---

Periodontics/Periodontology

What Periodontics/Periodontology Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Periodontics/Periodontology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Periodontics/Periodontology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Periodontics/Periodontology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Education and Training — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Periodontics/Periodontology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Periodontics/Periodontology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.8 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 5 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Periodontics/Periodontology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.6 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.6 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Periodontics/Periodontology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Dental software	Medical software	—
iParadigms Turnitin	Information retrieval or search software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—
Electronic health record EHR software	Medical software	—
Articulate Rapid E-Learning Studio	Computer based training software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Material safety data sheet MSDS software	Compliance software	—
Turning Technologies TurningPoint	Multi-media educational software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Periodontics/Periodontology graduates include:

• Respiratory Therapy Instructor
• Health Teacher
• Chiropractic Teacher
• Radiology Teacher
• Histology Teacher
• Nutrition Educator
• Gericare Aide Teacher
• Dietetics Teacher
• Surgical Technology Instructor
• Podiatry Professor
• Prosthetic Aides Teacher
• Inhalation Therapy Aides Teacher
• Clinical Professor
• Dietitian Teacher
• Laboratory Technology Teacher

What Can You Do With a Periodontics/Periodontology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Periodontics/Periodontology 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 Periodontics/Periodontology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	35.9%
Doctoral degree	24.9%
Post-doctoral training	19.1%
Bachelor’s degree	12.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.6%
Postsecondary certificate	2.9%

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

How Much Do Periodontics/Periodontology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Periodontics/Periodontology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb 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 Periodontics/Periodontology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Periodontics/Periodontology 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
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
Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics	154
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.