In addition to fixing dental problems, contemporary dentistry is characterized by transformational restorative processes which enables a person to live a healthier and better life. If this is a field that interests you, then look no further than Dentistry Today. This program provides a comprehensive overview of everything that is required to excel in dentistry, while also enabling prospective students to engage with the vocation in a meaningful and fun way.
What is Dentistry Today?
Dentistry Today is a two-day workshop that allows participants to interact with professionals and gain knowledge and skills in the field of dentistry. It is a hands-on workshop that takes place at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. It is arranged in a way that allows full immersion and understanding of the aspects of the dental profession. If you are in your first, second, or third year of college or even looking to change your career path, this workshop will be beneficial in shaping your career objectives and goals.
Why You Should Consider Attending
Purposefully crafted, enriching activities with a good balance between practical information, concepts, and experiential learning is what’s on offer here. This is what it is worth for:
- Real Experience: Insights into the practical facets of the dental field with special focus on procedures and technologies will be shared. Learning with modern dental equipment and technologies by books alone is impossible.
- Converse With Influencers: Active and expert faculty, current students, and professionals who are making strides in the industry will be available for you to engage and converse with.
- Connection Prospects: Students, faculty and industry professionals will be in one common location leading to the chance to meet and interact with people who could heavily impact your future career.
What Knowledge and Skills are Gained
Introduction to Dentistry
Understanding of the concepts through learning the skills is a necessary feature in the profession, and there are many areas in the field of dentistry that makes the students interested, for example, orthodontics, periodontics, or even endodontics.
A Step-By-Step Guide on Becoming a Dentist
You’ll need more than just excellent scores to get into dentistry. It also requires an admirable academic history alongside skills like manual dexterity and a science practical. The University of Maryland School of Dentistry offers a balanced curriculum which combines clinical hands-on experiences and biomedical science.
This is what you need to know regarding education:
- Curriculum Structure: The program offered at the school makes sure the students are integrated into clinical practice alongside foundational science from the get-go. This way, students get to apply what they have learned and appreciated the practicality of their education.
- Clinical Training: The program encompasses ample clinical education so the students have the opportunity to practice direct patient care while under the supervision of expert faculty. This way, education is complemented by hands-on practice.
- Specialties: The school has a broad array of specialty programs. Thus, should you have an interest in oral surgery, endodontics or orthodontics, you are catered for. Additionally, you are exposed to the advancements in the future of dentistry like implantations, 3D printing and laser treatments.
Steps to Take to Get into a Dental School
Being highly motivated to take up a career in dentistry after attending “Dentistry Today” comes with understanding how to navigate the admissions process. While some things might vary from one dental school to the other, this is what the University of Maryland School of Dentistry roughly outlines:
- Prerequisites: Applications will only be accepted with a reaching a minimum of 90 credit hours during undergraduate studies, with a strong focus on science. Notable manual skills like knitting or building models will be viewed positively.
- Application Process: Submitting the DAT, personal statement alongside a branded letter of recommendation from a dental professional, while applying through the ADEA AADSAS takes care of the required portion of the application.
- Selection Criteria: Any applicant willing to have a balanced approach on schooling complemented with a strong grasp on the dental field, solid leadership credentials, and experience in healthcare will be given priority during admission.
Potential Career Advantages for Dentistry
The education and training in this field allow for a broad scope of career opportunities. Here are some career paths that you might consider:
1. General Dentistry
In almost all cases, dental school graduates start their careers as general dentists providing cross-the-board dental care including checkups, cleanups, fillings and preventive care.
2. Specialized Fields
In Dentistry, focusing on a single area opens a whole new world of potential specialties.
- Orthodontics.These professionals treat misalignment of teeth and jaws using braces and other orthodontic appliances, improving both function and aesthetics of the smile.
- Endodontics. These surgically trained professionals specialize in complex procedures like root canal surgery that protects and preserves the tooth structure.
- Periodontics. These professionals specialize in the management of supporting structures of teeth, concentrating on prevention and management of dental implants and gum diseases.
- Oral Surgery. This area of dentistry covers complex surgeries including extraction of teeth, jaws and facial reconstruction surgery, which are also classified as complex surgeries.
3. Emerging Roles in Dentistry
As a result of new technologies, there are new areas to explore such as:
- Dental Research. These are the individuals that work in offices and will be responsible for coming up with new generations of dental treatments and technologies.
- Public Health. These visionaries advocate for the necessity of oral health education and dental care for areas that are within the dental health care shortage.
- Dental Educator. Professors and lecturers in the universities and clinics molding the future professionals are known to be dental educators.
Dentistry Career Preparation
Like in many other professions, a combination of technical aptitude with a caring attitude to deal with patients will benefit someone wishing to pursue a career in this field of study. Below are some steps to help get you started in this career.
- Get Moving in Your Field of Study: Get started with some hobbies and activities that will help in developing manual dexterity and fine motor skills.
- Observation: One of the more useful activities in career exposure that a student can participate in is shadowing a practicing dentist to see first the activities that he does on a daily basis.
- Stay on Course: It’s very important to do well in academic subjects. In a prospective career in dentistry, biology and chemistry are very important, so make sure you do well in them.
Conclusion
This career is very rewarding, and you will be able to positively impact people’s lives and has many different fields of specialization and career growth. One of the most useful events to get a grasp on the field and the career is attending Dentistry Today, where you can learn more about the journey to dental school, discover the innovative steps in dental technology, and examine the many career opportunities that the field of dentistry offers. The event is helpful for both prospective and determined candidates, as with the right guidance, you will be able to make a well informed career choice. There’s a bright future in dentistry, and there’s a good chance that this career could be a wonderful match for you!
