Becoming a Dentist

So you want to become a dentist. Good choice! You can enjoy a rewarding career helping others and making a great living! Now all you have to do is follow the steps to do it! The five steps below will help you begin the process to becoming a dentist. With some hard work and adherence to this plan, you will be a dentist in no time!

1. Research the Dentist Career and Education Requirements. If you're reading this article, you're already on the right path to doing this. However, it can't be understated how much you thought and investment you should put into this step. Becoming a Dentist is a lifetime investment. Talk to dentists, look up people who talk about their careers on the internet, and make sure that Dentistry is the right choice for you.

2. Prepare for Dental School and take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). There are plenty of universities that offer good pre-dental programs that prepare you for further dental studies. Getting into dental schools can be difficult, so these preparatory programs can be advantageous to getting you in the door. Most schools prefer to admit students who have a bachelor's degree, and most require a minimum of two years' college work. To get into Dental School you need to take the DAT which is used by Dental schools.

3. Complete the Program. Most schools take four years to complete. The first two years are spent in the classroom and in the lab, and the last two are generally spent treating patients while under the supervision of a Dentist.

4. Acquire a License to Practice. After obtaining a degree from an accredited dental school, you must still pass a practical and written examination to obtain a license. Most states require that candidates take the National Board Dental Examination administered by the ADA for the written portion. The state or regional agency will normally administer the practical exam.

5. Set up your own practice. Most dental school graduates set up their own private practice or take over an existing one. A few will join an existing practice as associates.

If you've made it this far, you're serious about becoming a dentist. The path can be hard, but it's worth the journey. Good luck on your career path!

Ask Your Dentist About Cracked Tooth Treatment

You know exactly what it means, when you hear that typical "crack" as you bite down on your morning sesame seed bagel. Then, you spit out that little white piece of tooth that just snapped off as you were enjoying your breakfast. Now you have to address your broken tooth. Check it out with dentist city Sydney.

A tooth can fracture with three degrees of severity, each one requiring a different treatment to restore. The first way a tooth can fracture involves only the outer layers of the tooth, the dentin and the enamel. In these cases when the tooth sustains a simple fracture, it can be restored with a restoration if it's in the front, or a crown if it's in the back, depending on the amount of tooth structure remaining. If a significant portion of the tooth is missing it may be necessary to place a core build-up prior to placing crown. A core is a large filling that replaces the missing tooth structure and provides support, giving the crown something to be cemented to.

When a fracture is more complex the nerve tissue of the tooth, called the pulp, is also involved. These fractures expose the pulp tissue to the oral cavity and contaminate it with bacteria. Complex fractures, in addition to a crown restoration, also involve treatment with root canal therapy because the pulp tissue immediately becomes infected. If left alone, without performing a root canal, the pulp dies and becomes a constant irritation to the body. Necrotic pulp tissue can eventually develop into a chronic infection in the jaw bone, called an abscess. A dental abscess can cause severe pain and swelling, and should be prevented whenever possible.

The final way a tooth can break is when a fracture develops and propagates down the root of the tooth. When this happens, and the fracture extends below the gum line and the jaw bone, the tooth cannot be saved and it must be extracted. Thankfully, most fractures like this can be prevented by going to your dentist every six months for examination, x-rays, and cleanings, to diagnose, treat, and eliminate fractures before they cause significant problems.

Here are some important questions you can ask your dentist when your tooth breaks.
Can the tooth be saved?
Will my tooth need a root canal?
Is there enough tooth structure remaining to restore it with a crown?
Will a restoration (filling) be enough to restore my tooth?