Becoming a Dentist
Preparing for Dental School
The American Dental Association recommends that students
who want to become dentists get a broad exposure to science
and math even while they are in high school. In college
they should take general biology, organic and inorganic
chemistry and physics. The association also recommends that
prospective dental students volunteer or job shadow at
their family dentist’s office or in other settings where
dental care is provided.
Dental
Education
There are more
than 50 schools of dentistry in the United States. Earning
the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or the Doctor of Dental
Medicine (DMD) usually requires 4 academic years of study.
Most dental students have had 3 or more years of
undergraduate studies before beginning dental school.
The first two years of dental school focus on classroom and
laboratory-based education in the basic health sciences.
Students also begin learning the principles of oral
diagnosis and treatment. First they may practice on
manikins and models. Later they may begin caring for real
patients.
In years 3 and 4, students continue learning dentistry as
they care for patients under the supervision of dental
faculty. Often they work in community clinics, outpatient
clinics and hospitals. They also take courses in management
and communication skills.
Postgraduate education is required to become a dental
specialist, such as an orthodontist, periodontist,
pediatric dentist, public health dentist, or oral and
maxillofacial surgeon.