Dentistry in distress: Why dental jobs seem to be shrinking and careers feel less secure
By Dr. Vishal Lohana
Dentistry, once considered a secure and prestigious healthcare profession, is facing an alarming downturn. Across the country, thousands of qualified dental surgeons are struggling to find stable employment, forcing many to abandon clinical practice altogether. What went wrong—and who is responsible for the quiet collapse of a once-promising career?
1. An oversupplied profession
One of the biggest challenges confronting dentistry today is oversupply. Over the past decade, dental colleges have expanded rapidly, producing far more graduates than the job market can absorb. Government hospitals offer only a handful of positions each year, academic posts are limited, and private practice has become overcrowded—especially in cities.
2. Systemic failures behind the crisis
The responsibility for this decline does not rest on dentists alone. Regulatory authorities allowed unchecked growth of dental institutions without assessing workforce needs. Governments failed to integrate oral healthcare meaningfully into public health systems, resulting in poor job creation and low public awareness.
At the same time, dental education has become heavily commercialized. High tuition fees push graduates into debt, while corporate dental chains often exploit young professionals with long hours, low pay, and little job security.
3. Neglected public health priority
Ironically, the crisis exists alongside widespread unmet dental needs. Rural and semi-urban populations still lack access to basic oral healthcare. The issue is not surplus dentists, but the absence of policies and infrastructure to distribute services equitably and sustainably.
What is the solution?
Above all, now it is time to create opportunities ourselves. Professional platforms such as the Pakistan Dental Association (PDA) can play a transformative role by encouraging senior dental surgeons with strong financial standing to collectively establish practice units or shared dental facilities for newly graduated and junior fellows.
Such collaborative units would allow young dentists to gain confidence, practical exposure, and professional stability while learning directly from the experience of senior practitioners. More importantly, this initiative would help restore morale, reduce professional depression, and preserve the dignity of dentistry as a noble profession.
By fostering unity rather than competition, this approach can create a sustainable pathway for career development and strengthen the profession from within.
Stay connected with Dental News Pakistan
CLICK HERE TO JOIN our WhatsApp Community to get expert dental tips, industry updates, and research insights straight to your phone.
