Dentist Job Description, Career as a Dentist

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Education and Training: College and dental college
Salary: Median—$129,920 per year
Employment Outlook: Good

Definition and Nature of the Work

Dentists are health professionals who take care of the teeth, gums, and supporting bones of the mouth. They help their patients keep their teeth and gums healthy. They also treat diseased teeth and gums. Dentists sometimes detect general diseases of the body that can affect the condition of a patient's mouth.
Most dentists work as general practitioners in their own offices or with a group of dentists. They often have dental assistants and dental hygienists working for them. Under the dentist's direction, these helpers sometimes take X-rays, clean patients' teeth, and teach patients how to care for their teeth and gums at home. Dentists may take X-rays themselves. They examine patients' mouths for cavities, sores, swelling, or other signs of disease. They may fill cavities, pull teeth that cannot be saved, or replace missing teeth. Dentists use both hand and power tools. They may use a local or general anesthetic to keep patients comfortable during treatment. Some dentists do their own laboratory work. Others send this work out to dental laboratories. Sometimes general practitioners refer patients to specialists.
There are eight areas of specialization for dentists. Orthodontists straighten teeth by fitting them with wires or braces. Oral surgeons operate on the mouth and jaws. Endodontists treat diseases of the soft pulp inside the teeth. Oral pathologists diagnose and sometimes treat diseases of the mouth. Pedodontists specialize in dentistry for children and teenagers. Periodontists are concerned with problems of the gums. Prosthodontists replace missing teeth with artificial teeth. Public health dentists develop care programs. A small percentage of dentists also work in teaching, research, or administration jobs.

Education and Training Requirements

You need six to eight years of training after high school before you can work as a dentist. You must complete two to four years of college before entering a dental A dentist shows X-rays to a patient. There are several areas of specialization for dentists. (Photograph by Kelly A. Quin. Thomson Gale. Reproduced by permission.) college. Most students have at least a bachelor's degree when they begin dental college. The four-year program at a dental college leads to degrees as either a doctor of dental surgery (DDS) or a doctor of dental medicine (DMD) degree. Dentists who decide to specialize need from two to four years of further training.

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