the pros and cons of the job are definitely based on who your employer is....also the practice that you choose....pedodontics, endodontics, periodontists, oral surgeons, etc....
I was fortunate and worked for 2 wonderful Prosthodontist (crown and bridge) dentists for many years.
Pros for me are that I absolutely need a very diverse job description, the more varied duties the happier I am. Therefore, taking impressions, taking x-rays, getting work ready for the lab, sterilizing instruments, preparing for procedures, charting, etc. were a real pro for me. I also assisted their onsite "lab man", so I also learned to make temporary crowns and bridges, cast gold inlays and crowns, make ceramic castings and do make porcelain vaneers. Also, being a "chatty-cathy" type I loved seeing more than 20-30 patients a day. Being a neat freak helped out too, because I liked to get the operatories in tip top clean condition....and I also liked to have control over getting the patients in and out on time. All in all it was probably an all pro job for me....oh, yeah, big pro is that usually your doc will do your dental work for you and just charge you any lab fees. Now being older I would think that the only con for me would be the amount of time that you spend on your feet.
One Big Con would be for anyone who cannot stand saliva and blood. There are quite a few people out there with some real ropey saliva, and that can be really messy and gross....especially when your patient can't seem to get it in the cuspidor.
oh yeah....and some have a real bad gag reflex and that can get quite interesting too
So if you are not squimish with any of those issues, the rest is pretty ok
Me!
. I then had a pretty diffucult time finding someone I could work with, that closely. The pediatric dentist was good, now I work for another woman who is really nice too. 
