Dentist Salary

Dentists are well respected in our society. Dentistry is one of the 10 most sought-after careers in the United States. One of my friends works as a receptionist at a dentist's clinic. The cries and screams of the patients used to frighten him initially, but now he is used to it. However, the increasing number of people flooding the clinic every day, still surprises him. "Dentistry," he says, "seems to be a high paying profession." And he is right!

Dentist Salary

In 2011, the dentists earned in range of $61,010 to $196,558. A dentist's salary can vary according to his specialization, for example according to 2011, orthodontists earned in range of $56,541 to $301,196 whereas, prosthodontists earned in range of $66,384 to $357,523.

According to Forbes Magazine's survey of America's 10 Best-Paying Jobs (in May 2011), the average annual pay for Oral and maxillofacial surgeons and orthodontists was $214,120 and $200,290, respectively. A large number of dentists retire every year which assures better prospects for new graduates. Dentists working as administrators or researchers in dental schools as full-time or part-time teachers also earn decent salaries. Know more about pediatric dentist salary.

Salaries According to Education
Doctorate PhD	$79,189 to $202,028
Doctor of Medicine MD	$45,950 to $209,657
Doctor of Dental Surgery	$90,498 to $145,233
Bachelor's Degree	$102,775 to $142,482

It is observed that dentists in private practice earn more than employed dentists. Dentists that are employed get health insurance, malpractice insurance, life insurance, retirement, and other benefits. If you are interested in setting up a clinic, you should take into account the potential of a place to attract business in a particular locality. You can also check with dental societies, professional practice brokers, and other local organizations which can help you in identifying right opportunities.

Dentistry, as a profession is set to grow by 16 percent through 2018, which is faster than any other occupation, as a result of which dentists's salaries are set to grow considerably. According to the American Dental Association, dentists held about 186,084 dentistry related jobs in 2009. Of these, approximately 21.0% percent were specialists. About 59.8 percent of private practitioners worked solo, in addition to, 40 percent of dentists which handled their private practice in teams (2 or more dentists). The number of dentists working in the hospitals and offices of physicians was very small.

Dentist Job Description

• A Dentist's work is often surgical, though he also cures and treats many diseases with the help of medicines. He examines, diagnoses and also treats diseases and injuries of the teeth and gums.
• The dentists provide instructions on brushing, flossing and the use of fluorides.
• They treat tooth decay, fill cavities in teeth, apply protective plastic sealants on teeth and replace the deformed ones.
• They also recommend braces or surgery to correct malformed teeth, if any.
• They prescribe medicines for preventive and maintenance dentistry, and educate the patient to maintain good dental health.
• A dentist treats gum diseases, dental plaques and tartar.
• He performs routine dental checkups.
• He fits bridges and takes impressions for crowns and dentures.
• A dentist uses air turbine and hand-held instruments, dental appliances and surgical implements.
• He also administers anesthetics when required.

Education

A dentist requires, at least, a four-year degree in dentistry from an accredited school. He also needs to appear for exams, in order to acquire license to practice, after 2-4 years of internship or residency. He must acquire a license from the board of dental examiners of the state in which he plans to work.

The students who want to become dentists should have good grades in biology, chemistry, and health. College students planning to pursue dentistry are required to give Dental Admission Test (DAT). A dentist can specialize in

• Orthodontics: It deals with the correction of tooth irregularities.
• Periodontics: It deals with gum diseases.
• Prosthodontics: It deals with making false teeth or dentures.
• Endodontics: It deals with diseases of the inner part of the tooth.

With the increasing use of laser dentistry, people have started visiting dentists more than before. Due to this, dentist salary range has increased and is bound to increase even more. For those of you who want to make a career in dentistry, all I want to say is that the future is bright. And as is the case with all things in life, if you work hard and work positively, success won't seem far.