Education needed to become a dentist???!


Question: I live in WA state and last year I attended a year of Dental Assistant Tech school and loved it. I did great in it and maintained an A the entire year. We got to do a lot of clinical work so it was a much better school then PIMA or Bryman. We went over the requirements to become a hygenist many times but barely touched becoming a dentist. For the last year since dental school I haven't really done anything with my life and I really want to take charge. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me but I know I can do it. My grades in high school were less then impressive so I'm basically starting from square one. I want to one day attend University of WA Dental School but I'm sure I have a lot of prerequisites to do in Community College first..

Any Dentists out there who can give me an idea of what is ahead of me as far as education goes???


Answers: I live in WA state and last year I attended a year of Dental Assistant Tech school and loved it. I did great in it and maintained an A the entire year. We got to do a lot of clinical work so it was a much better school then PIMA or Bryman. We went over the requirements to become a hygenist many times but barely touched becoming a dentist. For the last year since dental school I haven't really done anything with my life and I really want to take charge. I know I have a lot of work ahead of me but I know I can do it. My grades in high school were less then impressive so I'm basically starting from square one. I want to one day attend University of WA Dental School but I'm sure I have a lot of prerequisites to do in Community College first..

Any Dentists out there who can give me an idea of what is ahead of me as far as education goes???

I'm not a dentist, but I taught the DAT (Dental Admissions Test) for Kaplan and I'm in med school now. In college you need to take what amounts to the pre-med requirements. From the New Jersey Dental school, here are their requirements (numbers are semester hours):
Biology 8
English 6
Inorganic Chemistry 8
Organic Chemistry 8
Physics 8
Electives - Sufficient to complete three full years of study

You also have to take and do reasonably well on the DAT - it's a standardized test like the MCAT for med school. There is a verbal part, a general sciences part (chem, orgo, bio, physics), and the PAT (Perceptual Ability Test) that tests your spatial reasoning ability. For info on the test, go to http://www.ada.org

Good luck

Lots.

Bachelors of science followed by doctor of dentistry (if you get in). Total time spent in school 11 years. After you graduate you must take on a million dollar loan to pay for the dental equipment (I'm not joking). Dentists live in debt for the first 15 years of work. As they near retirement, they start making a profit. Dentists work very, very hard. It is a real long-term commitment. You must love, love, love to work really hard, and don't mind tooth smell for the rest of your life. This is the sad truth.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos072.htm
I always found this sight most helpful when trying to understand training/education for a job. Take a look at it. It says you need 2 years college level predental education which you apparently have, but then you must attend a dental school which are hard to get into but since you have maintained such good grades you should get accepted.
Dental school usually lasts 4 academic years. Studies begin with classroom instruction and laboratory work in science, including anatomy, microbiology, biochemistry, and physiology. Beginning courses in clinical sciences, including laboratory techniques, are also completed. During the last 2 years, students treat patients, usually in dental clinics, under the supervision of licensed dentists. Most dental schools award the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS). Others award an equivalent degree, Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD).
This sight tells you everything about what you can expect after you graduate from dental school and about licensure. I would repeat it to you but its all on here and you would probably understand it better if you see it yourself. Good luck in your future work! Hope I helped :)

Charlie C spoke extensively about income. In Canada, you can buy an existing practice from a retiring dentist. The cost of the practice will vary depending on location and annual income generated. Some practices can go for as little as $400,000 Canadian. A dentist can easily generate $500,000 in one year, and, if he has a dental hygienist, he can generate AT LEAST another $300,000 to $400,000. This means that not including your university fees, you ARE debt-free in your first year!!! Dentists are notorious for acting poor. I have yet to meet a poor dentist!!!

It's not too late!

Just start for square one like you said at your community college. From there, it will probably take a 1-2 years to transfer to university of WA dental school, and from there it will take about 4 years. So 6 years of schooling, you'll be there!

I highly recommend you to become an orthodontist, my ortho, and the other ortho's in my city make a lot of money and live in big houses. Dentist is good, but I think Ortho will keep you really realy busy and also make you alot alot money!





The consumer health information on answer-health.com is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions.
The answer content post by the user, if contains the copyright content please contact us, we will immediately remove it.
Copyright © 2007-2011 answer-health.com -   Terms of Use -   Contact us

Health Categories