Specializing after dental school

[MKling]

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Hey everyone,

I just had a question about deciding to specialize after dental school. Do people usually specialize immediately after dental school or do you practice somewhere for a couple of years and then go back and specialize? I'm just curious as to how those who did specialize or are planning to specialize made their decision and how difficult it was/would be to transition from practicing to going back to school to specialize.

 

[Mackchops]

Some people work or do a GPR for a year or more before applying and some specialty programs prefer this. Others go straight in. Depends if you're ready to make that committment or, in some cases, if you need to build up your application.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I think it would be very difficult to leave private practice (and the income earned there) to go to residency. Some do it, but most go from dental school to residency, or dental school to GPR to more residency.

There is nothing right or wrong with either path. Some will practice to boost their application, and some don't realize that they want to specialize until they've been in practice for a while.

But graduating and then going back after several years is always a tough change of pace.