Dentistry is one of the oldest and most revered professions in the world. In the United States, the American Dental Association is the official organization that regulates the practice of dentistry. Colleges will also administer a Dental Admission Test (DAT) to see if the applicant student is fit for dental school. The hardest part about being a dentist in the United States is that one has to spend eight years (due to a four-year prerequisite/undergraduate course) in college to be eligible to take the national and regional dental board exams and , later, , an examination of jurisprudence. If they want to practice in another state where they are not licensed, they should know that the interstate cooperative agreement will have the final say on whether or not they can practice in another state, depending on their credentials/licensing level.

And tuition is a very serious matter. The average board certified dentist often graduates with at least $150,000 in debt primarily due to the number of years in school and the limited number of accredited colleges (that are private, independent, or Ivy League) that offer dentistry. Another reason why school fees are so high for dentists is the need to take separate training courses for dental specialties: Endodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, and Orthodontics, to name a few. You may also notice that dentists often label themselves “cosmetic dentists” and “general dentists” at the same time; The reason is that a general/cosmetic dentistry practice does not require a separate license and one can practice both at the time he/she passes the national and regional board exams for dentists.

Today, dentists can earn a degree such as DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine). A century ago, a DDS degree was the only degree offered to dentists by independent, exclusive schools in the United States. But in the early 20th century, only two dental schools offered the DMD degree, the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Oregon School of Dentistry. But still, DMD degrees are offered by a limited number of universities. There is also constant confusion on the part of the public as to which is which between the two grades. To explain briefly, they are indeed the same in semantics and education, but others claim that DDS dentists specialize in surgical operations, while DMD dentists are better at diagnosing dental conditions and treating these conditions with medication. . Again, these “claims” are NOT true. . Dentists, whether DMD or DDS, specialize in BOTH the aforementioned areas and the only difference is really just the initials.

Most people ask if dental school is hard. To answer that question, ask your local dentist and don’t go online for answers, because many people who pretend to know about dentistry are actually trolls. Methodically speaking, dentistry will be somewhat difficult if you enroll against your will, but it will always come down to your aptitude, study habits, and most importantly, the perseverance to pass the course. Choosing a college with a high pass rate is imperative as well as reassuring.

The last two years of your study will be devoted to practical applications of what you have learned sitting in class. Spend that time improving your professional attitude and make the most of it while you’re still in school. There are also partnerships between universities and clinics that offer summer internships for undergraduates and research courses for students.