Becoming a Dentist

B Y: BA L D W I N LE E
ENGLISH IV 2ND PERIOD
MRS. TIERCE
1 0 / 24 / 1 4

Careers in Dentistry
General Dentistry - examines the oral cavity to identify & diagnose oral conditions

& disease, determines the oral health of the patient, restores , replaces, and even
extracts damaged/decayed teeth.
Endodontics - diagnosis and treatment of injuries that are specific to the dental

nerves and pulp (matter inside the tooth).

Pediatric Dentistry - treatment of children from birth to adolescence.
Orthodontics - diagnosis and treatment of problems related to irregular dental

development, missing teeth, and other abnormalities.

Dental Hygienists - assesses the patient's oral tissues and overall health

determining the presence or absence of disease, other abnormalities and disease risks.
Dental Assistants - perform a variety of patient care, office, and laboratory duties;

work chairside alongside the dentist as s/he examines and treats patients.

Where the journey starts

Biology or chemistry majors are recommended, but

not required.
Most dental schools require a 3.5 GPA or better
(mainly basic sciences) for admission.
Additional recommended courses include: anatomy
& physiology, pharmacology, nutrition,
biochemistry, psychology & sociology, economics,
and Latin.

What does it take?

Dentists must complete an undergraduate and doctoral

degree program. Combined, these programs typically take 8

years complete.
Most students who enter dental schools complete a 4-year
bachelor's degree programs.
Some colleges and universities offer pre-dental programs
which don't award degrees, but help students plan their
bachelor's degree curricula to meet admission requirements
to dental school.

Choosing the Right Career

Endodontists 4yrs of dental school + 2yrs of specialty

program.
Pediatric Dentists 4yrs of dental school + 2yrs of
residency program.
Orthodontists 4yrs of dental school + 2-3yrs of postdoctoral orthodontists specialty program.
Hygienists 2-3yrs of dental hygienist school (6yrs for
Masters Degree).
Dental Assistants 1-2yrs of training from a technical
college or dental school.

School Pay$ Off

The average income of general dentists was $161,750

as of May 2011, according to the USBLS. The

government included 90,950 general practitioners in
its survey. More than 80,000 of these general
dentists worked as employees of other dentists,
where they averaged $164,780 per year.

Loans and Scholarships

ASDA's Ryan Turner Memorial Scholarship (worth $2,500)

Academy of LDS Dentists Dental Student Scholarship
American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation Dental
Student Scholarship Program
Crack the DAT Pre-dental Scholarship (1st place worth $1000)
Tylenol Future Care Scholarship (worth $10,000)

Works Cited
Krause, Tamara. "Scholarships for Dental Students to Smile About - ScholarshipExperts.com College

Scholarships Blog."http://www.scholarshipexperts.com/blog/career-planning/scholarships-fordental-students-to-smile-about.
"Paying for Dental School | Individual Scholarships & Grants." <i>Paying for Dental School |
Individual Scholarships & Grants</i>. ASDA. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
&lt;http://www.asdanet.org/paying-for-dental-school/scholarships.
"How Long Does IT Take to Be a Dentist?" <i>Education-portal.com</i>. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.
&lt;http://education-portal.com/how_long_does_it_take_to_be_a_dentist.html&gt;.
Gordon, J. (n.d.). How Dental School Works. Retrieved from http://
www.dentalcomfortzone.com/story.php?aid=273.
Farnen, Karen. "How Much Do Dentists Earn?" <i>Chron</i>. Demand Media. Web. 26 Oct. 2014.
&lt;http://work.chron.com/much-dentists-earn-6933.html&gt;.
"Dentist: Salary." <i>Dentist Salary Information</i>. USnews. Web. 27 Oct. 2014.
&lt;http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/dentist/salary&gt;.