Did you know that even the lowest-earning dentists in the United States earned over $110,000 in 2019? That being said, it’s not easy to become a dentist! But if you aspire to be a dental professional, then there are certain steps that you can take to get there.
Whether you’re just starting out in your studies or you’re considering a change in career, becoming a dentist is a fantastic option. It’s well paid, well respected, and people-orientated.
If you’re interested in learning about becoming a dentist, keep reading as we look at 5 steps you can take.
1. Get a Bachelor’s Degree
Before you can apply for dental school, you’ll need to complete a bachelor’s degree. These degrees are usually four years long, and you’ll set yourself up well for studying dentistry by choosing a major in chemistry or biology.
You may in fact find that some colleges offer a pre-dental program, which is probably the best way to prepare yourself for a dentistry degree.
If you’re looking for somewhere to study, keep an eye out for dental marketing on social media and other platforms.
2. Pass Your Dental Admission Test
Before you’re able to enroll in dental school, you must first pass a dental admission test (DAT).
The DAT is standardized across both the United States and Canada. It is a multiple-choice test and is available year-round as it’s computer-based.
A DAT is made up of four sections:
- survey of the natural sciences
- perceptual ability
- reading comprehension
- quantitative reasoning
You can see here why it’s helpful to have a degree in the sciences before applying for dental school.
3. Complete Dental School
Once you’ve passed your DAT, you’ll start at dental school and study there for another four years.
The first two of those four years focus on general medicine, giving students a good understanding of the human body, its function and structure.
The second half of dental school focuses in on dentistry itself. Practical, as well as theoretical aspects of the profession, will be covered.
4. Decide on a Speciality
This isn’t a must. General dentistry is a rewarding and lucrative career, however many students of dentistry will choose to go on to become a specialist in a certain area of the practice.
Choosing a specialty will likely need further study. Here are the nine specialties you can study, as identified by the American Dental Association:
- pediatric dentistry
- orthodontics
- dental public health
- endodontics
- oral and maxillofacial pathology
- oral and maxillofacial radiology
- oral and maxillofacial surgery
- periodontics
- prosthodontics
Additional study ranges from 2-6 years depending on which specialty you choose.
5. Become a Licensed Dental Professional
The last step to becoming a dentist after study and training is to get your license as a dental professional.
To obtain a dental license, there’s a final exam with both written and clinical components. Pass this, and all that’s left to do is find a practice to work in!
Becoming a Dentist Is Simple, Not Easy
As you can see, the road to becoming a dentist isn’t complicated, but the studies themselves will challenge and stretch you. If you really want to be a dentist, you’ll find that you want to work hard to achieve that goal.
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