SOC 29-1021.00Bright outlook

    Dentists, General

    Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums.

    Median pay
    $170,950
    Growth
    +5.7%
    Faster than average
    Openings a year
    4,200
    Typical education
    Doctoral or professional degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $86,250
    Median
    $170,950
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $319,630
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    124,390 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    General dentists diagnose and treat dental diseases, injuries, and teeth or gum malformations, earning a median annual pay of $170,950. They provide preventive care, fit dental appliances, and treat nerve and pulp tissues to help patients maintain oral hygiene.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What dentists, general do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    General dentists spend their days working directly with the public to examine, diagnose, and treat issues affecting the teeth, gums, and oral tissues. This career appeals strongly to individuals with investigative interests who enjoy solving complex problems. On a daily basis, these professionals gather information, make critical clinical decisions, and document patient records. They must carefully monitor dental processes and evaluate their findings to ensure all treatments comply with professional healthcare standards.

    Succeeding in this role requires a deep knowledge of medicine, dentistry, biology, and chemistry, alongside customer service, psychology, and administration. Dentists rely on critical thinking, active listening, and social perceptiveness to understand patient needs and explain treatment plans clearly. Because they perform delicate procedures, they must maintain high attention to detail, cautiousness, and self-control. Empathy, integrity, and cooperation are also essential work styles, as dentists must build trusting relationships with patients while managing the daily stresses of clinical practice.

    How to get there

    Entering this profession requires extensive preparation, typically classified as O*NET Job Zone 5. Candidates must earn a doctoral or professional degree, such as a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD). Relevant college majors that lead to this career include dentistry, advanced or graduate dentistry and oral sciences, and dental residency or fellowship programs.

    In addition to completing a doctoral program, some states list a license for this work. Professionals in this field can also pursue voluntary certifications to demonstrate advanced expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Associate Fellow or Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry, Board Certified Endodontist through the American Association of Endodontists, and Diplomate in Dental Public Health from the American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for general dentists was $170,950. Earnings can vary significantly based on experience, location, and practice structure; the lowest 10% of earners make less than $86,250, while the highest 10% earn more than $319,630.

    There are 124,390 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 5.7%, which is faster than the average for all occupations. This growth, combined with retirement and career transitions, is expected to result in approximately 4,200 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    71 / 100
    Investigative (I) · strongest
    75 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    3 / 100
    Social (S)
    57 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    17 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    45 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code IRS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    91
    Assisting and Caring for Others
    91
    Getting Information
    86
    Documenting/Recording Information
    82
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    82
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    81
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    81
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    78
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    71
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    70
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Critical Thinking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Active Learning
    • Active Listening
    • Monitoring
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Service Orientation
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Speaking
    • Complex Problem Solving

    Knowledge

    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Biology
    • Administration and Management
    • English Language
    • Chemistry
    • Psychology
    • Personnel and Human Resources
    • Education and Training
    • Administrative

    Abilities

    • Finger Dexterity
    • Near Vision
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Control Precision
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cautiousness
    • Integrity
    • Self-Control
    • Empathy
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Cooperation
    • Intellectual Curiosity

    Also called

    DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor) · Dental Officer · Dentist · DMD (Dental Medicine Doctor) · Endodontist · Family Dentist · General Dentist · Pediatric Dentist · Pedodontist · Periodontist

    Career pathway

    From your interests to dentists, general

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Dentists, General$170,950 median pay

    3. Majors

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What dentists, general may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Advanced General Dentistry
    • Dental Public Health Residency Program
    • Dentistry
    • Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program
    • Pediatric Dentistry/Pedodontics

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    53 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about dentists, general

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some common alternative job titles for general dentists?

    Practitioners in this field are also known as a Family Dentist, General Dentist, Dental Officer, DDS (Dental Surgery Doctor), or DMD (Dental Medicine Doctor). Some may also work under titles like Pediatric Dentist, Pedodontist, Periodontist, or Endodontist.

    What are the main educational requirements for this career?

    Most individuals in this field need a graduate degree, specifically a doctoral or professional degree. Students typically major in dentistry, dental residency or fellowship programs, or advanced graduate dentistry and oral sciences.

    Are there professional certifications available for dentists?

    Yes, dentists can earn credentials such as the Fellow or Associate Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. Other options include becoming a Board Certified Endodontist or a Diplomate in Dental Public Health.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.