Start Your Dentist Career Path With
Pathways to Admission
500+ SCHOOLS VISITED
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18,000 + STUDENTS SUPPORTED
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
Oral medicine or dental medicine typically referred to as dentistry, involves preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions of the mouth. Dentists are a type of healthcare provider most notable for performing dental check-ups, filling cavities, and performing oral surgeries. Curious about the path to becoming a dentist? Pathways to Admission will guide you through it.
Steps to Becoming a Dentist From High School
Are you a current high school student with the dream of becoming a dentist? Many students begin to pursue their dentist career path during their final high school years. This includes compiling college lists, planning prerequisite enrollment, and more. Pathways to Admission can assist you with the entire process, taking some of the pressure and weight off of your shoulders to ensure you’re set up for success.
Process of Becoming a Dentist & the Dentist Career Path
Similar to other allied health careers like podiatry and pharmacy, to pursue a career in dentistry, you’ll need to complete a bachelor’s degree, attend dental school, and in some cases, complete a residency program. The typical dentist career path is outlined below:
Completing your Bachelor’s Degree
Though it’s not officially required in order to get into dental school, a majority of accepted dental students first complete their bachelor’s degree. This includes prerequisites focusing on the sciences such as biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology.
Take and Pass the DAT
Similar to the commonly known MCAT, the DAT (Dental Admissions Test) is a test that pre-dental students take as part of the dental school application process. While both of these tests can be intimidating, Pathways will help you plan and prepare to perform your best.
Complete a DDS or DMD program
The process of becoming a dentist involves earning your DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) occurs over the course of four years at an accredited dental school which is an official program approved by the ADEA (American Dental Education Association).
Optional Residency Programs
Unlike other areas of medicine, completing a residency program is not always required for dentistry. Many students will still choose to enroll in a dental residency program in order to gain beneficial clinical experience.
How Pathways Will Help You Earn Your Dental Degree
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Help you determine and review requirements for dental programs
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Help determine the best path for you
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Transcript will be reviewed along with other academic advising
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Assist in developing college lists
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Application timeline and completion
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Essay preparation
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Letters of recommendation
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Interview Prep (if required)
Ginny is a warm and knowledgeable professional! As a former high school college counselor and pediatric nurse, she really understands how to relate to young adults. In addition, she knows the nuances of nearly every college and has relationships with many admissions counselors. This is a stressful time and having her navigate the path to a successful college match was invaluable. I recommend her highly.
