The laws in the United States about dental practices are strict and comprehensive so you can be assured that your dentist is competent and skilled. Dentists in the United States need to have the Doctor of Dental Medicine certificate or D.D.S. in order to practice their profession. This means that every dentist that is practicing in the United States have at least eight years of studying this subject. These dentists can then be considered to be expects in this field because of their extensive exposure. The eight years of training that each licensed dentist in the United States has undergone is composed of four years undergraduate degree and another four years of doctoral training in dentistry.
You should also note that the last two years of their training requires the aspiring dentists to have a hands-on experience in treating patients so that they will be competent when they graduate. Basically, after the dentists have acquired his license, his main task would be to diagnose and cure different oral conditions of a person. These conditions can range from oral cavities to more complex surgeries. The dentists are also expected to advice their patients with professional advices on how to properly take care of their teeth to avoid problems in the future.
But you should also be aware of the fact that there are two kinds of dentists namely generalist and specialist. Generalist is dentists that do not have a field of specialization. They usually provide basic oral care to their patients but they cannot perform more complicated surgeries that serious oral conditions require. However, you can also expect generalist to be competent in many disciplines because they are exposed to a variety of dental practices. Generalist can also become specialist at a later date if they want to have a field of specialization. They only need to study for another year or two to be considered an expert in a more specialized area of dentistry.
There are actually a lot of fields a generalist can choose from such as endodontics, pediatric surgery and periodontics. Other fields of specialization in the United States include dental public health, oral and maxillofacial pathology, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial radiology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and orthodontics. As you can see, cosmetic dental surgery is not included among the fields of specialties that are recognized by the American Dental Association but there are some groups like the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery that are now established to provide credibility to dentist that practice cosmetic surgery.
On the other hand, specialists are dentist that already have a field of specialization. This means that they have the necessary training to perform more complicated dental tasks aside from giving the basic oral care. But you should also take note that choosing a specialist over a generalist don’t automatically mean that you will get a better service. This is because dentists are also human and thus the capability of each person differs from the other.
Overall, it is very difficult to become a dentist in the United States due to the stringent requirements for a licensed dentist. But all the difficulties you will encounter in your aspiration to become a dentist will be worth it at the end because of the sense of fulfillment you can derive from doing what you love and helping other people at the same time. It is no wonder then that there are a lot of aspiring dentists today and the numbers are only increasing as more people realize the benefits of becoming a dentist.
- Suggest site to related directory categories: Dental Care, Academic Tests
I am onl;y 12 years old but I want to become a dentist. I am a 9th grader and I am in all my advanced classes. Does anybody think that I could become a dentist and make a living. If you think that I can, please e-mail me at Priyasahota10@yahoo.com
Comment by Priya Sahota — February 14, 2008 @ 4:53 pm