There are many freshly passed dentists who think they have missed the bus. That is if they weren’t in a position to do their University conducted post graduate Masters Residency program. Well at the root of the frustration is the argument that patients would prefer postgraduate Masters to treat their teeth and gums over bachelor degree holders, and the graduate practitioners would be left in the lurch! And almost as a corollary the Masters would get married to other Masters reducing the bandwidth of choices available to Bachelors! All social recognition would go to the Masters and none would come the way of the Bachelors! Life, as the Bachelor perceives, would be dull, low class, low on power and devoid of prestige. With little to no recognition it would cease to be fun and rapidly spiral down to a drab monotonous affair. Nothing could be further from the truth!
My argument is, if you did do your Masters residency degree, fine. But if you haven’t, you can more than make up.
Don’t believe me?
Well do this simple exercise. Open any standard dental textbook. See the list of authors, co authors and contributors. See how many writers have a D.D.S., D.M.D., B.D.S.*, or any other baccalaureate dental degree enlisted. A large majority of the authors are baccalaureates! Look around and observe keenly some of the greatest achievers in dentistry are Bachelor degree holders.
They are graduate dentists who have excelled, both in their clinical practice and the academic world. What can take a graduate dentist up there in the list of who’s who in the dental world? Sheer determination and passion for excellence!
In practice that passion for excellence would translate into subscribing to dental journals and magazines and reading of dental literature, attending lectures, workshops, hands on training programs and continuous training and keeping abreast with the latest in the field of dentistry and allied fields like medicine for example and pursuing additional qualifications like post graduate programs like continuing education, certification, diplomas, fellowships, memberships and accreditation held by various dental bodies and Universities all over the world.
Success needs single minded devotion and sacrifice. It doesn’t matter if you have a Bachelors or Masters degree in hand. Either way you can still succeed!
*D.D.S. and D.M.D. are both University first level degrees awarded to dental college students in the USA, essentially both are the same.
P.S.: This blog was originally published on January 12, 2012, on this very website. We are reposting it as we believe its message remains vital for Gen Z dentists, offering timeless wisdom and inspiration for their journey.
Author: Dr. Sanjay Jamdade is a senior practitioner practicing implantology, oral rehabilitation, conservative dentistry, and endodontics, with over 35 years of exemplary service in advancing dental care. He has been a speaker on dental implantology and a respected visiting implantologist across various clinics in Maharashtra, his expertise is widely recognized. Currently serving as the CEO of Dr. S.D. Jamdade Dental Clinic, he leads an establishment renowned for its excellence in aesthetic dentistry, microscope-assisted endodontics, dental implants, and comprehensive oral rehabilitation. Strategically situated near the prestigious Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Tarapur Atomic Power Station (TAPS) in Boisar, Taluka Palghar, District Palghar, the clinic stands as a trusted bastion of high-quality dental care. For professional inquiries or consultations, Dr. S. D. Jamdade may be contacted via email at sanjayjamdade@gmail.com