Dental Careers

Dentistry

• Average income of general dentist: $166,460 (specialist: $261,280 )

– 1st year $65,000-120,000

– Average from age 40-50 is $200,000

• 35.8 hrs/wk

• Increasing Shortage: 10 opportunities for each graduate

Dentistry

• Autonomy (staff, procedures, prices, patients )

• Generally Fast Results for Patient

• Creative/Artistic

Dental School

• Four year degree (DDS or DMD)

– 2 years pre-clinical

– National Boards Part 1 (Dec D-2)

– 2 years clinical

– National Boards Part 2 (Dec D-4)

– State Lisensure exams (SRTA, TN, MS)

Preclinical

• Approx. 30 hours/semester

• Class 8am-5pm, M-F

• Classes include: Gross Anatomy, Histology, Pathology, Physiology, Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Dental Anatomy, Operative, Fixed

Preclinical

• National Boards Part 1

– Must pass to begin work in clinic

– Four parts

• Histology/Biochemistry

• Gross Anatomy/Physiology

• Pathology/Microbiology

• Dental Anatomy/Occlusion

Clinic

• Assigned Patients

• Must Achieve specified requirements (points and competency system)

• Still have plenty of classes

Post-Graduation

• Private Practice

• Specialization

• Research

• Military

• Public Health

Private Practice

• Solo Practice

• Group/Partner

• Associateship

Specialization

• Top 10-30% of class

• History of dental related research

– Summer after D-1 year

ADA Specialties

• Endodontics, Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery, Radiology, Oral-Maxillofacial Pathology, Orthodontics, Pediatrics, Periodontology, Prosthodontics (Maxillofacial Prosthodontics), Public Health

– Concentrations: esthetics (cosmetics), restorative, family, general, Chronic Pain

Applying

• Required Courses (Degree not required)

• DAT (Dental Aptitude Test)

– Natural Sciences, Visio-Spatial Skills, Reasoning

• Observations of General Dentist (40 hours)

Applying

• Interview

– Know why you want to do it

• Don’t say “I have always wanted to be a doctor…..”

– Demonstrate “people skills”

Other Dental Careers

• Dental Hygiene ($50,000-60,000/yr)

– Specialization: perio, ortho

• Dental Lab Tech ($40,000-120,000/yr)

• Dental Assistant ($14.00/hr )

• Office Management ($30,000-60,000/yr)

What to do now…..

• Perform Observations (any medical career)

• Learn Time Management

• Learn to study (Details!!)

– All tests are multiple choice

What to do now…

• Learn “People Skills”

• Learn how to be in charge

– How to manage employees, patients, sales people, etc.

– How to motivate staff, discipline, etc.