Explore Dentistry – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

What is Dentistry?

Dentists are healthcare professionals whose primary responsibility is maintaining the health of patients’ oral cavities and adjacent structures. Dentists provide preventive care and diagnose and treat problems affecting both hard and soft tissues, including teeth, jaw, lips, gingival tissue, and tongue. They also perform medical procedures such as surgery, laser surgery, and tissue grafts. Dentists improve their patients’ appearances through cosmetic dental procedures, which require finely attuned aesthetic sensibilities. Dentists provide a wide variety of services in many community arenas and must be comfortable interacting with people of all ages, cultures, and personalities.

Those who choose to continue their dental education after being awarded either the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) can pursue postdoctoral training or postgraduate work designed to enhance the general practitioner’s skill set.

More information on dental specialties

Field Description Dentistry Programs Dental School and Licensure Early Acceptance Programs

Field Description

Work Setting

Most dentists become general practitioners and work in private practice, renting or owning an office and employing an average of four employees. Some, however, work in group practices or hospitals. Some dentists also teach, conduct research, or work in public health.

More information on dental careers

Related Careers

Dental assistant, dental hygienist, and dental laboratory technician.

Information is compiled from the following webpage: Explore Health Careers. Please note that these are just some notable differences among the fields and are not intended to be comprehensive. It is important to double check with certain schools regarding pre-requisites and program specifics.

Category	Dental Hygienist	Dentist
Total Post High School Education	2-6 years	8 years
Prerequisite Education	High school diploma	B.A. or B.S.
Degree Conferred	Associate's or Bachelor's degree	Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Residency		Optional (~1-6 years)
Curriculum	Accredited dental hygiene program	Medical School
Salary	$73,745	$218,220
Entrance Exam		DAT
Job Duties	- Assess oral tissue and overall health - Remove plaque and stains from teeth - Preform/process dental x-rays	- Maintain health of oral cavities and adjacent structures - Preventative diagnostic care - Perform medical procedures

Dentistry Programs

Years of Schooling Required to Become a Dentist:

8+ years of education

Undergraduate Preparation (~4 years);
Dental School (4 years);
Residency (1-6 years, optional).

Many schools require a bachelor’s degree. Although not all schools list a bachelor’s degree as a requirement for admission, few students are admitted without one. For those schools that do not require a bachelor’s degree, completing a bachelor’s degree is highly recommended. Admission to dental schools is highly competitive, and a bachelor’s degree significantly strengthens a student’s application and provides students with greater options for advancement and career opportunities.

Degree Conferred

Upon completion of dental school, students are awarded either the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). Both degrees are equivalent with respect to licensure and professional practice.

Dentistry Programs in Hawaiʻi: None*

The University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry provides 3 seats each year for applicants from Hawaiʻi.

Early Acceptance Programs:

A.T. Still University – Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health Still Scholars Program

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Dental Medicine Program

Gap Year

Students may choose to take a gap year after they graduate with their undergraduate degree. A “gap year” is the period of time between the end of your undergraduate education and the start of your professional school. A gap year might be a year or more depending on each person’s particular circumstances. Students may choose to participate in longer-term engagement activities during their gap year. Taking a gap year would change when to apply to professional school, so please see a PAC peer advisor to help you plan on when to apply and fit in a gap year experience.

Post-Baccalaureate and Special Master's Degree Programs

There are a large number of Post-Baccalaureate and Special Master's Programs offered across the nation. Although these programs vary greatly in terms of degree offerings, course curriculum, and program duration, they are all geared to help students in preparation for professional school by taking relevant graduate-level courses or to meet the necessary prerequisite courses for their intended program.

Combined Degree Programs

Many dental schools offer combined degree programs: DMD or DDS/MS or PhD to combine dentistry with research or teaching; DMD or DDS/MBA to combine dentistry with business administration; DMD or DDS/MPH to combine dentistry with public health; and so on. Combined degrees can be offered concurrently, sequentially, or in combination, and often extend the number of years in dental school.

Dental School and Licensure

What to Expect in Dental School

1st and 2nd year: Concentrate on the basic sciences
- Some programs allow students to interact with patients almost from the start.
3rd and 4th year: Usually focus on clinical training in a variety of settings
- Often include instruction in business management.

After graduation, dentists who desire advanced training or specialization can choose to complete a residency.

The Licensing Examination(s)

Graduates of accredited dental schools are eligible to sit for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE), a national exam for dentistry licensure in the United States. Dentistry licensure is regulated at the state level, and students may need to satisfy additional requirements depending on the state where they intend to practice. All dentists must be licensed to practice. Dentists wanting to practice in Hawaiʻi must ALSO pass CDCA-WREB-CITA's ADEX dental licensure examination.

Licensure Requirements for Each State

Early Acceptance Programs

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