Becoming a dental surgeon: what training to choose?

Dental surgeon is a coveted profession but not always easy to access. Becoming a dentist requires a lot of investment, but it is worth it. There are several possible paths to this profession and the right choices are made as early as high school.

The studies of a dental surgeon are composed of 3 cycles:

1st cycle:

The first multidisciplinary cycle lasts 2 or 3 years.

In order to access the ontology curriculum after the BAC, there are two main paths:

• The PASS (parcours d’accès spécifique santé): this is the former PACES, since 2 years. The change mainly concerns the evaluation methods. It is also important to note that this is a selective pathway that no longer accepts repeats. It is not mandatory, but there are also preparatory classes for the PASS in order to become familiar with new work methods.
• The LAS license (licence avec option accès santé): this is a track with more general subjects with a minor medical test. Access to this license can either be done via parcoursup or in case of failure at the PASS, by acting as a means of rebound by re-entering the field in the 2nd or 3rd year.

You will obtain a general education diploma that will allow you to access the second cycle.

2nd cycle:

The second cycle lasts two years. It is a much more concrete approach. In fact, almost half of the cycle is made up of internships, carried out in university hospitals.

At the end of the cycle, the student obtains the diploma of general training in odontological sciences (DFGSO), which confirms the license level.

Third cycle:

The third cycle can be short or long.

The short cycle lasts one year. It is mainly composed of a 250-hour internship with a dental surgeon.

The long cycle will allow you to specialize in oral surgery, oral medicine or dentofacial orthopedics. Depending on the specialization chosen, the 3rd cycle will last 3 to 4 years.

Regardless of the length of the cycle chosen, you will obtain a DE doctor of dental surgery. Those who have chosen the internship (long cycle) will also obtain a diploma of specialized studies.

To become a dental surgeon, you will have to count on average between 6 and 9 years of studies for those who wish to specialize. It is not a classic and easy path because studying medicine requires a lot of personal investment. However, with motivation and perseverance, the goal is still attainable, with a good job at stake.