To work as a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) specialist, you must first earn a degree from an accredited dental school, such as a Doctor of Dental Medicine or a Doctor of Dental Surgery. A TMJ focus does not require any special authorization. During dental school, a person who wants to become a TMJ specialist usually takes orofacial treatment courses. Following graduation, he or she will pursue an oral and maxillofacial pain residency or fellowship.
A pre-dental program includes a solid foundation in biology, inorganic chemistry, and organic chemistry, similar to a pre-med program. These are college-level courses that should be taken. Outside of class, shadowing a TMJ dentist or surgeon to learn more about how to become a TMJ specialist may be beneficial. In your search for a local dentist to shadow, talk to a counselor or academic advisor.
Pre-dental students typically start applying to dental schools in their junior year of college. The first step is to take an admissions exam, which will assess your abilities in science, math, reading, and spatial reasoning. After that, you should apply to your preferred schools, making sure to target schools with current TMJ specialists as graduates. You can learn this by looking up TMJ specialists’ websites and reading their biographies to see where they received their education.
Many dental schools, such as the American Association of Dental Schools application service, participate in a service that allows you to consolidate your applications. After submitting your application, you should expect a personal interview with a representative from the dental school. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about how to become a TMJ specialist during this interview. It is also critical that you apply for financial aid during the application season to help defray the costs of dental school.
There will be no specific path to follow in dental school to become a TMJ specialist. Students interested in this specialty take the same courses as other dental students, with the possibility of a summer internship in oral surgery or orofacial treatment. Training to become a TMJ specialist does not become apparent until after dental school.
Following dental school, interested students can pursue one of two options: an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency or an orofacial treatment fellowship. Both paths are dependent on whether you want to specialize in surgical or nonsurgical treatment methods as a TMJ specialist. Membership in a professional society related to these disciplines after dental school can also help you advance in your career.