The Dental Industry

The earliest evidence that we have of dentistry being practiced goes back to 7000 BC and the Indus Valley civilization of Pakistan. The first dental school was the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery this opened in Maryland, America in 1840. Before this dentistry was not regarded as a separate profession and dental procedures were carried out by general physicians and barbers. Fortunately times have changed since then. Nowadays it takes at least 4-5 years of study to become a dentist followed by further study if a specialization is pursued.

In the present era dentistry is an expanding industry. Cosmetic dentistry is playing an increasingly important role in the modern dental industry. There are various cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening, teeth straightening and the fitting of braces. Where America leads the rest of the world generally follows soon after and it is well known that no American teenager is complete without a set of braces. Cosmetic dentistry and demand for the more day to day procedures mean that the dental business is in good shape.

With increasing demand for cosmetic dental procedures the dental business is an expanding industry. With long training times for dental professionals there will continue to be a shortage of supply of skilled dental technicians at least in the short term.