Pediatric Dentist
Quick Facts
Median Salary$191,537
Most Common EducationPh.D. or professional degree
Projected 10-Year Growth+26.91%
Assessment MatchTake the Assessment
What They Do
A Pediatric Dentist diagnoses and treats problems of the teeth, gums, and mouth, and helps children maintain oral health. May work as a general practitioner, handling a variety of patient needs.
Core Tasks:
- Use masks, gloves, and safety glasses to protect patients and self 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.
- Administer anesthetics to limit the amount of pain experienced by patients during procedures.
- Use dental air turbines, hand instruments, dental appliances, or surgical implements.
- Formulate plan of treatment for patient's teeth and mouth tissue.
- 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.
- Design, make, or fit prosthodontic appliances, such as space maintainers, bridges, or dentures, or write fabrication instructions or prescriptions for denturists or dental technicians.
- Write prescriptions for antibiotics or other medications.
- Fill pulp chamber and canal with endodontic materials.
- Treat exposure of pulp by pulp capping, removal of pulp from pulp chamber, or root canal, using dental instruments.
- Remove diseased tissue, using surgical instruments.
- Analyze or evaluate dental needs to determine changes or trends in patterns of dental disease.
- Manage business aspects such as employing or supervising staff or handling paperwork or insurance claims.
- Apply fluoride or sealants to teeth.
- Eliminate irritating margins of fillings and correct occlusions, using dental instruments.
- Perform oral or periodontal surgery on the jaw or mouth.
- Plan, organize, or maintain dental health programs.
- Bleach, clean, or polish teeth to restore natural color.
- Produce or evaluate dental health educational materials.
What to expect as a Pediatric Dentist
1Earn a Ph.D. or professional degree
46% of people achieve this level of education.
2Gain skills and experience
See Pediatric Dentist related courses on Tallo
3Land a job
542 openings for Pediatric Dentists
Career Progression
in United States (Nation)
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