Dental Careers

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Dental Careers
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Dentistry

• Average income of general dentist 166,460
  (specialist 261,280 )
• 1st year 65,000-120,000
• Average from age 40-50 is 200,000
  
• 35.8 hrs/wk
• Increasing Shortage 10 opportunities for each
  graduate

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Dentistry

• Autonomy (staff, procedures, prices, patients )
• Generally Fast Results for Patient
• Creative/Artistic

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Dental School

• Four year degree (DDS or DMD)
• 2 years pre-clinical
• National Boards Part 1 (Dec D-2)
• 2 years clinical
• National Boards Part 2 (Dec D-4)
• State Lisensure exams (SRTA, TN, MS)

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Preclinical

• Approx. 30 hours/semester
• Class 8am-5pm, M-F
• Classes include Gross Anatomy, Histology,
  Pathology, Physiology, Pharmacology,
  Biochemistry, Dental Anatomy, Operative, Fixed

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Preclinical

• National Boards Part 1
• Must pass to begin work in clinic
• Four parts
• Histology/Biochemistry
• Gross Anatomy/Physiology
• Pathology/Microbiology
• Dental Anatomy/Occlusion

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Clinic

• Assigned Patients
• Must Achieve specified requirements (points and
  competency system)
• Still have plenty of classes

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Post-Graduation

• Private Practice
• Specialization
• Research
• Military
• Public Health

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Private Practice

• Solo Practice
• Group/Partner
• Associateship

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Specialization

• Top 10-30 of class
• History of dental related research
• Summer after D-1 year

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ADA Specialties

• Endodontics, Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery,
  Radiology, Oral-Maxillofacial Pathology,
  Orthodontics, Pediatrics, Periodontology,
  Prosthodontics (Maxillofacial Prosthodontics),
  Public Health
• Concentrations esthetics (cosmetics),
  restorative, family, general, Chronic Pain

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Applying

• Required Courses (Degree not required)
• DAT (Dental Aptitude Test)
• Natural Sciences, Visio-Spatial Skills, Reasoning
• Observations of General Dentist (40 hours)

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Applying

• Interview
• Know why you want to do it
• Dont say I have always wanted to be a
  doctor..
• Demonstrate people skills

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Other Dental Careers

• Dental Hygiene (50,000-60,000/yr)
• Specialization perio, ortho
• Dental Lab Tech (40,000-120,000/yr)
• Dental Assistant (14.00/hr )
• Office Management (30,000-60,000/yr)

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What to do now..

• Perform Observations (any medical career)
• Learn Time Management
• Learn to study (Details!!)
• All tests are multiple choice

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What to do now

• Learn People Skills
• Learn how to be in charge
• How to manage employees, patients, sales people,
  etc.
• How to motivate staff, discipline, etc.