motivation to study dentistry Flashcards
why dentistry?
- creative career- portrayed through manual dexterity- jewellery, sewing
- doctor/patient relationship
- work-life balance
- link to WE- stressful but enjoyable and exciting- meet new patients, work collabiratively with team, support patients
why did you choose dentistry over other healthcare professions?
- doctor/patient relationships- link to Aisha
- work-life balance
- artistic career/ manual dexterity
What do you find most interesting about the field of dentistry?
- influence of mouth on rest of body- eating, speaking, breathing
- see people from various backgrounds e.g. someone from town with/without fluoridated water
-various specialties
- blend of art & science
How do you see dentistry evolving in the next decade, and how do you plan to contribute to that evolution?
- technology advancements e.g. AI
- talk about article
- can be used for digital imaging, laster treatment, whitening
- WE intraoral scanner
- read articles
- attend conferences, workshops
- engage in discussions with other dentists
What did you learn from your dental work experience?
- doctor interactions- empathetic, kind
- various specialities- ortho, paeds, oral surgery
- x-rays, impressions, cleaning
- teamwork between nurse and dr
- how to deal with difficult patients
What is the role of prevention in dentistry?
- aims to prevent dental problems- reduce future costly treatments, reduce oral health issues
-e.g. teach how to brush and floss- reduce risk of cavities
- advise patients of sugar alternatives, when to brush etc
what are your hobbies?
- art
- making jewellery
- Gym
- meeting friends
Can you describe a time when you had to work under pressure and how you handled it?
- art club- kid cut finger with etching tool, everyone shouting
- wrapped in paper towel and applied pressure
- accidentally sat in paint, stayed calm, got teacher and first aid kit then cleaned up mess
- important to stay calm as dentist, patience, take breaths and keep focused
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the dental profession today, and how do you plan to address them?
- variety of unhealthy snacks, high sugar content- leads to cavities especially in kids
- cities without fluoridated water
address:
- advise reduced sugar intake, brushing and flossing
- ensure brushing 2x a day, toothpaste has fluoride so is very important if water is not fluoridated
What is the most important thing you hope to achieve as a dentist?
- improve self-confidence- repair smiles
- improve oral health in general pop.
- care for patients, help those struggling to maintain good health
How do you plan to stay current and continue to learn throughout your career as a dentist?
- stay up to date with latest research, tech advancements
- participate in dental events e.g. attend conferences
- read books and articles about dentistry- talk about AI article
- dentsoc- host events, bring in speakers, skills tuts
- engage in discussions with other dentists
- ask for feedback from dentists and patients- reflect on feedback
How do you approach time management and prioritisation in your academic and personal life?
- LISTS- to do lists
- write down eveything so i can lay it all out then organise into right order
- try to complete work the day its given
- time tables
- important as dentist to be organised and stay on top of different taks
Can you describe a situation where you had to work collaboratively with others to achieve a goal, and what you learned from that experience?
- DofE- mapping and planning routes
- got lost on sliver- worked together to read map and find our way back on route
or bake sale charity com
- meetings and designating roles
- assemblies and posters
- selling
-
What do you think is the role of dentistry in improving overall health and well-being?
- maintaining healthy teeth- if damaged/missing then it is difficult to chew and swallow-> malnutrition, leads to greater issues e.g. reduced muscle strength, weakened immune system
-appearance- damaged teeth, poor oral health, can cause low self esteem
healthy smile can boost self confidence
How do you plan to use your skills as a dentist to contribute to your community?
- help improve oral health of general pop.
- advise patients e.g. teach how to brush, floss, sugar alternatives
- outreach clinics
Can you describe a time when you had to communicate complex information to someone with little knowledge of dentistry?
- family and friends
- UDA system
- explaining to family
- broke it down into the bands, stated changes made in Nov 2023 to band 2, problems with UDA system etc..
-explaining complex treatment to patients as dentist- ask follow up questions- ensue they know risks and benefits- informed consent
What do you think is the biggest misconception about dentistry, and how do you plan to address it?
- that dentists are scary and going to the dentist is painful
- leads to dental anxiety and fear, people visiting dentist less
- show my support, be empathetic and reassure patients through treatment
- show not scary but instead just want to help
- fun acitivities and distractions- stickers for kids, talk about wheres wally puzzle
How do you approach learning from your mistakes, and what have you learned from past experiences?
- identify where i went wrong
- reflect on why i went wrong and what i would do to prevent that reoccuring
- e.g. test went badly- highlight my mistakes, understand why e.g. misunderstood, lack of revision, than make note of how to improve e.g. exam questions, ask teacher
What do you think is the most important ethical consideration in dentistry, and how do you plan to address it in your practice?
- patient health and well-being- patient is top priority
address by:
- ensuring they’re comfortable
- respecting autonomy
- beneficence- doing whats in patients best interest
- non-maleficence- doing nothing to harm them
- ask if they’re okay
Can you describe a situation where you had to make a difficult ethical decision in a healthcare setting?
Can you describe a situation where you had to be adaptable and flexible in your approach to a problem or situation in a healthcare setting?
- volunteering at care home
- residents with hearing problems, would have to speak quite loudly, wouldn’t always understand me
- sat closer, spoke slowly and loudly, ensured hearing aids were working, tried rephrasing using simpler words
tell me about a professional mistake you made and how you addressed it.
why dentistry and not medicine?
- patient relationships: regular checkups, develop patient trust- talk about Ayesha
- work-life balance: time for family & friends, things you enjoy- important for mental health to fully support your patients
- artistic: dentists work on small scales, range of materials- challenges manual dex more than medicine
