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BEHIND THE WHITE COAT Any person can pull out a tooth and charge people money for it. It was how they did it in ancient times—in fact barbers used to pull teeth out as a service; there were no licensed dentists back then—from as far back as 5500 BC up to the 17th century. But this isn't the ancient times. Today dentists fill the spot as licensed practitioners for treating dental ailments, and barbers just stick to cutting people's hair. So how does one become a dentist? How many years of college does it take for people to come to you to extract their tooth? What's the story behind the white coat? The making of a dentist The path to becoming a dentist is like standing in the courtyard of Alcatraz wearing an orange uniform and staring out across the great ocean expanse all the way up to the coastline of San Fransisco. You feel powerless, and getting to the other side seems like an impossible task. But everyone has to start somewhere, right? In your case, it begins in high school. Take your high school physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics and health classes, and take them seriously. Be sure to get good grades. You'll need a strong foundation in these subjects if you want to get into a good college. The admission officers in pre-dentistry schools will be focusing on these subjects, too. So play it safe and perform well in these areas as early as high school. Next talk to your guidance counselor and ask for a list of colleges that offer two-year dental programs. Some offer three- to four-year programs, but they're not necessary. Send for applications and college catalogs as early as possible or at least well before the deadline date. Work hard in college and continue to get good grades especially in your science courses. When the two-year learning period is up, contact the American Dental Association for a list of accredited dental schools. The required courses differ slightly from one dental school to another. So inquire as early as your first year in pre-dentistry school to avoid taking unnecessary courses. Then fulfill the requirements, one of which is performing well on the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The DAT is the dentist's equivalent of MCAT and your grades in this, along with your GPA in pre-dentistry school and recommendations, will affect your chances of getting into dental school. The first two years of dental school primarily revolve around classroom lectures and lab course. Don't be discouraged, though. That's just the way it is. Junior and senior years will see you doing more real dentist stuff, working in clinics under supervision of licensed dentists. When you finally graduate from dental school, after 6 years of training, it's time to get your own licenses. Talk to your advisors and dentist friends and ask about your state's licensing requirements. It's important that you get this right. Take and pass the state licensure examinations. You are now a full-fledged dentist! Here's a quick recap:
Things you should know Graduating from pre-dentistry and dental school takes an average six to eight years to complete. It's a long wait, sure, but the career opportunities make it worth the effort. Things are looking good for new and aspiring dentists. The US Department of Labor project employment for dentists to grow 9% through 2016. In any case, the demand for dentists doesn't seem like it's about to fade anytime soon. Comparison of current and projected dentist employment rates.
In terms of salary, the median earnings of dentists were $136,960 as of May 2006. Of course, years of experience, hours worked, location and specialty directly affect salary. Self-employed dentists also seem to earn more than salaried dentists. You just covered the science of becoming a dentist—from getting into a pre-dentistry program to the sweet numbers associated with this growing profession. Stand up. Be proud you are a dentist. |
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