How should you know what area of dentistry you should specialize in, if any?

As you go through school you will know, don’t worry about that now.

Usually, most specialists discover what area they enjoy most while in dental school. You will get exposure and experience in all disciplines. No need to make a decision now. You will likely change your mind anyway :) Ask any general dentist, they enjoy it all, being able to multiple procedures from all disciplines. That's why I decided to be a general practitioner and not specialize. Also, these days, a lot of general dentists are doing ortho (braces), performing major surgery, such as surgical extractions and implant placement, and root canals. Through continuing education courses (CE), which is mandatory to keep your license in good standing, as a general dentist you can learn and become certified to do a lot more than just restorative dentistry.