Dental school graduates receive a degree in Dentistry, Dental Surgery, or Dental Medicine, which may be a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, professional degree, or doctorate, depending on the jurisdiction.
Postgraduate training in general dentistry, endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral pathology, oral and maxillofacial radiology, orthodontics, pedodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, dental public health, restorative dentistry, and postgraduate training for dental hygienists and dental technicians can also be provided by schools.
Requirements for Dental Schools
It takes time and patience to become a dentist, but with the right expectations, you’ll know exactly what to expect and how to achieve your goals.
Dentistry, like other medical professions, requires years of training and hands-on experience. Preparing for the right college courses and internships will improve your chances of success.
1. Complete a bachelor’s degree
Enroll in courses that count as pre-dental coursework as you work toward your bachelor’s degree.
Many of the college courses you’ll need to take are prerequisite science courses. You’ll probably need eight credit units of physics, biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry, depending on the dental program.
2. Job shadow dentists
As you complete your degree requirements, you will eventually need to job shadow a few dentists before applying to dental school.
Most dental programs require applicants to have 100 hours of job shadowing experience with multiple dentists so that they can see how different offices operate. Begin by requesting this opportunity from your own dentist. See if you can get the names of other dentists who might be interested in assisting you with this pre-dental school requirement.
Consider participating in a dental school preparatory program or mentoring program, such as the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program (SMDEP).
3. Get involved in extracurriculars
Signing up for clubs and other activities that demonstrate you’re a well-rounded and dedicated student can help you strengthen your dental school application.
Investigate your local options and think about joining any biology or health-related clubs. You should also check with your science professors to see if they are looking for research assistants.
4. Join the Student National Dental Association
Joining the Student National Dental Association, in addition to other organizations, may be beneficial. It will not only help your dental school application, but it will also introduce you to other dental students and practicing dentists at chapter events.
Networking with other professionals in the field is an excellent way to discuss your career goals and interests while also learning more about the dental school application process.
5. Take the Dental Admission Test (DAT)
You can take the 4.5-hour DAT after your junior year of college if you’ve committed to the admissions process. The exam is required for admission to dental school and consists of the following sections:
- Survey of the natural sciences: 100-question section on biology and chemistry
- Perceptual ability: a 90-question section on spatial reasoning
- Reading comprehension: 50-question general topics section
Quantitative reasoning: Quantitative reasoning is a 40-question section that covers statistics, data analysis, algebra, and probability.
To pass the DAT, you must prepare thoroughly ahead of time. If you do not pass the first time, you will be given two more chances after 90 days. Most dental schools prefer a DAT score of at least 19.
You should study for at least three months before the exam to establish consistent study habits, and you should also consider some of the following other suggestions:
Set the most difficult sections first: If you are concerned about statistics or math problems, you should first improve your knowledge of these subjects. Addressing the more difficult topics first will give you a sense of accomplishment and will help you gain confidence in other areas.
Investigate the perceptual ability test: This is a notoriously difficult exam section. Take practice exams to get a feel for the structure and to see how well you do.
Examine difficult passages: The DAT exam will likely contain complex sentences and arguments. Examples of these can be found in test preparation guides.
Take practice exams: Many online resources provide free practice exams, or you can pay for a more comprehensive DAT practice test. Taking practice exams will help you understand what to expect on exam day and how long it will take you to complete.
Arrive early on exam day: Allow at least 30 minutes for traffic delays when arriving at the testing center. You’ll need two forms of identification, one of which must be government-issued.
6. Create a competitive dental school application
A competitive application is also required for dental school. Spend time researching the schools you want to attend, and when narrowing down your top choices, consider the location and cost of the programs.
Your college adviser can provide you with a list of reputable schools, and you should consider touring some of them. Many students begin the application process for dental school a year before graduation.
7. Complete an admissions interview
Following your application to dental school, you may be contacted for an interview. Consider your personal strengths and communication skills as you prepare for your interview. Interviewers frequently inquire about your personality and desire to assist others.
Practicing your responses in advance with a friend may help you relax during the interview. You should find out if you were accepted into your desired program soon after your interview.
Dentistry Schools in Kansas
See below;
1. UMKC School of Dentistry
It’s easy to see how passionate they are about oral health care. It’s on display every day in sophisticated classrooms, cutting-edge laboratories, and bustling practice clinics.
The UMKC School of Dentistry serves the community by educating the next generation of dental leaders with a world-class education.
They provide a comprehensive range of oral health care degrees, including a Doctor of Dental Surgery, continuing education, a variety of dental hygiene options, and specialty advanced degrees that position their graduates as industry leaders.
Their program is Missouri’s only public dental school. Their graduates make up roughly half of all practicing dentists in Missouri.
They also provide an important educational outlet for Kansas and several other states that do not have dental schools.
UMKC is the only institution in Missouri that provides advanced educational programs and clinical training in General Dentistry, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontics, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, and Endodontics.
It also benefits from being a part of the University of Missouri system, which includes four publicly funded state universities. The other campuses are in Rolla, St. Louis, and Columbia.
The School of Dentistry is located on the Hospital Hill campus of UMKC, which is a few miles north of the main UMKC campus.
The UMKC School of Dentistry has a long history of innovative leadership in dental education.
For more than a century, the school has led the way in educating the next generation of oral health care professionals, conducting cutting-edge research, providing high-quality patient care, and allowing professionals to advance their careers through our continuing education and practitioner training programs.
Their history began in 1881, when the Kansas City Dental College was established as a department within the Kansas City Medical College.
The Dental College eventually merged with Western Dental College to form Kansas City-Western Dental College.
In 1941, the Dental College merged with the privately supported University of Kansas City to form the School of Dentistry. After twenty years, the University of Kansas City became part of the four-campus state University of Missouri system.
The dental school has been known as the UMKC School of Dentistry since then. They have been recognized nationally for academic rigor and excellence in oral health care education. Modern classrooms, research laboratories, practice clinics, and library services are among our many amenities.
Address: 650 E 25th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, United States
Contact: +1 816-235-2100
Conclusion on the dental schools in Kansas City
Dental hygienists, dental technicians and denturists, dental therapists and oral health therapists, dental assistants or dental nurses, and other members of the dental auxiliary, including orthodontic auxiliaries, may be trained at dental schools, universities of applied science, or polytechnics.
Sometimes, as in Pakistan, dental education is provided within medical schools; the distinction between medical and dental education is also blurred within certain sub-specialties, such as oral and maxillofacial surgery.
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