Dentist

Explore This Path

Transform smiles and boost confidence by treating dental issues and promoting oral health.
Improve lives by diagnosing and treating dental diseases for better overall health.
Use advanced tools and techniques to ensure patient comfort and safety.

💰 Earn $125K-$207K

📚 Doctoral or Professional Degree

⏱️ 48 MONTH TRAINING

📈 4.8% JOB GROWTH

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What You’ll Do

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 self 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.
Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.

Scoop

Minimum Education

Doctoral or Professional Degree

Career Prospects

Good (Increasing by 1-5%)

Training Time

Over 4 years

Job Openings

4,300 Annually

Median Earnings

$167,010 in California

$166,300 Nationally

$25K

$50K

$75K

$100K

$125K

$150K

$175K

$200K

$225K

$250K

Best For You If...

YOU Like 💕

Relating with or serving others
Thinking and problem solving
Working with my hands

You are skilled in 💫

Active Learning
Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Speaking

You value 🙏

Accomplishing things
Having freedom
Personal relationships

Deep Dive

Dentist

Explore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

Pathways to this Career

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Bachelor's Degree

A bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ FINISH IN 4-5+ years