APPLICATION PROCESS

Contents Page

DENTAL FACTS

 

DENTAL CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

 

*      General dentist

*      A health professional that is held to the same standards of care as physicians but specifically responsible for the head and neck region. 

 

*      Degree Received: 

*      D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental Medicine) Degree; or

*      D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) Degree

*      There is no difference between the degrees they both receive the same education; it is determined by the institution attended. 

*      Requires 4 years of dental school

 

*      Can work in:

*      Private practice

·        Associate Position with an already established dentist

·        Your own dental practice

*      Public Health

·        Community Dental Clinics

·        Indian Health Services

·        Tribal Health Clinics

·        Hospital Dental Clinics

·        Urban Indian Health Clinics

 

*      Specialist

*      Degree Received:  M.S. (Master of Science) Degree

*      Requires 2 – 3 more years of graduate school after completion of a D.M.D or D.D.S. degree

 

*      Types of Specialties (as reported by the American Dental Association):

*      Dental Public Health

 

*      Endodontics

 

*      Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology

 

*      Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology

 

*      Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

 

*      Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

 

*      Pediatric Dentistry

 

*      Periodontics

 

*      Prosthodontics

 

 

Graduates of Dental School have the potential to go into areas other than practicing dentistry.  Other options are listed below.

 

*      Administrator

*      Third Party Payment Systems (i.e. Delta Dental Vice President)

*      Editor of dental magazines/journals

*      Administrator of Total Health Care Delivery Systems (i.e. Area Directors, IHS)

*      Dental School Dean

 

*      Teacher

*      Dental School Professor

*      Continuing Education Instructor/Presenter

 

*      Dental Industry

*      Researcher for Dental Materials/Products

*      With emphasis in Head Regions

*      With emphasis in Mouth

 

*      Forensic Dentistry

*      The dental identification of humans that are disfigured to such an extent that identification by a family member is neither reliable nor desirable.

*      Dental identifications have always played a key role in natural and manmade disaster situations and in particular the mass casualties normally associated with aviation disasters.