How Dental School Programs Work

Aspiring U.S. dentists can choose among 58 dental schools in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. They may have to leave home, however: 18 states have no dental school [source: Schwartz].

All 58 dental schools are accredited -- but with varying degrees of accreditation. Within those schools, some programs, including some post-doctoral programs, may not be accredited. The American Dental Association's (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation reviews most accredited programs every seven years. It revisits oral and maxillofacial surgery programs every five years.

There are two levels of accreditation for established, fully operational dental programs:

Programs in the planning stages or those that aren't in full swing yet may gain initial accreditation. Initial accreditation means that the first few visits showed that the program had the potential to become fully accredited. In 2010, the two newest dental schools in the U.S., Midwestern University in Glendale, Ariz., and Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif., had initial accreditation [source: ADA].

Some books and Web sites try to rank dental school programs. The ADA cautions against such rankings; the organization believes that different programs meet the needs of different aspiring dentists.

Once a student has made his or her choice, however, what is dental school actually like? Read on to find out.

Most dental school programs last four academic years. At some schools, the first two years have a nine-month schedule, and the last two years have an 11-month schedule.

Typically, the first two years involve a lot of class work. Students will delve more deeply than they did in undergraduate school into such biology-related subjects as physiology, histology, pathology, anatomy, microbiology and biochemistry. Some classes may be designed to lay the groundwork for the clinical studies to come.

Some programs also offer ethics classes and courses designed to help future dentists deal with patients. Some also offer help in dealing with the business end of dentistry; that can be important because most dentists practice on their own rather than work for a partnership or a larger medical facility [source: BLS].

The third and fourth years in most dental programs are devoted largely to clinical studies. Students will begin to treat patients with a range of dental needs. Typically, these students will be working in dental clinics and supervised by licensed dentists.

The prize at the end of four years of dental school will be the degree. There are two basic dental degrees: the DDS, or Doctor of Dental Surgery; and the DMD, or Doctor of Dental Medicine.

What's the difference between the two degrees? None except the name. The ADA says that whether a student receives a DDS or a DMD, he or she has the same education. Dental programs granting both degrees follow the same curriculum requirements set forth by the ADA's Commission on Dental Accreditation. States treat both degrees the same when granting licenses to practice dentistry. Dentists with either degree can offer the same general dentistry services.

The only difference is that some universities prefer to call their degree a DDS while others favor the DMD [source: ADA].

Differences in what dentists can and cannot do come into play when those with the basic DDS or DMD pursue further education. To learn more about post-graduate dental education and specialization, keep reading.

About 80 percent of dental school graduates go into general practice [source: ADEA]. The DDS or DMD they earn after four years of dental school qualifies them for general dentistry practice -- once they're licensed. The states handle licensing of dentists; state laws vary. Getting licensed usually involves passing both written and practical or clinical examinations.

In most cases, Parts I and II of the National Board Dental Examinations (NBDE) count as the written exam. Dental students usually take these exams during the last two years of dental school. The schools usually work with students to help them prepare.

The practical or clinical examinations are typically given by state boards of dental examiners or by regional testing agencies with which the states contract. The state of North Carolina, for example, requires a clinical exam given by the Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA) [source: North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners].

While postdoctoral education isn't necessary for someone who wants to practice general dentistry, the number of dentists who choose to participate in residency programs is on the rise. Nearly 40 percent of dental school graduates in 2005 chose to participate in one [source: Schwartz].

Some dentists choose to get advanced degrees. Others complete advanced general dentistry programs and still others pursue dental specialties. Many states require a certain number of hours of continuing education each year to keep the dental license current.

All states and the District of Columbia recognize nine dental specialties. It can take two to four years to complete programs in these specialties. These are the most popular:

Other specialties include:

Many dentists in general practice also pursue specialties so that they can, for example, do root canals, install bridges and implants, or straighten teeth [sources: BLS, ADEA].

Many beginning dentists start to work with an established practice so that they do not have to buy all the equipment. Within a few years, however, most have their own practices -- and all the patients they can handle.

Read on for more information.