In the world of dentistry, becoming an endodontist is a highly sought-after career path. Endodontists are specialized dentists who focus on diagnosing and treating diseases of the dental pulp and the surrounding tissues. To become an endodontist, a qualified candidate must first complete a bachelor's degree, then finish dental school, and finally complete specialized endodontic training through residency, before appearing before the Board of the American Association of Endodontists for certification of the board. The career path to becoming an endodontist is quite straightforward.
After graduating from dental school with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM) degree, future endodontists must pass the National Board Dental Exam and meet any other licensing requirements for dentists in the state where they want to practice. Once certified, endodontists have several career options to explore. These include working in a private dental office, as a member of a group dental office, working in hospitals and dental clinics, or in academia as instructors. The most popular career option for an endodontist is to begin their career as a specialist within a full dental office.
After accumulating in-office experience, an endodontist may choose to open their own specialized office that offers endodontic treatments through referrals from a network of standard orthodontists and associated dentists. As specialists in their field, endodontists do a great deal of teaching, continuing education, and lecturing. They need to stay up-to-date with the latest technological advances in dentistry and learn how to use them. Only about 3% of dentists become endodontists, but their additional education gives them a special skill set to help dental patients.
Understanding an Endodontist's Career Path can help you decide if this is the right career path for you.
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