Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
Dentists
Dentists examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.
Table of contents
What they do
Dentists examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.
- Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and themselves from infectious diseases.
- Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Dentists use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and themselves from infectious diseases. They examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
A typical day for a Dentist will also include:
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
- Formulate a plan of treatment for the patient’s teeth and mouth tissue.
- Analyze or evaluate dental needs to determine changes or trends in patterns of dental disease.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Dentists also treat exposure of pulp by pulp capping, removal of pulp from pulp chamber, or a root canal, using dental instruments. They may also fill the pulp chamber and canal with endodontic materials.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Dentists perform oral or periodontal surgery on the jaw or mouth. They might also write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
In addition, they remove diseased tissue, using surgical instruments.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them eliminate irritating margins of fillings and correct occlusions, using dental instruments.
To some Dentists, it is also their responsibility to produce or evaluate dental health educational materials.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
82% said they were satisfied with their job and 86% said they found their job meaningful.
I’m the Principal Dentist at Midas Dental. We provide Invisalign, Cosmetic Dentistry, Guided Implants, Teeth Whitening, Kids Dentistry, and Wisdom Teeth Removal. My job is to help people understand their dental health and what they should do to take care of it. The primary responsibility for my job is to make sure that all of … Read More
My Typical Day I’m a proper General Dental Practitioner, meaning I pretty much do everything from orthodontistry (diagnosing, preventing and treating teeth and jaw irregularities), oral surgery, and restoring implants, to fixed/removable prosthodontics and routine check-ups – there is never a dull day (except when my entire day is full of routine check-ups only)! I … Read More
My Typical Day There is no typical day for me which I appreciate as it keeps me engaged and always open to new ideas and scenarios. I enjoying practicing a range of dentistry and I’m a General Dental Practitioner at heart. I carry out a mix of routine work like patient check-ups, and specialist procedures … Read More
A typical day looks like this: I arrive at work and check the schedule. My assistant prepares the patients and lets me know when they are ready for that day’s dental procedure. I alternate between doing dental procedures and checking the patients who are in the dental hygienist’s chair; checking the patient entails doing a … Read More
We start our day with our own schedule of procedures and surgeries along with the need to see hygiene patients for check-ups along with any emergencies that walk through the door. The average procedure is between 45-90 minutes and can be anything from fillings, root canals, extractions, or other surgeries. When we see hygiene patients, … Read More
I am responsible for patient intake, assessment, and diagnosis. Planning treatment plans, communicating with patients and team, managing team members (assistants, hygienists, front office), I perform both routine and more specialty dental work- cosmetic treatment (smile makeovers, veneers), implants, general dentistry (fillings, crowns, hygiene exams), sleep and airway assessment. Aside from medical expertise, you need … Read More
I am an NYC general and cosmetic dentist. I founded a dental office (in 1996). As a general dentist, I take care of patients’ dental and oral health needs. That includes the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases that affect the dentition including the teeth, gums, mouth, jaw and related structures. A dentist can practice general … Read More
I’ve wanted to be a dentist since I was 4 years old so for me it’s a dream come true to be practicing as a general dentist. I help patients achieve optimum oral health, alleviate pain, and improve their smiles. My days consists of examining and diagnosis oral diseases, performing treatments like fillings and extractions, … Read More
What is it like being a Dentist? Being a dentist is one of the most amazing careers! You have the ability to own your own business while making a difference in the lives of so many patients by educating them about the importance of excellent dental health. You are also able to build lifelong friendships, … Read More
My name is Patrick Campbell and I am a licensed, practicing dentist with the United States Navy. I feel as though I have a few unique perspectives that I can hopefully provide to your readers. 1. The harsh reality of student loans As a recently graduated dentist from dental school, I can speak about some … Read More
What is your work life like? Dentistry is one field of medicine that you could somewhat have a set schedule and don’t need to be oncall like other branches of medicine. Work life consists of seeing patients 4-5 days a week and providing treatment for them. I start work at 9AM and end my day … Read More
Pros
Suitable for people who like to solve problems mentally.
Suitable for people who want independence and like to work on their own and make decisions.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
Demand for this career is growing very fast.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to work with designs.
It is very hard to get into this career. Extensive skills, knowledge, and experience are required for this career.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Dentists with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $81,060 to $115,290 per year or $39 to $55 per hour.
Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
---|---|---|
Highest (Top 10%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
Senior (Top 25%) | $208,000+ | $100+ |
Median | $158,940 | $76 |
Junior (Bottom 25%) | $115,290 | $55 |
No experience (Bottom 10%) | $81,060 | $39 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Dentists based on their average annual salary.
Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
---|---|---|
Offices of Other Health Practitioners | $213930 | $102.85 |
State Government | $193800 | $93.17 |
Offices of Dentists | $183340 | $88.15 |
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | $172820 | $83.09 |
Employment Services | $172490 | $82.93 |
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services | $171060 | $82.24 |
Management of Companies and Enterprises | $165990 | $79.80 |
Outpatient Care Centers | $164090 | $78.89 |
Offices of Physicians | $163520 | $78.62 |
Local Government | $159220 | $76.55 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Dentists work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Dentists including the average salary in that industry.
Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
---|---|---|---|
Offices of Dentists | 85120 | $183340 | $88.15 |
Offices of Physicians | 3180 | $163520 | $78.62 |
Outpatient Care Centers | 2520 | $164090 | $78.89 |
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 1580 | $142450 | $68.49 |
State Government | 880 | $193800 | $93.17 |
Local Government | 850 | $159220 | $76.55 |
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 510 | $112990 | $54.32 |
Employment Services | 270 | $172490 | $82.93 |
Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 140 | $213930 | $102.85 |
Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals | 140 | $172820 | $83.09 |
What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Dental Public Health Residency Program
Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program
Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics
Dentistry
Advanced General Dentistry
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to like working with ideas and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
Don’t know which career to pursue?
Take the career quiz to find careers that match your personality type.
Take The Career Quiz