Career Fair Bells ISD Dentistry

About me… Alyssa Emory Hometown: Bells, TX College Education: Oklahoma State University Bachelors of Science in Physiology with premed option Minor in Business Texas A&M HSC Baylor College of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery

Why dentistry?  What makes you interested in dentistry?  Do you have family members that work in a dental office?  Are you also interested in becoming a doctor?  How many years does it take to become a dentist?

What options are there in dentistry?  Dental Assistant  Dental Hygienist  Dentist

Certified Dental Assistant (CDA)  Role: Chair-side assistant to the dentist  The average dental assistant works 4 days per week and makes $33,000 per year ($18/hour).  Education Requirements:  High School Diploma  After High School:  1 year programs are the most common  There are 281 programs nationwide that offer a Certificate in Dental Assisting  Required to have CPR training

Registered Dental Hygienist (RDH)  Role: Promote and maintain good oral hygiene through education, prevention, and treatment.  What is oral hygiene?  Cleaning of the mouth and teeth  The average dental hygienist works 4 days per week and makes $62,000 per year ($35/hour).  Why dental hygiene?  Family lifestyle  No stress of owning a business

Dental Hygienist  Education Requirements  High School Diploma  College  Prerequisites (prior to entering dental hygiene program) – algebra, biology, chemistry, English, arts, government, history, psychology, sociology, speech, nutrition, A&P  These courses can be completed in 2 years (60 hours)  After completion of the prerequisite courses, you apply to a dental hygiene program. Most dental hygiene programs are competitive so you must do something that will make you stand out (good grades, community service, volunteer work, etc.).  Dental hygiene programs are an additional 2 years.  This means it takes an average of 4 years to become a dental hygienist.  More than 200 programs in the nation  Graduate with either an associates, bachelors, or masters degree as a Registered Dental Hygienist  Associates most common  Average GPA: 3.5 (about the same number of As and Bs)  Science/Math GPA is also considered  Some schools require additional testing, such as the GRE, that must be taken prior to applying to the dental hygiene program

General Dentist (DDS, DMD)  Role: A doctor who practices dentistry.  What is dentistry? A branch of medicine that focuses on the mouth, teeth, face, head, and neck. We prevent disease, diagnose disease, and treat disease.  The average dentist works 4 days per week and earns $150,000 per year.  There are only 62 dental schools in the United States, so it is a very competitive profession.

General Dentist  What is most important? To have a well-rounded education  Education Requirements  At least 90 credit hours of college course work including all prerequisites for dental school in a FULLY ACCREDITED college or university in the United States.  The courses include: English, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Biochemistry, Biology, Statistics  Recommended: Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology, Neuroscience, Histology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Immunology, Embryology, Speech, Sociology, Psychology, Calculus, etc.  Also, most have earned a bachelors degree in a fully accredited college or university in the United States.  Preferably in Biology  Average GPA 3.7 – what does this mean? Mostly A’s in all college classes with a couple B’s throughout the 4 years of courses.  Science GPA is also taken into account  This means it is important to take your science classes at a 4- year institution (not a junior/community college)  The 4 year institution you chose should have a high academic reputation  See additional handout for more information.

General Dentist  Other Education Requirements  Dental Admissions Test (DAT) – taken by all potential dental students prior to applying to dental school  Math, Science, Reading, Perceptual ability  Business classes are highly recommended  A good idea is to minor in business.  Small business management, accounting, finance  Observation Hours  At least 100 hours observing dentists during college  Volunteer and Community Service  A dentist is a health professional and it is important to show that you care about people in your community before you become a dentist. As a dentist you are a leader in your community and are expected to give back.

Why go to college for 8 years to become a dentist when you could become a doctor?  You are a doctor for the head, neck and mouth. This is like a doctor who specializes in feet, nerves, heart, etc.  Cavities are a disease that we help prevent and treat.  Caries (which means cavities) is the number one childhood disease.  This is good for dentists because people will always have cavities and will always have toothaches. (job security)  There are different options involved: you may own your own business or work for somebody else  You usually are not “on call”  The profession has a family-friendly life style  Good salary  Right now there is less insurance and government control than in medicine.  Positive impact in the community  Increases self esteem in your patients

Can dentistry be stressful? What are the downfalls?  Cons:  People don’t like going to the dentist, but we can change this!  Patients believe it is expensive – economy will effect business  The overhead costs average over $1,000,000 per year. This means to make money you must bring in more than $1,000,000 per year.  Stress of owning a business – you will always have things that need to be done  Malpractice Insurance  Liability – The dental oath includes Patient Autonomy, Beneficence, Nonmaleficence, Justice, and Veracity

Dental Specialties  Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS)  Pediatric Dentistry  Endodontics  Periodontics  Orthodontics  Prosthodontics  OM Radiology  OM Pathology  Public Health After you become a dentist you have the option to continue your education and become a dental specialist in one of these fields. You must be in the top of your dental class because they are very competitive. These programs are an additional 2-6 years of school.

More About Dentistry  Public Health  Military  Indian Health  Rural Areas  Education  Research  Strengths required for dentistry:  Math, science, communication skills, interpersonal skills, leadership, time management, faith, motivation, integrity, fairness, etc.  You must be willing to do what is best for somebody else!

Questions?