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| Job Outlook | | Employment of dentists is expected to grow more slowly than the average for all occupations through 2016. Although employment growth will provide some job opportunities, most jobs will result from the need to replace the large number of dentists projected to retire. Job prospects should be good as new dentists take over established practices or start their own.
Demand for dental care should grow substantially through 2016. Dental care will focus more on prevention, including teaching people how better to care for their teeth. Dentists will increasingly provide care that is aimed at preventing tooth loss rather than simply providing treatments, such as fillings. Improvements in dental technology also will allow dentists to provide more effective and less painful treatment to their patients.
The employment of dentists is not expected to grow as rapidly as the demand for dental services. As their practices expand, dentists are likely to hire more dental hygienists and dental assistants to handle routine services. Almost all dentists work in private practice. A small number of salaried dentists work in private or public hospitals and clinics.
Dentists held about 161,000 jobs in 2006. About 2 in 5 dentists were self-employed. Almost all dentists work in private practice. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), about 80 percent of dentists in private practice are sole proprietors, and 13 percent belong to a partnership. A small number of salaried dentists work in hospitals and offices of physicians. |
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| More Information | | American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation, American Dental Education Association |
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| References | | Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition, Dentists, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos072.htm
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