The job of a dentist is to educate people about good dental health, find causes of dental pain, design treatment plans to resolve dental issues, and examine teeth development. Aspiring dentists gain knowledge and skills to perform procedures involving preventing, diagnosing, and treating dental conditions and problems.
Career paths as private dental practitioners, providers in hospitals or companies, academicians, and dental experts or researchers await those who pursue this field. In the Philippines, passing admission and board examinations and successfully completing clinical internships are crucial to finishing preliminary studies and practicing the profession officially.
If you are interested in studying dentistry in the country, you can check out these four steps to give you an overview of what students need to do and how long it will take for someone to become a dentist in the Philippines.
How to Become a Dentist in the Philippines
Step 1. Successfully Pass the Qualifying Examination and Interviews
Students must pass the qualifying examination and interviews to qualify for their pre-dentistry course at their chosen dentistry school. Passing the qualifying examination and interviews are the first steps to becoming a dentist in the Philippines. Dexterity exams may be required to evaluate one’s skills to perform tasks by hand and ability to follow instructions. This exam is usually 10% of the total admission grade.
Step 2. Enroll in and Complete the Pre-dentistry Course
The second step to becoming a dentist in the Philippines is to take the pre-dentistry course. In the Philippines, it is designed in a two-year curriculum. Students must take general subjects like humanities, mathematics, and social sciences. They also take courses in human health sciences like genetics, human anatomy, physiology, and primary health care.
The overall purpose of this pre-dentistry course is to prepare students for dental education, although entry to it does not guarantee admission to Dental Medicine Proper.
Learn More: 10 Universities in the Philippines with the Highest Acceptance Rates
Step 3. Finish the Dental Medicine Proper Program
After completing their two-year pre-dentistry course, the next step to becoming a dentist in the country is to complete dental medicine correctly. Students who meet the required GWA will move on to the four-year Dental Medicine Proper. Depending on the chosen university, further interviews and examinations may still be required for admission to this stage for transferees. Extensive classroom and clinical training will equip students with the knowledge and skills to tend to patients’ oral health.
Students will take subjects in medical and dental sciences and then focus on clinical, hospital, and community dentistry. One of the top dentistry schools in the Philippines is the University of the East, with leading-edge faculty and fully equipped libraries of this field’s references and journals. Other schools known for their dentistry curriculum are the University of the Philippines Manila and the Centro Escolar University.
See Also: Best Medical and Dental Schools in the Philippines
Step 4. Complete Clinical Training
During the third year of their Doctor in Dental Medicine, or DMD study, dental students will start working on actual patients with the supervision of a clinical supervisor. Students who wish to become dentists in the Philippines should finish clinical training, which is one of the necessary steps. They will perform procedures like cavity preparation and filling and manage prosthodontic treatment.
Students must demonstrate proficiency in managing different types of patients and giving appropriate treatment to pass their clinical dentistry subjects and complete the DMD program.
Step 5. Achieve a Passing Score on the Board Exam
The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) conducts the Dentists Licensure Examination, the official body hosting licensure exams in the Philippines. It is divided into two phases: a written and a practical phase. The written examination covers general and oral anatomy and physiology, general and oral pathology, restorative dentistry and public health, community dentistry, prosthetic dentistry, and more.
To take the exam, applicants need to be a graduate of the DMD degree and present requirements like a transcript of records, an original copy of the birth certificate, and NBI clearance.
See Also: Most Affordable Universities in the Philippines
Step 6. Select a Specialized Field of Study
Finally, the last step to becoming a dentist in the Philippines is to find and pursue your specialization. Several specialized careers in the field are available, such as orthodontists, pediatric dentists, and endodontists. Orthodontists work on teeth alignment, which usually involves the use of braces and retainers. Pediatric dentists focus on treating younger patients’ dental concerns, specific to newly growing or developing teeth. Endodontists are experts in treating issues that reach the root of the tooth and the interior part of teeth.
The University of the East offers four master’s programs in periodontics, orthodontics, prosthodontics, and endodontics. On the other hand, the University of the Philippines Manila provides a Master of Science in Dentistry—Orthodontics. Continuing education programs like Comprehensive Restorative and Esthetic Dentistry (CRED), Dental Implantology, and Integrated Enhancement Courses in Removable Dentures Prosthodontics are also available.
FAQs: How to Become a Dentist in the Philippines
How Does One Become a Dentist in the Philippines?
On average, it will take students about six to eight years to become dentists, particularly in the Philippines. This consists of a required undergraduate degree or pre-dentistry course and the Doctor of Dental Medicine program. The DMD can be completed straight in six years. It is already composed of a two-year pre-dental education that focuses on basic health-related courses and a four-year dentistry proper curriculum.
The last two years of the program are spent on clinical training. Bachelor’s degree holders from non-medical fields could also enter the program if they pass the school’s qualifications, including the required Dexterity examination and General Weighted Average (GWA).
There are numerous opportunities for international students to study in the Philippines, and this location should be within the scope of many students. So, don’t forget to check the best universities in the Philippines to get started on your studies. And while you’re at it, make sure to check what you must do to secure a work visa here.
We hope you found this article about the steps to becoming a dentist in the Philippines insightful. To go deeper into studying abroad opportunities, be sure to visit the Philippines Page and some of the Available Programs for International Students.
