Thank you for Joining Us

The Lane & Associates and NCOSO Dental Career Fair was held this past Friday, July 23rd at our Garner office and had an amazing turnout! We hope all who attended had an enjoyable experience learning about our company, our culture, and enjoying some yummy food at the same time! 

Thank you to xQuisito International Foods for supplying delicious Tacos and Hibachi to all who attended. We would also like to thank our corporate team members for organizing, staffing, and promoting the event. Take a look at some photos from the dental career fair below!

 

A Closer Look

Our Lane & Associates and NCOSO Corporate team at the 2021 Dental Career Fair

Want to Join Us Next Time?

Learn more about careers with Lane & Associates Family Dentistry and NC Oral Surgery + Orthodontics by visiting our careers page. Feel free to email us at hr@lanedds.com and be on the lookout for our next Career Fair coming soon! 

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Let’s say it together! We all scream for Ice Cream!

 

What a beautiful day celebrating our 2 year Anniversary of our Clinton Office last week. Our marketing team came out with prizes, games, and a Mudcats Tickets giveaway while we hosted a Free Dairy Queen Ice Cream truck to our local community in Clinton. 

Take a look at some of the photos from the celebration

Congratulations are also in order for our winner of the Carolina Mudcats tickets from the event, Mariana! Thank you for coming out to see us and we hope you enjoy your tickets! 

Last but not least, we wanted to send a warm thank you to all of our patients and the community of Sampson County for having us these past 2 years. Clinton has been such a welcoming town with southern hospitality through and through. We can’t wait to see what the future holds! 

 

Learn More

Interested in a dental appointment with our Clinton Dentists? Visit our Clinton office page or request an appointment online. At Lane & Associates Family Dentistry, we love to make you smile!

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Becoming a Dentist is a highly sought-after Career

One of our most frequently asked questions from patients who visit us is, “How does someone become a Dentist?” In this article, we are going to take you step-by-step on the process of becoming a Dentist. Let’s get started!

 

How Long Does it Take to Become a Dentist?

The process of becoming a Dentist is much more competitive than in years past and requires a specific set of qualifications during high school and college to be eligible for entry into Dental school. Overall, after completion of high school, students need a 4-year college bachelor’s degree plus a 4-year graduate Dental School degree, totaling 8 years. 

However, this does not include any additional schooling for specialty dentists such as Endodontists, Orthodontists, Periodontists, Pediatrics, Prosthodontists, or Oral Surgeons. These students require either another degree, a residency, or both which can range from 2 – 6 years depending on the specialization they have chosen.

Many dental school graduates also choose to continue their education through AEGD (Advanced Education in General Dentistry) or GPR (General Practice Residency) programs. These typically last one year and are designed for postdoctoral clinical training as an advanced supplement to the predoctoral dental curriculum. Both program types award a postgraduate certificate upon graduation. 

For specifics on each specialty or additional education, please visit the American Dental Association’s Education center here.

Overall, becoming a Dentist will take anywhere from 8 to 14 years depending on the type of dentist a student wishes to become. 

What Do I Need to Major in to Become a Dentist?

Students can major in a variety of fields and be accepted into dental school. However, most dental school admissions require taking prerequisite courses related to the field of biology, physiology, and chemistry. This ensures the student has an accurate baseline of information to prepare them for dental school courses. You can find specific course requirements for each dental school on their website to ensure you are on the right track. 

For example, at ECU School of Dental Medicine in Greenville, NC they require a minimum of one year (8 semester hours) of biology, organic chemistry, general chemistry, & physics with 6 semester hours of English and mathematics courses from a 4-year accredited US college or university. 

In most cases, pre-dental students major in biology or chemistry. However, there have also been successful dental students who have majored in Business (helpful for starting your own practice after dental school), Medical Textiles (great if you plan on developing dental products), or Engineering (physics and mathematics play an important role in dentistry).

 

What Other Requirements Do I Need to Become a Dentist? 

Score High on Your Dental Admissions Test

Other than your course prerequisites and a high GPA, you will need to take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). This is similar to the MCAT for Medical School entry. The test has four sections: Perceptual Ability, Quantitative Reasoning, Survey of the Natural Sciences, and Reading Comprehension. 

DAT scores range from 1-30, with 17 being the average. To be considered a competitive applicant for dental school, an Academic Average (AA) of 19-20 is desirable. This number can fluctuate from school to school but statistics on average acceptance scores can be found on each dental school’s website.

Obtain Letters of Evaluation 

Another requirement for dental school entry will be letters of recommendation or evaluation. At most 4-year colleges, a pre-health or pre-dental committee can help you with a committee letter. Otherwise, you will need to submit 4 letters: 2 from science professors, 1 from an academic advisor, and 1 from a dentist. Read more about letters of evaluation on the ADA website here

Acquire Dental Volunteer or Shadowing Hours

Most dental schools require applicants to have some form of dental shadowing. This shows that the applicant understands the career they will potentially be joining. It is also extremely helpful to shadow the profession early on to truly grasp if this is the right career for you. Most dental schools require at least 100 hours of dental shadowing. 

Typically you can contact a dental office directly to request to shadow a dentist. You can also join your pre-dental or pre-health club and volunteer at local dental clinics. For instance, in North Carolina, there is a Volunteer Dental Clinic called NC Missions of Mercy (MOM) that holds events throughout the state. 

If you would like to shadow one of our dentists at Lane & Associates, please email us at info@lanedds.com and our clinical team will be in touch!

A great resource for applying to dental school is the ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools. Click the image below to learn more!

ADEA Official Guide to Dental Schools 2021 2022

 

How Long is Dental School?

Dental school is a 4-year doctorate program. There are also options to continue your education if you choose to specialize in a field. These specialties can be Orthodontics, Oral Surgery, Endodontics, Pedodontics, or Periodontics. Please read the section, ‘How Long Does it Take to Become a Dentist?’ above to learn more!

 

How Much Do Dentists Make?

The salary for general dentists varies significantly. This can be based on the experience of the dentist, the type of dentist, and the needs of their patients. The typical salary of a General Dentist can range anywhere from $128,000 – $221,000 per year with an average of $170,000 in 2021. 

For specialists such as Orthodontists, their salary can range from $259,000 to $372,000 with an average of $292,000 per year. This salary can also be much higher depending on the number of cases and types of malocclusions they are treating. 

What is the Highest-Paid Type of Dentist?

Typically the highest-paid type of dentist is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon (OMFS). This is the dentist whose job is the most invasive of all dentists. Typically Oral surgeons use sedation options to remove wisdom teeth, place dental implants, perform bone grafts, and much more. They go through rigorous training and education well past many of their colleagues due to these advanced medical procedures. Therefore, the typical salary for an Oral Surgeon can range anywhere from $250,000 to $400,000 per year (or more). Usually, the average salary for an Oral Surgeon is around $310,000 per year. 

 

Learn More About Our Dentists

Ready to learn more? Visit our dentists’ page and scroll through their biographies to learn what it takes to become a dentist! Looking to schedule with one of our dentists? Request an appointment online with our dentists today!

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Are you looking for a rewarding career in Dentistry? 

Lane & Associates Family Dentistry is hosting a Career Fair on Friday, July 23rd from 11 AM to 3 PM!

We have job openings for entry-level positions all the way to Doctors and Specialists & will be offering Direct Hire Opportunities with sign-on bonus potential! Be sure to bring your valid Driver’s License or ID, resume, and all relevant certifications to be considered! 

Our Career Fair will be a day of fun including a Free Food Truck, prizes, giveaways (Apple Airpods and Carolina Mudcats tickets!), and one-on-one interviews with our recruitment staff. 

 

Who are we hiring?

We are currently hiring for the following positions:

  • Dentists/Specialists
  • Dental Hygienists
  • Treatment Coordinators
  • Dental Assistants (DA I, DA II, Head Dental Assistants)
  • Hygiene Assistants/Sterilization Techs
  • Surgical Assistants 
  • Office Managers
  • General Managers/Specialists
  • Corporate Positions

 

If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, join us on Friday, July 23rd at our Garner Location!

Garner NC Dentist office exterior white building and wedding venue

Career Fair Details

Location: Lane & Associates Family Dentistry – Garner, 12450 Cleveland Rd. Garner, NC 27529

Date: Friday, June 23rd

Time: 11 AM – 3 PM

REGISTER NOW

Free Parking on site. Please enter the building around the back under the awning to check in at our First Floor station. You will then be directed to the Third Floor of the building for the Career Fair. No masks required for vaccinated patrons. 

Want to learn more about us? Visit our Careers page to see all the reasons to join Lane & Associates and NCOSO. 

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