What Can a Career in Dentistry Offer You?
Among other things, a profession as a dentist can offer:
- Service to others
- Balanced lifestyle
- Self-employment
- Earning potential
- Status & prestige
- Variety of career options
1. What’s unique about dentistry?
- One of the ten most trusted and ethical professions in the U.S.
- Flexibility to balance a professional and personal life.
- Opportunity to be your own boss and own your business.
- Personally rewarding profession.
- Combines art and science.
2. What does a dentist do?
- Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries and malformations of the teeth and mouth
- Improve patients’ appearance.
- Perform surgical procedures such as implants, tissue grafts and extractions.
- Educate patients on how to better care for their teeth and prevent oral disease.
- Teach future dentists and dental hygienists.
- Perform research directed to improving oral health and developing new treatment methods.
3. What career options are available in dentistry?
- Over 80% are general practitioners while about 20% are dental specialists who limit their practices to one of the nine recognized dental specialty areas.
- Teaching, dental research and dental industry comprise additional rewarding career options for both general practitioners and dental specialists.
- Dentists also work in public health agencies, hospitals, the military and other settings.
4. How can I prepare for a career in dentistry?
- Complete the prerequisite courses required for the dental schools of your choosing.
- Ask to volunteer or job shadow at your family dentist’s office, orthodontist’s office and pediatric dentist’s office.
- Obtain a bachelors degree in a major that you are academically passionate about.
- Talk with admission officers about financial aid resources and dental school requirements.
- Take the DAT at least a year before you plan on entering dental school.
5. What are the future opportunities for dentistry?
- The outlook is favorable for new dentists and exceptional career opportunities exist for those that are looking to serve in underserved areas.
- Large numbers of dentists are projected to retire in the next 20 years and new dentists will be needed in private practice, as well as teachers/researchers in public health dentistry.
- Increasing numbers of older adults are keeping their teeth longer, greater awareness of oral health care, and a high demand for cosmetic services.
- Advancements in dental technology such as digital radiography, laser systems and informatics will allow dentists to provide more effective treatments and practice more efficiently.
- New information about the relationship of oral health to general health makes dentistry an important health profession for the foreseeable future.
6. How much does a dentist earn?
- A dentist is a small business owner so their earnings vary depending on numerous factors including the number of patients they see, their geographical location, and reimbursement rate. However, generally speaking dentistry is considered a stable career with an excellent income potential.
- In 2007, the average earnings for a general practitioner who owns their dental practice was over $205,960; the average earnings for a dental specialist was over $353,280. Even though the costs to get into dental school and attend are large, dentistry as a profession is considered an excellent investment.
- The average income of a dentist is in the highest 5% of all U.S. family incomes
The above statistics were collected from: the ADA 2008 Survey of Dental Practice, Income from the Private Practice of Dentistry, the ADA Trends in Dentistry and Dental Education, The American Dental Education Association and Occupational Employment Statistics Survey, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Gallup Poll |
