1. Research on Career - Dentistry
Sawyer Jackson
Health Science
Class of 2016

2. Brief History of Dentistry
• People have always been working on teeth.
• There is evidence of this all the way back to
Hippocrates who studied the pattern of tooth
eruption
• the profession as a whole began to develop during
the late 1800’s
• Mid-Late 1900’s technical advancements being
made in dental technology
Source: http://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-history-and-presidents-of-the-
ada/ada-history-of-dentistry-timeline

3. Brief History Cont.
• 1801 – Richard C. Skinner wrote the first
American dental book
• 1839 – American Journal of Dental Science begins
• 1840 – Baltimore College of Dentistry formed
• 1859 – American Dental Association formed
• End of 1800’s x-rays are starting to be used
• 1938 – first nylon toothbrush made
• 1945 – water fluoridation begins
• 1950 – Fluoride toothpaste invented

4. Growth Potential
• Number of Dental providers is expected to
grow 16% from 2012-2022
• This growth is faster than average
• Even in spite of the economy, dental
professionals still experience 15-20% growth
in their practices a year
Source: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dentists.htm

5. Salary Range of Dentists/Specialties
• Dentist Median Salary: $123,206
• Orthodontist Median Salary: $151,160
• Oral Surgeon Median Salary: $215,696
• Endodontist Median Salary: $195,271
Source: http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Dentist/Salary

6. Post College Education
• Dental School – 4 Year Program for DMD or DDS
degree
• Orthodontic Specialty program – minimum of 2
years after dental school
• Oral Surgery – 3 years in an Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgery Residency after dental school
• Endodontics – 2-3 years residency after dental
school
Sources: ttp://educationh-portal.com/articles/Oral_Surgeon_Career_Information_and_Requirements_
for_Becoming_an_Oral_Surgeon.html
http://work.chron.com/orthodontist-schooling-requirements-3126.html

7. Skills for the Job
• O*Net Profile Results:
– Highest Score – Investigative
• Means I prefer a job that is mentally stimulating and
forces me to think, research, and plan
• Mental Problem solving is important
• Research is important
Source: http://www.onetcenter.org/dl_tools/IP_zips/IP-SR-deskp.pdf

8. Skills for the Job Cont.
– Second Highest – Realistic
• Shows I prefer hands-on work with people and
machines
• Would rather be doing hands-on work than filling out
paperwork
Source: http://www.onetcenter.org/dl_tools/IP_zips/IP-SR-deskp.pdf

9. Dental Schools of Interest
• MUSC College of Dental Medicine –
Charleston, SC
– Tuition 4 years – $250,000
– Average Cost for 4 years - $360,000
• Including Books, supplies, housing, and tuition
• Source:
http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/esl/em/fin_aid/planni
ng/budgets/dental/

10. Schools of Interest
• GRU College of Dental Medicine – Augusta, GA
– Tuition 4 Years - $80,000
– Fees - $4,000 per year
• Source:
http://www.gru.edu/finance/controller/businessoffice/cdm_g
raduate_tuition_fees_2013_14.php

11. Dental Lab Technician
• Work closely with the Dentist to dentures,
bridges, crowns, and other appliances for the
patients
• Skills needed correlate with Dentistry, and also
interests me
– Requires meticulous attention to detail; creativity
– Job Security: their services are always needed
– May consider doing an internship in this field to
broaden my sights in the dental field
• Source:http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/careers-in-
dentistry/dental-team-careers/dental-laboratory-technology

12. Conclusion
• Through the history of Dentistry to the tuition
and costs associated with schooling and skills
needed to succeed in the dental field, I have
learned many new things about the field I plan
on entering after college