How to Become a Dentist

You might want to become a dentist if you enjoy working with people, like science, and have good attention to detail. Dental jobs provide a great way to use those skills and talents. Dentists generally run their own practices, giving them control over their professional lives. This page will walk you through the steps involved in how to become a dentist.
Becoming a Dentist Tips
1. Explore the field by job shadowing
2. Take up hobbies that allow you to practice fine motor skills
3. Maintain a high GPA in college
4. Consider a DAT prep course
5. Line up your recommendations early

Introduction
- Dental training takes eight years of school after high school.eHow: How to Become a Dentist At the end of the process, you'll have a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.). ADA: What is the Difference Between a DDS and a DMD? After getting your state license, you'll be ready to begin your career as a general dentist.
Step 1: Prepare in High School
- While your formal dental training usually won't begin until after you've received a bachelor's degree, there are steps you can take to begin to prepare while still in high school.About.com: 5 Tips to Become a Dentist
1. Dental school requires a good foundation in the sciences.About.com: Want to be a Dentist? 5 Tips to Become a Dentist While in high school, take biology, chemistry, physics, and as much mathematics as your school offers.
2. Talk to your guidance counselor about colleges that have a formal pre-dental program.CollegeBoard: Major: Predentistry While not absolutely necessary, these can be helpful in preparing you for dental school..
3. Investigate colleges which offer an accelerated program that enables you to complete both an undergraduate and a dental degree in 6 or 7 years, by using your first year or two of dental school to satisfy some undergraduate requirements.CollegeBoard: Major: Predentistry Such programs can be a good choice-- saving you time and money-- provided that you are100% certain that you want to become a dentist.
Step 2: Get a Bachelor's Degree
- Getting into dental school is very competitive. To improve your chances, you'll want to begin preparing early in your college career.
1. If your college has a pre-dental advising program, you should meet with them early to map out your courses. They can help you select courses and arrange your schedule to satisfy dental school admission requirements.Kaplan: Your Pre-Health Advisor
2. Although individual dental schools may have different required courses, most require 8 hours each of biology, physics, english, general chemistry and organic chemistry.ADA: Careers in Dentistry: College Students - Dental School Admissions
3. The American Dental Association maintains a list of accredited dental schools. Once you've identified a program you're interested in, you should contact the school about its specific prerequisites.American Dental Association: DDS/DMD Programs - U.S.
4. Some schools also require dental office shadowing experiences, which can be arranged during school vacation periods.Duke Pre-Dental Society: Shadowing The ADA Mentoring program can connect you with a dentist in your area.ADA: Mentoring
5. Letters of recommendation will be an important part of your application process.Dickinson College: Letters of Recommendation for Graduate School Develop relationships with several professors, so that when the time comes for you to ask them for recommendations, they'll know you well enough to write a detailed assessment of your abilities.
Step 3: Take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT)
- All dental schools require applicants to submit scores from the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). The DAT is a standardized test that is designed to measure "general academic ability, comprehension of scientific information, and perceptual ability."ADA: DENTAL ADMISSION TEST (DAT)
1. Read the DAT Guide
  - Before applying to take the DAT, you need to read the DAT Guide, which contains the rules and regulations which govern the test. When you apply to take the test, you'll need to confirm that you have read the guide, and agree to the rules it contains.
2. Apply to take the DAT
  - Applications for the test are completed online. You'll need to submit a non-refundable testing fee of $205 by credit card when you apply. The schools that you'd like your scores sent to should be listed on your application.
3. Schedule the test
  - When your application is approved, you'll receive an eligibility letter.
  - After you receive the letter you can schedule your test.
  - The ADA recommends scheduling the test 60- 90 days before the date you plan to take the test.
4. Take the test
  - Immediately after you've completed the test, you'll receive a copy of your scores. Official reports will be sent to the schools you listed on your application 3-4 weeks after you take the test.
  - Review the list of schools that you sent your DAT scores to. If there are any additional schools you're considering, request additional score reports.American Dental Association: DAT Online Application
Step 4: Apply to Dental Schools
- Admissions criteria vary by school, but most programs require several letters of recommendation, a strong academic transcript and a personal essay, in addition to the DAT scores.ADA: DDS/DMD Programs - U.S
1. Make sure you review each school's individual requirements — you don't want to send in two letters of recommendation if three are actually required. You should also make a note of deadlines.
2. Prepare a list of your extracurricular activities and accomplishments. You'll use this when completing the applications. The list should include any honors, accomplishments, or activities that you want to highlight on your application, including:
  1. Academic honors and awards earned
  2. Dental work experiences, including job shadowing and volunteering
  3. Extracurricular activities, both school-sponsored and non-school
  4. Community service
  5. Work experience
  6. Research you've participated in
  7. Activities that demonstrate manual dexterity
3. Write a personal statement that explains why you are pursuing a dental education. This may need to be refined for each school, but should be about 4500 words.Aspiring Dentist: How to Craft an Exceptional Dental Application
4. Request transcripts from all colleges and universities you've attended.
5. Determine who you'll ask for letters of recommendation. The ADEA application allows you to submit up to four.
6. Consider using the ADEA application service (AADSAS), if the schools you're applying to participate in the program. This can simplify the process because you'll be completing one application that is circulated to all the schools you're applying to.ADEA Application service: AADSAS Applicants
Step 5: Complete Dental School
- Dental school is generally a rigorous four year program that includes classwork, laboratory experience and clinical training.ADA: DDS/DMD Programs - U.S
1. The first two years primarily consist of classroom and lab work. Students take science courses such as biochemistry, gross anatomy, histology, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology and dental ethics, and will also practice recreating dental anatomy with wax.
2. Clinical work usually begins in the third year. Students begin treating patients in school-sponsored clinics, under the supervision of licensed dentists.
3. The exams for board certification are usually taken during dental school. The National Board Dental Exam Part I is usually taken during the second year and the Part II exam is taken in the fourth year.National Board Dental Exam Study Material: NBDE Central
4. Individual states may have additional licensing requirements. If you'll be practicing dentistry in the state where you've attended school, the school will generally provide you with that information. If you'll be practicing somewhere else, make sure you've investigated your state's licensing requirements before graduation.
Conclusion

Congratulations! Your training so far has equipped you to become a general dentist. If you're interested in a pursuing a specialized field of dentistry such as orthodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, dental public health, oral pathology or oral maxifacial surgery, you'll need to complete an additional two to five years of training. There will also be additional exams at the end of the specialty training.Mike's Guide to Dentistry: Mission Completed Wikipedia: Education and Licensing