Choosing to become a dentist can be an excellent move for many people.

Most dentists in the United States make between $100,000 and $200,000 a year; dentistry is also an incredibly stable field because there is always a need for more dentists.

If you’re interested in this job, check out what a dentist’s career path looks like.

Get Your Bachelor’s Degree First

The first step to becoming a dentist is to get your bachelor’s degree. While the exact type of degree can vary, it makes the most sense to obtain one with a science background. Some bachelor’s degrees can also give you an important foundation if you decide to become a specialized dentist. Popular bachelor’s degree choices include:

• Biochemistry
• Physics
• Molecular biology
• Biomedical engineering

Pro Tip: Decreasing the Timeline

If you’re a high school student, and you already know you want to be a dentist, getting into a hybrid degree program can eliminate a year or more of schooling. Such programs offer the chance to get an undergraduate and graduate degree in a slightly shorter amount of time.

For example, instead of spending eight years in school, you could be taking courses for only six or seven years.

Go to Dental School

Getting your dentistry degree will take another four years after your bachelor’s. To get into dental school, you’ll need letters of recommendation, excellent grades, and relevant science credits.

It also helps to take part in dentistry-related internships. After dental school, you’ll receive either a DDS or DMD—the only difference is that one is in English and the other in Latin.

Become a Specialized Dentist

If you choose, you can go on to make more money by becoming a specialized dentist, such as an oral surgeon or orthodontist. Getting your specialization requires residency training that can last another two to six years, depending on the type.

For example, maxillofacial surgery training is on the higher end, taking four to six years to complete depending on the program. In residency, you’ll go beyond general dentistry to learn special kinds of work, like repairing teeth and applying braces.

Continue Your Education

There are some types of dental procedures you can learn to do outside the typical degree-granting programs. By attending implant placement courses, you can learn the skills necessary to bring some specialized procedures in-house.

This allows you to offer more services rather than send your patients to other health partners. Doing things yourself is much more convenient for your patients, and it helps bring more income to your practice.

Following a dentist’s career path is an excellent choice for detail-oriented people who like helping others. If you’re willing to put in the time, dentistry can be a rewarding career with excellent financial benefits. The earlier you decide to start the process, the more time you can potentially save by choosing accelerated learning programs.

Doctor dentist showing patient’s teeth on X-ray By RomanR FILE #: 262513359

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