Established dentists mostly work less than a 40-hour week. Dentists employed by hospitals and clinics may be on call. Government agencies usually have regular weekday, daytime hours. The American Dental Association National Board exam is required for graduation from an accredited dental school. It is given in two parts and is usually taken in the sophomore and senior years of dental school.
Graduates are eligible to take the State licensing exam.
The three-day State examination also measures practical abilities. Candidates perform specified clinical procedures on patients, make diagnoses and develop treatment plans as well as perform specified laboratory procedures. Licenses are renewed every two years, and requires fifty hours of continuing education. These dentistry programs take either three or four years to complete. The minimum qualification for admission is two or three years of college, but most successful applicants have a Bachelor's degree.