What courses or classes should I take in college and high school if I am interested in the field of dentistry?

Alexis it's good to hear you're interested. The three previous answers are all good places to start. It's difficult to be specific, because Dental Schools today wanted students who are well rounded with a rich variety of experiences. With the appropriate prerequisites and good grades, IU has accepted a very wide range of students including geology, anthropology, psychology, art, and music majors. In addition to the sciences, be sure you're exposed to a wide variety of experiences both in school and out. Most dental schools look very favorably on service to your community as well. My best advice is to make sure you do well in the sciences and all of the prerequisites for dental school, but also pursue the other things that interest you. If you excel, you'll do fine.

Hi! Excellent career choice! In high school, you'll want to focus on sciences, public speaking and foreign language, especially Spanish. It's always good to have at least a basic understanding of a second language that is used in your community or where you'll practice when you graduate. That way you'll be able to communicate with a broader patient base. Ask your high school counselor and they'll put you on the right path. Pull up info on dental schools in your area for their program requisites. Good luck to you! And remember, dental hygiene is an excellent field for working moms, less college and still an excellent income! Just in case you decide on a path of less resistance!

Prerequisites to enter accredited dental programs in the U.S. are pretty much equivalent to those required of entering medical students. Most schools will be similar. Here are the course (and other admissions) requirements for my alma mater, NYU College of Dentistry:

http://dental.nyu.edu/academicprograms/dds-program/admission-requirements.html

If you have the opportunity to take some extra biomedical sciences in high school, by all means do so; but a good general education with good grades is what the colleges and dental schools will look for.

Good luck!

Hi Alexis!

Here is some helpful information about preparing for dentistry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29uaxwp8OYg

http://careerplanning.about.com/library/quiz/career_quizzes/bldentistquiz.htm

http://dent.umich.edu/about-school/sindecuse-museum/women-dentists-changing-face-dentistry

https://www.aawd.org/

Best of luck!!