So you’ve made up your mind. You’ve chosen the path less trodden. Dentistry. Oral hygiene is a very important but overlooked area of care where our health is concerned. It seem easy to just wake up in the morning, get into the bathroom, put a little toothpaste on the brush and start brushing. You’re done in 2-3 minutes. Well wait till you become a dentist. It’s a whole new world with you learning about cavities, plaque, tooth enamel and gingivitis.
Well as always when beginning a journey of a thousand miles you have to start with the first step and that first step in the field of dentistry is choosing the right dental college to graduate from. A pre requisite for getting into the right school is having the right college major.
Let’s take a look at some the most widely accepted majors which help an aspiring dentist getting into dental school easily.
Majority of dental schools require an applicant to have completed some numberof credit hours of study in any scientific field out of which the most common are,
- Biology
- Engineering
- Chemistry
- Physics
Biology
Students who have completed credit hours in biology are actually well equipped to study dentistry as many courses in dental school focus on form, development and function of the human anatomy. This gives them an added advantage in dental school as they are better able to grasp the concepts being administered there.
Engineering
The rate of acceptance of engineering students is high in dental school. The reason is very simple as engineers have a very good understanding of math. Math is a very core course and it does not matter if the student comes from a mechanical engineering or electrical engineering background. They all excel at math. Engineering studies and programs are also very rigorous and demanding. This develops the students and mentally prepares them for the tough schedules at dental school.
Chemistry
Students who have completed a major in chemistry also have a very good advantage of getting into dental school especially those that have done organic chemistry. The reason for this is that dentists use chemistry each day in their clinics or dental center wherever they practice. Chemistry helps when they prescribe oral medications to kill infections or stop pain and even they mix amalgams for fillings. Chemistry is not the easiest subject and you’ll still have to write essays, article critique and lab reports.
Physics
Students with physics majors encounter a high degree of success too when applying for acceptance into dental school. Physics held dentists to understand how the teeth shift and move and also the proper placement of teeth. Physics also helps in dental school when learning about imaging techniques and dental equipment. Dentist who specialize in orthodontists are involved heavily in using braces and other devices to shift the teeth into position and this is where physics plays an important role.
An Additional Tip
Although the above majors are crucial when applying for dental do remember another point. Try to do an internship at your local clinic and write about your own experiences. It will look good on your application and will help decision making easy for whoever selects you.