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Patient care

Dentist

Looks after the health of the teeth, gums and mouth: finding problems early, treating them and helping patients prevent them.

Dentists work in high-street practices, community clinics and hospitals, leading a team of dental nurses, hygienists and therapists. It suits people who like fine, careful handwork and can put a nervous patient at ease.

Also called Dental surgeon, General dental practitioner or Family dentist.

At a glance

Way in
Professional degree and licence, often in dentistry
Pay in the US
$170,950 a year, the medianFor dentists, general, 2025
Pay in the UK
£55,000 starting to £117,000 with experience
US outlook
Faster than average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You have steady hands, an eye for detail and patience with nervous people.

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a dentist do?

  • Examine teeth and gums at check-ups and look for decay, gum disease and early signs of mouth cancer.
  • Take and read X-rays to see what is happening below the gum line and inside the jaw.
  • Do fillings, root canal treatment, crowns and extractions, usually under local anaesthetic.
  • Agree a treatment plan with each patient and explain the choices and risks in plain words.
  • Teach patients how to brush, clean between their teeth and cut down on sugar to prevent decay.

Where they work

  • High-street dental practices
  • Community dental services
  • Hospital dental departments
  • Dental teaching hospitals

Skills

The skills a dentist needs

  • Manual dexteritysteady, precise work with small instruments in a tight space
  • Oral anatomyteeth, jaws, nerves and the soft tissues of the mouth
  • Clinical judgementreading X-rays and choosing the right treatment
  • Patient carecalming anxious patients and explaining treatment clearly
  • Infection controlsterile technique and safe handling of sharps
  • Leadershipguiding the dental nurses, hygienists and therapists you work with

Route in

How to become a dentist

  1. Take chemistry and biology at school with strong grades, and get work experience in a dental setting.
  2. Complete a dental degree with clinical training on real patients: usually a BDS in the UK or South Asia, and a DDS or DMD in the US.
  3. Before you practise, register with the General Dental Council in the UK; in the US, pass the licensing exams and get a state licence.
  4. In the UK, most new dentists then do supervised foundation training in practice, and some later specialise, for example in orthodontics.

Degrees people take

  • Dentistry

In the US, dental school usually follows a bachelor's degree; in the UK and South Asia, most students start a dental degree straight from school.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

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Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

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