It's not exactly an easy road to become a dentist. Most people assume that something as simple as dealing with teeth isn't that difficult and they tend to demean the profession. Dentists have to study hard to get to the point where they can run their own practice, though and it's not as simple as many think.

College Years

It's a good idea to take plenty of science courses while in college, preparing for dentistry. Most students who plan to become dentists go ahead and major in biology or chemistry to ensure they have enough classes to get into a dental school.

This section of your education will take four years and you'll come out the other end with a bachelor's degree, which can be used for many things, not the least of which, moving on to dental school.

Getting Into Dental School

In order to go from science major to getting your doctorate in dental studies, you'll need to start by taking the DAT, or Dental Admissions Test. This is a way to check and ensure that you have the knowledge and studies required to continue on with your quest to become a dentist. The score from this test is what is used, along with your grades and recommendations, to apply to universities.

Once you have been accepted into a dental school, you are looking at another 4 years of hard studying. For the first couple of years, you'll be strictly in a classroom environment, studying, taking in lectures and doing tests. Most of the courses required will be scientific in nature and you'll also be doing some clinical studies.

The second half of the university involves real life applications. You'll actually be treating patients while under supervision. This is where the practical experience comes in and it's one of the best ways to learn, by actually doing. You'll be putting all your classroom knowledge to the test here, so you will need to have done very well in the previous two years of studies.

Becoming a Real Dentist

After you've studied your complete eight years (four in college to get your bachelor's degree and four in the dental school) you will need to get your license. A license allows you to practice dentistry legally. In order to obtain this license, you will be required to pass both written and practical exams to ensure that you are ready to start doing dental work on your own.

With your license in hand, it's time to start working. Most new dentists continue their studies by working with established dental professionals until such time as they feel confident enough on their own to open a practice. Others will go straight from school to opening their own practice. Which option is best for you? That is up to you to decide.

Becoming a dentist requires a lot of dedication. It's not something you can do after taking a short course. There are eight long years of studying, six of those being in a classroom, two being practical applications, and that is far too much for some people. If you aren't certain that this is the path you want to take, it might be a good idea to think it over carefully before committing such a large chunk of your life to study.

Dentistry can be a rewarding profession, if you are ready to tackle the studies that are required to get you to the point where you will have your own license and be ready to practice. With some dedication and hard work, you could be there in eight years.