After Graduation
National Board Dental Examination
Dental students who complete a formal course and graduate from a school of dentistry to become a dentist must take the National Board Dental Examination in order to obtain a dental qualification from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. However, passing the exam is only the first major step in becoming a dentist. In a true sense, dentistry training is started in earnest after the examination.
Program of Dental Residency
For understanding patient-centered holistic medicine and acquiring basic abilities for medical practice (attitude, skill, knowledge and judgment), clinical training for 1 year or longer after graduation from the Dental University has been required since 2006.
Course after Clinical Training
There is a typical course to follow after clinical training, though there are some annual fluctuations. Approximately one-third of the trainees enter graduate school, while another one-third go on duty as specialized dentists or postgraduate students in the university, and the remaining one-third enters into service in hospitals or dental clinics. At Osaka University, graduate school study has been emphasized since April 2000 to respond to recent progress in oral science and develop a higher level of dental health care. Our graduate students are expected to lead the way through changing times, contribute to the progress of oral science and dental health care, and become advanced oral scientists or higher level dental health care practitioners.