Dentistry has many benefits

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Dr. Ron Martin likes being his own boss. In fact, that was one of reasons why he chose a career in dentistry.

"When you're your own boss, you can set your own hours. You can work when you want to, hire who you want to. There's a lot of flexibility. If there are certain events or things happening, you can schedule around it," said Martin.

In 1990, Martin, a member of the Fond du Lac Denesuline First Nation, became the first First Nation student to graduate from the University of Saskatchewan's College of Dentistry. Then in 1995 he started his own practice, Dene Dental, in Fort Qu'Appelle.

As a young university student, Martin hadn't always set his sights on dentistry.

"I didn't give it consideration, probably until about third or fourth year university. I think what helped is I took both the natural science classes and social sciences classes so more doors were open," said Martin. "I was considering law and then I was looking at medicine."

After doing some research on careers in health sciences and talking to other students, Martin found that a career in dentistry was attractive in many ways, giving him the opportunity to earn a doctor's status and allowing him to work with his hands. Being able to spend time with family was another aspect that appealed to him.

Martin was one of the few Aboriginal students in university at the time, but he received plenty of support from both his Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peers.

"I was able to run into a lot of students in university and make new friends and that was a means of support, where the First Nations students were in the same boat. Most of us come from the reserves and we developed our support mechanism. We all had the same goals of getting a degree, get through university, and so I think that helped," said Martin.

"It was difficult being the first First Nations students going through there. A lot of the other students were supportive, a lot of professors. It was a fairly good environment overall. You get the occasional remarks here and there about First Nations that were derogatory. You always run into a person or two that will have those comments."

Born and raised in Uranium City, Martin saw university as a chance to expand his horizons and to explore his options after high school.

"Where I grew up, it was a mining community so eventually I thought I might come back to work in the mines, like pretty much what everybody else does. I figured I am going to try university for a year, give it my best shot. If it doesn't work out, we'll go from there," Martin said.

Martin credits his decision to pursue a higher education, and his subsequent success, to his parents. And he has passed the same values on to his own children.

"If anything, the influence is from my parents. My mom is in the health area and my dad worked in the mines. They've always encouraged us to get an education, and education was the key to bettering yourself and having a better life overall. We were instilled at an early age about the importance of education and also having a work ethic, of pulling your own weight, being able to do something positive," Martin said.

"If anything, we'll encourage (the children) to advance their education, whether it be university or technical school."

Martin said that young people who are considering a career in dentistry should start planning their courses in high school.

"Make sure you have the required science classes because a lot of students, once they graduate, they don't realize there are lot of prerequisites that are required to get into certain programs and they end up having to take it after they graduate high school," said Martin. "So it almost starts at Grade 9, 10, that you need these science prerequisites, and really work and stick with it," he said.

"I find there were many times that I felt like quitting ... It can be overwhelming sometimes. It's a test of your overall mental ability to know that you can do t and I think that's part of the test. It seems that some of these professional colleges push you. They want to see that you can get through it and handle the mental aspects of it as well and I think that's what they really look at, someone that's really committed and has the desire to do it."