Dentists diagnose, prevent, and treat problems with teeth or mouth tissue. They remove decay, fill cavities, examine x rays, place protective plastic sealants on children's teeth, straighten teeth, and repair fractured teeth. They also perform corrective surgery on gums and supporting bones to treat gum diseases. Dentists extract teeth and make models and measurements for dentures to replace missing teeth. They provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing, the use of fluorides, and other aspects of dental care. They also administer anesthetics and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications.
Dentists in private practice oversee a variety of administrative tasks, including bookkeeping and buying equipment and supplies. They may employ and supervise dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratory technicians, and receptionists.
Most dentists are general practitioners, handling a variety of dental needs. Other dentists practice in any of nine specialty areas. Orthodontists, the largest group of specialists, straighten teeth by applying pressure to the teeth with braces or retainers. The next largest group, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, operates on the mouth and jaws. The remainder may specialize as pediatric dentists (focusing on dentistry for children); periodontists (treating gums and bone supporting the teeth); prosthodontists (replacing missing teeth with permanent fixtures, such as crowns and bridges, or removable fixtures, such as dentures); endodontists (performing root canal therapy); public-health dentists (promoting good dental health and preventing dental diseases within the community); oral pathologists (studying oral diseases); or oral and maxillofacial radiologists (diagnosing diseases in the head and neck through the use of imaging technologies).
Undergraduate pre-requisites for graduate-level training in dentistry vary by academic institution, and students interested in the field of dentistry are encouraged to research individual requirements for programs of interest. That said, most programs are quite similar in what they require of their applicants, and for that reason the undergraduate pre-requisites for a representative program are described in this section. The following information is based on the admission requirements for the Temple University School of Dentistry . (http://www.temple.edu/dentistry/admissions/requirements.htm)
Completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours from an accredited college or university is required for admission to the Temple University School of Dentistry. Students who have completed a baccalaureate degree are given preference in the admissions process. In addition, students who have been educated in universities outside the U.S. or Canada are required to complete at least one year of college and all the dental prerequisite courses in the U.S. or Canada.
A minimum of six semester hours is required in each of the following subjects:
biology,
inorganic chemistry,
organic chemistry,
physics (all with laboratory experience), and
English.
It is also recommended that applicants have exposure to advanced science courses, particularly biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, and histology.
Also, two letters of recommendation are required from Science Professors or Pre-Health Committee members along with complete official transcripts from undergraduate coursework.
Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in English as determined through the interview, essays and Reading Comprehension score on the Dental Admission Test.
The Dental Admission Test (DAT)
The DAT Program is conducted by the Department of Testing Services of the American Dental Association. The testing program consists of four examinations covering natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry), perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning. The entire test requires one half day. The DAT is given at Prometric Testing Centers nationwide on almost every day of the year. For more information, visit our DAT FAQ Sheet.
Additional information is available from the Department of Testing Services, American Dental Association, 211 East Chicago Avenue, Suite 1846 , Chicago , Illinois 60611-2678 . Information about test centers and test application procedures is available by telephone (312-440-2689) and at: http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/testing/dat/preparation.asp
An Overview of a Dental Medical Education
Graduate-Level training in the field of Dentistry varies by institution and students interested in the field are encouraged to research the programs to which they may want to apply. However, since most of the differences in graduate educational experiences are fairly minor, a description of the four year course of study at the Temple University School of Dentistry is included . A more detailed description of the courses may be found at: http://www.temple.edu/dentistry/admissions/academic_year.htm
The academic year at Temple University School of Dentistry is divided into two semesters and a summer session. The fall semester includes the months of September through December. The spring semester is approximately January through April. The summer sessions run approximately April through August. As courses are reviewed on a ongoing basis, scheduling, course titles, and credit hours are all subject to change.
Year One Curriculum :
The first-year curriculum begins the study of normal structure and function of the oral cavity, head, neck, thorax, abdomen, and upper extremities. This is achieved in the anatomy courses - gross, microscopic, and neurologic - and in the study of biochemistry and nutrition.
A major preclinical sequence introducing the student to dental anatomy, dental materials, and occlusion is also introduced in the first year. Other first-year courses include behavioral sciences, preventive dentistry, and a first look at three clinical areas of dentistry: removable prosthodontics, periodontology, and operative dentistry.
Year Two Curriculum :
In the second-year, three major educational tasks are undertaken. The first is to complete the scientific study of normal and abnormal structure and function, with major courses of study in microbiology, growth and development and pathology. The second is to prepare for the practice of dentistry in a comprehensive clinical setting. This involves preclinical courses in virtually all phases of dentistry: endodontology, fixed prosthodontics, operative dentistry, oral diagnosis and oral medicine, orthodontics, periodontology, and removable prosthodontics. Also included in the course offerings are pain control, including anesthesia and analgesia, and treatment planning. The third task is to gain a level of confidence associated with patient contact. During the spring semester, students have introductory experiences in several clinics.
Year Three Curriculum:
In the third-year, study of most clinical subjects continues. Lecture courses lessen in quantity, and the clinical practice of dentistry begins to take precedence in time and effort.
The major thrust of the third year is the development of clinical proficiency. The School offers a comprehensive care clinical program in which students are assigned patients and provide all care for those patients. Experience in oral surgery, diagnosis, radiology, and emergency care is gained through those clinics by assigned rotations. Students, in essence, run their own mini-dental practices, where initiative, perseverance, and good time management are necessary in order to complete the junior clinical requirements in a timely fashion.
Year Four Curriculum:
In the fourth-year, there are only five credit hours of course work in each semester. Higher level courses in orthodontics and removable prosthodontics continue, and new courses include practice management, dental jurisprudence, ethical issues in dentistry, management and dentistry for persons with disabilities.
There is a major increase in both the quantity and the complexity of the dental work performed by fourth year students. By the time they complete the program, Temple graduates are skilled and confident in all phases of general dentistry.
