I want to become a dentist. And i have a G.E.D. Whats next?

Question

First of all, thanks 4 taking your time 2 help me :) ok so i want to become a dentist, and ive obtained a G.E.D., and now i dont know what college to go to. i know i cant apply to a university because they wont accept my GED, ao i have to attend a Community college. which is okay on my part. but after i do those 2 years what University should i attend. also, what classes should i take at the community college? i am planning to attend Georgia perimiter college (GPC), and then transfer to University of Georgia (UGA).. What do u think? o yea and dont even bother asking why i couldnt get my high school diploma! GLAD THATS OVER WITH!! loll THANKS GUYZ!!

Answer 1

Good for you for having a plan and getting on track.

Basically, you'll need to get your core classes out of the way at GPC. These will be the classes that will allow you to transfer into UGA at a junior level in 2 years time. You can go into the planning office at GPC and tell them your plans and they will help you form a curriculum to fit your goals.

You shouldn't have to take any excess science classes while at GPC because typically your first two years of school are general education classes. You don't need an AA in bio or anything to transfer to UGA, so there is no need taking ANY classes that you can't transfer over, unless you personally want to take them.

However, you do need to be smart about choosing your classes. If you know that Bio 101, 201, Ethics, Chem, and Physics are needed to get into grad school, it doesn't make any sense to fill your GPC science class requirements with Oceanography and Marine Biology, you know?

For your elective classes, I recommend taking some sort of a communications class so that you can speak non-offensively and non-agressively. You may also want to take a psych class to help you deal with patient issues in the future. If you may want to have your own practice or join a private practice, a business class and a marketing class may also help. If you particularly like Cosmetic & reconstructive Dentistry, then Art Appreciation and Art History may help you relate to your patients. Live in a diverse community? Taking Spanish, Russian, Japanese, or another language that's growing in your community, can help open doors for you.

Really paying attention in English and composition classes will be imperative. Patients will wonder about the quality of education of their dentist if he speaks in slang and computer speak. You'll also be more likely to have difficulties in your patient notes if you can't clearly say what you mean - this can lead to complications in lawsuits. Start working on this now. It takes awhile to form good habits, so when you type, spell correctly and minimize slang and abbreviations. This will get you used to being correct - which will help you do better in school and in your career.

And remember, Junior College should still be taken seriously. Scholarships are available out of Jr. college to help pay for your UGA education and your Dental School education. Skating by with the minimum transfer GPA will irrevocably harm you. You only get into a good dental school with FOUR YEARS of good grades (high GPA) and strong extra-curricular activities. A 2.5 may get you to UGA, but it won't get you a top notch dental school. And the better the dental school, the better the training, the better the job, the more money and benefits.

Good luck to you! How exciting!

Answer 2

I would say the shortest route would be to get an associate of science degree at the community college. Get the degree with a concentration in chemistry or biology if available. Most importantly, make sure all of your courses(especially the science-related ones) are going to transfer to whichever four-year university you choose to attend afterward. Regarding which university to attend, UGA sounds fine. Even if they don't offer a specific pre-dental program, you can still just major in biology with a chemistry minor or vice versa. You also might buy a DAT study guide and look over the kind of material you'll be expected to know for the exam.

Answer 3

What's past is past. Now you need to focus on getting your college degree, which you should be able to do. Talk to an academic advisor at GPC, and let them know that you are interested in a pre-Dental program. That probably means that you will be taking extra science courses, but what they call the major will vary by school, and I don't know much about that one. You are correct in saying that you would then need to transfer, and then you would apply to Dental School, which happens after you graduate from college.