DMD vs DMD/PhD?

[confused undergrad]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

For students who want to go into academic dentistry and do research/teach, I am wondering, why do they opt for DMD/PhD if they can do research/teach with "just" a DMD? I understand that DMD/PhD is fully funded, but it takes more time, which seems like a deterrent to me. I suppose doing a DMD/PhD program is also a good way to get experience in research, which is required to get funding for research and all...

How would a DMD get research experience? I've read about residencies that require research and grant a masters.

(I apologize if I sound ignorant.)

 

[Life of Pablo]

For students who want to go into academic dentistry and do research/teach, I am wondering, why do they opt for DMD/PhD if they can do research/teach with "just" a DMD? I understand that DMD/PhD is fully funded, but it takes more time, which seems like a deterrent to me. I suppose doing a DMD/PhD program is also a good way to get experience in research, which is required to get funding for research and all...

How would a DMD get research experience? I've read about residencies that require research and grant a masters.

(I apologize if I sound ignorant.)

There are plenty of researchers in dentistry with a DMD, DMD & PhD, or just PhD. Just like there are plenty of of researchers in medicine with an MD, MD & PhD, or just PhD. I think people go after the dual degrees if they know for a fact research/academics are what they want to do in the future. Having a PhD in addition to your DMD makes you more marketable when you're looking for a job. In addition, most of the dual degree people I've seen do more bench science research, while single degree people do more clinical research.

I think it depends on what kind of research you want to do. If you want to be a bigger basic science researcher with a large lab, you probably need that PhD. Most of the big researchers at my school are either DMD/PhD or PhD. They were hired to almost exclusively do research and teach a little. Most don't practice dentistry at all. Then there are faculty at my school that split their time doing research and practicing dentistry. These people do mainly clinical research. If you want your own lab, get the PhD. If you want to do research not requiring a lab, don't get the PhD.