[header] How to become a periodontist [title] Pursue a bachelor's degree. [step] To be a periodontist, you need to attend dental school and 3 years of specialized training in the field of periodontics. In order to qualify for either of these, you must first get a bachelor's degree. 
You don't necessarily need to focus on pre-medicine, biology, or other scientific fields, but they may help you get into and excel at dental school. [substeps] Consider taking courses in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, and anatomy once you decide to pursue periodontics.