Career
Center Resources
Nature of the
Work | Working Conditions
| Employment | Training,
Other Qualifications, and Advancement | Job
Outlook | Earnings
| Related Occupations |
Sources of Additional Information Significant
Points Dentists diagnose, prevent, and treat teeth and tissue problems.
They remove decay, fill cavities, examine x rays, place protective
plastic sealants on children's teeth, straighten teeth, and repair
fractured teeth. They also perform corrective surgery on gums and
supporting bones to treat gum diseases. Dentists extract teeth and
make models and measurements for dentures to replace missing teeth.
They provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing, use of fluorides,
and other aspects of dental care, as well. They also administer
anesthetics and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications. Dentists use a variety of equipment, including x-ray machines,
drills, and instruments such as mouth mirrors, probes, forceps,
brushes, and scalpels. They wear masks, gloves, and safety glasses
to protect themselves and their patients from infectious diseases. Dentists in private practice oversee a variety of administrative
tasks, including bookkeeping, and buying equipment and supplies.
They may employ and supervise dental hygienists, dental assistants,
dental laboratory technicians, and receptionists. Most dentists are general practitioners, handling a variety of
dental needs. Other dentists practice in 1 of 9 specialty areas.
Orthodontists, the largest group of specialists, straighten teeth
by applying pressure to the teeth with braces or retainers. The
next largest group, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, operate on
the mouth and jaws. The remainder may specialize as pediatric dentists
(focusing on dentistry for children); periodontists (treating gums
and bones supporting the teeth); prosthodontists (replacing missing
teeth with permanent fixtures, such as crowns and bridges, or removable
fixtures, such as dentures); endodontists (performing root canal
therapy); public health dentists (promoting good dental health and
preventing dental diseases within the community); oral pathologists
(studying oral diseases); or oral and maxillofacial radiologists
(diagnosing diseases in the head and neck through the use of imaging
technologies). Most dentists work 4 or 5 days a week. Some work
evenings and weekends to meet their patients' needs. Most full-time
dentists work about 40 hours a week, but others work more. Initially,
dentists may work more hours as they establish their practice. Experienced
dentists often work fewer hours. A considerable number continue
in part-time practice well beyond the usual retirement age. Most dentists are "solo practitioners," meaning they
own their own businesses and work alone or with a small staff. Some
dentists have partners, and a few work for other dentists as associate
dentists. Dentists held about 152,000 jobs in 2000. Almost all dentists work
in private practice. According to the American Dental Association,
about 80 percent of dentists in private practice are sole proprietors,
and 13 percent belong to a partnership. A small number of salaried
dentists work in private or public hospitals and clinics. All 50 States and the District of Columbia require dentists to
be licensed. In most States, a candidate must graduate from a dental
school accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission
on Dental Accreditation, and pass written and practical examinations
to qualify for a license. Candidates may fulfill the written part
of the State licensing requirements by passing the National Board
Dental Examinations. Individual States or regional testing agencies
administer the written or practical examinations. Currently, about 17 States require dentists to obtain a specialty
license before practicing as a specialist. Requirements include
2 to 4 years of postgraduate education and, in some cases, completion
of a special State examination. Most State licenses permit dentists
to engage in both general and specialized practice. Dentists who
want to teach or do research usually spend an additional 2 to 5
years in advanced dental training, in programs operated by dental
schools or hospitals. Dental schools require a minimum of 2 years of college-level predental
education. However, most dental students have at least a bachelor's
degree. Predental education emphasizes coursework in the sciences. All dental schools require applicants to take the Dental Admissions
Test (DAT). When selecting students, schools consider scores earned
on the DAT, applicants' grade point average, and information gathered
through recommendations and interviews. Dental school usually lasts 4 academic years. Studies begin with
classroom instruction and laboratory work in basic sciences, including
anatomy, microbiology, biochemistry, and physiology. Beginning courses
in clinical sciences, including laboratory techniques, also are
provided at this time. During the last 2 years, students treat patients,
usually in dental clinics, under the supervision of licensed dentists. Most dental schools award the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery
(DDS). The rest award an equivalent degree, Doctor of Dental Medicine
(DMD). Dentistry requires diagnostic ability and manual skills. Dentists
should have good visual memory, excellent judgment of space and
shape, a high degree of manual dexterity, and scientific ability.
Good business sense, self-discipline, and communication skills are
helpful for success in private practice. High school and college
students who want to become dentists should take courses in biology,
chemistry, physics, health, and mathematics. Some dental school graduates work for established dentists as associates
for a year or two in order to gain experience and save money to
equip an office of their own. Most dental school graduates, however,
purchase an established practice or open a new one immediately after
graduation. Each year, about one-fourth to one-third of new graduates
enroll in postgraduate training programs to prepare for a dental
specialty. Employment of dentists is expected to grow more slowly than the
average for all occupations through 2010. Although employment growth
will provide some job opportunities, most jobs will result from
the need to replace the large number of dentists projected to retire.
Job prospects should be good if the number of dental school graduates
does not grow significantly, thus keeping the supply of newly qualified
dentists near current levels. Demand for dental care should grow substantially through 2010.
As members of the baby-boom generation advance into middle age,
a large number will need maintenance on complicated dental work,
such as bridges. In addition, elderly people are more likely to
retain their teeth than were their predecessors, so they will require
much more care than in the past. The younger generation will continue
to need preventive checkups despite treatments such as fluoridation
of the water supply, which decreases the incidence of tooth decay. Dental care will focus more on prevention, including teaching people
how better to care for their teeth. Dentists will increasingly provide
care that is aimed at preventing tooth loss-rather than simply providing
treatments, such as fillings. Improvements in dental technology
also will allow dentists to provide more effective and less painful
treatment to their patients. However, the employment of dentists is not expected to grow as
rapidly as the demand for dental services. As their practices expand,
dentists are likely to hire more dental hygienists and dental assistants
to handle routine services. Median annual earnings of salaried dentists were $129,030 in 2000.
Earnings vary according to number of years in practice, location,
hours worked, and specialty. Self-employed dentists in private practice tend to earn more than
do salaried dentists. A relatively large proportion of dentists
is self-employed. Like other business owners, these dentists must
provide their own health insurance, life insurance, and retirement
benefits. Dentists examine, diagnose, prevent, and treat diseases and abnormalities.
So do chiropractors, optometrists, physicians and surgeons, podiatrists,
psychologists, and veterinarians. For information on dentistry as a career and a list of accredited
dental schools, contact: American Dental Association For information on admission to dental schools, contact: American Dental Education Association The American Dental Association also will furnish a list of State
boards of dental examiners. Persons interested in practicing dentistry
should obtain the requirements for licensure from the board of dental
examiners of the State in which they plan to work. Prospective dental students should contact the office of student
financial aid at the schools to which they apply, in order to obtain
information on scholarships, grants, and loans, including Federal
financial aid. Dentists
Nature of the Work
Working Conditions
Employment
Training, Other Qualifications,
and Advancement
Job Outlook
Earnings
Related Occupations
Sources of Additional Information
Commission on Dental Accreditation
211 E. Chicago Ave. , Chicago , IL 60611
Internet: http://www.ada.org
1625 Massachusetts Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20036 .
Internet: http://www.adea.org
