Remuneration

In government hospitals, freshly trained dentists start on Rs 6,000 a month (including allowances), while in private practice it could be from Rs 3,500 to Rs 4,000. Postgraduate degree holders can expect to start on Rs 7,000 plus.

PRESSURES

Dentistry is very hard work that requires craftsmanship and skill as much as theoretical knowledge. Work as a dentist requires long hours on one's feet, often dealing with fussy, exacting, or frightened patients. 

The responsibility involved is tremendous, as is the workload, considering the dearth of good dentists in the country. Added to this, lack of proper infrastructure, equipment, and trained staff in some of the newer branches like oral surgery, can prove frustrating.

REWARDS

As in other branches of medicine-or for that matter, any profession involving a great deal of interaction with people there can be few experiences more rewarding than knowing that one's skills have helped to relieve another's discomfort or to resolve a problem. For those in private practice, the monetary benefits also compensate to a large extent, the long hours of hard work.