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PRE-DENTISTRY: A WORLD OF PAIN Last time you went to the dentist you were probably too caught up imagining the pain to be able to think about anything else. We won't beat around the bush here. For most of us going to the dentist is a painful experience. The mouth is a place full of germs and it needs to be looked over by a dentist every now and then—that means surrendering yourself to a few minutes, or hours, of pain in exchange for a cleaner mouth and whiter teeth. But have you thought about the pain it takes to become a dentist? Do you have what it takes to be the one sitting beside the dentist chair? Studying to become a dentist is much like aiming for a PhD. You need to pass some classes and a standardized board exam, and you need lots and lost of devotion to the discipline. The bulk of preparatory courses is called the pre-dentistry period and its purpose is to hone the foundations of students before they are accepted to a dental school. College prerequisites Pre-dentistry isn't a walk in the park. It's a serious study course that takes three or four years to complete. A typical dental program requires some 90 hours of college credit, and this includes:
As a pre-dentistry student prepare to spend grueling hours studying chemistry, biology and physics—every semester has at least one of these. You are also required to take English and Math and ROTC classes during Freshman or Sophomore years, but these subjects will tone themselves down as you enter Junior year where classes would focus on the humanities, social sciences, and more chemistry. Passion for the craft, devotion to the practice, exceeds all these educational requirements. Your college credits got you into dental school, all right, but it is your hunger to become a full-fledged dentist that will ultimately see you through it. Some universities require at least 10 hours of credits observing a dentist in practice, be it a dentist stranger or the family dentist. Its aim is for students to be familiar with how a dentist works around the chair. In any case you're going to spend a significant portion of your life doing the exact same thing. So take notes and make yourself feel at home. Characteristics of a pre-dentistry student It's your skills and character that will see you become a dentist someday. But ask yourself: do you have the characteristics of a successful pre-dentistry student? A successful pre-dentistry student works hard and studies harder. He or she should maintain a GPA of 3.3, no less, and perform well on the Dental Admissions Test. The student must conduct internships in dental settings as well as show leadership traits, community service and a willingness to do volunteer work. These traits aren't set in stone but they'll definitely help you out in the long run. A pre-dentistry student must also be willing to communicate with his or her advisor on a regular basis. Pre-dentistry is what makes or breaks a future dentist. Be prepared for a lot of studying and less clinical work—though it's required that you devote a certain number of hours working and observing at the clinic, it is still less compared to the required hours in an actual dental program. Try to get into a good school. Study hard, a great career in dentistry awaits. |
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