For people who are keenly interested in becoming a dentist, or aspirants who heard one or two things about BDS and don't really know what it means, or those who are probably clueless about it.

I'd be breaking down bit by bit, the career route on becoming a dentist...

Who is a dentist?

A dentist basically, is a doctor of the oral cavity[Dental Doctor], and is licensed to practice Dentistry[which involves the Prevention, Examination, Diagnosis, and Correction of diseases, injuries, disorders and malformations of the Teeth, Gums, Mouth, Face and Jaws] according to his/her jurisdictions, A Dentist is also known as a Dental Surgeon.

There are generally 9 types of dentists.

-General Dentists: They are more like primary care providers, the treat a variety of dental conditions and refer complex cases to the appopriate specialist.
-Endodontists: Root Canal specialist.
-Prosthodontists: Specializes in making arifcial teeth and missing part in the maxillofacial region.
-Periodontists: Specializes in gum diseases.

-Pediatric Dentists: specializes in the treatment of dental conditions in children
-Oral & maxillofacial pathologists: Specializes in diagnosing diseases in the maxillofacial region.
-Oral & maxillofacial radiologists: specializes in interpreting dental & maxillofacial x-rays.
-Oral & maxillofacial surgeons: specializes in the surgery of the face, mouth and jaws.
-Orthodontists: specializes in the correction of malpositioned teeth, misaligned jaws, and facial modification.

Other dentists includes; public health dentists, dental anesthesiologists, oro-facial pain specialists, special need dentists and cosmetic dentists.

Dentists typically work in dental clinics, making use of x-rays, in diagnosing oral diseases, treating either by prescribing medications or by performing surgical procedures, they also administer local anesthesia, before some procedures.

Tools used by dentists include; forceps, scapels, surgical blades, rubber dam.
Dentists usually put on a lab coat or scrubs during every procedure.

The Bachelor Of Dental Surgery[BDS], is one of the 3 undergraduate degrees that permits the practice of dentistry on the international level.

Course structure:
The BDS course usually runs for 5-6years.
*The pre-med phase is usually the first year, where students take courses in pure science(advance physics, chemistry, biology, botany, etc etc).

-Pre-Clinicals:
This phase is where the training start, it last for 2years, students take courses in Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry and Dental science(dental anatomy and histology, operative technique, cariology, dental theraupetics). After completing pre-clinicals, dental students take their first and[second] professional exams known as BDS part2 and BDS part1[this is usually at the end of the third year], and must pass to move on to the clinical phase.

-Clinicals1:
Dental students get introduced to Pharmacology and Pathology and take professional exams in both, after passing the exams, the move on to take clinical courses in Dentistry.

The Clinicals usually run for 3years, but can take a minimum of 2-1/2years to complete in some countries.

Clinicals II:
Dental students [in some curriculums], are required to head on to the medical school and take courses in general medicine, surgery, pediatrics, & anesthesiology.*

Generally, Dental students in the clinical phase of their dental training start taking courses in restorative dentistry, preventive and child health dentistry, oral and public health dentistry, maxillofacial surgery.

Dental students start seeing and treating their own patients at their dental school clinics, making treatment plans, diagnosing and refering patients under the supervision of a licensed Dentist.
They will also be required to do hospital rotations in the various departments...

After completing this phase they take the final part of their professional exams part5, [and some cases] part3 in general medicine & surgery.

After successfully completing the various phases, the students finally graduate with a BDS degree.

The BDS degaree confers the titles "Dentist", "Dental Surgeon", "Dental Practitioner" and also commands the "Dr." title.
all undergraduate dentists are known as "General Dentists".

Newly minted Dental surgeons can choose to pursue a residency(specialize) in any of the dental specialities,
-Endodontics
-Prosthodontics
-Periodontics
-Pediatric Dentistry
-Oral & maxillofacial pathology
-Oral & maxillofacial radiology
-Oral & maxillofacial surgery
-Oral medicine
-Orthodontics & facial orthopedics
-Public health Dentistry.
And become Dental specialists. Dental specialists usually work as consultants in Hospitals and private clinics, some also go into academia.

Majority of Dental Surgeons will work as "General Dentist"(non-specialists).

Career paths in dentistry:
-Private Practice
-Hospital Dentistry
-Millitary Dentistry
-Public health Dentistry
-Academic Dentistry
-Research.

Dentists can choose to run their private practices and see their patients, or work for a dental clinic, others work in hospitals/military

Besides the scrubs and lab coats Dental surgeons wear, they are also a bit comfortable income wise, Dentists are consistently ranked among the highest paid professionals in the medical field, they are paid higher than all other health professionals except medical doctors, they could as well compete with medical doctors salarywise, as the duo are usually placed on the same government salary structure.

Dentists are very much known for the great lifestyle they lead, the typical working hours for dentists is usually 9am-5pm, they are rarely on call, and will hardly ever work at night, they get a good work-life balance and can invest the time in other sectors....


Dentists also enjoy a high level of autonomy, only dentists are licensed and can do what they do, no other professional in the medical field can do what a dentists does without holding a BDS degree.

Dentists as "doctors", traditionally lead the dental team, the dental team consists of; Dental nurses, Hygienists, Dental therapists, Dental assistants.

Dentists develop treatment plans/ modalities and working systems for the dental team in a clinic.

Dentistry is more "surgery-like", dentists tend to work more with their hands, and they get to sit alot, So Dentists as well usually work faster and better with their hands, to see more patients.

***********************

lab coats and scrubs are fascinating, and also nice looking.

if you've ever dreamt of
-Working in the healthcare system.
-Using your skills in Helping others.
-Treating your own patients.
-Working with your hands and performing surgical procedures
-Working in a hospital or running your clinic.
-Having a good income.
In addition, having a good work-life balance, lead a working team and being number1 in your trade.
You may just make a good dentist!!!

The subjects required to apply to the Bachelor Of Dental Surgery program are; English, Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

in Nigeria you need to get a minimum of 270 in your utme exams to get a head start in getting admission into the program, the course is getting more competetive year in, year out, and the quota for admitting students into the course is usually controlled and is very low. Having a fantastic utme score above 270 will give you a better opportunity.

List of Dental schools in Nigeria you can apply to;

Dental schools in Nigeria are normally affiliated to a medical school.
-College of Medicine University of Ibadan, Faculty of Dentistry.
-CoM UNILAG, Faculty of Dentistry.
-CoMs, OAU, Faculty of Dentistry.
-CoM, Uniben, Faculty of Dentistry.
-CoM UNN, Faculty of Dentistry
-CoMs UNIMAID, Faculty of Dentistry
-CoM, UNIPORT, Faculty of Dentistry
-CoMs, BUK, Faculty of Dentistry, kano.
-CoMs, UNICAL Faculty of Dentistry.
-CoMs, UDUSOK Faculty of Dentistry
-UNIMED, Faculty of Dentistry
-CoMs UNIUYO- FoD

At the end, is being a dentist fufilling?

"most people feel dentistry is very restricted, on the other hand it's very advantageous, in the sense that; you know what you'll be doing from the start, and you wouldn't need multiple years of study to do some thing similarly specific, run a clinic, and start making money"

The gratitude you receive from your patients, whenever they share their stories with you, and having the good feeling that, the help you gave your patient in the clinic, had a massive impact on their way of life, they are so many tearful momment in a dental clinic... For example a girl who have been living with depression and low esteem for like 5years due to the bad appearance of her teeth, walks into your clinic and starts narrating her story to you, on how she can't talk in public, how she can't go out, how she hates herself whenever she looks at her teeth in the mirror.. she breaks down in tears and end up saying "please help me doctor", That momment you Just transformed someone's life.

BDS, or Bachelor of Dental Surgery, is a five-year undergraduate degree program that equips students with the knowledge and skills to diagnose and treat conditions of the teeth, mouth, and jaws. Graduates qualify as dental surgeons, able to perform a variety of procedures including fillings, extractions, and root canals. The program combines classroom learning with clinical experience, preparing students for successful careers in dentistry. BDS course fee in private college is not too much.