Dental schools are postdegree programs that train students and prepare them for state licensing exams. At present, no fully accredited dental schools in the state of Kansas exist. However, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, or UMKC, located near the Missouri-Kansas border, offers a full D.D.S. degree program. As the UMKC is a public institution, establishing Missouri residency will boost an applicant's chances for admission and lower tuition costs. Fortunately, the UMKC's metro rate program and the Midwest Student Exchange Program can help eligible Kansas residents avoid the out-of-state tuition costs.
Dental hygiene is a rapidly growing and in-demand field with a less rigorous training and licensing requirement than a D.D.S. degree. Hygienist schools are typically 2-year programs culminating with a state license examination. Many of Kansas' technical colleges offer full dental hygienist programs. Johnson County Community College - Overland Park is home to a state-of-the-art on-campus clinic, and students are able to apply their skills within the Kansas community. The school does have science prerequisites for admission. Wichita State University offers a bachelor's degree in Dental Hygiene, allowing students to avoid the science prerequisites of other colleges.
Dental assistants manage the day-to-day operation of dental offices and assist dentists with activities that do not require licensing. Dental Assistant programs are typically shorter than a year and train students in the managerial aspects of running dental offices and the technical aspects of dental procedures. Wichita Area Technical College offers both an Associate of Applied Science, or A.A.S., and a Technical Certificate program. The college also offers a 1-day continuing education program on nitrous oxide use for dental assistants. Salina Area Technical College's Dental Assistant program offers an extensive clinical training program with an accredited A.A.S. degree.
D.D.S. programs are competitive environments with rigorous licensing standards. Students must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree, and many choose to go into predentistry. Barton County Community College and Pratt Community College both offer predentistry programs. The Dental Admissions Test is the dentistry equivalent of the LSAT and GREs. The test measures an applicant's understanding of the natural sciences such as biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry, as well as his reading and reasoning skills. DAT scores range between 1 and 30, with a national admissions average of 19. UMKC students also have the opportunity to pursue a joint D.D.S./Ph.D. program as well as enrolling in an evening Master's of Business Administration program through the UMKC Bloch School of Business and Public Administration.