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How to Be a Dentist

how to be a dentistHave you ever thought of becoming a dentist? Choosing dentistry as a life-long career is a big decision to make, and comes with a lot of hard work and practice. Becoming a dentist means you’ll be working in a constantly evolving career that involves everything from diagnosing diseases, surgery, education, employee management, and more.

How to Be a Dentist:

The first step in becoming a dentist is to decide whether or not you have what it takes to work in such a demanding field. Being a dentist takes more than just an understanding of oral health, it means having the ability to obtain knowledge in subjects like math, chemistry, and biology. Being a dentist also means you’ll have to be good at using your hands with small instruments, not to mention the ability to work well with others including staff and patients.

Once you’ve made the decision to enter the field of dentistry, you’ll have to go through years of school. After passing a demanding list of prerequisite courses at both a high school and university (including hours of biochemistry, anatomy, and possibly some 2D or 3D art classes), you will have to take the Dental Admissions Test, or DAT.

After passing the Dental Admission Test, you can begin applying for admission into a dental school. Dental schools will look at things like your prerequisite grades, DAT score, recommendations, and an interview before granting admission.

When you finally receive your letter of admission, you’ll be able to attend 4 years of dental school (sometimes more if you choose a specialty area to practice). It’s recommended to get a part-time job at a dental office in order to gain some professional experience before graduating.

Now the fun begins! After celebrating your recent graduation, it’s time to take your National and State Board exams and start your new career as a dentist!

 

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