Dental student Dian Kenny recounts his reasons for pursuing a career in dentistry.
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I get asked a lot why I chose dentistry. For me it came down to lifestyle, purpose and the type of work I enjoy. Dentistry offers flexibility, which suits how I want to live one day. It’s a professional job, highly respected in the community, but still allows you to have balance outside of work.
If you break down the word DENTIST, it sums up exactly why I chose it.
- D – Doctor
- E – Engineer
- N – Nutritionist
- T – Therapist
- I – Investigator
- S – Scientist
- T – Teacher
When you really think about it, we fit into all of those roles daily. One moment you’re diagnosing like a doctor, the next you’re shaping teeth like an engineer. You give lifestyle advice, calm anxious patients, investigate symptoms, apply science and then teach them how to look after their oral health. The variety keeps it interesting.
The salary definitely helps, but what really drew me is the constant progression. Dentistry is full of new technology, new equipment and new techniques. There’s always something to learn, always a new toy to play with.
But at the end of the day, the biggest reason is the impact. That moment when someone walks out smiling after years of hiding their teeth or leaves pain free after struggling for days, that instant gratitude makes it worth it. You can change someone’s appearance or confidence in a single session. That’s why I chose dentistry.
By Dian Kenny, a final year dentistry student at the University of the Western Cape
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