Careers In Dentistry

Learn about career opportunities in dentistry by exploring the American Dental Association website. You can also find out about careers in dentistry on the LifeWorks® website.

Dental careers include:

Dental Assistant

Perform a variety of patient care, office and laboratory duties. They assist dentists, set up patients and equipment, and keep records.

Dental Hygienist

Clean teeth and examine mouth, head, and neck for signs of oral disease. May educate patients on dental hygiene, take and develop x-rays, or apply fluoride or sealants.

Dental Laboratory Technician

Construct and repair full or partial dentures or dental appliances.

Dentist

Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums and related oral structures. Also, may treat diseases of nerves, pulp, and other dental tissues.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons do all kinds of surgery involving the mouth, teeth, jaws and face. They reconstruct faces shattered by car accidents and gunshots, remove tumors and cancerous lesions, correct bites by surgically repositioning the jaws, place dental implants, repair cleft palates, perform all kindsof facial cosmetic surgery, and extract impacted wisdom teeth.

Orthodontist

Examine, diagnose, and treat dental and mouth problems. Design and make appliances that realign teeth and jaws to produce and maintain normal function and to improve appearance.