Dentists: Training For A Dental Career

Dec 17
09:25

2010

Anna Woodward

Anna Woodward

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Dentists must attend six to eight years of schooling before becoming certified to be dentists. Once they are done with their education, they must then become certified or licensed in their state before treating patients.

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Whether you are looking for dentists and are wondering what type of training they should have,Dentists: Training For A Dental Career Articles or are considering the career for yourself, you may be interested in the type of training required for this career.

Training for a dental career does vary by state. However, some factors remain the same from one state to the next. For instance, all dentists must have a license to practice dentistry in their state. Requirements for licensure may include graduating from a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association. They also must pass examinations that show they understand dentistry. These include written and practical tests administered by state agencies.

However, training begins before this point. Those interested in the career must first attend traditional college, for at least two years. This pre-dental training does not need to be in any specific career field or major, but most will take some form of general education to ensure that they have their basic courses, including all general ed requirements, are out of the way before they enter dental school. Most students opt to receive a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis on a science such as biology or chemistry, but this is not necessarily a requirement.

The main requirement for those interested in becoming dentists to get in to dental school is the Dental Admissions Test. This test is used to determine which students who apply for a dental program will be accepted. High scores on this test are particularly important when there is strong competition to get in to dental school. Other things considered when choosing students include grade point averages for undergraduate work, recommendations from others, and performance on admissions interviews.

For most students, dental school requires four years to complete. Add to this the two to four years of training prior to entering dental school, and most students will be in school for six to eight years before earning a dental degree. The final two years of dental school usually involves having the students treat patients under the supervision of a practicing, licensed dentist.

Those who successfully graduate will be given one of two degrees, either the Doctor of Dental Surgery or the Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. Once they have their degree, they can apply for state license or certification, or they can move on to get further education in a specialty area, such as orthodontics or oral diseases.

Those who are considering becoming dentists need to focus on science and math courses, including biology, chemistry, and physics, throughout their educational career. They also should take a few business courses, which will aid them in operating a dental clinic in the future, and also develop good interpersonal skills. They need to focus strongly on their grades, because GPA factors heavily into an individual’s ability to get into dental school. With good grades and the right undergraduate training, most individuals who have a passion for this career can get into dental school and get started on their chosen career field.

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