Dental School
How many years does a traditional DMD or DDS program typically take to complete?
4 years
What does DAT stand for?
Dental Admission Test
What is the hardest substance in the human body?
Enamel
What specialty focuses on treating children and adolescents?
Pediatric dentistry
What undergraduate major is required for admission to dental school?
None! Dental schools accept students from a variety of majors as long as prerequisite courses are completed.
What do the letters DDS stand for?
Doctor of Dental Surgery
Which DAT section tests your ability to visualize and manipulate objects in three dimensions?
Perceptual Ability Test (PAT)
How many permanent teeth does a typical adult have, including third molars?
32
What dental specialty focuses on straightening teeth and correcting malocclusion?
Orthodontics
What is the difference between a DDS and a DMD degree?
They are equivalent dental degrees.
What do the letters DMD stand for?
Doctor of Dental Medicine
How long is the DAT?
Approximately 5 hours
What is the name of the tissue located beneath the enamel and surrounding the pulp?
Dentin
What specialty focuses on diseases and treatment of the dental pulp?
Endodontics
What does the acronym HPSP stand for, a scholarship program that can help cover dental school expenses in exchange for military service?
Health Professions Scholarship Program
What is the term for schools that review applications and offer interviews as they are received, rather than waiting until the deadline?
Rolling Admissions
What are the six components of the PAT section?
Angle ranking, cube counting, hole punching, top-front-end, keyholes, and pattern folding.
Which part of the tooth contains the nerves and blood vessels that keep the tooth alive?
Pulp
Which dental specialty focuses on treating the gums and supporting structures around teeth?
Periodontics
What instrument is commonly used by dentists to clean and shape the canals during a root canal?
Endodontic file
What national application service is used by most U.S. dental schools?
ADEA AADSAS
What are are the four major sections of the DAT?
Survey of the natural sciences, PAT, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning.
What mineral makes up approximately 95% of the inorganic content of tooth enamel and gives it much of its strength?
Hydroxyapatite
Which dental specialty is responsible for surgically treating conditions involving the mouth, jaw, and face?
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS)
During Invisalign treatment, what procedure involves carefully removing a small amount of enamel between teeth to create additional space for tooth movement?
Interproximal reduction (IPR)