Animal Dentist

I’ve wanted to be a vet since I was 5 years old. My dad and brother are both dentists who treat people. So I knew a lot about human dentistry. I realized that veterinary dentistry would let me help animals in a different way than being a typical veterinarian.

Animals often won’t sit still like people do at the dentist. For most treatments, they are put under anesthesia. That means they’re given medicine that makes them fall asleep and keeps them from feeling pain. That way, the animals won’t move as I’m working, and everyone remains safe.

Also, human teeth don’t vary much between people. But other animals’ teeth can be very different from species to species. Some bats have teeth so tiny you can barely see them. Bears have enormous teeth. I use really small tools and tools five times as long as what you would use for a person.

You have to be willing to study hard because you need good grades to get into veterinary school. Once you start working, you have to be creative. Every mouth is different, so you’ll need to be able to think of new treatments for all kinds of cases.

Of course, loving animals is an important trait for any veterinarian. But remember, most animals come with human companions. So you can’t love only animals—you have to love people too.