Apply for dental school. To enroll, you typically need to have completed a bachelor's degree program in a science, such as chemistry, physics or biology, according to Education-Portal.com. These programs include courses in such subjects as microbiology, genetics, general/organic chemistry and calculus. Some bachelor's degree programs in biology offer a pre-dental concentration as well.
To get into a four-year bachelor's degree program, you generally need a high school diploma or GED and competitive standardized test scores. When you're ready to apply to dental school, you'll need to pass the Dental Admissions Test, successfully complete interviews and also submit grade point averages and recommendations. Look for a school that is accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation.
In a doctor of dental surgery program, prepare to take courses on topics such as biochemistry, histology, oral diagnosis, dental occlusion and preventive periodontics. Science courses also feature laboratory work that allows students to learn imaging and how to fix partial dentures, as well as other dental skills. Other courses might include cariology, dental anesthesiology, geriatric dentistry, infectious diseases and practice management, according to the University of Maryland Dental School. The final two years of dental school typically include clinical experiences. Completion of this type of program leads to a doctor of dental surgery or doctor of dental medicine degree.
After completing a dental school education, prepare to take the National Board Dental Examination administered by the American Dental Association. This exam is necessary for you to obtain your dental license or study a specialty in the dental field. The test covers such areas as pediatric dentistry, endodontics, oral diagnosis, dental anatomy and pharmacology.
Determine if your state requires dentists to have a state license before they can practice there. Most states require dentists to be graduates of a professional dental program and complete a written and practical test. You might not need to take the written portion if you already passed the National Board Dental Examination.
Set up your own dental office, or become a partner of another dentist. You also can look for opportunities at hospitals. If you want to practice a dental specialty, you'll have to complete two to four years of postgraduate education and maybe take a special state exam. A postgraduate residency term might be a requirement as well.