Occupational Analysis : Dentistry

Everything has a cause, with an effective reason. Questions arise and answers
are found. The constant desire to find solutions to our doubts is what has created the
study of our society today, known as Sociology. What influences our values? How do
we act according to our beliefs? The simplest things have reasons behind them. And
now our society has reached a point where in our lives we see history repeating itself
and almost nothing alarms us, if not gaining our interest. Those in our generation are
preparing themselves with the agents of socialization; family, peers, education, and
mass media, in order to play our roles in society later on. Some become teachers,
fashion designers, business owners, doctors or nurses. Every job occupation influences
society, and can be distinguished in three different perspectives, Functionalism, Conflict
Theory, and Symbolic Interaction. Dentistry is a career choice that also can be
categorized within these three different approaches to sociology.
According to a Functionalist perspective, each part of society contributes to the
balance of an entire society. Individually, they are institutions that have their own roles
in society, similar to different organs in a system. They separately have different tasks
but contribute to one whole function such as the systems that function in our bodies.
Each one is organized to fill different needs and all parts depend on each other for a
stable environment. Medicine is a type of social institution that our society relies on for
the welfare of people. It refers to the association in society that seeks to prevent,
diagnose, and treat illness as well as promote health. Within medicine is healthcare,
where the career dentistry resides. It is needed because good health and effective
medical care are essential for the smooth functioning of society, which includes our oral
health issues. When considering the function of society, Functionalists needed to focus
on the functions of human behavior. Sociologist Robert K. Mertons theory of human
functions had divided human behavior into Manifest and Latent Functions. Dentistry is a
career that has both qualities and can be an example of Mertons theory. A manifest
function is the obvious function of a certain job, in a Dentists case, providing oral
healthcare and preventing gum disease is an apparent job criteria for them if they
choose that field. However its latent function, which is less noticeable and unintentional
in society, is that dentists can diagnose other health related issues that arent
associated with oral healthcare. Dentists can pick up gum related symptoms of over 90
different diseases and have saved many lives because of their educational background
that is similar to a doctors status. Dentists have the skill of doctors but focus on dental
correlated matter which is why their skill to diagnose patients with anything else that
isnt oral health related, is overshadowed because of their chosen field of work. In order
to gain a degree in dentistry, in the US, you must go to school for at least 7 years. It
takes approximately 3 years to prepare for your Dental Admissions Test (DAT) and only
if you achieve an acceptable score can you study in a dental accredited school for
approximately 4 years. Sociologists Kingsley Davis and Wilbert Moore created the
Davis-Moore Theory that explained social stratification based on functionalism, where
those most important in society are rewarded the most. Those most important are
considered the ones with the highest profession and skill. The amount of education
needed in order to become a dentist place them in this category with their high amount
of skill obtained from their education. Steven E. Barkan, a scholar in sociology today
stated, According to a functionalist perspective, differences in power, wealth, and other
rewards within the social structure are justified, because they motivate the most
qualified people to exercise their talents in the most important jobs. Dentistry can be
applied to their theory because they are in the top 3 most paid professions in healthcare
and are very limited in the US today, compared to most other medical careers. Because
of this they are paid nearly an average annual income of $200,000 which is greater than
what doctors achieve. They are limited in our society now that most dentists active
today will soon retire in the next 10 years and this creates a rarity, along with the long
term educational path they must endeavor in order to become a dentist, who has
society reward them greater than most medical professions today.