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The Many Dental Career Paths

Live Life Smiling

dental-careers
  • Holmes and Palmer Orthodontics
  • April 6, 2022

 

WHAT DOES A CAREER in dentistry look like? Being a dentist is an incredibly rewarding career, and beyond helping our patients maintain lifelong healthy smiles, we hope our team inspires at least a few budding dentists out there! We want to make sure you know all the different directions you can go within the field of dentistry because there are more options than you might think.

Becoming a Dentist

To become a dentist, you should find out the prerequisites for which courses to take in your undergraduate program to qualify for the dental school you want to attend. Most require several science courses and labs, and a four-year degree is recommended. A year before dental school, you must pass the Dental Admissions Test and apply. Dental school takes four years to complete.

Here’s one example of what dental school is like:

What’s The Difference Between DDS and DMD?

Some dentists come out of dental school with a DDS attached to their name while others have a DMD. DDS means Doctor of Dental Surgery and DMD means Doctor of Dental Medicine, and which one you get depends on which school you go to, but the qualifications are the same. Dentists who want to specialize in a particular area of dentistry will go on to get additional training and certification in their specialty area.

Private Practice Dentists Aren’t the Whole Story

The dental career everyone is most familiar with is the private practice dentist, meaning an individual dentist or a partnership working with local patients in their own practice. That’s the kind of dentist we all go to for our normal dental health needs, but not everyone who graduates from a four-year dental program goes in this direction.

Other Types of Dentists

Academic dentists add a teaching role and help usher in the next generation of dentists. Research dentists get to be on the cutting edge of new advancements in treatments and technology. Some dentists go international and work with organizations like the WHO, UNESCO, and FAO. Finally, there are dentists who work alongside physicians in hospitals.

Dental Specialties

About 20% of dentists undergo additional years of training in one of the nine dental specialties: Dental Public Health, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Pediatric Dentistry, Periodontics, and Prosthodontics.

The Team Is More Than the Dentist

Aside from the dentists themselves, other essential roles in the field of dentistry are dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental lab technicians. Hygienists and assistants interact closely with patients to ensure a high level of care, while dental lab technicians work behind the scenes designing the dentures, crowns, and braces used by dentists. Most of these support roles require at least an associate’s degree or training program.

And, of course, we wouldn’t get far without our office staff!

Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

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Patient reviews

EVERY SMILE TELLS A SPECIAL STORY

We are thankful for the opportunity to serve our community with excellent care and take pride in our mission of having a patient-centered philosophy. Check out what our patients are saying about us!

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Shawna B.
My son is a patient and everyone is so nice and very Great with Patients.Dr is amazing and always so good at explaining everything...I would refer these Drs and Nurses 100 times over...Thank You all for everything you do to make sure my babys have a beautiful smile...😁
Shawna B.
My son is a patient and everyone is so nice and very Great with Patients.Dr is amazing and always so good at explaining everything...I would refer these Drs and Nurses 100 times over...Thank You all for everything you do to make sure my babys have a beautiful smile...😁
Norenea C.
Three of my children are patients of this office and I have to say that the staff and drs are all very polite & courteous. They really take the time to explain everything to their patients in ways that make sense for every age.
Norenea C.
Three of my children are patients of this office and I have to say that the staff and drs are all very polite & courteous. They really take the time to explain everything to their patients in ways that make sense for every age.
Lisa L.
My daughter, Gabi, goes to the Teays Valley/Hurricane office. She’s not had anything but good experiences. Everyone is super nice from the receptionist to the doctor. She’s having a great experience with her braces. The hygienist is always super helpful with any questions we may have. They have been amazing through all of my daughters care so far.
Lisa L.
My daughter, Gabi, goes to the Teays Valley/Hurricane office. She’s not had anything but good experiences. Everyone is super nice from the receptionist to the doctor. She’s having a great experience with her braces. The hygienist is always super helpful with any questions we may have. They have been amazing through all of my daughters care so far.
Jane E.
It isn't always easy to find providers that are especially patient and kind to patients with special needs. This group ALWAYS go put of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. The staff is wonderful! We are extremely blessed to have the orthodontic cate we need from this business.
Jane E.
It isn't always easy to find providers that are especially patient and kind to patients with special needs. This group ALWAYS go put of their way to make us feel welcome and comfortable. The staff is wonderful! We are extremely blessed to have the orthodontic cate we need from this business.
Pam C.
All Dr. And staff were very professional and friendly. Would definitely recommend their service.****
Pam C.
All Dr. And staff were very professional and friendly. Would definitely recommend their service.****
Autumn C.
My sons had appointments to get braces put on and mouthpiece to help with overbite issues. The staff was phenomenal when it came to helping and comforting my child with autism and they were super friendly at making my youngest fill comfortable every time we’ve visited them. Highly recommend them!!
Autumn C.
My sons had appointments to get braces put on and mouthpiece to help with overbite issues. The staff was phenomenal when it came to helping and comforting my child with autism and they were super friendly at making my youngest fill comfortable every time we’ve visited them. Highly recommend them!!
Amber P.
Very friendly and welcoming staff. My son was nervous, but they made him feel safe and excited about getting braces. I would highly recommend Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics to anyone in need of braces.
Amber P.
Very friendly and welcoming staff. My son was nervous, but they made him feel safe and excited about getting braces. I would highly recommend Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics to anyone in need of braces.
Kelley M.
This is my second child to receive orthodontic care with Dr. Holmes. This practice is efficiently run and the staff is always friendly. We’ve never waited more than 10 minutes to be seen. Highly recommend!!
Kelley M.
This is my second child to receive orthodontic care with Dr. Holmes. This practice is efficiently run and the staff is always friendly. We’ve never waited more than 10 minutes to be seen. Highly recommend!!
Genesa J.
I truly believe they have the patient's best interest in mind. My daughter's previous orthodontist pressured us to start services for her at a very young age. The honesty, care and treatment we have experienced from Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics has been phenomenal.
Genesa J.
I truly believe they have the patient's best interest in mind. My daughter's previous orthodontist pressured us to start services for her at a very young age. The honesty, care and treatment we have experienced from Holmes & Palmer Orthodontics has been phenomenal.
Stacy N.
My daughter always feels safe and listened to when getting treatment! Her teeth look amazing.
Stacy N.
My daughter always feels safe and listened to when getting treatment! Her teeth look amazing.
Our locations

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  • Charleston, WV
  • 867 Oakwood Road
    Charleston, WV 25314
  • (304) 343-3672
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  • Hurricane (Teays Valley), WV
  • 3659 Teays Valley Road Suite 200
    Hurricane, WV 25526
  • (304) 201-3672
Hurricane office
  • Huntington, WV
  • 451 Kinetic Drive Suite 200
    Huntington, WV 25701
  • (304) 343-3672
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  • Ashland, KY
  • 2000 Carter Ave.
    Ashland, KY 41101
  • 606-388-2561

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  • (304) 201-3672

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