Pain. Excruciating pain. An everlasting excruciating pain! Yes, that’s how most of us would define a toothache. As George Bernard Shaw said, “The man with a toothache thinks everyone happy whose teeth are sound.” That’s how miserable most of us feel right?!
But thanks to science, technology and the empathetic saviours around us whom we call dentists- these real-life tooth fairies use their scientific knowledge and tools to perform the wizardry that relieves us from all types of dental pain and gets us back our smiles. Making us happy just like everyone else ‘with sound tooth’. It’s very true when they say, ‘Dentists make the world a better place one smile at a time.’
Do you aspire to be a dentist or are you just exploring the field? In either case, you’ve come to the right place! This blog discusses the skills required, colleges and courses, salary, and what else it takes to become a dentist. Follow the step-by-step guide in the blog to become a dentist.
Dentistry is a profession concerned with the treatment of health issues affecting the mouth, teeth, gums, and other soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Dentists assist people in maintaining their appearance and health.
To become a dentist, students should select the Science stream and take Biology as one of their subjects. Dentistry, as a largely science-oriented discipline, is heavily rooted in biology, and knowledge of biology can prepare students for dental school courses.
The certification courses listed below can help you become a dentist.
Students must first complete a bachelor’s degree in dentistry (BDS or BChD).
After 10th, students can visit their local dentists to speak with them and ask them questions or concerns about the profession. Students can also strive to improve their communication skills by studying English, public speaking, and even regional languages, as communication with patients is very important in dentistry.
Candidates must have a minimum of 50% in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in their class 12th exams. Before applying to dental schools, candidates must first pass the NEET-UG (National Eligibility and Entrance Test).
Dentistry is a popular course among medical students, with fierce competition. The cut-off marks are usually very high, and students must score well on the NEET exam in order to be admitted to their preferred dental college.
| Course | Duration | Fees |
| Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). | 5 years (4 years + 1 year of compulsory paid internship). | ₹3,00,000 to ₹38,00,000 |
| Rank | Name of Institution | Location |
| 1 | Manipal College of Dental Sciences | Udupi |
| 2 | Dr D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth | Pune |
| 3 | Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | Chennai |
| 4 | Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences | Delhi |
| 5 | King George`s Medical University | Lucknow |
| 6 | A.B.Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences | Mangaluru |
| 7 | Manipal College of Dental Sciences | Mangaluru |
| 8 | Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research | Chennai |
| 9 | SDM College of Dental Sciences & Hospital | Dharwad |
| 10 | SRM Dental College | Chennai |
In (most) European countries, a Dentistry degree is not available for both Bachelor’s and Master’s study. After high school, you enrol directly in a dental school/faculty, and depending on the country, it takes five or six years to complete.
Before applying to a dental school in the United States, you must first obtain a Bachelor’s degree (in any field), after which you can take the DAT, or Dental Admission Test.
| Course | Duration |
| Bachelor of Dentistry | 5 years |
| Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) | 4 years |
| Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) | 6 years |
| Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) | 4 years |
| Bachelor of Dental Medicine | 3 years |
| Name of Institution | Location |
| University of Gothenburg | Sweden |
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | United States |
| The University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong |
| King’s College London | United Kingdom |
| Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) | Japan |
| University of California, San Francisco | United States |
| Harvard University | United States |
| University of Bern | Switzerland |
| Karolinska Institutet | Sweden |
| University of Zurich | Switzerland |
Talk to and shadow dentists: One of the best things you can do to investigate a career is to spend time with people who are already in that field. Often, the best place to start is with your own family dentist. Talk to your friends and family to see if anyone knows a dentist and would be willing to introduce you. See if you can shadow in a dentist’s office and increase your experience and understanding of the field of dentistry.
Pursue meaningful extracurricular activities: If you choose to work in clinical dentistry, you will be interacting with and providing healthcare to patients on a daily basis. Many people will come to you with painful dental issues. Pursue meaningful extracurricular activities that give you experience working with the public to help you develop the skills you’ll need to serve others.
Keep working on your hand skills: The majority of dentists have bimanual dexterity. One should learn to play an instrument, participate in a sport, or knit, for example.
Internship: After passing the final BDS Examination, every candidate will be required to complete a one-year rotating internship in a dental college.
Private practice: Most dentists open a private clinic on their own or in collaboration with other dentists. But how does your business operate? How do you make money? The Clever Harvey- JuniorMBA Entrepreneurship programme answers these questions by teaching you to think like an entrepreneur. Try it out for yourself!
An entry-level Dentist with less than one year of experience can expect to earn an annual compensation (tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of ₹290,161.
The following are some entry-level dentist salaries from around the world.
| Country | Annual Salary |
| United States | $122,232 |
| Belgium | 81,670 € |
| Finland | 84,107 € |
| Denmark | 742,928 KR |
| Norway | KR 956,533 |
| Netherlands | €56,160 |
| Japan | ¥16,302,05 |
| Iceland | 13,711,004 ISK |
| France | 72,483 € |
| Italy | €49,132 |
If you’ve arrived at this point in the blog, it can only mean one thing: you like dentists and may one day become one yourself! As a bonus, a few Instagram accounts of a few dentists and dental enthusiasts are included here. Check them out and have fun exploring more!
Check out Clever Harvey’s JuniorMBA Entrepreneurship and FutureCEO programs to start your own practice
Becoming a dentist takes many years of dedication, focus, and hard work, but by planning ahead of time, you can make your own path to dentistry much smoother. Best wishes on your path to becoming a dentist and spreading many smiles!
Ans: A BDS degree takes 5 years to complete, while an MDS degree can take up to 3 years.
Ans: Students must take and pass the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) in order to be admitted to the BDS programme.
Ans: The years of schooling required, the financial cost of education and setting up a dental practice, and the competitive dental school application process all make becoming a dentist difficult.
Ans: A bachelor’s degree in dentistry (BDS) will be required.
Ans: Dental school is expensive, but dentists are well compensated. They can be well-paid for doing something they enjoy and providing a service that allows them to have a significant positive impact.
Ans: After 10th, complete 10+2 in Science with BiPC subjects. Students choose Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) courses after the 12th, which is a 5-year undergraduate degree programme and one of the accredited dental courses after the 12th in India.
Ans: Both MBBS and BDS are equally difficult and simple.
An aspirant must study anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, and pharmacology as part of the MBBS course curriculum in order to understand everything about the human body in depth.
The basic course curriculum of BDS has been designed to help students gain a thorough understanding of the teeth, oral cavity, maxillofacial region, and surrounding structures, as well as a fundamental understanding of the various forms, functions, and common ailments of the human body as a whole.
Ans: Dental school is more intense due to the focus on the head and all of its anatomy and physiology.
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