Those seeking a fast-track to a dental profession can look to the Community College of Philadelphia, which offers 24-month AAS degree programs in dental assisting hygiene. Both clinical and dental office training are also part of the dental assisting diploma program at Sanford-Brown Institute in Philadelphia. For those seeking to become dentists, specialties such as dental informatics, endodontology, oral maxillofacial pathology medicine and surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontology and restorative dentistry are part of the focus at the Temple University School of Dentistry. A commitment to both oral science and oral health care are found at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. Options include a four-year DMD degree, which can be followed with various postgraduate programs and residencies, as well as a master of science in oral biology and a doctoral degree in the dental sciences.
Dental career growth projections for Philadelphia are something to smile about. The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry expects Philadelphia jobs for dental assistants to jump 32.6 percent from 2002-2012, growing from 3,280 jobs to 4,350. A similar trend is found for dental hygienists, with 33.3 percent projected job growth, growing from 3,240 jobs to 4,320 by 2012. Dental laboratory technician jobs in Philadelphia are projected to hit 6.3 percent growth, from 630 jobs in 2002 to 670. The number of dentists in Philadelphia is expected to remain stable, with 0.6 percent growth, from 1,670 in 2002 to 1,680 in 2012.
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