What degree do you need to be a dentist?

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

You need a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) to become a dentist. It generally takes eight years to become a dentist. First, you need to earn a bachelor's degree as an undergraduate, apply and be accepted to a dental school, and receive either a DDS or DMD upon completion of dental school.

For candidates that are interested in having a specialization, they will also need to complete a dental residency program. The American Dental Association recognizes 12 dental specialties:

Anesthesiology
Dental public health
Endodontics
Oral and maxillofacial pathology
Oral and maxillofacial radiology
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Oral medicine
Orofacial pain
Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics
Pediatric dentistry
Periodontics
Prosthodontics

For high schoolers who are committed to the field, they may be able to shorten the time commitment through a BS/DDS or "direct dental program." These programs pair an undergraduate institution and a dental school, allowing students to gain acceptance to both straight out of high school.