Dentists examine patients’ teeth and mouth and correct dental problems.
| Quick Facts: Dentists | |
|---|---|
| Wages | Earn $72,186 - $352,704 per year |
| Employment | Very small occupation |
| 10 Year Growth | More slowly than average |
| Annual Openings | Very few |
Preparation 
Preparation
The Preparation section describes the education, training, and experience you need to prepare for work in an occupation. This section covers the types of formal and informal training programs you should take. In addition, this topic covers the amount of experience you need to enter an occupation.
For more information see the Preparation topic.
A dentist typically needs to:
- have a high school diploma or equivalent
- complete at least two years of college
- take science courses in college
- graduate from dental school
- pass a state exam to get a license
Working Conditions
Working Conditions
The Working Conditions section describes an occupation's characteristics. This section covers the conditions and settings that workers in an occupation are exposed to. This list also shows characteristics that a worker needs to do well in the occupation.
For more information see the Working Conditions topic.
In a typical work setting, dentists:
- Have a high level of social contact. Dentists work constantly with patients or coworkers.
- Are exposed on a daily basis to the diseases and infections carried by patients.
- Must fully complete and be exact in their work. Any errors could cause their patients to experience pain.
- May work 40 hours a week. Some work more, especially dentists starting new practices.
Wages
Wages
Multiple SOC version:
The Wage section gives you a sense of how much money workers earn in an occupation. Annual wage data appear for most occupations. The annual amount is based on working full time for 12 months.
Two types of information are given about wages--the median wage and the wage range. The median wage is represented by the line in the bar. The median wage is the amount above which half of all workers are paid and below which half of all workers are paid. This is similar to an average. The wage range from the 25% to the 75% is represented by the bar. The 25% means that one-quarter of workers in the occupation earn less than that amount. Similarly, one-quarter of workers in the occupation earn more than the 75%. Move your cursor over the bar to see the wage values.
For more information see the Wages topic.
In Illinois, dentists earn a median wage of $72,186 - $352,704 per year.
| $0 | $50 | $100 | $150 | $200 |
| Illinois |
$ amounts are in thousands of dollars.
Employment and Outlook
Employment and Outlook
The Employment and Outlook section gives you information about the size of an occupation, whether it is growing or declining in size, and how many job openings there may be each year.
There are five size categories for occupations in CIS: very small, small, medium, large, and very large. Similarly, five categories are used for the number of job openings: very few, few, moderate, high, and very high.
Five categories are also used for growth: declining, more slowly than average, average, faster than average, and much faster than average. The growth rate tells you how rapidly an occupation is expected to grow in comparison to all other occupations. This information is an estimate. No one can predict exactly how many jobs will be available. The rate of growth of an occupation is determined by several factors. A few major factors are the state of the economy, competition, technological advances, and environmental rules.
For more information see the Employment and Outlook topic.
In Illinois, 684 dentists work in this very small occupation.
| Location | Employment | 10 Year Growth | Annual Openings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | 684 Very small | 4.5% Slow | 22 Very few |