Nobody tells you this before joining dentistry.
Five years of studying. Lakhs spent on fees. And at the end of it — limited government jobs, saturated private clinics, MDS seats that feel almost impossible to get, and salaries that don’t match the years of effort put in.
I’m still a student. But I see my seniors struggling and I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t make me question things.
Some are preparing for NBDE or ORE to move abroad. Some are doing MBA to shift completely out of clinical practice. Some are exploring medical writing, clinical research, healthcare content. And some are still holding on — believing clinical dentistry in India will stabilize.
Honestly? I don’t know who’s making the smarter choice.
What I do know is that this conversation needs to happen more openly in dental schools — instead of pretending everyone will land a great clinical career if they just work hard enough.
If you could go back — would you still choose dentistry? And do you think clinical dental practice in India has a stable future, or is exploring other paths the smarter move now?
MBH/DB
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I love the clinical field but I do know that there is very less scope in India for dentistry
I would never choose dentistry again after so much hard work and investment of time and money we get nothing in return.
Even though I love clinical work but even after practicing for years people don’t pay you enough.
As a BSMS graduate, this hits home. I’ve asked myself similar questions about career stability and opportunities. It reminds me that this uncertainty isn’t unique to one profession, many of us in healthcare are navigating the same reality.
In past 10 Dentistry changed a lot, before it dentistry actually earns a lot but now. There is too much saturation, because of enormous increase in private dental colleges, there are more number of passouts than jobs available in market. And In clinical practice hospital don’t pay you that much. And own practice comes with its risk. Now most of the turning towards non clinical roles.
Exactly the point at which today i am!
Sometimes it feels like do i have wasted my previous 5 years and if not than what is the worth of those 5 years.
This is so relatable. I didn’t realise this until after getting some work experience and saw how overworked and underpaid associate dentists were in private clinics. It was a tough call after all the time and efforts put into a career but i just couldn’t see myself doing it long term.