By: Cappy Sinclair
Aesthetic dentistry is one of the most exciting and rewarding niches in our industry, and a lot of young dentists find themselves wanting to move into the field. But breaking into that niche can be challenging!
Finding success there requires certain skills which might not always be obvious.
4 Ways to Succeed in Aesthetic Dentistry
Here are four big things that will push you forward in the industry and help you grow a career as
an aesthetic dentist.
1. Find Continuing Education
This is probably the most important thing you can do to start your journey in aesthetic dentistry. Having education beyond dental school is essential, and AACD accreditation should be your top priority.
Research shows that AACD member dentists generate 25% more practice production than non-members; in fact, many aesthetic dentistry offices give time and funding to new dentists to obtain an AACD accreditation.
The AACD has also recently implemented a pre-sector program for new dentists to study under accredited members. Even outside the AACD, continuing education is essential. There are plenty of excellent postgraduate programs — Spear, Dawson, Pankey — but the most important thing is finding one that helps you refine your skills.
After all, dentists are lifelong learners, and you need to be consistently honing and improving your skills to stand out!
Learn More: Free Dental CE
2. Find a Mentor
Another of the most essential ways you can break into aesthetic dentistry is by finding a mentor. You might think of mentorship as a type of education, and that’s definitely part of the puzzle. But real mentorship is crucial for the practical benefits of receiving one-on-one advice for specific patients and for the more essential importance of forming real relationships in the industry.
Finding a genuine mentor is more than just networking. Whether it’s a professor or a colleague, working with a mentor is one of the most rewarding ways to move forward in aesthetic dentistry.
Thanks to social media, it’s easier than ever to reach out to more experienced dentists and form connections. If you love someone’s work on Instagram or Facebook, tell them! It could spark a relationship that will ignite your career.
Learn More: Importance of Dental Mentorship
3. Internet Presence
Aesthetic dentistry is a different market from conventional dentistry. Navigating social media has become an incredibly important skill to help aesthetic dentists gain traction, especially after COVID. While conventional dentists often have a steady flow of patients since they’re essential for health reasons, aesthetic dentistry is a much more selective process.
After all, no one dies from crooked teeth! In some ways, aesthetic dentists are selling a luxury item. You need to make people aware of your product, the quality work you’re doing, and your name — otherwise, you may simply not attract enough patients. Understanding how to upload appealing content and spread it to potential patients is essential for aesthetic dentists.
Learn More: Social Media Strategies
4. Understand your Niche — Functionalism and Time Frame
Success, in many fields, comes from an understanding of the fundamental issues which define your niche. Aesthetic dentistry is no exception. Internalizing the basic goals of your process is essential to working effectively with patients.
Two central things to understand are functionalism and time frame.
First, you need to be aware of the fact that a beautiful mouth should work efficiently, and vice versa.
There’s an evolutionary reason that straight teeth and a good bite look attractive. At the same time, you have a medical responsibility to put functionality ahead of aesthetics. The patient typically knows what they want, but you need to translate their vision into effective dentistry. This is especially true in the era of social media.
Sometimes a patient will have an exact vision of what they want, but the information they find on social media isn’t always sound. It’s your responsibility to clarify what you can do.
Second, you need to be up-front with your patients about how long their treatment will take.
Depending on the facilities you have, you’ll probably work with a patient for a few months or up to a few years — definitely a different time frame than conventional dentistry! Aesthetic dentistry is an elective process, but you need to be frank with your patients about what that process will look like in order to work with them effectively.
Is Aesthetic Dentistry Right For You?
If you find yourself drawn to aesthetic dentistry, you’re not alone. It can be a really rewarding
way to apply what you’ve learned in dental school to real-world situations.
If you work on continuing education (especially AACD accreditation), finding a mentor, understanding social media, and getting to the heart of what makes aesthetic dentistry tick, you’re well on your way to a career in one of the most exciting corners of dentistry.
Up Next: How to Best Work with Patients on Clear Aligners
Photo by Shiny Diamond
