If you are looking to lean towards a career in Dental Therapy, then it is equally important to find out whether the job is lucrative. Of course, there are several dental therapists in Nigeria but their goals are different. According to the Dental Therapists’ Registration Board of Nigeria, over 1220 dental therapists are advocating for good oral health in Nigeria. Also, research revealed that the only recognized Dentistry role used to be just “Dentist” until it was discovered that the oral health of people in Nigeria requires more than just a dentist, hence the need to introduce dental therapy.
Who is a Dental Therapist?
Toothache/problem can be one of the most painful physical sensations to endure. While dental therapists work with dentists and dental hygienists to promote good oral health and treat common dental issues, their main job is to provide preventive and basic restorative dental care. They also make dental care more accessible to a lot of people in several regions of the world, especially in Nigeria.
Dental Therapist Vs Dental Hygienist
Many people like to think that a Dental therapist and a Dental hygienist are the same but that’s not true because their responsibilities differ. Dental therapists have a broader scope of practice, extending dental care to a population with limited access to dentists while dental hygienists just focus on preventive dental care such as cleaning, scaling, and educating patients on oral hygiene.
Dental Therapist Jobs
To get a dental therapist job, you must have experience working in different settings and organizations as a dental therapist. Some organizations may require that you have at least 1 year of working experience depending on the role they want you to take while other organizations may say that you must have 3-5 years of working experience. However, if yoh are actively searching for dental therapist jobs, you may check hubforjobs.com as there are a couple of openings on the website that you can find helpful.
How to become a Dental Therapist
To become a dental therapist, you need to invest your time, money, and resources. This means that you must be enrolled in the university, especially the College of the Faculty of Health Sciences where you can offer dental-related courses. Many universities in Nigeria such as the Lagos State University, University of Ibadan, University of Benin, Obafemi Awolowo University, Bayero University, and many more offer Dentistry as a 5-year course to applicants who are willing and also meet the requirements. For many Nigerian Universities, the requirements to study Dentistry include:
- Candidates must score 200 and above in Jamb.
- Candidates must have at least 5 credit passes in science subjects (Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, inclusive of Maths and English) in their O’level.
- Candidates must also pass the school’s postutme exams very well.
After studying Dentistry/Dental surgery for 5 years and passing the exams with flying colors, you would have earned yourself a bachelor’s degree. Then, you can pick Dental Therapy as a niche and start off your career from there.
The average salary of a Dental Therapist in Nigeria
The average monthly salary of a Dental Therapist in Nigeria, according to Salary Explorer Is N310,000/month, with the lowest salary being N149,000 and the highest – N487,000 per month.
