Complete a minimum of 90 semester hours in a U.S. accredited institution undergraduate degree: Students are more competitive if they earn a bachelor’s degree, typically in a science-related field like biology, chemistry or biochemistry, but can major in any field as long as English and science prerequisites are completed. This typically takes about four years.
Take the Dental Admission Test (DAT): During undergraduate studies, students who plan to apply to dental school need to prepare for and take the DAT. This standardized exam assesses knowledge in natural sciences, reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning and perceptual ability. Details on the DAT and testing options can be found on the American Dental Association website.
Attend dental school: After acceptance to an accredited dental program, students can complete coursework that leads to a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. The University System of Georgia offers DMD degrees through the Dental College of Georgia (DCG) at Augusta University.
Licensing: Graduates of an accredited dental program are required to pass a national and state licensing examination to practice dentistry. Licensing requirements are governed by each state and may vary.
Pursue specialization (optional): A dental residency is further training in subspecialties. This training may take an additional one to six years, depending on the subspecialty. Examples of subspecialties include Endodontics, Orthodontics, Oral Surgery, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, General Practice, Advanced Education in General Dentistry and Pedodontics.
Obtain a dental license: To practice dentistry in Georgia, a dental school graduate must obtain a dental license from the Georgia Board of Dentistry. This involves passing a regional clinical examination accepted by the Georgia Board of Dentistry (CRDTS, SRTA, ADEX or CDCA) and passing the Georgia Jurisprudence Examination. The Georgia Board of Dentistry sets specific requirements to be fulfilled when taking one of the accepted licensure exams. These requirements can be found on the Georgia Board of Dentistry website.
The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University:
The Dental College of Georgia (DCG) at Augusta University was established in 1969 and has a long history of preparing dentists to serve Georgia and the world. Since the first class of DMDs graduated in 1973, over 3,000 students have earned their Doctor of Dental Medicine degrees. While the location and college name have changed over the years, one thing remains constant: our commitment to educating dentists to improve the overall health and reduce the burden of illness in society through dental health and disease prevention.
The DCG is the state’s sole dental college now providing education and training for 400 dental students and approximately 62 residents per year. In addition to offering a high-quality education in state-of-the-art facilities, DCG provides care to nearly 80,000 patients each year, with some traveling across the state and beyond to be treated by DCG students, residents and faculty.