Best institutions to study Dentistry
Compare 67 U.S. colleges offering Dentistry by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 38 states.
About Dentistry programs
Dentistry, also known as dental medicine, is a specialized field within health professions focused on the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases related to the teeth, gums, and mouth. This program is ideal for individuals passionate about oral health and interested in providing care to improve patients' quality of life. Practitioners in this field are known as dentists.
Students in a dentistry program gain essential skills such as critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication. Coursework typically covers topics in medicine and dentistry, biology, psychology, and customer service, equipping future dentists with the knowledge necessary to evaluate dental health and formulate treatment plans.
Top 67 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
Offered across 38 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
| State | Institutions | Median earnings | Top institution by earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabamalimited | 1 | — | — |
| California | 7 | — | — |
| Coloradolimited | 1 | — | — |
| Connecticutlimited | 1 | — | — |
| District of Columbialimited | 1 | — | — |
| Floridalimited | 2 | — | — |
| Illinois | 3 | — | — |
| Indianalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Iowalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Kentuckylimited | 2 | — | — |
| Louisianalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Mainelimited | 1 | — | — |
| Marylandlimited | 1 | — | — |
| Massachusetts | 3 | — | — |
| Michiganlimited | 2 | — | — |
| Minnesotalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Mississippilimited | 1 | — | — |
| Missourilimited | 2 | — | — |
| Nebraskalimited | 2 | — | — |
| Nevadalimited | 2 | — | — |
| New Jerseylimited | 1 | — | — |
| New York | 5 | — | — |
| North Carolinalimited | 2 | — | — |
| Ohiolimited | 2 | — | — |
| Oklahomalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Oregonlimited | 1 | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | — | — |
| South Carolinalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Tennesseelimited | 2 | — | — |
| Texas | 4 | — | — |
| Utahlimited | 1 | — | — |
| Virginialimited | 1 | — | — |
| Washingtonlimited | 1 | — | — |
| West Virginialimited | 1 | — | — |
| Wisconsinlimited | 1 | — | — |
| Puerto Ricolimited | 1 | — | — |
| Arizonalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Georgialimited | 1 | — | — |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-1021, Dentists, General, and its national outlook.
Dentists can expect a positive career outlook, with a growth rate of 4.1% and approximately 3,900 annual job openings. The median wage for dentists is $172,790, and a doctoral or professional degree is typically required to enter this field.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Dentistry
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 51.04.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 51.04 (Dentistry) maps to 2 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 25-1071 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary |
| 29-1021 | Dentists, Generalprimary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Dentistry programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- 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.
Concentrations within Dentistry
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- DentistryCIP 51.0401
A program that prepares individuals for the independent professional practice of dentistry/dental medicine, encompassing the evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders, an
Common questions
What does a dentist do?+
Dentists examine teeth and gums, diagnose diseases, and provide treatments to improve oral health.
What skills are important for a career in dentistry?+
Key skills include critical thinking, active listening, and strong communication.
What is the job outlook for dentists?+
The job outlook for dentists is about as fast as average, with a growth rate of 4.1%.
What level of education is needed to become a dentist?+
A doctoral or professional degree is typically required to practice dentistry.
What is the CIP code for Dentistry?+
Dentistry maps to CIP 51.04 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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