There are four main careers within the field of dentistry. To learn a brief overview of each, please select from the following:

Dentist       Dental Hygienist       Dental Assistant       Dental Laboratory Technician

Dentist
Dentists focus on maintaining oral health through such preventive and repair practices as extracting, filling, cleaning or replacing teeth; performing corrective work, such as straightening teeth; treating diseased tissue or the gums; performing surgical operations on the jaw or mouth; and making and fitting false teeth.

Requirements: A dentist must attend and graduate from a dental school after graduating from college. Most dental schools require applicants to pass the Dental Admissions Test, which tests a student's ability to succeed in dental school. For a listing of dental schools, see:
http://www.ada.org/prac/careers/apl-01.htm

After graduating from dental school, dentists are required to pass a state board examination in order to qualify for a license. Dentists wishing to specialize in a specific field of dentistry should plan on additional studies ranging from two to four years.

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Dental Hygienist
Dental Hygienists help prevent tooth decay and maintain healthy gum and bone. To achieve this, a hygienist administers preventative dental treatment, most commonly by cleaning teeth, which consists of removing tartar, stains, and plaque from teeth. In addition, a hygienist may give instructions regarding care of teeth, take x-rays, and assist a dentist with routine tasks. These tasks include mixing compounds for filling cavities, sterilizing dental instruments and assisting in surgical work.

Requirements: A dental hygienists can choose between two programs. The first is a four-year degree college program. The second is a two-year certification program. For a listing of hygiene schools, see: http://www.ada.org/prac/careers/apl-03.htm

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Dental Assistant
Dental Assistants help dentists treat and examine patients. Often, the dental assistant greets the patient, escorts them to the examining room, and prepares them for examination by adjusting the headrest of the chair and taking x-rays. They may also prepare compounds for the dentist's use and assist with keeping the mouth clear of liquids and debris during examination and treatment. Often, assistants will perform administrative and clerical tasks as well.

Requirements: Many dental assistant positions are entry level and require little or no experience or education beyond high school. In these instances, skills are learned on the job. For positions requiring experience, dental assisting programs are offered at trade schools, technical institutes, and community and junior colleges. For a listing of hygiene schools, see:
http://www.ada.org/prac/careers/apl-03.htm

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Dental Laboratory Technician
Dental Laboratory Technicians are skilled craftspeople who work according to the written prescriptions of dentists to make and repair dental appliances such as dentures, inlays, bridges, crowns, and braces. Technicians create appliances using wax, plaster, ceramics and metal, using models made from impressions taken by a dentist of a patient's mouth or teeth. There are more than 60,000 active dental laboratory technicians in the US today.

Requirements: The basic educational requirement for dental laboratory technicians is a high school diploma. Many dental technicians learn their craft on the job. Others prepare for their career by attending a formal training program that leads to an associate degree in dental construction, processing, and repairing dentures; tooth construction, waxing and casting inlays, and crowns. For a listing of hygiene schools, see: http://www.ada.org/prac/careers/apl-03.htm