A Phoenix dentist is a licensed professional whose main purpose is to care for your dental healththrough treatments and preventive measures. This seems to be a pretty simple straightforward job, but dig deeper and you will know that this is quite a difficult profession and that the requirements and qualifications to practice this job is very complicated and strenuous. So how do you become a dentist? Let’s see the general outline.
First of all, an aspiring dentist should start by getting a bachelor’s degree. While there is no specific undergraduate major needed, a lot of dental schools make science courses like chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology as requisites for their applicants. As such, a bachelor’s degree in chemistry or biology is often enough to give them an ample preparation for dental school.
Now, programs in these schools generally start with courses in biomedical and dental sciences. These courses cover a wide range of concepts like cell walls or even wisdom teeth. Laboratories are often required for most of the first and second year dental science courses. Students are required to demonstrate their know-how on dental topics and, at the same time, accrue sufficientskills in various required areas like imaging for example. Once they get to their third and fourth years, they will be required to participate in clinical exercises like diagnostics and performing dental treatments like cleaning or tooth extractions. After completion, students can decide to become either a DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry) or a DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) Phoenix dentist.
Further, licensure is required in all states for a dentist to practice. As such, dental licensing is regulated by their respective state boards. Dentists obtain their license by passing the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE), the national dental examination of the United States for students and professionals in dentistry.
Once they are able to get their license, dentists are now able to find a job or start their own practice. Majority of dentists work privately, alone or partnered with other dentists. Some work in hospitals or with other physicians. Commonly, a lot of dentists start as employees of other dentists for a year or two before they start their own while others will practice directly.
Finally, a Phoenix dentist should maintain their licensure by continuing their education. State dental boards place this as a requirement, setting a specific number of credits or hours in order to maintain their licenses. States can actually allow some dentists to earn credits through attendance of the various state-approved seminars or conferences. This ensures that their knowledge and knowhow will be up-to-date, which also serves as a quality assurance for all their patients.