Yes, dentists go to medical school. Dentists are trained medical doctors that specialize in treating oral medical conditions.
Just like every medical specialty, dentists also spend four years in medical school even after acquiring a bachelor’s degree in a science-related field.
However, after completing medical school, dentists engage in further training to empower them with the practical knowledge of dentistry.
This article will discuss the top reasons to pursue a career in dentistry, the role of a dentist, and some tips for succeeding in dental school.
Who Is A Dentist?
Dentists diagnose and recommend treatment plans for people suffering from any medical condition affecting the teeth, gums, and mouth.
These professionals work at government hospitals, private clinics, and other medical settings.
Dentistry has many specialties, implying that we have several types of dentists today.
Some areas of dental medicine are oral and maxillofacial pathology, oral medicine, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and several others.
Is Dentistry A Good Career Path?
Becoming a dentist is a great idea. Here are some reasons you should pursue a career in dentistry:
1. A respected profession
Dentists are well-regarded all over the world.
They are celebrated for their efforts and their impact on society.
Moreover, if you are looking for a career that will put you in the spotlight and make you famous, dentistry is a profession that will guarantee that.
2. Opportunity to touch lives
Dentistry is a career that offers several chances to touch the lives of people.
As a dentist, you will treat people suffering from any medical condition affecting their teeth.
So, in the process, you will help recommend and apply remedies to relieve their pain.
Being in a position where you can render this kind of satisfying service to people is a priceless way to live.
3. Opportunity to be your boss
Becoming a dentist will allow you to be your boss.
If all you have ever wanted since you were just a kid is to own your brand and become famous, dentistry is that career for you.
Once you have completed all the relevant field training and have ranked in lots of experience, you can start up your dental clinic.
Being your boss will enable you to enjoy a flexible work schedule, employ only people you have an excellent working synergy with, and set rules that you feel are good.
4. Competitive pay
According to Indeed.com, the average national salary of dentists today is $236,787 per year.
This makes dentistry one of the best-paying jobs in the United States.
In addition to your salary, if you work for the government as a dentist, you will be continuously rewarded with special incentives such as health insurance and a few bonuses.
However, you need to know that your salary as a dentist will increase from the average above as you gain more experience, if your specialty has meager competition, and if you secure a job with a top-ranking dental company.
5. Job stability
Dentists enjoy a good level of job security.
The demand for jobs in the dental field is very high. You won’t struggle to have clients even if you practice independently because oral medical conditions are persistent in the medical area.
Do Dentists Go To Medical School? Yes, they do.
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Tips For Succeeding In Dental School
Gaining admission into dental school is not child’s play.
While you must earn an excellent DAT score to secure an admission spot at most schools, you must also maintain a high GPA from a bachelor’s degree program and have an excellent extracurricular activities participation record.
Moreover, you must know that getting out of dental school is much easier than securing admission.
Thus, apply the following tips to succeed in dental school:
1. Manage your time well
Time management is one of the most critical factors affecting your chances of dental school success.
If you cannot manage your time well, you will surely do badly at dental school.
To succeed in dental school, you must know how to plan your day and squeeze in all you have to do without skipping classes, failing to do your homework, or not studying.
If you struggle to plan your time, download a time management app on PlayStore or App Store.
2. Be organized
You cannot succeed in dental school if you lack basic organizational skills.
Good organizational skills will enable you to do the right things at the right time and achieve a lot over the day.
So, once you wake up in the money, use a schedule to plan your day and ensure that you don’t miss out on any significant activity.
Moreover, ensure you take down the deadline dates of all your projects and assignments and set reminders, so you don’t forget them.
3. Have a good knowledge of anatomy
Truthfully, you cannot scale through dental school if you don’t have a good knowledge of anatomy.
Possessing an in-depth understanding of anatomy will enable you to understand most of the courses you will even take in your first year of dental school.
So, to acquire knowledge of anatomy, enroll in an anatomy major in school during your pre-med education.
It will make things easier for you.
4. Find a personal study strategy that is suitable for you
One of the keys to success in dental school is developing and maintaining a study strategy that works for you.
Find out if reading in the morning works best for you or if you tend to achieve more when you study at night.
Also, find out if you tend to absorb more study material when you read with soft music playing in the background or if solemn reading works for you.
However, if you adopt a reading strategy that does not give you desired results, re-strategize and devise another study method until you discover a technique that yields excellent results.
5. Don’t engage in an extracurricular activity that is related to dentistry
It is best not to engage in dentistry-related extracurricular activities while in dental school.
Engaging in a non-dental activity of joining a non-dental group will help keep your mind refreshed and boost your mindset effectively.
6. Relate with your colleagues and those ahead of you
Trying to scale through dental school without making friends is a recipe for failure.
The best thing you can do for yourself in dental school is to make friends with your colleagues who share your educational goals and maintain a close relationship with your senior colleagues.
The truth is that once you have friends in your class that are always looking out for you, you won’t miss out on any information even when you are not in class, and they will also motivate you to study hard even when you feel like downing your chips.
On the other hand, you can always run to your senior colleagues with whom you share a close relationship when you need advice on overcoming a challenging course or if you want study materials that can enable you to understand a subject better.
7. Look after yourself
Keeping healthy is another important secret for scaling through dental school with great heights.
You must always have and maintain healthy habits to manage stress and ease your mind of all worries.
So, ensure you engage in lots of exercises to keep yourself physically and mentally fit.
It will enable you to recharge your mind and help you achieve more when studying.
8. Don’t disrespect anyone
No matter how tense the situation is, always ensure you don’t disrespect your teachers or colleagues.
If you ask questions in class and you don’t get the answer you want, you can meet your teacher in their office so they can offer more explanations instead of trying to take them out right there in class.
Don’t try to be a bad influence on your colleagues, as you will struggle to find any faculty that will recommend you for advanced studies or residency when the time comes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Dental School
The University of Mississippi dental school in the US remains the dental school with the highest acceptance rate in the US.
While all orthodontists are dentists, not all dentists are orthodontists. Orthodontists are dentists that focus on correcting the alignment of the teeth.
Yes, of course, dentists can use the doctor’s title. Dentists can be referred to as medical doctors since they attend medical school.
No, dentists don’t have the authorization to practice general medicine even though they have knowledge of other medical fields.
Conclusion
To become a dentist, you have to go to medical school.
This should not come as a surprise to you because dentists are medical doctors that specialize in treating oral medical conditions.
However, to secure admission into dental school, ensure that you have an excellent GPA in your bachelor’s degree program, a good DAT score, and a good record of extracurriculars.
Moreover, apply the above tips to scale through successfully once you get in.
Awesome one; I hope this article answers your question.
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