if i wnt to be a dentist, what do i have to do? more specifically, does it matter where i get my prerequisites

Question

im jst about to graduate high school and im not sure if im supposed to go directly to dentist school or if i still get my undergrad. i wntd to go to a community or cal state first and transfer..can i do that? or whats better and cheaper...im really confused so it would help alot if someone could tell me more about it....

Answer 1

You get an undergraduate degree, like in biology, physics, chemistry, or something else science-oriented.

While you're in college, I strongly suggest getting work at a dentist's office, so that you know what the work entails. Learn as much about the work as you can. Most dentists would be happy to have you on as a grunt worker if they have the need and the money to pay you.

After you get your college degree, then you go to dental school. Its a four-year program, just like medical or veterinary school.

EDIT: As for getting credits at a community college and then transferring to a four-year school, that's actually a good idea. If you aren't sure about your credentials as a high school student, then it shows college admissions officesr that you want to continue learning and improving, and it also shows that you're interested in moving up from where you are. Both are good points. If you stay in California, you won't have a hard time getting into one of the UC schools, although which one may vary based on what you're interested in.

Answer 2

It's nice to see that the guidance office in your school is no freaking better than it was for my kids. This is a crime against American taxpayers, but I won't go into that now.

Brian's answer is pretty good. I'd suggest that you go to the website of any dental school and get an idea what the requirements are for admission. It helps to look into the requirements for admission to a dental school and work backwards. This will help you choose your college major and it might even help you choose your college. Typically, it is easier to match up the requirements for dental school admission with the requirements of a science major and biology seems to be the closest match. You could be a history major if you wanted to be, but then all of your electives would probably be used up trying to take courses required for dental school admission.

Typically, you graduate from college with a bachelor's degree and then start dental school, which is a whole separate entity from college. Some colleges offer combined programs where the really bright and focused student might be able to combine some credits and actually enter dental school before receiving the undergraduate degree. Obviously, you would have to know this well in advance, as it might even determine where you apply to college. You do not have to disclose this intention as you are applying to the college, but you need to look into the program almost immediately, because it will determine quite a bit about what courses you need to take as soon as possible in college.

Hopefully, your college will have a Career Development Center (or an equivalent) and a decent advisor program. Most college students tend to avoid their advisor as much as possible, but you will want to seek him/her out as soon as you get settled on campus. If you say, "I want to go to dental school," they should be able to really help you lay out your course schedule and choose a major.