Nazanin Heidari shares the highs and the lows of transitioning from dental student to dentist after graduating.
The transition from dental student to qualified dentist is one of the biggest and most challenging steps in a dental career. While graduation marks the end of years of hard work, it also signals the beginning of a completely new experience – one that is exciting, rewarding and, at times, pressurised. As a student, much of your clinical dentistry takes place in a protected environment. There is always a supervisor to guide you, check your work and step in when things do not go to plan. Once you qualify, that level of support naturally changes.
You are suddenly responsible for your own decisions, treatment plans and outcomes. Patients no longer see you as a student; they see you as their dentist. That shift in responsibility can feel daunting at first, and it takes time to adjust to the confidence and accountability that come with the role. At the same time, there is a real sense of achievement in finally being able to practise independently.
The spice of life
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