Going to Dental School
What is Dental School?
A dental school is an institution of higher education offering courses leading to a degree in dentistry. Graduates of dental school will earn a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) or DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine), depending on the dental specialties selected.
Why go to Dental School?
If you have a passion for healing people, continuous learning, and oral health, you might want to consider a career in dentistry. If you are considering becoming a dental student, we recommend visiting the resources on the American Dental Association (ADA) website for dental students.
Like medical school, dental school is also very demanding. Dental students are required to digest a great deal of information, perform lab work and apply their skills hands on treating patients. It will take you at least 8 years to complete your dental education (4 years bachelors + 4 years graduate work). You will also need to obtain a license to practice dentistry, and pursue continuing education throughout your career. You are not required to complete a residency program in order to treat patients after dental school, but it is strongly recommended.
Research Dental Schools
If you want to apply to dental school, begin researching which school provides the best fit for you. You might take into account factors such as location, size, cost and whether or not the school offers your desired dental specialty. Since getting accepted into dental school is very competitive, you’ll likely want to apply to multiple schools.
Dental Specialties
Examples of dental specialties that you may study during dental school include:
- Endodontology
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Orthodontics
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontology
Dental School Admissions
Although admissions criteria vary by school, most schools require some combination of the following:
- Demonstrated excellence in mathematics and science classes such as biology, chemistry and physics.
- An acceptable score on the Dental Admission Test (DAT) exam. Acceptable scores will vary by school.
- Other criteria such as undergraduate education, grades, extra curricular activities, etc.
- You may be required to attend an in-person interview as part of the admissions process.
If you are considering applying to dental school, you’ll need to register to take the DAT. For more information on the DAT, visit the ADA’s website.
Top Dental Schools
We’ve listed some resources for top dental schools below:
American Dental Association – A listing of all accredited dental schools in the U.S.
How to Pay for Dental School
If you plan to attend dental school, you’ll need to spend time making sure that you understand the financial aid process and how much your education is going to cost you. Remember, if you don’t pay for your education in scholarships and grants (free money), or cash, you’ll need to borrow student loans. Dental students are eligible to borrow up to $40,500 per year in Federal Stafford Loans.
The ADA cites that over 79% of graduates have more than $100,000 in debt while more than 50% have more than $175,0001. You’ll want to make sure you have a plan to manage your dental school debt, especially during your residency and first years in practice. With a sizeable loan balance, your student loan monthly payments are likely to be quite significant. Until you start making the median salary for your profession, you need to make sure you manage your loan payments, living expenses and other obligations. The ADA publishes a financial planning guide for dental students and you can also review our section on managing student loan debt for more information.