Dentist
Dentists diagnose and treat problems with the teeth, gums and mouth, and help patients prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
What can you do with a dentistry degree?
Also called: Dental surgery · Dental medicine · Odontology · Stomatology
Updated How we use data
Quick answer
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. Most graduates work as general dentists in private or public clinics. Some later specialise in areas such as orthodontics, oral surgery or children's dentistry, or move into teaching and research.
Careers with a dentistry degree
Almost all graduates become dentists, working in general practice, public health services, hospitals, the armed forces or community clinics. After experience and further training, some become specialists in orthodontics, oral surgery, gum disease or children's dentistry. Many dentists run their own practice, which adds business management to the job. A small number also qualify as doctors to work in oral and maxillofacial surgery, which in many countries requires both qualifications. Others move into teaching, research, public health or companies that make dental products.
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Doctor
Doctors diagnose and treat illness and injury, help prevent disease and guide patients through their care.
Other roles graduates go into: Orthodontist · Oral and maxillofacial surgeon · Periodontist · Paediatric dentist · Forensic odontologist · Dental public health specialist
What you study and the skills you gain
Typical topics
- Anatomy, physiology and biochemistry
- Oral biology and dental materials
- Restorative dentistry, including fillings, crowns and root canal treatment
- Periodontology, the study of gum disease
- Orthodontics and children's dentistry
- Oral surgery, pain control and sedation
- Dental radiography and diagnosis
- Dental public health, ethics and patient communication
Skills you gain
- Precise manual skills and hand-eye coordination
- Diagnosing problems from examinations and X-rays
- Explaining treatment options clearly to patients
- Calming nervous patients and building trust
- Following strict infection control and safety rules
- Leading a clinical team and running a practice
How the degree differs around the world
In the UK and most of Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, dentistry is a first degree that you start after school, and it usually takes five years, sometimes six. In the United States and Canada it is graduate entry: you usually complete a bachelor's degree with science courses first, then a four-year DDS or DMD programme. Australia offers both routes. Entry is very competitive and usually needs chemistry and biology, and often an admissions test and interview. After graduating, you must register with or be licensed by the national or state regulator, and moving to another country often means extra exams.
How do dentistry graduates do?
Earnings and employment by country
The OECD compares graduates by field of study. This subject falls under “Medicine and dentistry”. The first column compares the median earnings of tertiary-educated adults in this field with all tertiary-educated adults (100 = average).
| Country | Earnings index (all graduates = 100) | Employment rate, this field | Employment rate, all graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estonia | 178 (2023) | 91.3% (2024) | 89.2% |
| Slovenia | 169 (2020) | 93.3% (2024) | 90.8% |
| Finland | 166 (2022) | 96.3% (2024) | 88.8% |
| Norway | 141 (2023) | 91.0% (2024) | 89.3% |
| Switzerland | 140 (2023) | 89.7% (2024) | 89.5% |
| Germany | 139 (2020) | 89.5% (2024) | 88.7% |
| Sweden | 131 (2023) | 89.8% (2024) | 89.6% |
| Austria | 122 (2023) | 88.2% (2024) | 86.4% |
| Canada | 120 (2020) | 81.9% (2021) | 80.4% |
| Mexico | 119 (2023) | 82.7% (2024) | 81.5% |
| Costa Rica | 113 (2023) | 76.3% (2024) | 79.2% |
| Latvia | 110 (2023) | 94.4% (2024) | 87.7% |
| Romania | 107 (2023) | 94.1% (2024) | 91.5% |
| Australia | 94 (2020) | 87.7% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Chile | 93 (2023) | 89.3% (2022) | 85.7% |
| Luxembourg | 93 (2023) | 82.3% (2024) | 85.7% |
| Portugal | 90 (2020) | 93.3% (2024) | 90.7% |
| South Korea | 89 (2023) | — | — |
| United Kingdom | 86 (2020) | 81.9% (2021) | 84.6% |
| United States | 85 (2023) | 85.4% (2017) | 84.3% |
| Denmark | 84 (2023) | 88.9% (2021) | 87.8% |
| Croatia | — | 96.0% (2024) | 89.7% |
| Iceland | — | 95.4% (2016) | 93.6% |
| Lithuania | — | 94.8% (2024) | 90.4% |
| Poland | — | 94.0% (2024) | 91.6% |
| Slovakia | — | 93.3% (2024) | 90.5% |
| Czechia | — | 91.1% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Netherlands | — | 90.9% (2024) | 90.6% |
| Belgium | — | 89.9% (2024) | 88.5% |
| Italy | — | 89.0% (2024) | 84.7% |
| Ireland | — | 88.8% (2021) | 86.9% |
| France | — | 88.1% (2024) | 87.3% |
| Spain | — | 85.5% (2024) | 83.9% |
| Hungary | — | 83.6% (2024) | 76.2% |
| Greece | — | 79.4% (2024) | 82.3% |
| Türkiye | — | 78.3% (2016) | 72.9% |
| Peru | — | 76.9% (2024) | 81.7% |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education; latest year available, full-time earners where published. Values are for the whole field of study, not this subject alone. Where a country publishes only broad fields, we use “Health and welfare”.
Graduate earnings in the UK
The UK government links tax records to university records to measure what graduates earn. These figures are for “Dentistry” first-degree graduates who were employed in the 2023–24 tax year.
| Time since graduating | Median | Lower quartile | Upper quartile | In work or study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | £37,300 | £19,500 | £42,800 | 95.1% |
| After 3 years | £53,800 | £39,700 | £70,600 | 95.7% |
| After 5 years | £59,900 | £43,300 | £78,900 | 94.2% |
| After 10 years | £51,600 | £26,300 | £78,900 | 90.7% |
Source: UK Department for Education, Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO), tax year 2023–24. Earnings are annual and include only graduates in sustained employment.
Is a dentistry degree right for you?
It may suit you if
- You want a health career with direct patient care and practical, hands-on work.
- You have steady hands and enjoy precise, detailed tasks.
- You are good at science and at putting anxious people at ease.
Think twice if
- You do not want a long, intensive and often expensive course with short holidays.
- You are uncomfortable with blood, needles or working closely in people's mouths.
- You want a flexible degree, as dentistry leads mainly to one career.
Further study
After qualifying, many dentists complete a year or more of supervised foundation or vocational training, which some countries and health services require. Specialist training in areas such as orthodontics, oral surgery, periodontics or children's dentistry usually takes several more years and often leads to a master's or doctorate. A PhD leads to research and university teaching. Registered dentists must keep learning throughout their career through continuing professional development.
Questions about studying dentistry
What jobs can you get with a dentistry degree?
Most graduates become general dentists in private practice, public health services, hospitals, community clinics or the armed forces. With further training, they can specialise as orthodontists, oral surgeons, periodontists or children's dentists. Others work in dental public health, teaching, research, forensic dentistry or for companies that make dental products. A few also qualify in medicine to become oral and maxillofacial surgeons.
How long does it take to become a dentist?
In the UK, most of Europe and many other countries, the dental degree takes about five to six years after school. In the United States and Canada, you usually complete a four-year bachelor's degree first and then a four-year dental degree, so about eight years in total. Some countries also require a year of supervised practice, and specialist training adds several more years.
Can you study dentistry after another degree?
Yes. In the United States and Canada, dentistry is only studied after previous university study, usually a full bachelor's degree. In the UK, Australia and some other countries, a small number of graduate-entry programmes offer a shorter course for people with a relevant science degree. Elsewhere, graduates usually apply to the standard five-year programme.
Is dentistry a hard degree?
Yes. Dentistry is long and intensive, with many hours of lectures, laboratory work and clinical training. You learn medical sciences as well as practical skills, and from the middle years you treat real patients under supervision. Holidays are often shorter than on other degrees, and you must meet professional standards of behaviour throughout.
Related subjects
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Medicine
A medicine degree trains you to diagnose, treat and prevent illness, combining medical science with supervised clinical work in hospitals and communities.
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Biomedical science
A biomedical science degree teaches the biology of human health and disease, and how laboratory tests help doctors diagnose and treat patients.
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Biology
A biology degree teaches how living things work, from molecules and cells to whole organisms and ecosystems.
Sources
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Earnings and employment by field of study, adults 25–64
- UK Department for Education — Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO) — CAH CAH01-01-04 — Dentistry
- UNESCO — ISCED-F 2013 — ISCED-F 0911
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). What can you do with a dentistry degree? Jobs and salaries. https://coursetojob.com/subjects/dentistry/ (accessed September 26, 2026)