Occupation
Dentist
Dentists diagnose and treat conditions of the teeth, gums, and mouth, combining fine manual work with clinical judgement about what to treat and when. Most practice is restorative and preventive, with referral onward for complex surgical or orthodontic cases. Many dentists also run or part-own the practice, which brings business responsibilities alongside clinical ones.
Also known as: Dental surgeon · General dentist · Doctor of dental surgery
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Occupation content
Part of Healthcare and clinical services
A visual day in the work
What the work involves
Examine patients, take and read radiographs, and record findings on a dental chart.
Diagnose decay, gum disease, and oral lesions and set out treatment options with costs and trade-offs.
Administer local anaesthetic and carry out restorations, extractions, and root-canal treatment.
Fit crowns, bridges, dentures, and other prostheses, adjusting for fit and bite.
Refer complex surgical, orthodontic, or suspicious findings to the appropriate specialist.
Supervise hygienists, therapists, and dental assistants working with the same patients.
Entry-route stepper
How people commonly enter
An entry-to-practice dentistry degree at a recognised dental school.
A graduate-entry dental programme taken after a science first degree.
An assessment, examination, and clinical-competency route for dentists qualified elsewhere.
Typical training: Postgraduate or professional degree
Licensing: Regulated in most jurisdictions. Confirm the current requirement with the regulator in your province, state, or country.
Work-context map
Typical work context
- Team based
- Public facing
- Predictable routine
- High responsibility
- Physically active
- Quiet focus
Team based · Public facing · Predictable routine · High responsibility · Physically active · Quiet focus
Related interests
- Realistic (hands-on)
- Investigative (analytical)
- Social (helping)
Realistic (hands-on) · Investigative (analytical) · Social (helping)
Related aptitude preparation
These are preparation links only. They do not measure eligibility for this occupation and no score here qualifies or disqualifies anyone.
Skills to practise
Practice suites
Related learning
Family-level learning links for Healthcare and clinical services.
Official sources
Labour-market facts such as pay and employment projections are not reproduced here. Open an official source below for figures, with its own geography and reference period.
O*NET OnLine: Dentists, General (29-1021.00)
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UK National Careers Service: Dentist
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Canada Job Bank: Explore an occupation (search: dentist)
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
This is broad family-level context for Healthcare and clinical services in Canada, not a figure for Dentist. It does not affect matching scores and is not an eligibility determination.
This is a broad Healthcare and clinical services family. Explore the official profile for the chosen occupation; entry education and training can differ within the family.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Healthcare and clinical services: education pathways
Some roles in Healthcare and clinical services may be regulated. Confirm whether the specific role requires registration, certification, or a jurisdiction-specific licence.
Canada Job Bank Career Planning · Canada · Current official profile; consult source for its release period
Healthcare and clinical services: licensing
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