Question

Hello everyone,

I am 23 years old and only have a high school diploma. I didn't do so hot in high school, but have recently returned to a community college and have a 4.0 GPA there thus far (two semesters, 11 classes).

My question is: Is it too late to get into dentistry to become a dentist for me, and if not, what sort of associates should I work for while applying to a university for my pre-dentistry bachelors?

Thanks for your time!

Answer 1

Good job on the 4.0!  It is not too late for you.  You should try to transfer over to a 4 year university though and probably a science major will be the most helpful!  Gaining experience in the field is important too.  You will need letters of Rec!

You can apply the year of your graduation or after it (if you want to take a year off).  But it sounds like you don't so just begin your application at the "end" of your junior year!

Comments

Thank you very much!

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Sabin -

Do you think you could tell me some sort of jobs I should be applying for to start gaining experience in the field? Would I need some sort of certificate for each job? Is there any I can start doing before I have any sort of bachelors or certificate?

Thank you!

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Saf0ra,

Shadowing is key!  Some schools even have clinics that you can volunteer at.  Demonstrating that you want to be a dentist is important.  As for as jobs, you could work in a dental office (without training, you'd probably just be doing office work, but you got to start from somewhere).

Best of Luck!

Answer 2

Several students I know took some time off after high school or college or both to gain some "life" experiences.  Make sure to job shadow some dentists as this shows initiative and that you are serious about becoming a dentist.

I know of several students who applied later than the traditional 21 yr college senior and had no problem getting accepted.

I have connected with several similar students after seing their videos on Youtube

Answer 3

Congrats on the 4.0!

I'm 24 with just a diploma also. I screwed around for too long in community college immediately after high school as many high school grads do nowadays. After working numerous dead-end jobs and aimlessly enrolling in unnecessary classes, "life" finally gave me a good kick in the ass and I started taking my studies seriously.

 I just graduated from a RDA program where I realized Dentistry is where I wanted to be but I had the same questions and concerns you do now. After talking to several of my academic mentors, professors, and a few dentists, they all ended up telling me the same thing: if you want to do it, then do it. It's never too late and you'll be there before you know it.

But you sound like you're off to a good start. If anything, I hope you gain some peace of mind knowing you're not the only one in this boat =)

Good luck to you!