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102 • oral pathology – the study of the causes, processes and effects of dis‑ eases and associated structures. Oral pathologists do not necessarily treat diseases directly but serve as diagnosticians, providing consultations and guidance to general practitioners and other specialists; • endodontics – prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the dental pulp and associated tissues; • periodontics – diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the tissue surrounding teeth and supporting implants; • pediatric dentistry  – prevention and treatment of dental diseases in children and adolescents; • prosthodontics  – involves crowns, fxed partial dentures (bridges), removable partial dentures, complete dentures, maxillofacial prostheses and implant prostheses; • orthodontics – diagnosis and treatment of any malocclusion of the teeth; • dental public health – promotion of public education, prevention and treatment of dental diseases for communities. A person wishing to get dental education usually spends between 9 and 12 years after high school to become a practicing dentist. Any college stu‑ dent or graduate can apply for admission to the four year doctor of dental surgery program. The average age of applicants is 24 years, so dentists are usually 30–32 years old when they start their practice. Educational programs are coordinated by the American Dental Association. Each year the dental schools receive about 8,000 applications and admit 4,200 students. The general admission requirements are as follows: • Three or four years of college. Though a bachelor’s degree is not spe‑ cially required, 75% of students in the freshmen’s class have this degree. • All applicants for admission are required to take the Dental Admission Test (DAT). • They also must present two or three letters of recommendation  3. • Selected applicants are invited to the school for personal interview. After admission a student spends four years in the dental school where he gets 5,000 hours of training, 80% of which are in clinical subjects, 17% in basic sciences and 3% in behavioral sciences, and graduates with a degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS). During the frst two years of study em‑ phasis is placed on the basic sciences, the biological foundation of the dental profession. The basic sciences include anatomy, general histology, oral his‑