They may employ and supervise dental hygienists, assistants, laboratory technicians and receptionists. Most dentists are general practitioners who handle a wide variety of dental needs. Other dentists practice in one of eight specialty areas. Orthodontists, the largest group of specialists, straighten teeth. To qualify, candidates must graduate from a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Ac-creditation and pass written and practical exams.
Most dental students have at least a bachelor s degree.
Pre-dental education emphasizes science courses. They consider DAT scores, overall and science GPAs and recommendations and interviews. Dental school generally lasts four years, beginning with classroom instruction and lab work in basic and clinical sciences. During the last two years, students treat patients, usually in dental clinics under the supervision of licensed dentists. Web Admin Best viewed with Netscape 4.0 or higher, or Microsoft Explorer 4.0 or higher.