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This document provides an overview of a career in dentistry, including what dentists do, work schedules, expected earnings, education requirements, job availability, and comparisons between specialties and locations. Dentists generally treat dental issues like cavities and extractions, work variable schedules, and earn a median salary of $159,530 nationally with higher earnings in some states or specialties. Becoming a dentist requires at least a bachelor's degree and 4 years of dental school, and some pursue specialty training. While job growth is projected to be modest at 4%, there are typically over 5,000 openings each year.

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90 views7 pages

White Paper Final

This document provides an overview of a career in dentistry, including what dentists do, work schedules, expected earnings, education requirements, job availability, and comparisons between specialties and locations. Dentists generally treat dental issues like cavities and extractions, work variable schedules, and earn a median salary of $159,530 nationally with higher earnings in some states or specialties. Becoming a dentist requires at least a bachelor's degree and 4 years of dental school, and some pursue specialty training. While job growth is projected to be modest at 4%, there are typically over 5,000 openings each year.

Uploaded by

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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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A Career in Dentistry

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ............................................................3

METHODS .....................................................................3

RESULTS ........................................................................3

WHAT DENTISTS DO ........................................................... 3

WORK SCHEDULE ............................................................... 4

EXPECTED EARNINGS ........................................................... 4

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS ................................................. 5

HOW MANY JOBS ARE AVAILABLE? ........................................ 6

CONCLUSION ................................................................6

Works Cited ................................................................. 7


Raschke 3

Introduction
This document includes a general overview of a prospective career in
dentistry. It covers topics such as what dentists do, educational
requirements, expected income, and national versus state level
comparisons.

Methods
I began my research by creating a research dossier in OneNote. I
created a notebook and separated it into sections based off specific
research questions.

From here, I began compiling information into each section by copying


and pasting passages into the dossier. Next, I analyzed the information
and began to get a generalized idea of this career path. Finally, I
considered how I might effectively display this information, and made
notes stating how each passage would be utilized.

Results
What Dentists Do
There are many specialties within dentistry, but according to the
US Bureau of Labor Statistics the general responsibilities of a
dentist consist of:

• Treating teeth by extracting decay and filling cavities.


• Repairing and extracting impaired teeth.
• Creating sealants and providing whitening treatments.
• Delivering anesthesia to patients to prevent pain.
• Giving prescriptions for necessary medications such as
antibiotics.
• Reading x-rays to create a diagnosis of the teeth, gums, jaw,
or other related areas.
Raschke 4

• Creating models and taking measurements for patient


dental hardware.
• Informing patients about the influence of diet, flossing,
fluoride, and related dental care.

Work Schedule
The schedule of a dentist depends on their desired lifestyle and
the needs of their patients. Dentists can choose to work during
regular business hours, or they can opt to expand their
availability into later hours of the day and weekends. It is not
unusual for a dentist to work less than 40 hours a week, but the
range for hours worked can be substantially larger.

Expected Earnings
There is a wide range in earning for dentists. The US Bureau of
Labor Statistics reports that the median annual wage for dentists
is $159,530. However, this can change drastically depending on
specialization, location, and employer. For example,
Figure 1 compares the average earnings for dentists at the
national level versus two state levels.

Median Annual Wages For Dentists


200,000
$182,000
180,000
$160,000
160,000
140,000 $125,000
120,000
100,000
80,000
60,000
40,000
20,000
0
National California Idaho

Figure 1: Data represents the approximate comparison of annual wages for


dentists at the national level and two state levels.
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For a general overview, Figure 2 shows dental earnings by


percentile.
Annual Income Percentiles
Less than $68,000
10%
More than $212,000
25%

$68,000 - $105,000
15%

$155,000 - $212,000 $105,000 - $155,000


25% 25%

Figure 2: Figure compares the annual earnings of dentists by percentile.

Education Requirements
At minimum, those who wish to become a dentist must obtain a
bachelor’s degree, and then complete a 4-year dental program.
After receiving this education, dentists are required to pass the
National Board Dental Examination, in addition to receiving the
appropriate licensure from the state they wish to practice in.

Those who wish to specialize may then go on to receive further


training through a 2–6-year residency program. Currently, an
average of about 11.81% of all dentists chose to specialize.
Specialties include:

• Prosthodontists
• Orthodontists
• Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
• All other specialties
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How Many Jobs Are Available?


The projected growth for dentists is only marginally larger than
the expected average for all occupations, growing at a rate of 4%
over a 10-year period. 5,100 job openings are estimated per year
for this profession, and this rate varies slightly based off
specialization. The US Labor Bureau states that there are
currently 155,000 employed dentists, and they expect this
number to increase to 161,800. Figure 3 displays the projected
growth for general dentists compared to the national average for
all occupations and health practitioners between 2022 and 2032.

10

8
Healthcare Practitioners,
7 9% Growth
Percent Growth

4 Dentists,
4% Growth
3

2
Total All Occupations,
1 3% Growth
0
2022 2032

Figure 3: Figure represents the comparison of projected job growth for the dental profession against the
national average and other healthcare practitioners.

Conclusion
This document is intended to be used as an overview for those
interested in looking into a career in dentistry. For further information,
please refer to University of Idaho Career Services webpage on the
University website, or email Career Services at:
[email protected].
Raschke 7

Works Cited
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook
Handbook, Dentists,
at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm (visited September 06, 2023).

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