Healthcare Practitioners
Dentists, General
Also called: DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor), Dentist, DMD (Dental Medicine Doctor), Endodontist
US median pay
$170,950
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+5.7%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
4,200
141,900 employed
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do day to day
- Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- 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.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
- Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for denturists or dental technicians.
- Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services.
- Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
- Manage business aspects such as employing or supervising staff or handling paperwork or insurance claims.
- Analyze or evaluate dental needs to determine changes or trends in patterns of dental disease.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Judgment and Decision Making4.1/5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0/5
- Service Orientation4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Time Management3.8/5
- Coordination3.8/5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.6/5
- Persuasion3.5/5
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry5.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.2/5
- Biology4.2/5
- Administration and Management3.8/5
- English Language3.6/5
- Chemistry3.5/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Doctoral or professional degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Doctoral degree62%
- Post-doctoral training38%
Who this job suits
Mostly Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.