How to Become a Dentist in Ontario
A dentist or dental surgeon is a medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of oral diseases as well as dealing with oral health issues such as plaque build up, tooth decay and loss of teeth. The education and training required to become a dentist takes many years to complete. The career is not for everyone, so it is important that you know for sure that you want to work as a dentist before enrolling in dental school. That being said, there is a constant demand in both Canada and the United States for competent dental school graduates to provide oral health care services. If you are the kind of person who is looking for a stable professional career that is well respected and offers a great salary, then you should definitely consider becoming a dentist. The following article provides a basic outline of the actions and steps required to become a qualified dentist in Ontario, Canada.
The first step you should take is to call or visit the website of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario. They regulate the dentistry profession in Ontario and ensure that the public interest is protected by promoting high standards of operation. Read over all the provided documentation to see what the latest requirements for becoming a licensed dentist in Ontario are.
It is important to know that there are also several specialized dental professions that can be pursued if you are more interested in a certain kind of dental work. Here is a list of dental specialties that are available to you in Ontario:
- General practitioner (dentist)
- Oral pathology
- Oral radiology
- Periodontics
- Pediatric dentistry
- Orthodontics
- Endodontics
- Oral and maxillofacial surgery
- Prosthodontics
- Dental public health
Research these disciplines as much as possible during your studies so that you’ll know what type of dentist you want to become at the end of your undergraduate degree. Many students change their mind several times during the course of their degree so don’t worry if you don’t know exactly what you want to do. Just try to eliminate the options from this list as you see fit over the course of your years of study.
Once you have completed your undergraduate degree, apply for dental school. Applicants are required to pass the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) which is administered by the Canadian Dental Association to prove that you have the academic, perceptual and dexterity that the career requires. The two universities in Ontario that have dental schools are the University of Western Ontario (UWO) and the University of Toronto (UoT). These are not the only dental schools available in Canada, so be sure to apply to schools in other provinces if you are worried that you won’t be accepted. Here is a list of dental schools in Canada for your reference. In Canada, a dentistry degree usually requires four years of study. Both a completed doctor of dentistry degree as well as a passing grade on the National Dental Specialty Examination (NDSE) is required to practice dentistry in Ontario.
In order to practice one of the 9 recognized dental specialties (see list above), you are required to train in a residency program for 1-3 years, depending on the specialty involved. The program is supervised by a licensed specialist and designed to provide a dentist with the experience required to ensure they are both competent and professional in their work.
Finally, become a member of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario and start applying for dentist jobs. While the demand for dentists is high, most dentists prefer to own and operate their own practice and don’t take on partners. If you can afford it or are able to get a loan, starting your own practice is the most profitable option in the long run. Doing this allows you to create a job for yourself instead of applying and hoping for someone to give you one. However, if this option isn’t feasible, be sure to check out the resources offered by your dental school’s career department or the job listings on the schools job board or website. Becoming a dentist in Ontario is a long and difficult journey; make sure you know what you are getting into before you embark upon it.
Resources
University of Toronto – Faculty of Dentistry
University of Western Ontario – Schulich Dentistry