Hello Dr. Hall,<\/p>\n
My name is Ashleigh and I’m currently an undergrad and pre-med\/dental student at the University of New Mexico. My mother is a dental hygienist so I’ve grown up around the biz and I’d love to train for cosmetic dentistry. I’m primarily an artist and greatly value aesthetics and form, so I feel this was a wonderful direction in which to switch gears. I’ve got a ways to go before dental school, but I’d like to know exactly what special training (and possibly where to get it) I would need on top of finishing dental school to become a cosmetic dentist? Thank you for your time. All the best, Ashleigh<\/p>\n
Ashleigh,
\nFrom my experience and from asking other cosmetic dentists this same question, most of us feel it takes about five years after dental school, attending continuing education courses and trying to practice the things you learn, to really feel competent in cosmetic dentistry.<\/p>\n
And I believe the best way to learn cosmetic dentistry is to join the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and faithfully go to their annual meetings every year. They have excellent lecturers and hands-on training that are designed for dentists to start learning the basics of cosmetic dentistry and gradually become masters at it. There are other postgraduate programs in cosmetic dentistry, such as at Baylor University in Texas, UCLA, the Pacific Aesthetic Continuum, and other places, too. Though most of dental academia look down their noses at dentists who are interested in cosmetic dentistry.<\/p>\n
And, of course, as I preach throughout this website, a cosmetic dentist<\/a> needs to be fundamentally artistic, which goes against the grain of the great majority of dentists. So you’ve got a good start in that direction.<\/p>\n Dr. Hall<\/p>\n Click here for referral to a cosmetic dentist<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
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