How to become a dentist

1. 1Earn a bachelor's degree with the science prerequisites

   Time: 4 yearsCost: College tuitionSources 7

   Any major works, but ADEA lists the usual dental school prerequisites as two semesters each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry and physics, all with labs. Many schools also want biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, microbiology or English composition. Most dental students have a bachelor's degree, though a few schools admit some students after 2-3 years of college. Keep science grades high and log shadowing hours in a dental office, since admissions committees look for both.

2. 2Take the Dental Admission Test

   Time: Usually the spring or summer before you applyCost: $580 (2026)Sources 2

   The DAT is a computer-based test from the American Dental Association, taken at Prometric centers year round. It covers the natural sciences (100 items), perceptual ability (90), reading comprehension (50) and quantitative reasoning (40), with a total administration time of 5 hours 15 minutes. All U.S. dental schools accept it. If you need to retest, you must wait 60 days between attempts, with no more than four attempts in 12 months.

3. 3Apply through ADEA AADSAS

   Time: About one year before you startCost: Application fees per schoolSources 7, 8

   Most U.S. dental schools take applications through ADEA AADSAS, a single online application sent to several schools; Texas residents applying to Texas schools use TMDSAS instead. You submit transcripts, DAT scores, letters of recommendation and a personal statement, then interview with the schools that invite you. Apply early in the cycle and to a range of schools. Only programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation lead to a degree that state boards accept, so confirm accreditation in CODA's program search.

4. 4Complete dental school (DDS or DMD)

   Time: 4 yearsCost: $39,130-$105,505/yr tuition at the two schools checkedSources 5, 6, 1

   The DDS and DMD are the same degree under different names. The first two years are mostly biomedical science and lab work on manikins and typodonts; the last two are mostly clinical, treating patients in the school clinic under faculty supervision. Tuition varies widely: Buffalo charges New York residents $39,130 a year in 2026-27, while Maryland charges non-residents $105,505 a year. Plan for instrument and clinic fees on top.

5. 5Pass the INBDE

   Time: Usually in the final year of dental schoolCost: $890 (2026)Sources 3

   The Integrated National Board Dental Examination is a two-day computer exam from the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. It tests whether you can apply the basic and clinical sciences to patient cases. Every U.S. licensing jurisdiction recognizes it. You register with a DENTPIN, a personal ID number used for the national exams. After a failed attempt you must wait at least 60 days before trying again.

6. 6Pass a clinical exam and apply for your state license

   Time: Final year and the months after graduationCost: $2,995 ADEX fee plus facility and typodont feesSources 4, 10, 11, 12

   States also require proof of clinical skill. The ADEX Dental Examination from CDCA-WREB-CITA costs $2,995 in 2026 plus facility fees and $150 per typodont procedure. It now includes the DLOSCE, and since August 1, 2026 its periodontal exam has been a required part. Delaware and New York do not accept the ADEX for initial licensure. CRDTS offers its own exam, and some states accept the standalone DLOSCE ($660). Check which exams your state board accepts, then apply with your transcripts and scores.

7. 7Optional: complete a specialty residency

   Time: 2-6 yearsCost: Varies by programSources 1, 8

   General dentists can practice as soon as they are licensed. Becoming an orthodontist, endodontist, periodontist, pediatric dentist or another specialist takes a residency in an accredited advanced program, usually 2 to 4 years, which often leads to a postdoctoral certificate or a master's. Training for oral and maxillofacial surgeons runs 4 to 6 years and can include an MD degree. Specialists may also need a specialty license, sometimes with a state exam, so check with the board where you plan to practice.

Programs, tuition and graduates’ earnings

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15). Scorecard groups programs by 4-digit field, so a row can include related programs. Tuition is the median published undergraduate tuition and fees of the colleges offering the program (shown only for undergraduate credentials); debt is the median of programs’ median federal loan debt at completion; earnings are the national median for the field and credential four years after completion.

Requirements differ by state. Check your state’s rules in the CareerOneStop License Finder (U.S. Department of Labor) before you enroll.

Hand-eye coordination

Preparing a tooth for a crown means removing fractions of a millimeter of enamel with a high-speed drill, often while looking in a mirror.

Spatial judgment

The DAT tests perceptual ability because dentists must picture tooth shapes, angles and bite contacts in three dimensions.

Diagnostic reasoning

Pain in one tooth can come from another tooth, the gums or the jaw joint, so x-rays, tests and symptoms have to be weighed together.

Putting nervous patients at ease

Many adults and children fear dental work, and a calm explanation before each step keeps them still and willing to come back.

Business management

Owners hire and lead staff, set fees, deal with insurers and decide when to buy expensive equipment.

Physical endurance

Hours bent over a patient strain the neck, back and hands, so posture, magnifying loupes and good chair setup matter for a long career.

O*NET 31.0 rates these skills as most important for the occupation: critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, active learning.

Training cost

$161K–$426K

Before financial aid

Time

8 years

Typical path

Median pay

$170,950

All US jobs: $50,980

Payback once qualified

1.3–3.6 yrs

Pay above the all-jobs median vs. cost

Dental school tuition only, plus exam fees, at two schools checked (not a national range). Low: University at Buffalo's 2026-27 New York resident DDS tuition, $156,520 for four years, plus the DAT ($580), INBDE ($890) and ADEX dental exam ($2,995). High: University of Maryland's 2026-27 non-resident tuition of $105,505 a year (the same in all four years) x 4 = $422,020, plus the same exam fees. Not included: college before dental school, school fees (Buffalo's alone run about $13,400-$13,900 a year), instruments, living costs and exam facility fees. College Scorecard puts median federal loan debt for dentistry graduates at $282,554.

Rough guide only: ignores taxes, aid, interest and earnings given up during training. How we calculate it.

• Orthodontist$289,140 median

  Takes an accredited orthodontic residency after dental school (specialty residencies usually run 2 to 4 years), then any specialty license the state requires.

• Oral and maxillofacial surgeon

  Requires a 4- to 6-year surgical residency, which in some programs includes earning an MD.

• Endodontist, periodontist or pediatric dentist

  Each takes a residency in an accredited advanced program, usually 2 to 4 years, after the DDS or DMD.

• Practice owner

  Many dentists start as associates, then buy into or open a practice; this takes capital and management skills rather than more schooling.

• Dental school faculty or researcher

  Teaching or research as a full-time job may require more training after dental school, for example a general dentistry residency.