ASDA for Predental Students: Is Joining Before Dental School Worth It?

ASDA for Predental Students: Is Joining Before Dental School Worth It?

You don't have to be enrolled in dental school to become involved with the American Student Dental Association.

ASDA offers membership for predental students, creating an opportunity for aspiring dentists to become connected with organized dentistry before beginning their professional education.

What Is a Predental Student?

A predental student is generally someone preparing for or considering dental school.

Many are undergraduate students completing courses required for dental-school admission, but ASDA's predental membership eligibility extends beyond traditional college students.

ASDA states that undergraduate students, high-school students and others pursuing dentistry as a career can qualify for predental membership.

Why Would a Predental Student Join ASDA?

One challenge of preparing for dental school is understanding what the profession actually involves.

Academic prerequisites and admissions statistics only tell part of the story.

Becoming involved with an organization focused on dental students can expose prospective applicants to discussions about dental education, leadership, professional issues and the realities of entering the profession.

Students can also access ASDA resources addressing the process of getting into dental school.

Is Dentistry Right for You?

This is ultimately a more important question than whether someone should join a particular organization.

Becoming a dentist represents a major commitment of time and money.

Students should investigate the profession thoroughly before making that commitment.

They should also understand that dentistry includes careers besides becoming a dentist.

A student primarily attracted to the clinical environment, patient interaction and hands-on nature of dentistry might also investigate dental assisting or dental hygiene.

These occupations have different educational requirements, scopes of practice and career trajectories.

Starting With Dental Assisting

Dental assisting can provide a much shorter educational pathway into a dental environment than becoming a dentist.

Dental assistants may help prepare treatment areas, work with patients, assist dentists during procedures and perform other permitted clinical or administrative responsibilities depending upon training and applicable state rules.

NYSMDA provides dental assistant education in New York City for students interested in entering this side of the profession.

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