Dentists typically do the following:

• Restore oral health and transform the lives of your patients: By providing preventative care, dental restorative procedures, eliminating pain, or correcting dento-facial aesthetics, dentists can experience the satisfaction, privilege, and joy of positively transforming a patient's life by restoring oral health.
• Commonly own their own business: Often, dentists will establish their own business right after dental school. This provides them with independence and allows them to set their own business and career goals.
• Have ten specialty options: While 80% of dental school graduates go into private practice in general dentistry, the profession offers a wide range of clinical, research, and academic opportunities to both new graduates and dentists at any stage of their careers.
• Maintain a flexible lifestyle: Because there are several different career and practice options in dentistry, practitioners can choose what kind of lifestyle they want to lead and often what hours/days they want work.
• Exercise creativity in their daily work: Dentistry is often referred to as an art. It requires mastery and technique unique to the profession. Dentistry is largely based on maintaining proper oral health but is also an aesthetically focused practice. A large part of dentistry involves restoring teeth and making a smile beautiful, one that the patient is happy to show to others.
• Shape the future of oral healthcare: In addition to clinical practice, dentists can contribute significantly to the future of oral health care by engaging in dental education and research. Dental educators can shape the dental school curriculum and the professional role of dentists by establishing themselves as faculty members in dental education. As dental researchers, dentists use the most advanced techniques and technologies and apply cutting-edge scientific findings to move the profession forward by discovering new oral health phenomenon or seeking a resolution to a myriad of oral health issues.
• Work within a team: Although dentists are often portrayed as "lone practitioners," in actuality, dentistry is a team-oriented profession. Whether it is the dental team (dental hygienist, assistant, and lab technician) working together with the patient to ensure the restoration and maintenance of oral health, or the dentist's role on an interprofessional team, working with other health professionals to improve overall health, the dentist receives much satisfaction as a primary team player.
• Above information found on the ADEA website.

Timelines

ADEA 4-Year Undergrad Timeline to Apply to Dental School 
ADA Pre-Dental Timeline

College Major: Applicants with a well-rounded education, a variety of interests, and personal experiences are ideal candidates for Dental School. Therefore, it is important to choose a major where you can demonstrate strong academic performance, while also focusing on developing a strong background in the sciences. It is not uncommon to see majors in science, business, engineering, and the fine arts applying successfully to dental school.

Prerequisites

• Two-quarters of biology with lab, (Cell Biology recommended)
• Two-quarters of general chemistry with lab
• Two-quarters of organic chemistry with lab
• Two-quarters of physics with lab.
• Other Prerequisites that vary by school:
  - Microbiology (17 of 67 schools require)
  - Anatomy (13 of 67 schools require)
  - Physiology: (11 of 67 schools require

Some dental schools require additional courses, such as English composition, and additional upper-level biology courses, such as anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and biochemistry. Some dental schools will substitute one semester of biochemistry for the second semester of organic chemistry. Many schools strongly encourage applicants to take courses in the arts and social sciences. Courses in business, fine arts, and other subjects that develop manual dexterity, foster creative impulse, and business interest are also recommended.

Beyond academics, it is important that you develop your skills and experience in the following areas:

• Dental Experience and Dental Shadowing (At least 80 hours of shadowing is recommended. Work experience in a dental office is a plus.)
• Leadership
• Community Service
• Manual Dexterity
• Research
• Building Relationships
• Post-Baccalaureate Programs

For more information about preparing for dental school, see...

• The Dental School Curriculum
• Tips for Preparing to Enter Dental School

*Check out: DAT Study Tips from Ryan Lisann '15

For information on how to apply to Dental School, please click HERE.

• American Dental Education Association (ADEA) GoDental!
• ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools