4 Things You Need to Know Before Snagging a Dental Degree

Some people never know what they want to be when they grow up, and that’s okay. But then there are others that bounce from one career idea to another, solely based on the promise of money. Dentists are one such career that has its fair share of wannabes on an annual basis. However, if you are serious about pursuing a dental degree, there are some things you should know beforehand.

You Will Start from the Bottom

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Most dental degrees, like other medical degrees, begin with internships in offices. This means you’re the lackey. You will start from the bottom, fetching coffee, doing paperwork, and helping out where needed—all while working towards your dental degree. These internships usually run 9 to 11 hours in a day, plus however long your classes are, plus time to get home, shower, and catch a little sleep before doing it all again the next day. In a word—exhausting.

Degrees, Especially Doctorates, Take Many Years and Excellent Grades

Dental degrees, especially a full pursuance as a certified, professional dentist, takes many years, and you have to acquire excellent grades. The licensure board will look at your college grades, as well as your attendance, alongside the score of your final certification tests. There are many elements and many hurdles to becoming a full-fledged dentist.

There are Several Dental Degree Avenues to Choose to Pursue

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Luckily, dental degrees are varied. You can opt for a full-fledged dental degree, where you become a medical dentist, capable of surgeries and an assortment of oral health issues. Or, you could opt for an assistant, where the degree hours are shorter, and you help the dentists instead of being the dentist. You could even specialize in a single service, like teeth whitening in Brooklyn. If you’re serious, you should go online to research the kinds of dental degrees you think would best suit your time, energies, and abilities.

The Loans and Fees for Dental School are Hefty

Dental school loans and fees are tens of thousands of dollars. Moreso if you pay out of pocket. And then there are the interests for those loans, which pile up after a certain number of years out of school. Make sure you are prepared to pay back whatever you borrow, because you don’t want your dream job to land you in a quicksand of mounting debt.

Before jumping on the dental degree bandwagon, make sure it’s something you really, truly want to pursue. It’s hard work that requires commitment, dedication, and loads of energy. But, in the end, the opportunity to work a dream job is well worth the trials to get there.