Pre-Dentistry

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Alma College 10/15-16/2020 by Steve Jessmore, Steve Jessmore Photography

Featured Course:

Sculpture I

Develop fine motor skills and improve manual dexterity while learning about traditional and contemporary materials, methods, and subject matter.

Dentists are involved in every aspect of diagnosis, prevention and treatment of problems of the teeth, gums and jaw.

What is Dentistry?

Dentistry is the field of medicine devoted to oral health. Dentists diagnose and treat conditions involving the teeth and gums, or other issues related to oral health. While most dentists provide general care, some may specialize in a certain area. These practitioners include endodontists, oral radiologists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, periodontists, pediatric dentists and oral pathologists.

Why Alma?

Many schools encourage students, regardless of major, to consider strengths they could bring to the career. At Alma, students will develop strengths across different areas during their liberal arts education. Students will also have access to opportunities related to the dental field.

These include, but are not limited to:

Hands-on experience with dissection in a human anatomy lab.
Access to art courses, such as Ceramics and Sculpture, which promote the development of motor dexterity skills that can be extremely useful in the field of dentistry.
Study of the chemistry of pharmaceuticals in Medicinal Chemistry.
Deeper dive into medically related topics in courses such as Genetics, Microbiology, Human Embryology, Medicinal Chemistry, Neurophysiology and Pharmacology.
Courses outside of the sciences, such as Health Communication, Ethics and Medicine and Health Care Administration that build knowledge/skills directly applicable to dentists.

How do I become a dentist?

Practicing as a dentist requires a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or a Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. After graduation, students must complete a 4 year graduate curriculum through an accredited program. For those pursuing a specialty, an additional 2-6 year residency is required.