Anatomy Career Paper: Dentist

Jacob Smith

Pd. 6

5/27/14

Ms. Pendleton

Anatomy Career Paper: Dentist

Being a dentist is an exciting career people aspire to have. Dentists are hilarious, and well-liked by all their patients, who all look forward to going to them for appointments. When you think about it, being a dentist really is a great job. You get paid a ton and get to talk to people, but they’re physically incapable of talking back to you, it’s all the benefits and none of the downsides of human interaction. But what does being a dentist really entail? What do you need to do to become one, and what are the ups and downs of the job? Well you’re about to find out.

To be a dentist you have to be well educated, which figures since nobody wants a moron operating machinery in their mouth. First you must complete high school and then earn a bachelor’s degree, preferably in the sciences, like chemistry, biology, or genetics. It’s also common for colleges to have pre-dental programs in their biology departments, and it’s common for students to participate in these. Then you have to go to Dental school to complete a dental-degree program. Dental school programs begin with instruction in the biomedical and dental sciences, covering everything from cell walls to molars (Education Portal). Many of the first two years of dental courses have corresponding laboratories. In these labs, students show their dental knowledge while building skills in areas like imaging and fixed partial dentures. In the third and fourth years students participate in group activities where they learn to make diagnosis under the watch of licensed dentists. They can also perform dental treatments under supervision, and when they graduate, they become either a DDS or a DMD (Education Portal).

In all states, dentists need a license to practice (Education Portal). Individual state boards regulate dental licensing. After completing credible dental programs, dentists obtain a license by passing a written and clinical exam,...