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Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics

A program that focuses on the advanced study of the therapeutic and preventive care of the oral health of children from birth through adolescence, and the care of adults with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. Includes instruction in developmental oral biology, preventive medicine, diet therapy and counseling, patient management, pediatric restorative procedures, pulp therapy, trauma management, anesthesia, treatment planning, and the treatment of handicapped patients. Examples: [Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics (Cert.)], [Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics (MS)], [Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics (PhD)]

Types of Degrees Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	154

What Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.6 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.3 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Dental intra-oral imaging software	Medical software	—
Dental clinical records software	Medical software	—
Data Team DDS	Medical software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Kodak Dental Systems Kodak PRACTICEWORKS Practice management software PMS	Medical software	—
Windent SQL	Medical software	—
AlphaDent	Medical software	—
Henry Schein EndoVision	Medical software	—
Henry Schein Dentrix	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics graduates include:

• Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
• Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
• Dentist
• Dental Medicine Doctor (DMD)
• Dental Surgery Doctor (DDS)
• Public Health Dentist
• Endodontist
• Pediatric Dentist
• Periodontist
• Dental Officer
• General Dentist
• Family Dentist
• Pathology Laboratory Aides Teacher
• Clinical Full Professor
• Surgery Teacher

What Can You Do With a Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	64.9%
Master’s degree	14.6%
Post-doctoral training	5.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.3%
Some college courses	5.1%
Bachelor’s degree	3.7%
Postsecondary certificate	0.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 69.5% of Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	107	69.5%
Men	47	30.5%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	44	28.6%
Asian	41	26.6%
Hispanic or Latino	18	11.7%
Black or African American	8	5.2%
Two or More Races	3	1.9%
Race Unknown	9	5.8%
International Students	31	20.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$209,489
4 years	$191,956
5 years	$225,886

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $225,886 — roughly 8% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics graduates earn a median of $191,956 four years after completion — roughly 405% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Dentistry	6,950
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences	1,981
Dental Clinical Sciences, General	426
Orthodontics/Orthodontology	323
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Oral Biology and Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology	187
Endodontics/Endodontology	157
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Prosthodontics/Prosthodontology	95
Dental Public Health and Education	84
Oral/Maxillofacial Surgery	41

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.