Dentist
Work Tasks, Settings, Tools, and Materials:
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. Dentists also perform corrective surgery on gums
and supporting bones to treat gum diseases. They extract teeth and
make models, and take measurements for dentures to replace missing
teeth. Dentists provide instruction on diet, brushing, flossing,
the use of fluorides, and other aspects of dental care. They also
administer anesthetics and write prescriptions for antibiotics and
other medications.
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 wide variety
of dental needs. Other dentists practice in one of nine specialty
areas. Orthodontists, the largest group of specialists, straighten
teeth. The next largest group, oral and maxillofacial surgeons,
operate on the mouth and jaws. The remainder may specialize in:
• pediatric dentistry (dentistry for children)
• periodontics (treating the gums and the bone supporting
the teeth)
• prosthodontics (replacing missing teeth with permanent fixtures,
such as crowns and bridges, or removable fixtures, such as dentures)
• endodontics (root canal therapy)
• dental public health
• oral pathology (studying diseases of the mouth)
• oral and maxillofacial radiology (diagnosing diseases in
the head and neck through the use of imaging technology
Almost all DENTISTS work in private practice. Most dentists in
private practice are sole proprietors, and a few belong to a partnership.
Other dentists work in private and public hospitals and clinics,
and in dental research. Some opportunities are also available in
teaching, public health, the military, and administration.
They wear masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect themselves
and their patients from infectious diseases.
DENTISTS work with:
• x-ray machines and x-rays
• Various instruments and equipment, such as drills, probes,
forceps, brushes, and scalpels
• filling materials and various composites for repairing teeth
• artificial teeth, crowns, dentures, and bridgework
• braces and other corrective appliances
• plastic materials to take impressions of the teeth, mouth,
and jaw
Related Civilian and Military Occupations:
Oral Pathologists research or study the nature, cause, effects,
and development of diseases associated with the mouth. They examine
oral tissue specimens of patients to determine the pathological
conditions such as tumors and lesions.
Orthodontists examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions
and oral cavity anomalies. They design and fabricate appliances
to realign teeth and jaws in order to produce and maintain normal
function and improve appearance.
Prosthodontists construct oral prostheses to correct natural and
acquired deformation of mouth and jaws, in order to restore and
maintain oral function and to improve appearance.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons perform surgery on mouth, jaws,
and related head and neck structure to execute difficult and multiple
extractions of teeth; remove tumors and other abnormal growths;
correct abnormal jaw relations by mandibular or maxillary revision;
prepare mouth for insertion of dental prosthesis; and treat fractured
jaws.
Other Related Occupations:
• Dental Hygienist
Military occupational clusters related to Dentist:
DentistOral Pathologists research or study the nature, cause, effects,
and development of diseases associated with the mouth. They examine
oral tissue specimens of patients to determine the pathological
conditions such as tumors and lesions.
Orthodontists examine, diagnose, and treat dental malocclusions
and oral cavity anomalies. They design and fabricate appliances
to realign teeth and jaws in order to produce and maintain normal
function and improve appearance.
Prosthodontists construct oral prostheses to correct natural and
acquired deformation of mouth and jaws, in order to restore and
maintain oral function and to improve appearance.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons perform surgery on mouth, jaws,
and related head and neck structure to execute difficult and multiple
extractions of teeth; remove tumors and other abnormal growths;
correct abnormal jaw relations by mandibular or maxillary revision;
prepare mouth for insertion of dental prosthesis; and treat fractured
jaws.
Other Related Occupations:
• Dental Hygienist
Military occupational clusters related to Dentist:
The military specific occupations related to Dentist:
ARMY
• Comprehensive Dentist
• Endodontist
• Executive Dentist
• Orthodontist
• Pediatric Dentist
• Prosthodontist
NAVY
• Dental Officer General Practitioner
• Maxillofacial Prosthetist
• Operative Dentist
• Pedodontist
• Public Health/Preventive Dentistry Officer
AIR FORCE
• Dentist
• Dentist, Advanced Clinical
• Dentist, Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (OMR)
• Dentist, Public Health
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, Facial Esthetics
Training, Related Majors, and Advancement:
All states require DENTISTS to be licensed. To qualify for a license
in most states, candidates must graduate from a dental school accredited
by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation
and pass written and practical examinations. Candidates may fulfill
the written part of the state licensing requirements by passing
the National Board Dental Examinations.
Some states require dentists to obtain a specialty license before
practicing as a specialist. Requirements include two to four years
of post-graduate 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 two to five years in
advanced dental training, in programs operated by dental schools
or hospitals.
Dental schools require applicants to have a minimum of two years
of college-level pre-dental education. However, most dental students
have at least a bachelor''s degree. Pre-dental education emphasizes
course work in science. All dental schools require applicants to
take the Dental Admissions Test (DAT). Dental school usually lasts
four academic years. Most dental schools award the degree of Doctor
of Dental Surgery (DDS). The rest award an equivalent degree, Doctor
of Dental Medicine (DMD).
The following majors could help you prepare for this occupation:
• Advanced/Graduate Dentistry/Oral Sci
• Biology, General
• Dentistry (Pre-Dentistry)
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 practice immediately
after graduation.
Desirable Personal Qualities:
Helpful qualities for DENTISTS include:
• diagnostic ability
• high degree of manual skills
• good communication skills
• a good visual memory
• excellent judgment of space and shape
• scientific ability
• good communication skills
• an ability to instill confidence and trust
• good business sense
• self-discipline
Many skills that are useful to a successful Dentist can
be learned in school, such as:
ENGLISH SKILLS
• Explain complex activities or ideas to others, using sophisticated
language to provide concise, well-organized, and focused thoughts.
• Arrange complex concepts in a logical order so the logic
and arguments are clear and easy to follow.
• Use sophisticated vocabulary correctly.
• Write reports or documents that use sophisticated language
to concisely explain ideas.
MATHEMATICS SKILLS
• Interpret and use statistical information provided in figures,
tables, and graphs.
• Determine the probability of occurrence for events, even
in slightly ambiguous situations.
• Understand the meaning of the slope of a line on a graph,
whether it is straight or curved.
• Convert multiple units of measurement (i.e. feet per second
to miles per hour).
• Solve multi-step numerical problems.
• Use scientific notation in writing numbers.
READING SKILLS
• Learn new concepts through reading highly technical or sophisticated
literature.
• Locate answers to questions by reading multiple complex
articles or books.
• Identify the implied relationships in complex written information,
even if the relationships are not clearly stated.
• Draw conclusions about people, ideas, things, or tasks by
synthesizing complex written information.
• Read and interpret sophisticated or technical reports, articles,
and books.
SCIENCE SKILLS
• Analyze complex information presented in charts or tables
and interpret its meaning.
• Understand and use scientific terminology related to an
area of expertise.
• Identify modifications to the design of a product or service
that might solve a complex problem.
• When using a complex model, explain why new data fits the
model or indicates a problem.
• Compare or combine data from several complex graphs, tables,
or other types of data sources.
• Compare complex theories or models and decide which one
best explains several sets of observed events.
The average WorkKeys skill levels needed for a Dentist
are:
• READING FOR INFORMATION (level 6)
Read and understand complicated procedures, difficult concepts,
or detailed information and apply to new situations.
• APPLIED MATHEMATICS (level 4)
Set up and perform two-step mathematical operations on whole numbers,
fractions, decimals, or percentages.
• LISTENING (level 3)
Correctly write down most of the primary information from a message.
• WRITING (level 3)
Write messages using complete sentences that are easily understood
and contain only a moderate number of mechanical errors.
• LOCATING INFORMATION (level 5)
Use complex graphics such as detailed forms, instrument gauges,
multivariable graphs, and diagrams to find trends or summarize information
from more than one source.
• TEAMWORK (level 4)
Recognize organizational skills and behaviors needed to achieve
a somewhat ambiguous team goal while respecting diverse team needs.
• OBSERVATION (level 6)
Ignoring distractions, notice and remember relevant details of complex
tasks to make comparisons, predictions, interpretations, and evaluations.
Salary & Outlook:
Estimated Salary:
• Economic Research Institute (survey of salaries in 2007):
National Kansas
Per year Per hour Per year Per hour
Starting salary $91,000 $43.75 $88,500 $42.50
Average salary $133,000 $64.00 $130,500 $62.75
Salary with experience $163,500 $78.50 $161,000 $77.25
National average for all occupations included in this survey: $45,000/year
or $21.75/hour
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (survey of salaries in
2006):
National Kansas
Per year Per hour Per year Per hour
Average salary $122,500 $59.00 $119,500 $57.50
National average for all occupations included in this survey: $36,500/year
or $17.50/hour
• Other Information:
Self-employed DENTISTS in private practice tend to earn more than
do salaried dentists. Like other business owners, these dentists
must provide their own health insurance, life insurance, and retirement
benefits.
Estimated Outlook (from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics):
• Number of Workers (surveyed in 2006)
National Kansas
Number in this category 92,580 670
Average size of occupational categories 50,000 2,000
• Employment Outlook (economic projections made in 2004)*
Projected growth per year 1.34%
Average growth for all occupations 1.3%
Number of new jobs per year 1,200
This category is:
• Medium (25,000 to 149,999)
• Expected to Grow Moderately (1.2% to 2.4% growth)
This job will keep pace with the demand for preventive and restorative
dentistry. Private practice dentistry is expected to remain competitive,
although less so than in recent years.
What Workers Say They Like and Dislike:
Some DENTISTS may like:
• a good income
• establishing a practice of their own
• setting their own hours and choosing a work setting that
is comfortable for them
• helping others and working with people
• serving as part of a healthcare team
Some DENTISTS may dislike:
• strong competition for jobs
• the high cost of dental school
• dealing with difficult patients
• the high cost of setting up practice
Information taken from Discover!
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