There's more to dental school than just cleaning teeth and filling cavities. Once students graduate with a DDS or DMD, they can apply for specialty positions. Common choices are orthodontics and pediatric dentistry, but some schools offer up to eight different specialty programs for qualified students. After successful completion of the various programs, students are awarded a specialty certificate and an MSD (Masters of Science Degree).

Endodontics is the branch of dentistry which deals with disorders of the dental pulp. Endodontists remove the diseased pulp before it gets infected and damages the rest of the tooth. Generally, it takes about two years to complete. Prosthodontics make fake teeth to replace ones that have fallen out. They construct bridges, which are permanently cemented to adjacent teeth, and remove all the gaps left by teeth that were lost. The curriculum takes about three years to finish. Periodontics is the study of gums, and they handle patients with diseases like gingivitis.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery is a little more intensive; this program is completed four years after your basic dental school. Some schools even offer the option of an MD to qualified students who have completed their oral surgery rotations.

Pediatric dentistry is a more popular choice, and most programs only take two years to complete. Besides dealing with the same issues as general dentists, pediatric dentistry takes on a more preventive role, especially because they work exclusively with children. Besides dental related topics, the students also have rotations in pediatric medicine and general anesthesia. Orthodontics is another popular program, and it can be completed in two years.

If these specialty programs don't really interest you, there is always a general dentistry residency. For another two years, students can further familiarize themselves with the field and work in various situations such as hospitals and with patients with other medical problems. If you find dentistry and research equally appealing, there is a DDS/PhD program. It usually takes another three years beyond dental school to finish both degrees, and you can complete your PhD coursework before or after the DDS.

The decision to attend one of these programs needs to be made long before you apply. Most schools are fairly competitive, only accepting the students from the top 25% of their dental school class. For some programs, like the DDS/PhD, you can apply straight out of undergraduate school at the same time you apply for dental school. Also, not all schools offer all of these programs, so when you are applying to dental schools it may be a good idea to look into what specialties they offer.

To simplify the application process, the American Association of Dental Schools has started a uniform application, called PASS (Postdoctoral Application Support Service). It offers standardized applicant information to the admissions committees, making it easier for both parties since the students no longer have to fill out separate applications for each school.

The thought of an extra few years of professional school may seem like a lot, especially when you add it to the first four years of dental school. But if one of these specialties really seems attractive, your time will be reimbursed in the long run. The average income for people with a specialty certificate compared to those with a DDS or DMD is significantly higher.

For more information on specialty programs and the dental field, visit the American Dental Association at http://www.ada.org.