dentistry for some years now. From digital impressions, digital milling to digital laser measurements. But will Robotics and A. I replace Dentists?

No, Dentist or A.I will not be replaced Dentistry Dentistry is a technical skill that can’t be replicated, and clinical judgement nuances can’t be replicated.

According to a McKinsey study, just 13% of dental activities can be automated. This suggests that the more dental work expertise and direct engagement with patients there is, the less likely it is that AI will be able to replace dentistry.

Human empathy and recognition cannot be read by robots. It will be a long time before a patient prefers a robot to a dentist.

If you had a choice to attend traditional dentistry or fully robotic dentistry that charge 1/2 cost, which one would you be comfortable attending?

I wouldn’t be comfortable attending a fully robotic dentist.

I do not think anyone considering a career in dentistry nowadays has to be concerned about Robots replacing dentists.

A.I and Robotics will not replace dentistry; rather, they will complement and enhance the profession.

Final Thoughts 

Dentistry is not a Dying career. Nor is Dentistry a useless career. Dentists have a bright future and will always be in demand as long as there are humans. Even if a miracle treatment for dental caries is discovered in the future, people will still have periodontitis, misaligned teeth, loose teeth for a variety of reasons, be born with certain deformed teeth, and so on.

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References

  • Dentists: Occupational Outlook Handbook:: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov)
  • Will a robot take your job? – BBC News