Occupation · SOC 29-1021
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.
Median wage
$172,790
$83,860–$239,200
Projected growth
—
—
Annual openings
—
per year
Employed (US)
113,490
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
31 mapped
Core skills
Judgment and Decision MakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSpeakingComplex Problem SolvingReading ComprehensionMonitoringSocial Perceptiveness
Knowledge areas
Medicine and DentistryCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageBiologyPsychology
Technology & tools
Medical softwareAccounting softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite softwareInternet browser software
Representative tasks
Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self from infectious diseases.Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equiAdminister anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, and safety glasses) — apply and verify correct usage before each patient encounter in a supervised clinical setting.Dental examination instruments and diagnostic x-ray equipment — operate under attending supervision to perform initial oral assessments in a general dentistry clinic.Patient dental and medical histories — collect and document accurately using office suite software during intake procedures in a clinical practice.Basic anesthetic protocols — assist in preparing and administering local anesthetics under direct supervision during routine dental procedures.Dental air turbines and hand instruments — handle and maintain with appropriate sterile technique under the guidance of a licensed dentist in a clinical environment.Preliminary treatment plans — draft for straightforward cases such as simple restorations under supervising dentist review in a general practice setting.Preventive oral health education — deliver standardized instructions to patients regarding brushing, flossing, and diet in a general dentistry office.Antibiotic and analgesic prescriptions — prepare for supervising dentist co-signature following established formulary guidelines in a clinical practice.Dental radiographic images — interpret common findings such as caries and bone loss with direct faculty or senior clinician guidance in a supervised clinic.Clinical time and appointment schedules — manage personal patient caseload under oversight to maintain on-time flow in a general dentistry practice.
developing
Full-mouth examinations — conduct independently using dental instruments, digital x-rays, and diagnostic software to identify caries, periodontal disease, and soft-tissue anomalies in a general practice.Infection control and PPE compliance — enforce protocol for self and assisting staff across all patient encounters in a private or group dental office.Local and regional anesthetic techniques — administer with confidence across a range of block and infiltration methods to manage patient pain during routine and moderately complex procedures.Individualized treatment plans — formulate for common conditions including restorative, endodontic, and periodontal needs based on clinical findings in a general dentistry setting.Dental appliances and surgical implements — select and use appropriately for extractions, crown preparations, and other routine procedures with minimal oversight.Disease diagnoses — document accurately using dental practice management software and communicate findings clearly to patients and referring specialists.Prescription management — write and review antibiotic, antifungal, and analgesic prescriptions in accordance with evidence-based guidelines and state regulations.Patient counseling — adapt preventive care instructions and treatment rationale to individual patient literacy levels and motivational readiness in a community dental clinic.Clinical problem solving — apply inductive reasoning to non-routine presentations such as atypical pain or ambiguous radiographic findings in a solo or small-group practice.Staff coordination — direct dental assistants and hygienists on daily clinical tasks and instrument preparation to maintain safe and efficient patient care.
proficient
Complex oral diagnoses — evaluate multifactorial conditions including advanced periodontal disease, occlusal dysfunction, and oral lesions autonomously using comprehensive diagnostic data in a full-scope general dentistry practice.Comprehensive treatment planning — develop, sequence, and present multi-phase restorative and surgical treatment plans for patients with complex systemic and oral health interactions.Advanced pain management — select and administer appropriate anesthetic techniques, including intraosseous and intrapulpal methods, for challenging patient anatomies or anxious patients in a general or specialty-adjacent practice.Surgical and restorative procedures — perform extractions, implant placements, endodontic therapy, and complex crown-and-bridge work using dental air turbines, hand instruments, and surgical implements with a high degree of precision.Diagnostic imaging interpretation — analyze cone-beam CT scans, periapical, and panoramic radiographs to detect pathology, assess bone volume, and plan implant or surgical cases without specialist referral when appropriate.Evidence-based prescribing — manage antimicrobial stewardship by selecting the narrowest-spectrum effective agents and educating patients on adherence and side effects across a diverse patient population.Patient behavior and health literacy — apply social perceptiveness and motivational interviewing to overcome barriers to preventive care and treatment acceptance in underserved or medically complex patient populations.Medical emergency preparedness — recognize and respond to systemic emergencies such as anaphylaxis, syncope, or cardiac events in the dental office using current ACLS-aligned protocols.Interdisciplinary collaboration — coordinate with physicians, oral surgeons, and orthodontists through detailed referral letters and shared records to deliver integrated care for medically compromised patients.Dental practice technology — configure and utilize electronic health record and medical software platforms to optimize clinical documentation, billing accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
advanced
Clinical quality standards — establish and continuously refine evidence-based protocols for diagnosis, treatment planning, and infection control across an entire dental organization or multi-site practice.Organizational treatment philosophy — articulate and champion a comprehensive, patient-centered care model that integrates preventive, restorative, and surgical disciplines at an institutional or network level.Workforce development — mentor, evaluate, and advance the clinical competencies of associate dentists, residents, and allied dental staff through structured feedback and continuing education programs.Strategic case complexity management — accept and lead care for the most complex, high-risk patient presentations — including those with systemic comorbidities or maxillofacial pathology — that exceed routine practice scope.Regulatory and ethical leadership — interpret evolving dental practice laws, prescribing regulations, and infection control standards and translate them into actionable compliance frameworks for the practice or institution.Health economics and practice administration — oversee budgeting, revenue cycle management, and accounting software reporting to ensure the financial sustainability of a dental organization while maintaining care quality.Community oral health advocacy — design and lead population-level preventive programs, school-based screenings, or public health initiatives that reduce the burden of dental disease across a defined community.Curriculum and educational program design — develop and deliver postgraduate or continuing education curricula for dental professionals aligned with competency-based frameworks and accreditation requirements.Research and innovation integration — critically appraise emerging clinical science, materials, and technologies — such as digital impressioning, AI-assisted diagnostics, and laser dentistry — and drive evidence-based adoption within the organization.Interprofessional leadership — represent dentistry in health system governance, hospital credentialing committees, or policy bodies to advance oral-systemic health integration at the organizational or policy level.
Also known as
13 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Family DentistPeriodontistDental Surgery Doctor (DDS)DentistDoctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)Pediatric DentistPublic-Health DentistDoctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)Public Health DentistDental Medicine Doctor (DMD)General DentistEndodontistDental Officer