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What classes should I take to become a dentist?

What classes should I take as a sophomore to make me successful. I would love to go into health sciences (dentistry/ortho)

student health dentistry dentist orthodontist health-science
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Steven’s Answer

I assume here that you're a sophomore in college, not high school. Most entering dental students will have a bachelor's degree, but that is not always a requirement if you've taken the required courses. Generally this includes 2 years of chemistry, 1 year of biology, and one year of physics. Physics usually requires 2 or 3 semesters of calculus. Most dental students will have been science majors, but that is not required, again--if the required courses have been taken. But this will generally be easier if you're a science major.
The entrance requirements at my alma mater, NYU College of Dentistry can be viewed here:

https://dental.nyu.edu/education/dds-program/admission-requirements.html
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L'Marie’s Answer

Becoming a dentist can be a rewarding path, and core classes are essential to building a strong foundation. Here’s a basic idea of the key courses a student should discuss with their school counselor and focus on: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Social Science, or/and Psychology. Your school counselor or/and the counselor of the school you wish to attend is a great point of reference to best guide you based on your individual needs and aspirations. The one on one with a counselor can also assist you with deciding on a direction that suits your life's journey in conjunction with your educational path, and career goals.

As you navigate through your studies, I encourage you to also be mindful of taking care of your mental health. Stress, especially during rigorous courses, a fully loaded semester class schedule, work, and home-life interchangeably combined, can lead to mental and physical burnout. Remember to decompress by practicing mindful breathing and releasing stagnant energy through gentle movements or meditation. This will assist you with maintaining focus and will also ensure you are fostering a habit of self-care, which will benefit you throughout your home-life, your studies, and your career.

I’m confident that by balancing your academic goals with a commitment to your overall well-being, you’ll be successful in whatever path you choose.😊🙏🏾
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Vidhi’s Answer

Hi, simplifying it for you if you are interested to become a dentist you should take math and biology courses. You can also take other courses like arts and crafts to increase your hand dexterity. Dentistry is basically like an art class, but a fun one where you are the doctor. You can develop fine motor skills by taking courses like that in your high school. I inspired to become a dentist too when I was in dental school. After the dental school you can choose a subject to do your bachloers in. Now, there are many options for this, you can do subjects relevant to dentistry or you can also choose a subject that is completely opposite, I have seen students with engineering degree and math major get into dental school! You just have to complete pre requisites then.
Subjects you can choose:
Anatomy,
Organic Chemistry,
Biology,
Biotechnology,
Neuroscience,
Microbiology,
Pathology.

After the bachelors you have to appear for DAT, the competition is immense now to try to make your application stand out! You can also get scholarships if you have a great profile and GPA. Dental school is the most expensive, so try to get grants, scholarships. Also, since you are in high school try shadowing an orthodontist or a dentist. This way you can also show this in your profile and add that to your CV. Many of the dentists would love to have you. You can also work as a dental assistant based on the requirement by your state. It will be a great experience and you can learn the most here.
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Michael’s Answer

Hi Celine:

While in high school, one will need to focus on science and math classes to prepare to be an Orthodontist. Chemistry and biology will be the core science courses. For math, algebra, calculus and statistics will be needed. Both concentrations will enable you to focus and refine your analytical skills for research; complex problem solving; investigative and innovative critical thinking; attention to detail; etc.

Other skills that will need to be built upon center around team building, team work and communication. In any work culture, collaboration among team members, staff and partner departments occur on a daily basis. As an Orthodontist, communication is essential and critical when dealing with dental staff and patients. A college course in Public Speaking, Communication and English will help with one's communication and writing skills. While in high school, the debate team will provide the opportunity to sharpen communication skills which are backed with research and factual data and information.

To become an Orthodontist, a Bachelor Degree in biology, chemistry or another science related field has to be earned at a college or university. Afterwards, an advanced degree from an accredited dental school has to be obtained. The next phase will be training through an accredited Orthodontics residency as well as dental certification and licensing.

For education and training, it will take up to 11 years to become an Orthodontist. The Bachelor Degree will be between 4 years. Dental school will be another 4 years. Dental residency, certification and licensing can take up to 2-3 years.

While in college, here are some undergraduate degrees to major in order to become an Orthodontist:

- Organic Chemistry
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Chemistry

It will be best to seek advice from your high school guidance counselor as well as teachers to help you focus your interests for a specific major in college.

According to Universities.com, here are the top colleges and universities to consider for Orthodontics:

- University of Rochester
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Michigan (Ann Arbor)
- Stony Brook University
- Texas A&M University (College Station)
- University of Illinois (Chicago)
- University of Washington (Seattle)
- Marquette University
- Case Western Reserve University
- Howard University

https://www.universities.com/programs/orthodontics-orthodontology-degrees

When reviewing colleges and universities, it is best to check the following:

- In-State vs Out of State Tuition
- Internships
- Scholarships
- Career Placement upon graduation
- Course work and offered classes
- Post-Graduate Degrees - Master and Doctoral

There are scholarships based on need, academic performance, school activities, sports involvement and community service. So, it will be to your advantage to seek out these types of scholarships. All of the academic staff at your high school that you interact with can write letters of recommendations for you based on what was just stated above. These recommendations can greatly help when filling out college and scholarship applications.

College and scholarship applications can start to be submitted during your Junior year and will continue throughout your Senior year in high school. It is best to ask your Academic Advisor/School Counselor on the timeline process as well. College and scholarship applications will have specific deadlines and requirements to meet in order to be submitted for review and consideration.

You may want to start to compile your resume/portfolio since a majority of college and scholarship applications will require academic grade point average (GPA), academic accomplishments, school activities (clubs, sports, etc.), community involvement (volunteer, church, etc.), academic and personal recommendations, etc. There may be essay requirements on why you are a qualified candidate to receive the scholarship, what your future goals are academically and professionally and other questions centering around who you are, your beliefs, etc.

Here are a couple of links for College Scholarships:

https://www.mometrix.com/blog/scholarships-for-college/

https://www.nchchonors.org/students/awards-scholarships/national-scholarships

Also, it will be best to check with the colleges and universities that you will be applying to. You can check with the School/Department of your desired major, the Campus Career Center and the Register's Office for additional information for college scholarships and grants and specific requirements for qualifications.

Best wishes for your education and career path as an Orthodontist!
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Kazi’s Answer

Becoming a dentist is a rigorous but rewarding path. It starts with a strong foundation in science-related subjects, including microbiology, organic chemistry, physics, anatomy, and physiology. After that, you need to take the DAT, which is a dental admission test, to be accepted into a dental school. Earn a dental degree by attending a dental school for four years, and then pass the national board exam (written and clinical) to obtain licensure.
You are now ready to serve the community with a smile.
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