Dentist

What does a dentist do?

• Examine teeth, gums and mouths, and take and read dental X-rays.
• Fill cavities, treat gum disease and carry out root canal treatment.
• Remove teeth and carry out minor oral surgery.
• Fit crowns, bridges, dentures and other replacements for missing teeth.
• Give local anaesthetic and manage patients' pain and anxiety.
• Teach patients how to look after their teeth and prevent problems.
• Lead a team that can include dental nurses or assistants, hygienists and technicians.

Where do they work?

Most dentists work in general dental practices, which may be privately owned or part of a public health service. Others work in hospital dental departments, community clinics for children and people with special needs, the armed forces, universities or research. Many dentists own or share a practice, which adds business responsibilities. Hours are usually more regular than in hospital medicine, but the work is detailed, physically demanding on the back and neck, and can be stressful.

What skills do you need?

• Precise hand skills and hand-eye coordination
• Knowledge of oral health and disease
• Calm, reassuring manner with patients
• Diagnostic judgement
• Infection control
• Clear explanations of treatment options
• Team leadership
• Business and practice management

Official skills profile (ESCO)

Essential skills listed for this occupation in ESCO, the European Commission's multilingual classification of skills and occupations.

• comply with legislation related to health care
• interact with healthcare users
• minimise occupational hazards in dentistry practice
• deal with emergency care situations
• discuss dental treatment options with patient
• apply organisational techniques
• work in a multicultural environment in health care
• apply health sciences
• provide health education
• communicate effectively in healthcare
• manage occlusion
• listen actively

Essential knowledge: mouth anatomy · anaesthetics · clinical disciplines in dentistry · cosmetic dental procedures · surgery

How do you become a dentist?

Most countries train dentists through a five- or six-year dental degree taken straight after secondary school, such as a Bachelor of Dental Surgery. In the United States and Canada, you usually complete a bachelor's degree first, including required science courses, and then a four-year Doctor of Dental Surgery or Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. Training combines science with many hours treating patients under supervision. Some countries require a year of supervised practice, either within the degree or after it, and some have a national licensing exam. Graduate-entry programmes for people with a science degree exist in some countries, including the UK and Australia.

1. Dentistry as a first degree. In most countries outside North America, you start a dental degree after secondary school. It typically lasts five to six years, sometimes including a compulsory internship year. Entry is competitive and usually needs high grades in chemistry and biology, and some dental schools also use admissions tests and interviews.
2. Graduate-entry dentistry. In the United States and Canada, dentistry is studied after a bachelor's degree, usually in a science subject, and admission normally requires a dental admission test. Some universities in the UK and Australia also offer shorter graduate-entry dental programmes. These routes suit people who choose dentistry later, but places are limited.
3. Specialist training. After qualifying and gaining experience, dentists can train in specialties such as orthodontics, oral surgery, children's dentistry or periodontics, which deals with gum disease. Specialist training usually takes a further two to four years or more. In many countries, oral and maxillofacial surgery also requires a medical degree.

Degrees that lead to this career

• Dentistry

  A dentistry degree trains you to prevent, diagnose and treat problems of the teeth, gums and mouth, and leads to registration or a licence as a dentist.

  2 linked careers

• Biology

  A biology degree teaches how living things work, from molecules and cells to whole organisms and ecosystems.

  6 linked careers

• Chemistry

  A chemistry degree teaches how substances are built, how they react and how to make and analyse new materials, through theory and a lot of laboratory work.

  6 linked careers

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Do you need a licence to work as a dentist?

Dentistry is a licensed profession in virtually every country. You must graduate from an approved dental programme and register with the national or state dental regulator before you can treat patients. Some countries also require a national licensing exam or a period of supervised practice, and specialists usually need extra registration. Within the European Union, dental qualifications that meet shared training standards are generally recognised between member states. Elsewhere, dentists trained abroad often need to pass local exams.

How much does a dentist earn?

Pay in the United States

• $170,950Median annual wage, May 2025
• $86,250–$319,630Range from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%
• 124.4KPeople employed in the US

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, SOC 29-1021, May 2025. National estimates across all industries; excludes the self-employed.

Earnings of Professionals around the world

Most countries do not publish pay for single job titles. The International Labour Organization collects median monthly earnings for broad occupation groups instead. This career belongs to ISCO-08 major group 2, "Professionals". The table covers the whole group, which includes dentist and many other occupations.

Source: ILOSTAT, median monthly earnings of employees, latest year available. PPP$ adjusts for price differences between countries so figures can be compared. "vs all employees" compares the group's median with the median for all occupations in the same country.

Career progression

1. Newly qualified or foundation dentist
2. Associate or employed dentist
3. Experienced general dentist
4. Specialist dentist or practice owner
5. Consultant, clinical director or professor

Job outlook

Demand for dental care is steady, supported by ageing populations who keep more of their natural teeth and by growing interest in cosmetic treatment. Access to dentists is limited in many rural areas and in some public systems, where waiting lists can be long. New technology, such as digital scanning and 3D printing, is changing how dentists work. Opening or buying a practice involves financial risk, and the work can be physically tiring over many years.

Questions about becoming a dentist

How long does it take to become a dentist?

In most countries, a dental degree takes five to six years after secondary school. In the United States and Canada, you usually complete a bachelor's degree followed by four years of dental school, so around eight years in total. Some countries also require a year of supervised practice after graduation, and specialist training, such as orthodontics, adds two to four years or more.

What subjects do you need to study dentistry?

Most dental schools ask for strong grades in chemistry and biology, and many also value mathematics or physics. In the United States and Canada, you need to complete set science courses during your bachelor's degree and usually take a dental admission test. Good hand skills and a genuine interest in patient care also matter, and many schools interview applicants.

What is the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist?

An orthodontist is a dentist who has completed extra specialist training, usually two to three years or more, in straightening teeth and correcting how the jaws meet. General dentists handle check-ups, fillings, extractions and most routine treatment. Orthodontists mainly use braces and aligners and often treat children and teenagers, usually after a referral from a dentist.

Can a dentist work in another country?

Yes, but you must register with the dental regulator in the new country. Dentists trained elsewhere often need to have their degree assessed, pass written and clinical exams and prove their language skills. Within the European Union, dental qualifications that meet shared standards are generally recognised between member states. The process can be long and expensive, so research it early.

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Sources

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — SOC 29-1021, national estimates, May 2025
2. ILOSTAT — Median monthly earnings of employees by occupation — ISCO-08 major groups, latest year per country
3. European Commission — ESCO occupation profile — ESCO code 2261.1

How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). How to become a dentist: degrees, skills and salary. https://coursetojob.com/careers/dentist/ (accessed September 26, 2026)

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