Dentistry Schools and Programs in Canada

Dentistry Studies in Canada

Studying to become a dentist can be a rewarding and arduous journey, with education and training programs which can last seven years or more depending on the institution.  To help break up this process a bit, many students are now opting to pursue a portion of their degree as a study abroad participant, in which they study and live for a semester or year in a foreign country such as Canada.
 
Occupying the northern portion of the North American continent, Canada is made up of ten provinces and three territories, each with their own unique makeup and character.  Canada is a vast and beautiful country, stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northwards to the Arctic Circle.  Its southern border, which it shares with the United States, is the world’s longest continuous land border between two nations.  At nearly 10 million square kilometers, Canada is the second-largest country in the world (after Russia) in total area, and with a population of just 35 million it is one of the least-densely populated countries on the planet.
 
Canada is organized as a federal parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II as head of state.  The nation is officially bilingual, with both English and French serving as national languages, the latter of which is spoken mostly in the province of Quebec and in pockets of Nova Scotia.  Canada has an excellent system of education, one that is comparable in structure and quality to that of the United States, with several top-performing universities that are internationally ranked.
 
Dentistry Education in Canada
 
Dentistry is a very popular field of study in Canada and the country is home to a number of institutions in which dental education is the sole focus.  Students who wish to pursue a degree in dentistry must possess a Bachelor degree, typically in a science-related field, and take and pass a national Dental School Admissions examination prior to being considered for enrollment.
 
Post-graduate, or post-baccalaureate, courses in dentistry are usually offered by university dental schools that have graduate degree research programs to complement their dental training programs. These courses can be offered as part of a master's or doctoral program like the Ph.D.  Oftentimes, students of dentistry will pursue these additional degrees in order to complement their education with an area of research specialization that can open up additional job and research opportunities later in their careers.
 
Some of the more renowned dental schools and research centers in Canada offer courses of study leading to a Master of Science degree in the field of dental science. These schools also offers additional coursework as part of their oral science training program, a program designed to provide students with additional training to support their Ph.D. and post-doctoral studies. The Master of Science program requires students to complete 30 credit hours of coursework in fields of study such as Oral Microbiology, Fundamentals of Dental Caries, Ethics in Research, Mechanisms of Microbial Pathogenesis and Introduction to Dental Epidemiology and Research Design. Courses offered in the post-doctoral studies and oral science training program are also common to the Master of Science program.
 
Why Study Abroad in Canada
 
The advantages of studying in Canada extend far beyond the country’s excellent system of dental education.  Canada is a literal wonderland of sites and attractions, a place that features big-city life in places such as Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, alongside hundreds of miles of untouched forest land.  When taking a break from their studies, students can grab their cameras and visit some of the wonderful attractions the country has to offer, including, but certainly not limited to:
 
Fortress of Louisbourg

The Fortress of Louisbourg, or Forteresse de Louisbourg in French, is one of Canada’s National Historic Sites.  Located in Cape Breton, in the province of Nova Scotia, this 18th century fortress was mainly built to support the fishing industry and to protect France’s interests in the New World. The construction of this community was started in 1719 by French investors who later became very successful in fisheries and made the community a thriving settlement. The Fortress of Louisbourg gives visitors a nostalgic sense of how things were in the 1700s, with architecture that mirrors the styles of 18^th-century Europe.

Perce Rock

Perce Rock is a must-see for anyone who plans to visit Canada.  Meaning “pierced rock” in French, it is located off the tip of the Gaspe Peninsula, across the Gulf of St. Laurence in the province of Quebec.  The massive rock formation, layered with tons of limestone, measures 1,300 feet in length and nearly 300 feet in height.  Perce Rock takes its name from the hole in its structure, which forms an arch-like passageway.  This captivating shoreline site consistently draws locals and tourists alike, people that marvel at its size and beauty as well as the wonderful wildlife that surrounds it.

Old Town Lunenburg

One of Canada’s proudest sites, Old Town Lunenburg is located in the province of Nova Scotia.  For years this site has earned its recognition as a Canadian National Historic District, a port town established in 1753 by the first settlers of the regions, the Acadian and Mikmaqs, which was later made into a British Colonial Settlement once the native people were drove out. Today the town of Lunenburg plays host to tourists from around the world who come to marvel at the architecture and wonder about its history.  The town still boasts a thriving economy, although now most of its revenue comes from being a top tourist destination, but it also has one of the largest fishing plants in North America.