Can someone explain dental residencies and specialties?

[BBSLM]

I apologize in advance for the basic questions, but these concepts are very foreign to me.

Does one specialize by completing a residency, or is a residency something aspiring GPs do to gain a competitive advantage?

Also let's say, for example, someone wants to specialize in orthodontics. How would they go about accomplishing this, and what factors determine whether or not they are accepted to their desired specialty?

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[BBSLM]

anybody?

 

[dentalWorks]

you go to dental school, you graduate 4 years later with either DDS or DMD (both degree means the same thing)

Option A
as soon as you get your DDS/DMD, you then have to pass the licensing examination, when you do, you are ready to practice as a General Practice Dentist.... you DO NOT have to do a GP residency.

Option B
you get your DDS/DMD, but you feel like you want to enhance your skills as a GP, so you go into a GP 1-year residency.... this is NOT required, and many people who are confident in their skills don't do it, they would rather go out and get a higher paying job.

Option C
These are the guys who get their DDS/DMD and are more interested in one of the 9 residencies that dentistry offers. These include: dental public health, endo, OMF-pathology, OMF-radiology, OMF-surgery, ortho, pedo, perio, and finally, prosth..... Some of these residencies are ULTRA competitive, for example, Temple recives about 600 applicants for thier ortho program, they interview 20, and accept only 6 (OUT OF THE 600)

hope this helps

 

[txlonghorn]

You are right about everything above, except DDS >>> DMD

 

[BBSLM]

^^ Thanks for the detailed response, DentalWorks.

The dentists I have shadowed strongly recommended doing a residency, stating that it would put me 10 years ahead of a fresh grad (Im guessing in terms of skills/experience.) Is that generally considered true? And are residencies highly competitve?

 

[dentalWorks]

^^ Thanks for the detailed response, DentalWorks.

The dentists I have shadowed strongly recommended doing a residency, stating that it would put me 10 years ahead of a fresh grad (Im guessing in terms of skills/experience.) Is that generally considered true? And are residencies highly competitve?

I don't really agree with that. When my sister finshed her DDS back in 2000, she was ready to practice without GPR. Well, she told me the other day she was very skilled becuase she was a machine at the clinic, she finished with 53 bridges/crowns, I think 40+ rootcananls, 18 dentures and hundereds of fillings lol. She was working so hard in the clinic that some of the other students were complaining that she was taking all the patients lol... her professors told her to slow down for a few weeks hahaha.

She advices me to do the same thing when I get to 3rd and 4th year, she says to work really hard and go WAYY above the minimum clinical requirements, she says if I do that, I woun't really need to do a 1 year residency.