A dentist is part of the health care team who specializes in preventing, diagnosing and treating oral disorders and diseases of the mouth, gums and teeth. Just like other doctors, a dentist can have a choice to run their own business or clinic by themselves, or with a support staff. A dental team usually includes a dental assistant, dental hygienist, and dental technician. In some states, a dental therapist is also included on the team.
How to become a dentist?
Dentists are also known in the United States as dental surgeon. Educational requirement requires a them to graduate from high school and complete courses in general biology, physics, statistics/calculus, organic chemistry and general chemistry. Though most schools …show more content…
How much does a dentist make a year?
How much does a dentist make usually depend on a lot of factors. These factors will gauge the actual salary of a dentist and how much he can take home at the end of the day:
• Type of proprietorship. Is he working alone or with a team? Does he have his personal clinic or shares it with someone else? The type of ownership will determine whether the dentist cater all the patients alone or share it with someone else. If he does it alone, it will obviously lead to a bigger salary compared to sharing it with someone at the end of the day.
• Years of experience. The years of experience of a dentist will also help determine how much does a dentist make a year. If a particular dentist is new in the field, he could not charge as much as a veteran who has been in the business for 10 years and counting.
• Location of the clinic. Different states have different range of salaries for dentist. The best-paying state for dentists is Delaware with annual mean salary of $224,830.
• Hours of worked. The hours of work will also help determine if a dentist earns as much as his colleagues. A dentist who works half-day will obviously not earn as much as a dentist who works for an 8-hour