Dentist Salary Info and Employment Opportunities

General practitioners typically perform basic duties to help patients keep their teeth clean and healthy. A general practitioner will earn that dentist salary by:

Dentist salary varies widely based on whether the practitioner is a general practitioner or a specialist. There are nine different types of specialty dental areas:

1. Dental public health specialists, who promote good dental health in specific communities 
2. Endodontists, who perform root canals 
3. Oral and maxillofacial radiologists, who use imaging techniques to diagnose disease 
4. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons, who operate on the mouth, jaw, teeth, gums, and neck 
5. Oral pathologists, who diagnose various conditions in the mouth 
6. Orthodontists, who straighten teeth using braces or other devices 
7. Pediatric dentists, who work primarily with children 
8. Periodontists, who treat the gums and the bones that support the teeth 
9. Prosthodontists, who help patients deal with missing teeth by creating and installing permanent teeth fixtures, like crowns and bridges

Although they are not usually considered dentists, there are also dental researchers who may teach at academic institutions or perform medical science research related to dentistry.

The median dentist salary in mid-2017 was just over $158,000, although the lowest 10 percent of dental professionals earned less than half this, $70,000. The highest 10 percent in the profession earned much more, at a median dentist salary of $208,000.

Not surprisingly, dentist salary directly correlates to specialty. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and orthodontists earned $208,000 or more annually, while general practitioners earned a dentist salary closer to $150,000. Dentists who opted to run their own practices or work for the government earned about $160,000 annually, while outpatient center dentists earned the least, around $140,000.

Demand for Dentists

There is a rising national demand for dentists. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates the employment of dentists will rise 19 percent by 2026. This is much, much faster than the average increase in employment across all occupations. This makes job prospects for dentists very good and the probability of earning a dentist salary after completing your dental training very high. In fact, in 2016, more than 70 percent of all dentists worked in their own offices and nearly one in five were self-employed.

General practitioners are definitely in the highest demand, with nearly 133,000 practicing today. However, if you do want to specialize, these dental professionals also find themselves to be a hot commodity. There were nearly 7,000 oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the country two years ago, and there are many more practicing today.

While the basic educational requirements for being a dentist are similar everywhere, a dentist must be licensed in the state in which they word. Most states require a dentist:

Dentists must complete dental school after first receiving an undergraduate degree. Unlike most other medical professions, dentistry does not have a specific pre-medical bachelor’s degree requirement. Majoring in a science field can improve your chances of being accepted to dental school, however. Once in dental school, you will learn about:

Dentists must complete clinical work as well, during which they practice under the supervision of a licensed dentist. Of course, dental specialties require additional training that may take up to four years to complete. Dentists who specialize in surgery or conduct research full-time will go through additional post-doctoral work and advanced dental training.

A good dentist will have certain positive personality traits that will help them work well with patients. These traits may be cultivated while you are training to become a dentist and include: