Dentists, General: Career Overview
Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.
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What Tasks Do Dentists, General Take On?
Typical responsibilities of dentists, general span:
- Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
- Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
- Write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
- Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services.
Skills and Knowledge
Top dentists, general combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Dental Medicine Doctor (DMD)
- Dental Officer
- Dental Surgery Doctor (DDS)
- Dentist
- Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
- Endodontist
- Family Dentist
How Many Dentists, General Are There?
The U.S. employs around 2,918,524 dentists, general working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +1.1% over the projection horizon.
Dentists, General Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $157,602 |
| Hourly median | $75.77 |
| 10th percentile | $100,997 |
| 25th percentile | $129,300 |
| 75th percentile | $185,904 |
| 90th percentile | $214,206 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Vermont | $230,990 |
| Alaska | $230,830 |
| Delaware | $224,690 |
| Minnesota | $209,820 |
| Maine | $208,860 |
| Arizona | $206,660 |
| Wisconsin | $206,650 |
| North Dakota | $201,280 |
| Washington | $197,950 |
| Georgia | $195,820 |
| Connecticut | $193,230 |
| North Carolina | $191,280 |
| Maryland | $189,330 |
| Oregon | $185,790 |
| Virginia | $182,570 |
| Illinois | $180,420 |
| Louisiana | $179,600 |
| California | $178,540 |
| Michigan | $177,080 |
| Indiana | $176,990 |
| Iowa | $174,990 |
| Arkansas | $172,490 |
| New Mexico | $171,730 |
| Kansas | $170,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $168,740 |
| Nebraska | $168,110 |
| Idaho | $166,560 |
| New York | $164,060 |
| Florida | $162,870 |
| South Dakota | $162,860 |
| New Hampshire | $162,040 |
| Oklahoma | $161,780 |
| New Jersey | $159,860 |
| Montana | $159,480 |
| South Carolina | $158,460 |
| Texas | $157,370 |
| Ohio | $155,570 |
| Tennessee | $154,460 |
| West Virginia | $147,440 |
| Hawaii | $139,990 |
| Colorado | $136,260 |
| Kentucky | $135,550 |
| Utah | $132,270 |
| Mississippi | $128,570 |
| Wyoming | $126,860 |
| Nevada | $125,180 |
| Puerto Rico | $89,650 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for dentists, general shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $193,564 | 2.7% | 1.28 |
| Far Western US | $178,772 | 19.1% | 1.10 |
| Great Lakes | $178,008 | 15.1% | 1.05 |
| Southeast | $172,000 | 25.6% | 1.10 |
| Southwest | $170,159 | 11.4% | 0.90 |
| Middle Atlantic | $165,293 | 14.9% | 0.96 |
| Rocky Mountains | $142,183 | 4.1% | 1.04 |
| Plains States | $140,544 | 7.1% | 1.02 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $233,910 | 140 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | FL | $233,590 | 470 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | OR | $230,710 | 80 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | CA | $228,700 | 60 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | ME | $223,320 | 220 |
| Sheboygan, WI | WI | $221,160 | 70 |
| Johnson City, TN | TN | $217,760 | 60 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $214,490 | 1,900 |
Top Industries Employing Dentists, General
The bulk of dentists, general work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 110,890 | $172,570 |
| Educational Services | 560 | $176,730 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 350 | $163,640 |
| Manufacturing | 140 | $216,090 |
| Finance and Insurance | 140 | $178,890 |
Below are examples of industries where dentists, general work:
Tech Stack
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Henry Schein Dentrix (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for dentists, general reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Physical Proximity
- Frequency of Decision Making
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
How to Become Dentists, General
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Supplemental)
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (Primary-Short)
- Orthodontists (Primary-Short)
- Prosthodontists (Primary-Short)
- Optometrists (Supplemental)
- Podiatrists (Supplemental)
- Anesthesiologists (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring dentists, general commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 2 majors
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1021.00 (Dentists, General).
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