What does a Dentist do?
Dentists are medical professionals who take care of their patients' teeth through education, preventive care and medical intervention. Dentists usually lead a team of dental professionals to diagnose and treat oral diseases and tooth decay, carrying out dental and surgical procedures.
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Working as a Dentist
Typical responsibilities of a dentist include:
- Seeing patients for checkups and treatments
- Recommending courses of treatment and oral hygiene regimes
- Working closely with dental assistants and hygienists to provide excellent patient care
- Performing procedures such as root canal work, extractions and repairing cavities
- Administering anesthesia and sedatives as part of procedures
How much does a Dentist make in the United States?
Average base salary
The average salary for a dentist is $226,909 per year in the United States. 27k salaries reported, updated at November 25, 2023
Where can a Dentist earn more?
Compare salaries for Dentists in different locations
How much do similar professions get paid in United States?
Orthodontist
Job openingsAverage $277,403 per year
Periodontist
Job openingsAverage $209,884 per year
Chief Dental Officer
Job openingsAverage $181,227 per year
Dental Specialist
Job openingsAverage $61,292 per year
Common questions about for a Dentist
Where do dentists work?
Dentists usually work in dental offices. However, there are mergency dentists work in hospitals and urgent care centers across the country. There are also dentists attached to other organizations such as the armed forces.
What hours do dentists work?
Most dentists work in private practices that are open during regular office hours with some weekend work. Full-time dentists usually have some flexibility over their schedule and will usually be seeing patients for a portion of their week, allowing the rest for administrative work and research.
Are there any physical requirements for being a dentist?
Dentists often perform incredibly delicate procedures, so they must have excellent manual dexterity to enable them to complete intricate surgeries on patients who may not be sedated or anesthetized. Dentistry can be physically rigorous so dentists need to have a good general level of fitness and strength in order to fulfill some of the more taxing aspects of the role.
