Hey everyone, I'm really interested in pursuing dentistry as a career. Can someone walk me through the typical education path to become a dentist in the United States? Like, what degrees do I need and how many years of schooling can I expect? Thanks!
Hello! It's great that you're interested in pursuing a career in dentistry. I'll gladly walk you through the typical education path to becoming a dentist in the United States.
1. Undergraduate education (4 years): To become a dentist, you'll first need to complete your undergraduate education, ideally obtaining a Bachelor's degree. You don't necessarily have to major in a specific subject, but most aspiring dentists choose majors in the sciences, such as biology or chemistry. During this time, you should focus on fulfilling the dental school prerequisites, which generally include courses in biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and English.
2. Dental Admissions Test (DAT): During or after your undergraduate education, you'll also need to take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). This standardized test evaluates your academic and perceptual abilities, as well as your understanding of scientific concepts. Dental schools use your DAT scores as part of their admissions criteria.
3. Dental school (4 years): Once you've completed your undergraduate education and taken the DAT, you'll apply to dental schools. Admission to dental school is competitive, so it's important to maintain a strong GPA while also participating in extracurricular activities and obtaining relevant experience, such as shadowing a dentist. Dental school typically takes four years to complete, during which you'll earn either a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. Both degrees are equivalent and allow you to practice dentistry.
4. Licensure and optional residency: After completing dental school, you'll need to pass the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) to become licensed to practice dentistry in your state. Some states may require additional state-specific exams as well. While not mandatory, many recent graduates also choose to complete additional training through a residency program, which can last one or more years, depending on the specialty.
In summary, you can expect to complete a minimum of 8 years of education (4 years of undergraduate study and 4 years of dental school) to become a general dentist. Additional training may be required if you plan to specialize in a specific area of dentistry. Best of luck in your pursuit of a career in dentistry!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.