Career Details
Career Details
Use this dropdown to update your zip code
Back to top

Career Details

29-1021.00 - Dentists, General


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.


Key Facts
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Bright Outlook
1
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
129,000
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
152,300
Estimate
Change in Employment
+23,300
Estimate
Change in Employment %
+18%
Estimate
Tasks
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
  • Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
  • Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
  • Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services.
  • Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for denturists or dental technicians.
  • Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
  • Fill pulp chamber and canal with endodontic materials.
  • Write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
  • Analyze or evaluate dental needs to determine changes or trends in patterns of dental disease.
  • Treat exposure of pulp by pulp capping, removal of pulp from pulp chamber, or root canal, using dental instruments.
  • Eliminate irritating margins of fillings and correct occlusions, using dental instruments.
  • Perform oral or periodontal surgery on the jaw or mouth.
  • Remove diseased tissue, using surgical instruments.
  • Apply fluoride or sealants to teeth.
  • Bleach, clean, or polish teeth to restore natural color.
  • Plan, organize, or maintain dental health programs.
  • Produce or evaluate dental health educational materials.
  • Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.
  • Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
  • Manage business aspects such as employing or supervising staff or handling paperwork or insurance claims.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 Medicine and Dentistry
  • 100%
    Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 85%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 English Language
  • 79%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Biology
  • 70%
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
 Psychology
  • 69%
    Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
 Education and Training
  • 66%
    Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
 Administration and Management
  • 64%
    Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
 Personnel and Human Resources
  • 64%
    Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
 Economics and Accounting
  • 60%
    Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
 Chemistry
  • 59%
    Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 57%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Mechanical
  • 56%
    Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
 Physics
  • 53%
    Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
 Engineering and Technology
  • 52%
    Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
 Production and Processing
  • 50%
    Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
 Design
  • 50%
    Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Compressors
  • Air compressors
 General dental supplies
  • Air/water syringe tips
  • Bulb irrigators
  • Cotton pliers
  • Dental aspiration syringes
  • Dental syringes
  • Gutta percha dispensers
  • Needle holders
  • Rubber dam clamp forceps
  • Rubber dam clamps
  • Rubber dam frames
  • Rubber dam punches
 Dental hygiene and preventive care equipment and supplies
  • Air/water syringes
  • Prophylaxis angles
  • Prophylaxis brushes
  • Prophylaxis cups
 Dental and subspecialty instruments and devices
  • Amalgam bands
  • Amalgam condensers
  • Amalgam retainers
  • Angle dental handpieces
  • Anterior forceps
  • Anterior scalers
  • Apex locators
  • Articulating paper forceps
  • Ball bearing contra angle assemblies
  • Bayonet forceps
  • Biscuspid forceps
  • Bone files
  • Bridge removers
  • Broaches
  • Cement spatulas
  • Composite placing instruments
  • Contra angle sheaths
  • Copalite bands
  • Copalite retainers
  • Crane picks
  • Cross-bar elevators
  • Crown removers
  • Crown removing pliers
  • Crown scissors
  • Crown splitting forceps
  • Curved mosquito forceps
  • Dental amalgam carvers
  • Dental burnishers
  • Dental drills
  • Dental excavating burs
  • Dental excavators
  • Dental fiberoptic retractors
  • Dental handpieces
  • Dental mallets
  • Dental margin trimmers
  • Dental matrix bands
  • Dental mouth props
  • Dental scissors
  • Dental wax spatuals
  • Dental wire cutters
  • Disimpaction forceps
  • Double-end explorers
  • Double-end periodontal probes
  • Dycal instruments
  • Enamel hatchets
  • Endo excavators
  • Explorers
  • Fiberoptic dental mirrors
  • Fiberoptic diagnostic probes
  • Fiberoptic periosteal elevators
  • Furcation probes
  • Gates-Glidden drills
  • Gauze packers
  • High-speed dental handpieces
  • High-speed evacuators
  • Interproximal carvers
  • Metal spatulas
  • Metric calipers
  • Molar forceps
  • Mouth mirrors
  • Occlusal force analysis systems
  • Oral evacuation equipment
  • Pedodontic forceps
  • Periodontal elevators
  • Periodontal pocket markers
  • Periodontal probing devices
  • Periosteal elevators
  • Periotomes
  • Plaster knives
  • Posterior scalers
  • Prophy contra angle head assemblies
  • Pulp testers
  • Rongeur forceps
  • Root canal barbed broaches
  • Root canal enlargers
  • Root canal files
  • Root canal rasps
  • Root canal reamers
  • Root canal spreaders
  • Root elevators
  • Root tip picks
  • Saliva ejectors
  • Scalpels
  • Sharpening stones
  • Sickles
  • Single-end explorers
  • Single-ended periodontal probes
  • Slow-speed dental handpieces
  • Spoon excavators
  • Spoons
  • Straight attachments
  • Straight dental handpieces
  • Straight elevators
  • Straight mosquito forceps
  • Straight scissors
  • Surgical burs
  • Surgical elevators
  • Surgical handles
  • Surgical scissors
  • Suture scissors
  • Tissue forceps
  • Tissue retractors
  • Tongue forceps
  • Tongue retractors
  • Towel clamps
  • Turvey maxillary expander
  • Ultrasonic scaler tips
  • Wire and arch bar scissors
 Dental fillers and finishing and polishing supplies
  • Amalgam carriers
  • Amalgam wells
  • Cement placing instruments
  • Dental condensers
  • Dental cord packing instruments
  • Endodontic pluggers
  • Plastic filling instruments
  • Pluggers
  • Root canal pluggers
 Orthodontic and prosthodontic equipment and supplies
  • Angled pliers
  • Band setters
  • Matrix retainers
  • Porcelain crown pliers
  • Wiring pliers
 Autoclave and sterilizer equipment and accessories
  • Autoclaves
  • Chemical vapor sterilizers
  • High heat sterilizers
 Emergency medical services resuscitation products
  • Automated external defibrillators AED
 Dental imaging equipment and supplies
  • Automatic film processing systems
  • Bite blocks
  • Digital radiographic equipment
  • Extraoral x ray equipment
  • Intraoral x ray equipment
  • Manual film processing systems
  • Panoramic x ray equipment
 Face and head protection
  • Chin-length plastic face shields
 Floor grade instruments
  • Curved hemostats
  • Straight hemostats
 Medical imaging processing equipment and supplies
  • Daylight loader film processing systems
  • Intraoral printers
 Dental laboratory and sterilization equipment and supplies
  • Dental air abrasion systems
  • Dental laboratory lathes
  • Dental laboratory plaster traps
  • Endodontic micro-torches
  • Model trimmers
  • Plaster vibrators
 Dental lasers and illumination and fiber optic equipment and supplies
  • Dental carbon dioxide CO2 lasers
  • Dental lasers
  • Dental operating lights
  • Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Nd:YAG dental lasers
  • Photo-activated disinfection systems
  • Tooth-whitening argon lasers
 Periodontal equipment and supplies
  • Dental chisels
  • Periodontal curettes
  • Periodontal knives
 Surgical equipment and accessories and related products
  • Dental electrosurgery devices
  • Fiberoptic aspirators
 Medical radiological shielding and protection products
  • Dental x ray protective aprons
  • Thyroid collars
  • Thyroid shields
 Computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal computers
 Medical thermometers and accessories
  • Digital medical thermometers
 Dental materials
  • Electrically powered dental amalgamators
  • Endodontic obturating cones
 Vision protection and accessories
  • Eyewash stations
  • Safety glasses
 Viewing and observing instruments and accessories
  • Intraoral camera systems
  • Intraoral microscope systems
 Airway management products
  • Laryngeal mask airways LMA
 Medical staff clothing and related articles
  • Masks
  • Protective gowns
  • Surgical masks
 Oxygen therapy delivery systems and devices
  • Nitrous oxide administration equipment
 Stethoscopes and related products
  • Pretracheal stethoscopes
 Pulse oximeters
  • Pulse oximeters
 Cosmetic dentistry equipment and supplies
  • Tooth color shade guides
  • Visible light curing units
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Industry specific software
  • ABELSoft ABELDent
  • ACE Dental
  • AlphaDent
  • AltaPoint Data Systems AltaPoint Dental
  • Data Team DDS
  • Dental charting software
  • Dental clinical records software
  • Dental digital radiology software
  • Dental imaging software
  • Dental intra-oral imaging software
  • DentiMax
  • DSN Software Dental-Exec
  • DSN Software Oral Surgery-Exec
  • DSN Software Perio-Exec
  • EZ 2000
  • Genesis Dental
  • Henry Schein DentalVision Professional
  • Henry Schein DentrixHOT
  • Henry Schein Easy Dental
  • Henry Schein EndoVision
  • Henry Schein PerioVision
  • Kodak Dental Systems Kodak PRACTICEWORKS Practice management software PMS
  • Kodak Dental Systems Kodak SOFTDENT Practice management software PMS
  • MDC Services DentalMate
  • MOGO Dental Software MOGO
  • OCS Office-Partner
  • Open Dental
  • Patterson Dental Supply Patterson EagleSoft
  • PEB XLDent
  • Practice management software PMS
  • Teleo Practice Services The Complete Practitioner
  • ToothPics
  • Voice-activated perio charting software
  • Windent OMS
  • Windent SQL
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Word processing software
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
 Specialty
 Advanced
 Core
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
Expand or Shrink Accordion
Online Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
J Sargeant Reynolds Community College
Mountain Gateway Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Virginia Peninsula Community College
Wytheville Community College