Dentist
Also known as: DDS, Dental Surgeon
Diagnose and treat oral health issues, from routine cleanings to complex dental surgeries.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for dentists.
About 1 in 67 reaches this level
About 149K dentists per BLS; ~7,500 are oral surgeons but practice owners at $700K+ number maybe 2,000-2,500.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a doctoral/professional degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
AI reads dental X-rays with 80-92% sensitivity for caries and periodontal disease, CAD/CAM automation saves 30-45 minutes per case, and one in three dentists already uses AI in diagnostics. These tools let fewer dentists handle more patients. But every core procedure — drilling, filling, extracting — still requires skilled hands physically inside a patient's mouth, BLS projects 4% growth with 4,500 openings per year, and 59 million Americans live in dental shortage areas.
Sources
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
Related Careers
Is Dentist right for you?
Take our free 20-minute assessment to find out if dentist matches your personality, interests, and strengths.
Take the Free Assessment