Becoming a Dentist
Preparing for Dental School
The American Dental Association
recommends
that high school students who want to
become dentists get a broad exposure to science and math
and consider taking advanced placement science courses.
They suggest learning all you can about dentistry so you
can determine if it is a good fit for you. They suggest
job shadowing or volunteering at a local dental
practice, attending dental camp, and joining the
American Student Dental Association.
The ADA makes similar recommendations for
college students and provides
detailed suggestions for every year of college. For both
high school and college students the ADA strongly
suggests finding a mentor. They even provide questions
to ask the mentor.
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.