Dentist Salary
Dentists often choose this field as they love to help others keep their teeth and gums healthy thereby improving overall health. A dentist is trained to examine and treat injuries and diseases of both the teeth and the gums. This may involve either preventive work or maintenance dentistry. Patients are also educated in how to care for the teeth and gums so they stay healthy. If braces or surgery are needed for proper oral health, the dentist will make recommendations as to what needs to be done. As there is a great deal involved in tooth and gum care, a dentist salary is very high.
Dentist Salary
The hourly median wage of a dentist is $73.70 with the lowest 10% making $26.56 an hour and the highest 10% making more than $80 an hour. The median annual wage is $153,390. How much you will make in this field depends in large part on where you live. Dentists in New Hampshire make an average of $117.79 an hour while those California make $90.32. Those in private practice tend to make more than those working for the federal government.
Dentist Education
One reason the dentist salary is so high is that eight years of education will be required to work in this field. The first six years will be spent on coursework with the final two being used to treat patients. Classes that must be taken include infectious disease, microbiology, physiology and anatomy. The education must be completed at an accredited school and, for those who wish to specialize in a particular area, additional schooling will be needed.
Dentist License
In order to become licensed as a dentist, one must meet three basic requirements. The education as described above must be completed, a written exam must be passed and a clinical examination must be undertaken. The written exam is the National Board Dental Examinations. Parts I and II must be successfully passed. Most states also require the clinical examination. The requirements for this portion of the exam differ from sate to state and will be conducted by either the state board of dentistry or a regional dental testing agency. Contact your state board of dentistry to determine what the requirements are for your area.
Job Growth Outlook For Dentists
Job growth for dentists is expected to grow faster than average in the United States between the years 2008 and 2018 according to the US Bureau of Labour statistics. Growth is expected to hit around 15% which is faster than average when compared to the rest of the jobs in the US. Things should be looking bright in terms of job openings going forward because of the increasing age of the baby boomer generation. The baby boomer generation are expected to require more and more complicated dental work and will generally be expected to maintain their teeth more so than previous generations. Baby boomers make up a huge slice of the population and they are pushing back against aging more than any other generation and this includes maintaining a beautiful set of pearly whites!
Another good trend for prospective dentists is the fact that a lot of insurance companies have been starting to offer increased dental coverage. If this trend continues people who normally wouldn’t have dental coverage will have access to it. This should increase the need for dentist services.
Dentists will more and more be required to provide care and instruction for preventative measures as opposed to simply providing treatments such as fillings and cleanings. As the baby boomer generation ages and approaches retirement, more and more job openings will open up with that large part of the population retiring.
Remember that there are many different job opportunities within dentistry. A great option is to begin by becoming a dental assistant or dental hygienist and then work your way up to becoming a full dentist or orthodontist or another high-paying position.
Be sure to do some further online research into training and certification programs that can help you on your way. Good luck!
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