This occupation is part of the Healthcare Practitioner and Technical cluster
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About the Job
Examine, diagnose, and treat diseases, injuries, and malformations of teeth and gums. May treat diseases of nerve, pulp, and other dental tissues affecting oral hygiene and retention of teeth. May fit dental appliances or provide preventive care.
It is also Called
- Associate Dentist
- Dental Intern
- Dental Medicine Doctor (DMD)
- Dental Officer
- Dental Surgery Doctor (DDS)
- Dentist
- Doctor
- Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
- Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
- Endodontist
What They Do
- Remove diseased tissue, using surgical instruments.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Use masks, gloves and safety glasses to protect themselves and their patients from infectious diseases.
- Examine teeth, gums, and related tissues, using dental instruments, x-rays, or other diagnostic equipment, to evaluate dental health, diagnose diseases or abnormalities, and plan appropriate treatments.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- Use air turbine and hand instruments, dental appliances and surgical implements.
- Diagnose and treat diseases, injuries, or malformations of teeth, gums, or related oral structures and provide preventive or corrective services.
- Advise or instruct patients regarding preventive dental care, the causes and treatment of dental problems, or oral health care services.
- Treat exposure of pulp by pulp capping, removal of pulp from pulp chamber, or root canal, using dental instruments.
- Write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
Interests
People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: IRS.
This means people who work in this occupation generally have Investigative interests, but also prefer Realistic and Social environments.
Work Values
People who work in this occupation generally prize Independence, but also value Achievement and Relationships in their jobs.
Things They Need to Know
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Things They Need to Be Able to Do
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
Education Required
Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Wages
In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $140,620.00 with most people making between $68,410.00 and n/a
Outlook
During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 17,000 people in California. It is projected that there will be 17,700 employed in 2020.
This occupation will have about 70 openings due to growth and about 510 replacement openings for approximately 580 total annual openings.
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