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What Is a Part Time Dentist and How to Become One

Part Time Dentist

What Does a Part-Time Dentist Do?

As a part-time dentist, you provide oral care to patients. Your responsibilities include informing patients about dental care and diet choices that affect oral health and advising patients on proper teeth cleaning. You administer treatments for cavities and tooth decay, perform tooth whitening and examinations of the mouth, and prescribe antibiotics. Your duties also include removing, cleaning, and repairing teeth. Working part-time, your schedule and hours vary. You might fill in for a full-time dentist or share an office with other part-time dentists. The flexible schedule allows you to continue your education or pursue other passions simultaneously.

How Can I Get a Part-Time Job as a Dentist?

The qualifications you need for a career as a part-time dentist include a Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry degree and a passing score on your state’s dental board exams. Periodontics, anatomy, and biology are all fields of study in a dentistry program. A medical doctor degree is often necessary, along with a residency in a CODA. Essential skills include the ability to perform an x-ray, in-depth knowledge of dentistry tools, and excellent communication skills. This is often a career path that an experienced dentist moves into as they move towards retirement, but you can also find part-time roles that may eventually lead to a full-time position.