Dentistry is one field that people might want to get their teeth into if they’re looking for high-paying careers that will always be in demand.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 139,000 persons were employed as dentists in the country in 2020, with a median income of over $164,000 per year. 5,040 people in the United States were employed as orthodontists in that same year, with a mean yearly salary of roughly $238,000.
And more growth in the field is anticipated. According to the agency, the number of dentists in the nation will increase by more than 11,000, or 8%, between 2020 and 2030.
According to a 2020 report by the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce, the number of dentists in Georgia has increased as well, with 450 additional dentists joining the state’s workforce between 2017 and 2019. That’s a good move for the state, which needs more dentists because there weren’t any in 21 of its 159 counties.
There are a few options for students who want to stay in Georgia during their studies to acquire the fundamentals that will prepare them for a future in dentistry, and there is one ongoing program for advanced dental education.
In this article, we’ll go over Georgia’s dental school alternatives, how to apply for the programs, and much more.
Dental Schools in Georgia
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Augusta University Dental College of Georgia (Augusta, GA)
The Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University has trained hundreds of aspiring dentists for more than 50 years.
The school’s name was changed to the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University (DCG) in 2015 from the College of Dental Medicine at Augusta University. It is the sole dental school in the state, and since accepting its first dental doctoral students in 1969, it has expanded and flourished.
The institution only started using cutting-edge buildings in the last ten years. One such facility is a 269,000-square-foot clinical building with Silver LEED certification that symbolizes the university’s emphasis on environmentalism. In the 2015-opened J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education Commons, classes are held in both classrooms and a simulation lab. It serves as the center of the school by providing a cafe and a student lounge.
Students and guests at DCG can view over 175 works of art that dentists and college alums from all throughout Georgia gave to the gallery, Transcendental: Works of Impression. Paintings, glass art, metal sculptures, and photography are all examples of art.
The college serves more purposes than only housing students. Nearly 50,000 patients are treated at the institution each year by academics, residents, and students, who gain invaluable practical experience. More than 300 dental chairs, as well as simulation and practice labs for students, are available in the clinical building to treat both children and adults.
The Doctorate in Dental Medicine (DMD) and a combined DMD/Master of Business Administration program are two of the dental degree programs offered in Augusta. Additionally, the college provides continuing education courses, a doctorate in philosophy with a major in oral biology and maxillofacial pathology, and other combination programs.
In the DMD program, classes are carried out over 11 semesters and four calendar years. Students can perform faculty-supervised research projects in addition to their coursework and practical training. The university’s Hull College of Business offers classes to those enrolled in the DMD/MBA program as well.
At the college, which has many traditions, dental students can continue them as well. Among these is the white coat ceremony, at which incoming second-year students get the white uniform that denotes their future profession as dentists.
The winter talent show and Family Day, when first-year students’ families can visit campus during their first semester and take advantage of everything the college has to offer, are two less somber traditions that students can also enjoy.
Alumni of DMD who have earned their degrees will be qualified to take any United States
How to Get Accepted to Augusta University for Dentistry
When assessing applications, DCG takes into account a wide range of variables, including academic ones like undergraduate GPA and test results. However, it also seeks to learn more about its applicants personally and takes into account information like involvement in the community, research, and interesting experiences.
The college does not place a strong emphasis on the subjects that applicants studied as undergraduates, although it does state that candidates should perform well in all subject areas, particularly in their scientific studies. Additionally, the Dental Admission Test (DAT) is required of all prospective students. Academic and PAT scores on the DAT have an average of 20 for previously admitted students at DCG.
Candidates must also submit letters of recommendation in addition to test results. The university accepts letters from a variety of sources, including academic advisers and dentists the applicant shadowed, so prospective students have varied possibilities here.
Prior to applying, DCG does not need its candidates to shadow any dentists at work, although it does encourage them to do so (and the admissions committee values such experience).
In order to learn more about applicants’ personalities, hobbies, and potential as dentists, the college also conducts interviews with them on an invitation-only basis. Individual interviews with two members of the college admissions committee are conducted with those selected for this round.
However, because DCG is state-funded, students who reside outside of Georgia may be at a little disadvantage when applying. Only 10% of applications from out-of-state and overseas applicants are accepted by the college.
If an applicant has resided in Georgia for at least a year prior to enrolling in college, they are regarded as Georgia residents.
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Pre-Dentistry Schools in Georgia
The following schools offer pre-dentistry programs in Georgia.
Andrew College (Cuthbert, GA)
With its Associate of Science in health science program, this small college in rural western Georgia prepares students for prospective careers in dentistry. Before concentrating on the topic that interests them, students are introduced to a wide range of job opportunities in the healthcare industry. Dental hygiene and pre-dentistry are two of these job options.
At Andrew, where there are just under 300 total students enrolled and a student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, students may anticipate a personal learning environment.
This private college, which is associated with the United Methodist Church, was established in 1854 and currently offers largely associate degrees along with certain certificates. One of the most sought-after degree programs at the college is in the health professions. Andrew College received grades from Niche of B+ for safety and diversity and B- for academics.
Transcripts from their high school, as well as a minimum GPA of 2.0 from college-preparatory courses, are required from prospective candidates. SAT or ACT scores are not necessary for admission to the college.
Students may still include them since the institution will utilize them to help place them in the appropriate English and math courses. Homeschooled pupils may need to submit additional documents and will have slightly different admission requirements.
Valdosta State University (Valdosta, GA)
Pre-dentistry is one of the five concentrations available to biology undergraduate students at this university in south-central Georgia.
The biology program at Valdosta State University strives to prepare students for graduate school or careers in biology.
With the intention of enrolling in dental school and eventually becoming a dentist or orthodontist, students who choose the pre-dentistry program are prepared to take the DAT. Additionally, the department goes above and above by assisting students with their dental school applications and recommendation letters, job shadowing advice, and recommendation letter writing. The pre-dental student group offers another opportunity for students to interact with their peers.
The university is quite large, with more than 10,000 undergraduate students overall. With a 58% acceptance rate, it is also not among the more elite colleges.
Anyone interested in attending Valdosta must have obtained a minimum SAT math score of 440 and a 480 on the evidence-based reading and writing component.
Prospective students must get a math subscore of at least 17 and a reading or English subscore of at least 17 on the ACT.
The university also uses a unique formula to determine admission, which considers a student’s high school GPA from needed classes in addition to their ACT or SAT results.
