Dental school itself typically lasts four years. This is the standard length for programs leading to a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree

. To become a dentist, most people first complete a four-year undergraduate degree, often with a focus on pre-dentistry or related sciences, followed by the four years of dental school, totaling about eight years of education before becoming a general dentist

. If a dentist chooses to specialize, additional residency training is required, which can range from 1 to 7 years depending on the specialty. For example, pediatric dentistry residencies typically last 2 years, orthodontics about 3 years, and oral and maxillofacial surgery can take 4 to 6 years

. In summary:

• Undergraduate degree: 4 years
• Dental school (DDS or DMD): 4 years
• Optional specialty residency: 1–7 years depending on specialization

Thus, becoming a general dentist usually takes 8 years of education, with additional years if pursuing a specialty