The first thing that you need is a four year, undergraduate degree. You don’t have to attain your undergraduate education in a major relating to dentistry. In fact, you can go for any major, as long as you take certain prerequisite classes to get into dental school. For example, you can get a four year degree in the infamous, frequently-criticized “basket weaving” major, and still be able to go to dental school if you take the right prerequisite. These prerequisites are general, base subjects like statistics, anatomy and physiology, English composition and other subjects. As long as you take these general classes in your undergraduate education, you can apply to dental school. Of course, it is wise to look into what prerequisites, exactly, are needed. Don’t just assume or think that a think requires the same classes that another school requires.
To get into dental school, people must take the Dental Acceptance Test—a test that is administered by the American Dental Association. There are 280 questions on the test, and the test is five hours long. It puts a lot of emphasis on natural sciences, as well as reading comprehension.
There are two different types of college programs that make people qualified for working as dentists. These programs are called Doctor of Dental Medicine and Doctor of Dental Surgery. Both types programs generally have the same results. When choosing programs, a person must find out which programs are accredited by the American Dental Association. Programs with accreditation are important, and those with none can cause problems for people. People who come out of accredited programs will have less trouble when it comes to getting licensed.
According to the American Dental Association, there are nine legitimate areas of specialization that a person can specialize in. these areas include prosthodontics, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, dental public health, oral and maxillofacial radiology, pediatric dentistry, oral and maxillofacial pathology, and orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics.
Each state may have its own requirements for people who want to become licensed dentists. However, the requirements are usually very similar when comparing different states. People who want to gain dental licenses must take tests that are administered by The Joint Commission on National Dental Examination. The National Board Dental Examinations focus on topics such as dental anatomy, patient management and clinical issues.
Anybody who wants to prepare for such an educational tract should read up on the subjects that are included in it. For example, if you are a high school student, you should probably start to read up on human anatomy and physiology, as well as topics relating specifically to dentistry. If you are a high school student or an adult who is yet to go to college, you may also want to read up on some of the prerequisite topics, other than things relating to anatomy and dentistry, that may be required in the educational tract. Prerequisites, such as organic chemistry, can be very difficult for a lot of people. Not doing well in prerequisites can result in failing out of college, whether it be undergraduate school or dental school. You may also want to look at what people have to say, online and in-person, about what it is like to go on an educational tract relating to dentistry.
