Online Degrees

Dentist Careers

The average value of the Doctorate degree needed to become a Dentists, general is $2,703,259.00.

Points of Interest

The vast majority of dentists work in a private practice setting. Good job growth is expected for dentists. This is due to the need of replacing the large number of dentists retiring in the near future. Graduation from an accredited dental school and state licensure is required in order to practice.

Nature of the Work

Dentists provide medical services and preventative maintenance on patient teeth and surrounding areas. Dentists work with patients and removing decay that may have formed in teeth and fill cavities. They also review X-rays of patients. This helps them to diagnose and treat disease that patients may be suffering from. Applying sealant on teeth as well as extracting or pulling teeth are services also provided by dentists. In addition, they also take measurements that are used for making dentures. Surgery to treat gum disease is also performed by dentists. Dentists work to straighten teeth as well.

In addition to treating disease and correcting oral damage and problems, dentists also work to educate their patients on tooth and gum care. They do this by encouraging brushing, flossing, and by having healthy oral and dietary habits. Cosmetic dental procedures done by dentists are becoming more common as well. Technology advances in recent years have increased the availability and ease of cosmetic procedures. While providing dental procedures, dentists wear protective personal equipment such as gloves, masks, face shields, and glasses. This is done for both hygiene as well as protection for both the dentist and patient.

The vast majority of dentists are general practitioners. They usually work as solo dentists in an office setting. Many times, due to the work associated with dental patients and providing dental care, dentists will hire on additional assistants. These assistants are known as dental hygienists, dental assistants, lab techs, and receptionists. Each assistant helps the dentist in specific ways. Other dentists may specialize in a specific area of the dentistry field.

The usual hours worked by dentists are regular full-time hours between 35 to 40 hours per week. The hours worked may change depending on the setting in which the dentist is involved. For example, a dentist starting up a new practice may need to work more hours each week in order to bring more patients in. Doing this will help their practice to become better established and increase the number of their clientele. Some dentists also work evening hours and weekends. Their schedule adjustment helps give them better availability to fulfill patient needs after standard business hours. Dentists may fill part-time positions as well, especially leading up to and into retirement age.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

A certain required amount of schooling is necessary for one to become a dentist. All states in the United States, as well as in the District of Columbia, require a dentist to be licensed in the state in which they practice. This licensing may vary from state to state, but the need to graduate from an accredited dental school and the successful passage of a written and practical exam certified by the state are common to all states.

Applying to dental school is extremely competitive. Dental schools usually require at least two years of pre-dental coursework. This coursework lays a foundation of the basic sciences and helps the application committee get a better grasp on who is applying for their dental program. Even though only two years of pre-dental coursework is required, the majority of candidates accepted into dental school have already attained a four year bachelor’s degree. Many have a science related major. This is due to the science related classes they are required to take in order to earn their specific major. However, a science related degree is not required for application.

During the application process, a number of items are reviewed for each applicant. One main component that is reviewed during application is the score an applicant receives on the Dental Admission Test, or DAT. This is a standardized exam that all dental school applicants must take, regardless of where they are applying. The standardized DAT exam makes the admission process very competitive. The GPA earned on pre-dental coursework, and sometimes during high school, is used as well. Other activities, volunteer work, personal references or recommendation letters, and information attained through the interview process are additional factors used in determining acceptance into a dental school.

Schooling & Post-Graduation

The length of time that students spend in dental school before graduating is usually four years. The first two years consist mainly of classes that are focused on sciences and dental related learning, much like the 2 years of pre-dental work. These courses are geared more towards science with dental applications tied in. During the last two years, students are given more hands on practicing. This experience is gained through dental school clinics and labs. These clinics allow students to practice skills while under the supervision and guidance of an experienced instructor. Once successfully finished with dental school coursework, students will graduate with a DDS, a Doctor of Dental Surgery, or a DMD, a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. The DDS and DMD degrees that are awarded depend upon the school’s program and the coursework they offer.

After graduating, a dentist needs to become licensed in the state they practice. This is usually accomplished by passing both a written and practical exam as well as evidencing successful completion of dental school. While they can be very similar, each state has different requirements for licensing. Practicing a specialization in dentistry usually requires a separate license. In addition, coursework during schooling is required as well as special testing to become licensed in a state. Dentists must also periodically complete Continuing Education, or CE, coursework. The time duration in which each CE is required to be completed is determined by the licensing state or organization. Usually Continuing Education is required each year or span of a few years. Continuing Education provides for dentists to stay up-to-date with the latest practices, and procedures. It can also help dentists to keep up with any local law or regulation changes.

Job Skills

Because dentists have such a wide variety of duties and tasks they perform, they must be very skilled. Both physical and mental skills and qualities are needed as a dentist. They must have both good vision and memory as they will need to constantly recall items they have previously learned while working with patients. The ability to work skillfully with their hands is a necessity. This is especially important while working in delicate areas of patients mouths. While a dentist office provides services to patients, it is a business as well. Dentists must have excellent business and communication skills. Being able to communicate clearly is especially important when conversing with a patient about their needs.

Dentists will usually work their full career in a private practice setting. Some may seek to work in other opportunities and settings that exist. Teaching positions, such as those that teach students in dental school, are always a possibility. In order to fill a teaching position, a dentist will need to go through more study and coursework in a training program for dental school teachers. Dentists can also teach part-time, while still working at their practice the rest of the time. Others may fill a supervisory role in dental school clinics.

Upon graduating from dental school, a dentist can purchase their own practice and immediately work on establishing themselves. Others may prefer to purchase a practice from another dentist. Usually it is from a dentist choosing to go into retirement. An advantage of purchasing a practice from another dentist is that the practice is able to retain much of the previously established clients. Other dentists will work as an associate for another dentist. This allows them to practice dentistry in a well established practice as well as save up funding for a purchase of a practice later.

Employment

According to the Department of Labor, in 2008, dentists comprised of about 142,000 jobs. Most of these, about 120,000, were general practice dentists. The others dentists were spread out among varying specialties. Almost all dentists work in a private practice setting. Also, about 75% of these dentists in private practices were also solo proprietors.

Job Outlook

Published estimates show that dentist employment will see faster than average job growth. The available openings for new dentists should be good. This will be in part due to the large numbers of dentists entering retirement in the near future. Availability of dental jobs also depend on the area or location in which a dentist is looking for work.

The growth estimates through 2018 are at a 16% increase. This is due to a few factors. One factor is the growing aging population. Many of the elderly, due to good maintenance throughout their life, are losing less of their teeth as they age. Therefore, they are not getting as many dentures but need to keep coming in for checkups and preventative maintenance. Baby boomers are also part of the aging population, and many of them will be in need of dental work in the coming years. The younger generation will need continued preventative checkups as well.

The coverage of dental work also has been increasing within insurance plans. This makes those covered by policies more likely to visit a dentist as the costs they incur directly will be decreased by their insurance coverage. As technology advances and procedures are either improved upon or created, they will inevitably become easier on the patient. Both cost and associated pain from procedures should be reduced. This fact appeals to the public which will increase the chances of them seeing a dentist for their needs. 

Job Responsibilities

More dental hygienists and dental assistants will be employed due to the changing nature of their job responsibilities. Dentists are shifting from previously working to do most or all of the work in their office, to delegating tasks out to their available employees. Hygienists and assistants will increase in their capacities to carry out tasks for dentists.

Even with large numbers of dentists graduating, there are many opportunities. They can take over a practice of a retiring dentist. They can take on new patients as well. There will be a steady stream of new patients for dentists as older dentists retire and their practices closes, as well as a growing population needing dental services. 

Projections

The projected growth rate from 2008 to 2018 among all dentists is at a 16% increase. There will be 15% growth for general dentists, or an addition of about 18,400 jobs. However, demand for dental work can be affected by the economy as well as spending habits of the public. Depending on the current economy, the growth rate can increase as well as decrease.

Earnings

Annually, dentists can easily earn over $100,000. The annual median wage of general dentists in 2008 was $143,000. The years of experience a dentist has spent practicing is a factor of dentist pay. Other factors such as location, hours worked, and dental specialty also affect the pay a dentist earns. A dentist who is self-employed usually earns more; however, they are also responsible for covering their own benefits as well as malpractice insurance. 

Wages

For 2009, the Department of Labor reported that the mean hourly wage of a dentist was $75.41. That calculates to about $157,000 annually. In the offices of dentists setting, the mean hourly pay was the highest at $76.61per hour or about $159,000 annually. The lowest wages were found in general medical and surgical hospitals. Dentists there earned a $52.67 per hour average, or about $109,000. The highest average paid dentists were in the state of Maine. Their wage was $99.02 per hour on average or about $206,000 annually. 

Related Occupations

Dentists work with preventative treatment. They work to diagnose through examinations, and work with patients to treat diseases. The following are a few other occupations that use similar skills and perform similar work.

• Physicians and surgeons 
• Veterinarians 
• Optometrists 
• Podiatrists 
• Chiropractors

Sources of Additional Information

Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor StatisticsAmerican Dental AssociationAmerican Dental Education Association