Training:
In order to earn a DDS/DMD at most United States dental
schools, three years of undergraduate education is required.
There is no required major undergraduate course of
study provided the student has passed the requisite
"pre-dental" courses. These typically include
one year of general chemistry, one year of organic
chemistry, one year of Physics, one year of biology,
one year of English. Other schools may have requirements
beyond these courses.
Dental school is four years in duration and is similar
in format to medical school--consisting of two years
of basic medical and dental sciences, followed by
two years of clinical training.
After graduating from dental school, a dentist may
apply to a residency program. Some residency programs
exist for the purpose of extending the doctor's training
in general dentistry, e.g. GPRs (General Practice
Residency) and AEGDs, both of which are one year in
duration but differ in objective. Other residency
programs are specialty programs. They vary in duration,
depending on the specialty. Orthodontics and endodontics
are generally two to three years. Oral maxillofacial
surgery is four to six years (six years if the program
offers an M.D. degree). Periodontics is three years.
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology is three years. Oral
and Maxillofacial Radiology is three years. Prosthodontics
is three years. Pediatric dentistry is two years.
Dental Public Health is one to two years.
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