If you’re in the market for a dental career in the United States, then you’re in luck. As of 2018, there were over 750,000 available jobs that were defined as “dental occupations”. As demand for dental careers continues to grow, jobs in dentistry are continuing to pop up everywhere.
If you’re considering a career in dentistry, you may be wondering what kinds of jobs you could get. The good news is, there are a wide variety of dentistry jobs to choose from. Check out these top dental career options!
As the primary person in this field, it should come as no surprise that being a dentist is very lucrative. The average salary for a dentist is almost $200,000 per year.
Being a dentist comes with a lot of responsibility. Daily tasks can include diagnosing and treating patients, performing oral maintenance and surgeries, working closely with the dental staff, and much more.
The education requirements to be a dentist include a high school diploma and a bachelor’s and a graduate degree from an accredited dental school. Dental school takes an average of four years to complete. Dental students must also pass a clinical and written exam to be certified as a dentist in the United States.
The national average for a dental hygienists’ salary is around $38.21 per hour. This salary can fluctuate based on the city and state you work in.
Dental hygienists work closely with the dentist to provide preventative wellness care, cleanings and polishing, dental education, and much more. Dental hygienists must be well versed in x-ray technology and be up to date with knowledge of the latest procedures of dental medicine.
The education requirements for dental hygienists include a high school diploma, and either an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. The level of education needed to be a dental hygienist varies.
The average salary for a periodontist is around $207,000 per year.
This profession in the dental industry is lesser-known yet very important. A periodontist is a specialist that treats the gums and bones of the jaw. Daily duties include performing specialist surgeries, regular maintenance, and health education, providing preventative care, coordinating with dentists and orthodontists, and much more.
The education requirements to become a periodontist are similar to that of a dentist. These requirements include a high school diploma and a bachelor’s and a graduate degree from an accredited dental institution.
Periodontists must also complete a residency that focuses on gum disease and issues. As with dentists, periodontists must also pass a clinical and written exam to obtain their license.
If you’re looking for something that requires much less time in school, a medical billing job could be the perfect fit for you. Medical billers in the dental industry make an average of $15.94 per hour. There are currently over 300,000 medical billing jobs in the US.
Medical billers are in charge of collecting payments for dental procedures and treatments. They work closely with insurance companies to prepare and submit invoices, investigate claims, and much more.
The education requirement for a medical biller is a high school diploma. Many dental offices will require some form of industry experience or high education in place of experience.
We hope these job descriptions have inspired you to begin your own dental career! If you’re in the market for a job in the dental industry, then we’re here to help.
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